1. God’s Purpose for Family

2. God’s purpose/plan/design for marriage is: Oneness / Unity

3. Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

4. Psalm 133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the L ORD commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

5. Marriage is to be a picture of God’s love and His unity!

6. Unity requires self-sacrificing, self-giving love!

7. God is our source. God is our provider! God is our sufficiency. This allows us to love and serve others with an incredible selflessness.

8. When we connect with God by faith in Jesus, it opens up new possibilities for us. It has the potential to move us to a new foundation from which to love and serve others!

9. See the quote on p. 121 Last full paragraph.

10. “Love is unconditional regard for a person that prompts and shapes behaviors in order to help that person become what God desires. Love when working properly is both emotion and will, affection and action.”

11. What is God’s purpose for family?

12. First of all, a married couple is a family. “A family” is the new entity that is created in the covenant of marriage in the “oneness” of marriage.

13. Out of this “oneness,” which includes but is so much more than just physical intimacy, children are conceived! INTO this “oneness,” which is so much more than just physical intimacy, children are BORN!

14. In our culture and our world, our sinful, selfish nature has made something out of sex that God never designed or intended it to be.

15. Out of this “oneness,” which includes but is so much more than just physical intimacy, children are conceived! INTO this “oneness,” which is so much more than just physical intimacy, children are BORN!

16. What is God’s purpose for family? The “oneness” that marriage (and thus the family) is designed to create then provides an environment of unconditional love, nurture, protection and support where children can grow up physically, emotionally and spiritually!

17. What is God’s purpose for parenting? 1. We are to raise children that know the Lord and have a faith relationship with Him. 2. We are to raise responsible children who can give and contribute to society. 3. God is calling us to raise children who can be world-changers and history-makers!