How To Treat Family Members

June 26,2011 Vol. 11, No. 177

WORSHIP
Suggested Worship Songs: Trading My Sorrow / I Know Who I Am / Your Grace is Enough / Mighty To Save / Jesus, We Enthrone You

WELCOME
Icebreaker: Family Links Twins and Twists
Bambi was born on the same date as Cecil. Arlene is the older twin daughter of Sonny and Mayette. Gio married the younger twin cousin of Bambi. Mayette is the wife of the only one sibling of Bambis mom. Questions: 1.How is Arlene related to Bambi? 2.How is Cecil related to Arlene? 3.What is the relationship of Cecil and Gio? 4.How is Arlene, Bambi and Cecil related to each other? (Answer at the back page.)

WORD
God has commanded me to teach you, so that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, 2so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and so that you may enjoy long life.

Deuteronomy 6;1-2: 1Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your

How To Treat Family Members

Relational development begins at home the concept of father, mother, brother and sister must be real to us to enable us to treat people outside our home like our family members (1 Timothy 5:1-2). Parents should model the way to treat family members. Teach children to treat others the way they want others to treat them. This is the summary of the entire commandments of God (Matt 7:12). It is love in action.

and emotions will follow. Do not let the sun go down in your anger (Eph 4:26-27). Do not give the devil an opportunity. Every time you are offended you have a choice to forgive or not. Choose to forgive. Make your home really a home sweet home with positive, relaxed, and happy environment so that children will look forward going back to your home. Do not create tension at home that will make children allergic to being home. It is never too late to forgive and ask for forgiveness. The secret of transformation is to be humble, which is possible when you are connected to Jesus who has first forgiven you for all your sins.

How do you treat your family members? 1. Be respectful Teach children, especially the teenagers to be nice to their family members the same way they are nice with their friends. Sometimes they can be too nice with their friends but nasty with their siblings. Do not be moody because that is selfishness and 3. Be Givers not Takers not being respectful. By nature we are selfish. Children oftentimes have Do not use unkind words i.e. shut up, get out of entitlement mentality they think parents owe my room, etc. them all the conveniences of life. Be intentional in parenting; take them to mission trips, to poor areas 2. Be Forgiving to let them value the blessings they have. Remember that you are not perfect; sooner than Teach your children to contribute and serve other later, you will make mistakes that will disappoint members of the family. Also, once in a while bring and fail your family members. Learn to forgive and your dgroup with the children to outreach ask for forgiveness. ministries so that they will learn to serve others. Motion before emotion master your emotions or Learn from these three young people who marked your emotions will master you. Just do it forgive, the history with great and noble services for others

and for the country at a young age: (Read Do Hard Things book by Alex and Ed Harris to know their life stories.) George Washington David Farragut Clara Barton 4. Be Accountable Better is an open rebuke than secret love (Proverbs 27:5-6). Be open and transparent, be humble to accept your mistakes and get corrected. Believe the best in each other, no quick judgments or generalizations when your family members made mistakes. All necessary topics must be discussed at home; When your children bring up a topic, your job is to listen and discuss, never use your anger or position as a tool to shut out any one.

Discipleship group is designed for accountability. Be part of a small group (Proverbs 27:17) King David is a valiant king but he is an example of a father who does not know accountability (Read 1 Kings 1:5-6 for the story). 5. Be A Dream Releaser Encourage your children; help bring out the best in them; let your children release their potential to fly (Hebrews 10:24-25) Every child is a masterpiece, uniquely designed by God with specific unique gifting and talents. Trust and believe the best in your children. Learn from great men and women in history like the three mentioned earlier, your children can also make a difference even at a young age.

Discussion Questions:
(Leaders: Please choose questions that are appropriate to the level of spiritual maturity of your members) 1. Parenting the Parent. Describe your parenting style. What is obviously common between your parenting and your parents style? What are you convicted to change in your parenting style? Explain why. 2. For Teens Only. When was the last time you talk to your parents about life? What did you learn and like the most from that talk? 3. Accountability Partner. What is accountability? Who is your accountability partner? How does having an accountability partner help you in your spiritual maturity?

WORKS
Treat or Trick
Take a closer look into the following passages. Which one is based on the Bible? What makes the messaging different in each passage. Cite some examples to explain your observations. Passage 1: Treat others the way you want them to treat you. Passage 2: Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you. Passage 3: Treat others the way they treat you.

House Rules
Share with your dgroup some of your family house rules which effectively work for your family. Learn from each others Best Practices of ground rules at home.
Examples: Open communication everyone can ask and discuss practically anything at home without the fear of reprisal or quick judgments Constructive confrontation everyone can constructively deliberate on personal point of view over certain topic and to agree to disagree if deliberation is a deadlock. Back to the Bible in everything you go back to what the Bible says and respect its authority. Major on the major do not major on minor things; you all accept that some tensions cannot be eliminated but should be managed
[Answer to Icebreaker: 1.Cousins 2.Cecil is the younger twin sister of Arlene. 3.Cecil and Gio are husband and wife 4. Cousins.]