A Heavenly Mandate!

Did you know you that as a Christian you have a Heavenly mandate? You have been given the invitation to reflect the brightness of Jesus in your home to your family and those around you

So how can we do this? We are all members of a family, whether you are single, married or have children. There are many ways we can ‘be family’, for example when we spend time together sharing and listening to each other. Celebrating the joys, being there in the sadness and challenges of everyday life. As Christians we are called to be more than that we have been given the most amazing heavenly invitation and mandate, to let Jesus be at the centre of our families. Let's explore seven ideas.

1. Love

‘Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance…Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.’ 1 Corinthians 13:4 & 7 (The Passion Translation)

"If love had no boarders, what would it look like?"

The words of this Bible verse are so simple and yet so foundational. When love is so large and so incredibly patient it never gives up but is always hopeful and enduring. Living in love brings togetherness and unity, it is the centre or ‘heart’ of everything that is said, thought or done.

If love had no boarders, what would it look like? To have love that is so big that it can’t be contained, having no boarders seems like an impossible challenge, but with Jesus, He can show us and enable us to love. Maybe

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 could be a mandate we pray in our homes that God will help us to love like He loves.

Why don’t you take a moment and read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and say it as a prayer asking God to help you daily to love your family, friends, and everyone in this way.

2. Led by the Holy Spirit

‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.’ Proverbs 3:5

This Bible verse was the Moto of my school and now I realise why it’s so important. As families, couples, and individuals we have the wonderful opportunity (as all Christians do) of being able to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us in His perfect way. His Word promises that He has amazing and wonderful plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Every day we can invite the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our paths as a family, for our spouses and children. God has extra-ordinary adventures He wants to take us on!

Have you ever considered He has Heavenly Mandates for you and your family? Why don’t you take a moment to chat to God and share your dreams with Him - and then listen to the extraordinary dreams He shares with you! He has ‘God sized dreams’ and can do infinitely more than you dare ask or imagine!

3. Trust in God and in His timing!

Often in society and the world we live in everything is instantaneous and happens immediately. Sometimes we use our own influence to make things happen, this is not a bad thing but sometimes we have to wait and trust His timing. Zechariah 4:6-7a speaks of things happening not by our might or power but by God’s Spirit.

When we pray and commit things into God’s hands, doing our part in a practical sense we can entrust those things into God’s hands and His timing. It might be we have big decisions to make like a new job, moving house, choosing new schools, our children deciding on courses and subjects to take at school or even the everyday tasks we can pray and give it to God, asking for His help and His perfect timing.

Take a moment to thank God that He promises to guide you each day, commit those decisions to Him and ask Him to help you trust in His perfect timing, thanking Him that it’s not by might, or by power but by His Spirit.

4. His Protection

There are so many challenges and times we might feel alone but God wants us to know and be confident in His unfailing love and faithfulness. As Christians we never need to feel afraid for our families, children, loved ones or ourselves.

We have been given a heavenly mandate to pray and declare Psalm 91 for us and our families. Psalm 91 is known as ‘The Protection Psalm’ and is a rich song promising that we can live and rest in the secret place of the shadow of the Almighty. Every day, in all situations or challenges we face whether good or bad we can confidently hope and trust in Him.

His massive arms being wrapped around us, our spouse, children, and family shielding us from harm. The Passion Translation of the Bible says, ‘you can run under His majesty and hide’! What an amazing promise we can pray. When we declare His promise that we choose to live our lives within the shadow of the Almighty we will always be shielded from harm. We can ask for God to send His angels with special orders to protect us, our spouse, and children wherever they go. Even in times of pressure and trouble His promises for us never change and we can always find and feel His presence.

Take a moment to read Psalm 91, declaring His promises of protection over yourself, your family, spouse, and children. Thanking Him that in all things you can know His peace, faithfulness, and goodness, and that you can confidently rest in the covering of His protection, love, and grace.

5. Be a family that prays and worships together!

As Christian families we are invited to let God be at the centre of it all. We have been given a mandate and invitation to be families that worship and pray together in our homes and corporately too. Let's raise up our hands and celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of God. Let’s be like Joshua and say, ‘But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD’ (Joshua 24:15b).

There are many ways we can praise God as a family from singing songs of worship together, to simple thankful prayers thanking God for things that He has done or saying grace before eating food together and in our everyday lives too.

If you have young children, there are many fun and creative ways to celebrate and thank God. For example, you could take a family walk and play the game ‘I spy” thanking God for different things that you can see. Maybe saying “I spy with my eye and thank God for something beginning with ……’. Or you could use bubbles and say thank you prayers. Use play doh and make things you are thankful for. You could use a football pass it to each other in the park thanking God for things He has done.

There are so many ways to praise and thank God, check out this blog with some ideas (there will be many more that will be added). You could also ask God for ideas too!

6. Be Fragrant!

Just like a perfume has a beautiful fragrance. When you gather as a family together why don't you chat to your spouse and children about what your 'unique fragrance' is? What word, promise or phrase is the mission statement of your house or home? Ask God to show you a Bible verse that could be a Moto, declaration or promise that you pray that is a mantra for your family. Let it be like a fragrance that your family is known for or by.

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we had a Bible verse which we wrote on our wedding invitations as a promise and declaration for us as a family (Psalm 57:10).

What is your families mission statement, promise or phase?

When you gather as a family together why don’t you chat to your spouse and children about what your ‘unique fragrance’ is? What word, promise or phase is the mission statement of your house and home?

Maybe create something in your home that could be put up to symbolise this. Perhaps design a picture or use a photograph and write your caption on it as a reminder.

Appendix - Bible Promises for Families

A HEAVENLY MANDATE

Promises and ideas for our families, spouse, children and beyond

1. LOVE

‘Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance…Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.’ 1 Corinthians 13:4 & 7 (The Passion Translation)

Challenge - Who and how can you be loving towards someone today? How can you be a carrier of God's love? Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and maybe say it as a prayer asking God to help you to love those people and be a carrier of His love in this way.

2. Led by the Holy Spirit

‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.’ Proverbs 3:5

His has amazing and wonderful plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Challenge - Take a moment to chat and dream with God. Let Him inspire you with His 'God sized dreams'.

3. Trust in God and in His timing!

Zechariah 4:6-7a speaks of things happening not by our might or power but by God’s Spirit.

Challenge - Take a moment to thank God that He promises to guide you each day. Commit your plans to Him, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you in His perfect way, and in His timing.

4. His Protection

Psalm 91

Challenge - Read Psalm 91 and imagine sitting and abiding in the shelter of your Heavenly Father. Confidently resting in the covering of His protection, love, and grace.

5. Be a family that prays and worships together!

Let’s be like Joshua in Joshua 24:15b and say, ‘But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD’.

Challenge - Create fun ways to worship, pray and thank God together!

6. Be Fragrant!

We are called to be fragrant and reflect the beauty of Jesus.

Challenge - What is the 'unique fragrance' your family is known by or for? What is your families Bible Promise, mission statement or phrase?

Create something that could be put up in your home to symbolise this. Perhaps design a picture or use a photograph and write your caption on it as a reminder.