1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... 27 God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it... (Genesis 1: 1, 27-28a)

God’s Order of Relationships

• 1. “God created man” - God & Man
• 2. “Male and female” - Husband & Wife
• 3. “Be fruitful” - Parents & Children
• “fill the earth and subdue it.”
• From Marriage/Family to Tribes, Societies, Nations

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We Raise Godly Children by:

I. Restoring Our Parent/Child Relationship

“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Pr 22:6)

Expectations-based parenting creates fear:

• Expectations lead to performance
• Performance leads to disappointments
• Disappointments lead to guilt and shame
• Guilt and shame leads to more expectations

Expectations-based parenting

• I expect you to make me happy and give me security and/or significance.
• My dreams/ideals are centred around you.
• I give you the power to make me happy or miserable.
• Because I treat you well, you should become what I expect.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid" - Albert Einstein

Instead, we should embrace the biblical perspective - love-based parenting.

II. Restoring our Husband/Wife Relationship

Focus on the Family Seasons of Marriage Survey 2020

Out of 596 respondents,

• Daily interactions with spouse:
• 37% not talking or doing things together
• 6% leading completely separate lives
• Conversations with spouse:
• 35% said lacking
• 7% said cold.
• “Love Tank” with spouse:
• 27% said constantly depleted
• 10% said (almost) always empty
• Conflict with spouse:
• 15% uncomfortable talking about conflict
• 22% having harsh arguments or “cold wars” with their spouse most of the time

Advice given to the 1st couple: "Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

Tree of Good/Evil:

• Good vs Evil
• Right vs Wrong
• Good vs Bad

But the Tree of Life (Cross):

• Unconditional love
• Forgiveness and Redemption
• Healing and Restoration

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.  However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Eph 5:31-33)

III. Restoring our God/Man Relationship

“In the beginning… God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him..” (Gen 1: 1, 27)

In His Image

“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)

“…Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)