THE PRIMARY LABORATORY

THE PRIMARY LABORATORY

"Wives, be subject to your husbands ... Husbands, love your wives ...
Fathers, do not exasperate your children (Colossians 3:18-21)

"God works in our lives primarily through committed relationships. Your
family is the primary laboratory for your character development. This is
precisely the order of Scripture: Establish YOUR identity in Christ,
then focus on living out who you are at home. Notice the order in
Colossians 3:10-25:

* God's great goal for His children is that we conform to HIS
image: "Put on the new self" (vs.10).

* Our identity is no longer in racial, religious, cultural, or
social ties: "There is no distinction ... but Christ is all, and in all"
(vs. 11).

* Character is the focus of development once identity is
established: "Put on the heart of compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience" (vs. 12).

* Character is developed in the context of relational living:
"Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other" (vs. 13).

* Love is the highest level of character development: "Beyond all
these things put on love (vs. 14).

* The means by which all this is accomplished is Christ in you:
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts ... Let the word of Christ
richly dwell within you" (vss. 15-16).

* The primary setting for character development is the home:
"Wives be subject to your husbands ... Husbands, love your wives ...
Children, be obedient to your parents ... Fathers, do not exasperate
your children." (vs. 18-21)

As a parent, you are not just shaping your child's behavior, you
are developing his character. Training a child means discipling Him to
be Christ-like. Don't be a phony at home; your spouse and children will
see right through it. You can't model perfection, but you can model
growth."

Adapted from Daily in Christ - A Devotional by Neil T. Anderson
(Harvest House)

Great quote: "Difficulty is actually the atmosphere surrounding
a miracle, or a miracle in an initial stage. Yet if it is to be a great
miracle, that surrounding condition will be not simply a difficulty but
an utter impossibility. And it is the clinging hand of His child that
makes a desperate situation a delight to God." - Mrs. Cowman Streams in
the Desert

Recommendation: This week an incredible movie on the life of
Esther will be showing in movie theaters all over the country. I highly
recommend it to you. For information check out:
www.onenightwiththeking.com.