Influencing Our Household
I love it when I find verses that go along with what the Lord has been showing me in my studies of how to serve Him better. This morning I found Genesis 18:19. This verse reveals the purpose God has for people once they come to know Him. The amazing thing is that there are so many passages that say the exact same thing.
Abraham believed in the Lord, and he entered into a personal relationship with Him. God knew Him, and he knew God. God's purpose in that was to use Abraham to build His kingdom here on earth. The process begins with family and household. Abraham was told by God to command his children to keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice. In other words, he was to show them how to believe in the Lord and to follow Him. However, it went farther than that. He was to influence his "household," as well. In Abraham's case his household was more than relatives. It was comprised of servants and those close to him. He was to influence those with whom he had a relationship. He had built in relationships which were the first ones for him to reach with the truth.
The same is true for us. We all have a household. It is family, but it is also co-workers, neighbors, and others with whom we deal on a regular basis. It is God's will for us to start by leading them in the way of the Lord. Then, we can help them reach their households, also. In this way the gospel spreads in a very natural way. This does not rule out sharing the gospel with others at all. It is just God's way of following our relationships to share the good news.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 20-23.
Abraham believed in the Lord, and he entered into a personal relationship with Him. God knew Him, and he knew God. God's purpose in that was to use Abraham to build His kingdom here on earth. The process begins with family and household. Abraham was told by God to command his children to keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice. In other words, he was to show them how to believe in the Lord and to follow Him. However, it went farther than that. He was to influence his "household," as well. In Abraham's case his household was more than relatives. It was comprised of servants and those close to him. He was to influence those with whom he had a relationship. He had built in relationships which were the first ones for him to reach with the truth.
The same is true for us. We all have a household. It is family, but it is also co-workers, neighbors, and others with whom we deal on a regular basis. It is God's will for us to start by leading them in the way of the Lord. Then, we can help them reach their households, also. In this way the gospel spreads in a very natural way. This does not rule out sharing the gospel with others at all. It is just God's way of following our relationships to share the good news.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 20-23.