By bro Lee Tian Seng
The most important goal in the family is to serve God and to help one another go to heaven. Joshua and his family were committed to serving God (Joshua 24:15). In seeking to serve God, our families should worship God, study the Bible and pray to God together.
1. Worship Together
As husband and wife are close companions as God desires it to be so (Genesis 2:18-24), they should want to worship God on Sunday together. If one spouse does not want to want God, then it may discourage the other who wants to and this will hinder the family from serving God. Our families need to attend worship every Sunday and meet with fellow Christians.
John 4:23-24 - But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
2. Study Together
To serve God, our families should also be studying the Bible together and seek to live by the Word of God.
2 Timothy 2:15 - Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Parents should teach their children the Bible from young so as to nurture them with the Word of God.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
3. Pray Together
Besides worshipping and studying the Bible, our families should pray together and pray for one another. We should pray for wisdom to have a good marriage and to bring up our children the godly way.
James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Instead of being anxious, families should pray in everything so that there will be peace in the heart.
Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
A godly family should do all these together so that they can encourage one another to serve God and to seek the eternal reward that God has reserved for them.