Home Management (Rev. David Kwamkur) 28-09-2014

SUNDAY SERVICE
★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Area 1, Garki-Abuja, Nigeria
28th September, 2014

* Speaker: Rev. David Kwamkur
* Topic: Home Management
* COCIN Community Development Project (CCDP)/Kyautatawa Zaman Iyalin Kristi (KZIK) Week
* Theme: Knowing the Will of God
* Sub theme: Excelling in the Grace of Giving
* Service Leader: Mr. Boniface Katlong

SERMON
* Without a Home, you cannot have Home Management

* Anywhere you are living with your family is your home

* A home is any institution or place of refuge, love, shelter, care, rest, protection, security, comfort, & nourishment

* A Christian home is a place where everyone relates with each other in a Christ-like manner

* You must know Christ first before you know how to relate in a Christ-like manner

* In order to relate in a Christ-like manner, there must be Love

* A Christ-like relationship is self-less

* The home is very essential to the existence of the Church

★ HOME ESTABLISHMENT
* Marriage is essential in establishing a viable home

* Usually, marriage begins with courtship

* Courtship is a key foundation of a marriage. It is a crucial period

★ COUNSELLING
* This involves getting guidance on any issue from a more experienced person

* Marriage is not just an idea, it is a living thing and you need Knowledge & godly counsel to keep it alive

★ WEDDING AND WEDDING CEREMONY
* Make up your mind from the start that you will keep your vows

* As a Christian, the wedding ceremony must be done in a godly way, not as one who is god-less

★ BALANCE
* For you to be godly Man/Woman, you must have a measure of balance in your life

* You must balance your social life, spiritual life with your marriage

* Balance career with marriage

* Balance inner beauty with physical beauty

* Take your marriage as seriously as you would take your career

★ THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL VALUES ON MARRIAGE
* Some cultural beliefs are contrary to God's standards

* Under God's standard, men and women are equal and they are required to submit to each other out of fear for God
→ (Ephesians 5:21)

★ PRAYER
* You must be prayerful as a Christian

* Instead of talking about your problems, pray about it
→ Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

* Every shortcoming in your spouse, or family is a prayer request

* Every Christian family must have a vibrant prayer altar where worship and prayer become ingrained as part of the family tradition

* Children Must learn how to pray and trust God from the Home

★ BROKEN HOMES
⇒ Some causes of broken marriages
1. Wrong choices
2. Parental, friends, in-laws (external) influence
3. lack of genuine love among couples
4. Communication breakdown
5. Sexual unfaithfulness
6. Stinginess - couples starve their partners

★ COMPLEX ISSUES IN HOME MANAGEMENT
* Some of the Complex issues that confront Christian families include:
→ Impotency
→ Infertility
→ Divorce
→ Management of aged relatives
→ Betrayal among family members

* These must be handled with wisdom, if not, they have the potential of causing disaffection among couples and breaking up the marriage

* There is nothing that God cannot do
→ Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible."

★ THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHIILDREN TOWARDS PARENTS
* Children must obey their parents

* Children must take care of their parents, especially where they are aged, sick or poor

* Children must trust God for wisdom in handling unrealistic expectations from parents

★ HANDLING CONFLICTS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS
* Acts 15:36-41

* Conflicts must be managed & resolved so that they do not affect family harmony

* Conflicts are usually a test

* We are expected to be peace makers as children of God

* A healthy & godly family is a product of hardwork and positive decision