Blessing Our Family

1. Blessing Our Family Genesis 48:1-22

2. Introduction • The youths today are the leaders of tomorrow • Win the young today, win the world tomorrow • Do not prevent the children from coming to me, for such belongs the kingdom of heaven • Your sons and daughters will prophesy – the youths today are the prophetic voices of today

3. Introduction • Those statements underscore the importance of young people in our families, church, & society • There is a need to have a renewed recognition of the importance and role of young people in the life of the family, church, & society • If God has a special place for them in His heart and in our lives, then we need to learn how to act in blessing our young people in our families, church, & society

4. How do we bless our family? • By acting prophetically in their lives • By exercising discernment in their lives • By ministering faith in their lives

5. Act Prophetically in their Lives • Israel (Jacob) pronounced a blessing and acted prophetically on Joseph & his sons Ephraim & Manasseh (Genesis 48:15-16, 20) • Israel pronounced a blessing and spoke prophetically in the lives of all his sons (Genesis 49:1-27)

6. Act Prophetically in their Lives We need act prophetically in the lives in our family by: • Giving them their birth identity • Giving them their spiritual identity • Giving them their life identity

7. We need to release them into their future Act Prophetically in their Lives

8. Exercise Discernment in their Lives Compare the 2 fathers – Isaac (Genesis 27) and Jacob/Israel (Genesis 48) • Both had eyes that “were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see.” • Isaac had poor spiritual sight but Israel had keen spiritual sight

9. Exercise Discernment in their Lives We need to exercise discernment in the lives in our family by: • Recognizing the limitations of human ambition • Recognizing God’s will in their lives • Recognizing how they are growing exactly

10. We need to create space for their future Exercise Discernment in their Lives

11. Minister Faith in their Lives • Israel elevated Ephraim & Manasseh to son status (Genesis 48:5) • Israel made Ephraim & Manasseh the standard reference in blessings (Genesis 48:20)

12. Minister Faith in their Lives We need to minister faith in the lives in our family by: • Empowering them to think beyond themselves • Empowering them to act beyond themselves • Empowering them to discern the will of God

13. We need to empower them for the future Minister Faith in their Lives

14. Challenge • God is doing a special work with our family – Do we see it? • God is calling us to be in the midst of His unfolding story in a special work with our family – Where are we positioned? • God is calling us to partnership in doing a special work with our family – Are we doing it?

15. Blessing Our Young (adapted from FamilyLife)

16. Lord, I lift my children/grand-children to You today and pray, according to Your Word, that: they will know Christ as Savior early in life and desire a close relationship with You throughout their childhood, teen, and adult years (Mark 10:13-16; Luke 2:52; 2 Timothy 3:15). they will develop the discipline of prayer and time in Your Word (Joshua 1:8; Daniel 6:10; Matthew 4:4; Philippians 4:6-7). You will bring into their lives godly adults and friends who will help them grow in godly living (Psalm 1:1-3; Philippians 1:27; Proverbs 27:17; 1 Corinthians 4:15). You will keep them pure and strengthen them against temptation (Job 17:9; Psalm 24:3-4; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20). they would develop discernment, wisdom, responsibility, and a strong conscience (1 Kings 3:11-12; 1 Timothy 1:5; Daniel 6:3).

17. they will be caught if they wander into cheating, lies, or mischief (Psalm 119:71; Proverbs 20:30). they will see other people as You do, treating them with love and kindness (Matthew 25:35-40; Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:1-4). You will protect them from emotional, physical, and spiritual danger (Psalm 28:7-9; Psalm 41; John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3). You will prepare them to be a godly, loving, and faithful spouse or prepare them to glorify You in their singleness (1 Corinthians 7:7-8); and that You also prepare their future spouse (2 Corinthians 6:14-15; Ephesians 5:21-33). they would leave home with an eternal perspective and Christ-like values (Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21). they will sense Your calling on their lives and their lives will count for Your kingdom (Psalm 78:1-8; 103:12-18; 2 Timothy 1:9).

18. Praying for Ourselves as Parents & Grandparents (adapted from FamilyLife)

19. Help me today, Lord, to be observant of them and sensitive to them. Give me unusual insight into their lives.

20. Help me to be secure in Your love and care, Father,…for I need Your help as much as they do.

21. Help me give attention to my children and be available to them to give guidance in the decisions they face.

22. Help me provide a moral foundation for them. Help me give them emotional health by valuing and caring for them.

23. Help me provide for their needs and prepare them for the world they’ll face as they grow. Help me share with them my relationship with You, Father.

24. And today, Lord, remind me to take the time to understand my children’s perspectives before I speak. Remind me to be more playful with them.

25. Give me the grace, Lord, to model for my children what it means to be a good and godly person. Amen.