The Family Whose Prayers Will Be Answered
Brother Bob Pellien: As the world faces increasing challenges, many seek help and advice from marriage and family counselors for the welfare of their families. The Bible teaches about Whom people should all the more seek to provide them with unlimited assistance and protection for their household.
You’re listening to the podcast version of God’s Message magazine, and today’s topic is “The Family Whose Prayers Will Be Answered.”
A family’s condition has a great relevance to the well-being, or ill-being, of its every individual member. Studies show that the modern family is besieged by several threats to its stability: the worsening poverty, deadly diseases, destructive calamities, rising criminality, terrorism, divorce, extramarital pregnancy, and negative peer pressure are among the factors that directly or indirectly threaten the family.
In the face of such menaces, there are those who seek help and advice from marriage and family counselors or assistance and protection from concerned agencies that advocate for the welfare of families.
However, the Bible teaches about whom people should all the more seek to provide them with unlimited assistance and protection for their household.
Whom to turn to for help
Brother Bob: If families today find themselves in a tight spot, it is not something that’s new. The Holy Scriptures attest that “people are born for trouble.” In such situations, people should “go to God and present [their] case to Him” (Job 5:7-8 New Living Translation). Thus, if there is someone a family should turn to for help, He is none other than the Almighty God. With Him, all things are possible (Luke 18:27).
However, to benefit from the Lord God’s promised help and protection, people should make sure that they are among His own people because it is to them whom He made a solemn promise that He “will not abandon” (I Samuel 12:22 Good New Bible). Apostle Peter identified who God’s chosen people are in the Christian era: they have been called “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9-10 New King James Version).
According to Apostle Paul, those who were called by God out of darkness were “conveyed…into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14 New King James Version). The ones who have redemption because they were purchased by Christ with His blood are none other than the members of the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation).
Here in the Christian era, the members of the Church Of Christ are the ones to whom God made a solemn promise not to abandon them. Families inside this Church can turn to the Lord God and expect for His help and protection because they are among His people. So those who want to benefit from God’s promises ought to become true Christians or faithful members of the true Church Of Christ.
What God can do
Brother Bob: The Bible attests to what the Lord can do for His people. “God saves the fatherless and the poor” and gives them hope (Job 5:15-16 Living Bible). “Time after time,” He saves His chosen ones from harm (Job 5:19 Good News Bible). Even when disasters come one after another, faithful servants of God have nothing to worry about since this is what He will do for them, thus:
From one disaster after another he delivers you; no matter what the calamity, the evil can’t touch you—In famine, he’ll keep you from starving..”
[Job 5:19-20 The Message]
Brother Bob: For this reason, what Christian families should rely on above all else are not human efforts in this world, but God’s promised help to His chosen ones. Apostle Paul taught the true Christians that in all their prayers, they can ask God for what they need (Philippians 4:6 Good News Bible)
That is why families in the Church devote themselves to praying to Him. Parents lead their children in upholding household prayers and encourage them to conduct personal devotional prayers as well. They completely place their trust in God, fully confident that He will listen to and grant their prayers and provide them the best protection there is:
The Lord says, “If a person trusts me, I will save him. I will protect my followers who worship my name. My followers will call to me for help, and I will answer them. I will be with them when they have trouble. I will rescue them and honor them’.”
[Psalm 91:14-15 Easy-to-Read Version]
God’s expectations
Brother Bob: Fervently praying to God and trusting in Him are important, but those are not all that He seeks in them. This is what the Holy Scriptures declare:
The LORD has made a solemn promise, and he will not abandon you, for he has decided to make you his own people. Obey the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Remember the great things he has done for you.
[I Samuel 12:22, 24 Good News Bible]
Brother Bob: Christian parents should make sure that all the family members are obeying and serving God faithfully with all their heart. They always remember all the great things that He has done for His people, including their family, and remind them to their children.
Moreover, they, together with their offspring, love the Lord God with all their heart, soul, and strength. They never forget His commandments; instead, they teach them to their children in every opportunity—when they are at home or away, when they are resting or working (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 Good News Bible).
Thus, if every member of the household is dedicated to serving God and obeying His commandments, everything will be well for them:
All will go well with you if you honor the Lord your God, serve him, listen to him, and obey his commands, and if you and your king follow him.”
[I Samuel 12:14 Good News Bible]
Brother Bob: All will go well for the parents and their children in God’s nation who always follow His commandments because His love eternally abides with them:
God’s love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, Making everything right for them and their children as they follow his Covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said.
[Psalm 103:17-18 The Message]
First place in one’s life
Brother Bob: Knowing that everything is possible with the Lord God and that He is willing to provide for His people, families in the Church Of Christ keep in mind what the Lord Jesus Christ teaches His disciples:
So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.
[Matthew 6:31-33 Living Bible]
Brother Bob: Chrisitan families need not worry about their necessities in life since the one true God, the Father in heaven, not only knows perfectly well what they need, but will also provide for them. Only, they should give God first place in their life and live as He wants them to.
Thus, parents in the Church Of Christ make sure that their entire household are active in their services to the Lord God. They take part in the Christian Family Organizations activities, help in the works of propagation, conduct the INC Family Hour, and most especially, always attend worship services. Faithful servants of God firmly believe that it is during the worship services when He all the more listens to their prayers:
I worship at your holy temple and praise you for your love and your faithfulness. You were true to your word and made yourself more famous than ever before. When I asked for your help, you answered my prayer and gave me courage. I am surrounded by trouble, but you protect me against my angry enemies. With your own powerful arm you keep me safe.
[Psalms 138: 2-3, 7 Contemporary English Version]
Brother Bob: Parents in God’s nation not only teach their children to regard highly the worship services to God. Likewise, they themselves lead their sons and daughters in worshiping the Lord God and bringing their offering to Him (Deuteronomy 12:11-12). Despite being surrounded by false religious beliefs and high-sounding philosophies, their unyielding resolve, especially that of the head of the household, is that their entire family will “worship and obey” the true God (Joshua 24:15 Contemporary English Version).
In this regard, children in the Church Of Christ are taught by Apostle Paul to obey their parents who teach them to live according to God’s words for them to receive His promise:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—”that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
[Ephesians 6:1-3 New International Version]
Brother Bob: More than material inheritance for their descendants, Christian parents make sure to bequeath to their children complete confidence in God and strong determination in holding fast the true faith. Such parents do so, for it is their firm belief that when the time comes that they leave behind their sons and daughters, they can rest assured that the Lord God will take care of their children (Psalms 27:10 New Life Version).
God’s grace for His people
Brother Bob: The Executive Minister of the Church Of Christ, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, exhorts all brethren to intensify their fervent prayers to God in the face of life’s worsening situation. He labors day and night to remind the Church members to completely trust in the Almighty Father. That is why he inspires them to put all their hope in the grace that will be theirs (I Peter 1:13 Easy-To-Read Version).
Through the constant guidance that Church members receive through the Church Administration, they are confident in what the Lord God declares with regards to His people:
So the LORD answers, “Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you.”
[Isaiah 49:15 Good News Bible]
Brother Bob: The Almighty God, the Father, assures His children or chosen people that He will never forget them. Hence, inasmuch as the Church Of Christ members are the children of God in these last days, they and their families remain firm in their conviction and will always draw near to the Father in heaven through their prayers. With their entire being, they implore Him:
So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord God, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever.
[II Samuel 7:29 International Standard Version]
Brother Bob: For more articles like these, get your copy of God’s Message Magazine from a member of the Church Of Christ. You can also listen and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcast and on the INC Media mobile app. Thank you for listening. I’m Brother Bob Pellien. God bless.
