Acts 16:31 says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." This does not mean if one person in a family believes in the Lord, the rest of the family will automatically be saved. To receive the answer to our prayer for family vangelization, we have to meet the conditions according to justice. Cornelius, who appears in the tenth chapter of Acts, was "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually." All his family and his friends who listened to Peter's message received the Holy Spirit. Let's now take a look at the keys to forming a God-pleasing family and to receiving blessings.
Key 1. You should reverently fear God above all else
Cornelius was a centurion of the Roman Empire. But he feared God and prayed, so was loved and recognized by God. He did not reverently fear God by himself but with all his household. This means he was respected, loved, and trusted by his family members. That is why all other family members obeyed him and they were united as one. As Cornelius loved God, his family members came to love God, too.
I hope you will check you and your family. You pray hard and work faithfully for God's kingdom. And you are trying to evangelize your family. Still, why won't they listen to you when you preach? Why haven't they come before God yet? Why is it so? It's because you are not really trusted by your family members.
If the parents have cast off all forms of evil and have treated their children with goodness, truth, and love, then the children will naturally resemble their parents. If a father, who gave his family a hard time, listens to the word of God, casts off his evil and changes, how peaceful and happy his family will become! He wouldn't insist on his opinion any more, but try to listen to the opinions of his wife and children and understand them. Then, the family will become a happy one.
To make this happen, I hope you will try to change your way you talk to them. For example, when you ask them to do something, you should not use a commanding voice, just saying, "You, help me do this now!" If you say, "I would really appreciate it if you could help me with this," then it is much softer and nicer.
Also, some parents get frustrated when they see their children repeat the same mistakes or wrongdoings again and again. You should not inflate the situation with your heated emotion or talk about their past faults that are not related to the current matter. In this kind of case, you should just point out what your child is doing wrong, and you have to explain only the facts. Next, you have to calmly explain the consequences of their behavior. You should help them realize their fault and the undesirable consequences of their actions. Finally, if you genuinely assure them that what you say and do is because it is best for them, the children will feel your love. It will cause them to change although they used to close their hearts towards you.
If you fear God and act in the truth with love for your family constantly as explained, your family members will feel your love and trust you more and more.
Key 2. You have to edify others by showing the goodness in your heart as outward words and deeds
Those who fear God will cast away evil from their heart and fill it with goodness instead. As the heart is filled with more goodness, they will speak out words of goodness and show the deeds of goodness. They don't speak out any words that hurt the feelings of others or break their hearts. They speak out words that give comfort, courage, and warmth, and the words that guide others to life. Their acts will edify others and give love to them.
Cornelius was such a person. The goodness and the spiritual uplifting found in his deeds were shown especially in his 'charitable works'. We cannot help others just because we are rich. We first have to love the souls and have compassion for them. Cornelius was a centurion in the army of the Roman Empire occupying Israel, but he helped many Jewish people. And he was well spoken of by the Jews.
Charitable works without love cannot be true charitable works. Even if we donate large amounts of money, God will not be delighted with this if we want to reveal our names through it (Matthew 6:3-4). We should not just have good hearts, but we have to actively store up goodness with words and deeds. This is the secret to bring down blessings quickly.
When we see somebody who is in need, just having pity on them is one thing, but actually giving a helping hand, even though it is something minor, is something else altogether. Also, when another person did something well, just to rejoice in heart and to actually say a word of praise and congratulations are two different things.
When we present a small gift and say a word of encouragement, these things make a difference. I hope you will diligently store up goodness not only in your heart but with words and deeds so that God can be pleased with you and give you blessings and answers to your prayers.
Key 3. You should realize it is God who gives you answers and pray at all times
Even though one has such a good heart and does many good things, he cannot be saved by those things. Jonah 2:9 latter part says, "Salvation is from the LORD." Proverbs 16:1 says, "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD."
If we achieve the heart of spirit and whole spirit that pleases God (1 Thessalonians 5:23), everything we harbor and plan in our hearts belongs to the truth and goodness. As such it corresponds with the heart and will of God. Thus, answers easily will come to us.
Cornelius sought God and always prayed to God in good conscience even though he was not a Jew. God met Cornelius, who was seeking God, and as evidence God gave him blessings. And as promised in Proverbs 8:17, "I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me," if we love God, He shows His existence with us.
Even though we fear God and do good in action, the one who gives the answer is God. Therefore, we have to leave everything to God in prayer with a humble mind. Also, to receive an answer from God, we must fill the amount of prayer by constantly crying out in prayer with faith and love.
God loves His children, and He wants to give the best things to them. He also knows the best time to give blessings. I hope you will believe and trust this God and pray without ceasing like Cornelius so you will fulfill your heart's desires such as your family's evangelization.
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