instruction – Dobra Family Ministry

Household Prayer: investing in Gospel dominion

“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/2th.3.10.NASB2020

Brothers meditating on several passages based on some comments from the FLF conference. First, “Do not outsource or subcontract the discipline and instruction of your children in the Lord.” by Larry Taunton. A paraphrase, “Education is a product that costs money to develop and distribute. If you want a quality education product delivered in a loving community, then it will have a cost.” And “Money is bullets to be aimed at the enemy in the fight.”

In a time of entitlement, when many want or feel they deserve everything provided for free and often from the government (like ‘school choice’ handouts), I’m meditating on Gen. 3:19, 2 Thess. 3:10, and 1 Tim. 5:8 and praying we heads of households depend on God’s provision and work hard to provide all the tools, resources, and means for our wives and ministry of our children’s education. I pray we not fall into the traps of entitlement and demand a handout “like the nations” (1 Sam. 8:10-20). And whatever our lot, I pray we give all glory and thanks to God the provider of all good gifts! (Psalm 103) May God establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)

Take dominion. Make disciples. By faith (Heb. 11:1-3,4,5…), get to work subduing and ruling, working and keeping, being fruitful and multiplying (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), and making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20) for “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

Rule yourself well, rule your household well, and bring God’s truth and grace into every sphere of life that you enter into until every nation proclaims “Jesus is Lord!” – Amen

Take Dominion

“There is an obvious way to take dominion of the earth, then, and it is simply through obeying God… One simple act of obedience, which Knox fulfilled, is marriage and child-rearing… Those who are committed to raising and nurturing godly families are doing some of the greatest kingdom work imaginable… When you raise godly children, they eventually raise godly children of their own, who raise godly children of their own, and on it goes… God commands us to take dominion of the earth by ruling over it for His glory. He reveals that the best way to take dominion is through the fulfillment of the Great Commission… As we do this, entire nations will eventually be Christianized for Christ… You need to study the Scriptures to learn doctrines. Then, by applying the doctrines, we take dominion. The movement is always from doctrine to dominion.” Resist Tyrants, Obey God: lessons learned from the life and times of John Knox https://press.founders.org/shop/resist-tyrants-obey-god/

“Paul fundamentally admonishes parents—specifically fathers—to raise their own children… The job of raising children does not belong directly to the school, society, church or the youth group. It belongs to parents. According to the Apostle Paul, it doesn’t take a village to raise a child. It takes a dad.” Discipline In The Home https://founders.org/articles/discipline-in-the-home/

“Parenting has consequences. Every word, every habit, every moment — it all shapes the soul of your child.” https://youtu.be/vIThYlPNKws?si=lq0yLNawd96AMDSH

“By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”” Genesis 3:19 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.3.19.NASB2020

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/1ti.5.8.NASB2020

“Bless the Lord, my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, And do not forget any of His benefits… Bless the Lord, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the Lord, my soul!” Psalm 103:1-2, 22 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/psa.103.1-22.NASB2020

“May the kindness of the Lord our God be upon us; And confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/psa.90.17.NASB2020

“And he said, “This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen… He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. Then you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.” Yet the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”” 1 Samuel 8:10-20 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/1sa.8.10-20.NASB2020

THE GOOD NEWS

There is a God that created the heavens and the earth. We humans are created in His image.

We are sinners, we have rebelled against Him, our Creator. Our rebellion has brought “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice… envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” to the world. Romans 1:29-31 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.29-31.ESV

Therefore we justly deserve our due punishment of death and damnation, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.10-12.ESV

But good news! God is merciful and loving. Jesus is God the only begotten Son and He took our punishment upon Himself in our place. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death and securing the hope of our salvation.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.3-8.ESV

““Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”” Acts 2:36-38 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36-38.ESV

We need only repent and believe it. Repent: turn away from our sins, proclaim Jesus is lord and savior, and we will be forgiven our sins and have life ever after! “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”” Romans 10:9-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.10.9-11.ESV

There is hope. Believe in Jesus! ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.3.16.ESV

It doesn’t matter who you’ve been or what you’ve done, God stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.1.9.ESV

Household Prayer: labor in faith as a husband and father

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me…” Philippians 1:21-24 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/php.1.21-24.NASB2020

Brothers, meditating on morning reading Philippians 1:21-24 and Thursday’s Advent reading Matt. 1:20 led me to this prayer… when it is my time, take me Lord, but if it is Your will that I live another day, may I labor to bear fruit, and as a husband and father to provide, protect, proclaim, instruct, and disciple to the glory of God forevermore – Amen!

Get to work subduing and ruling, working and keeping, being fruitful and multiplying (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), and making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20) for “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes.” Philippians 1:21-24 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/php.1.21-24.NASB2020

“But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.1.20.NASB2020

“God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” Genesis 1:28 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.1.28.NASB2020

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it.” Genesis 2:15 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.2.15.NASB2020

Household Prayer: keep the way of the lord

“I will make your descendants as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted… For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”” Genesis 13:16 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.13.16.NASB2020 Genesis 18:19 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.18.19.NASB2020

Happy new year, Brothers! A new year, a new Bible in a year reading plan. Meditating on Gen. 13:16 and 18:19. This is the specific covenant promise to Abraham, but there are principles for us as fathers of households under the new covenant and the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20). I pray we command our children to keep the way of the Lord (Gen. 18:19, Eph. 6:4)! I pray we are faithful to our fatherly duties to be fruitful (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), to teach and instruct, and to perpetuate the Gospel into the future through our families until the Lord returns!

By faith (Heb. 11:1-3,4,5…), get to work subduing and ruling, working and keeping, being fruitful and multiplying (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), and making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20) for “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

Rule yourself well, rule your household well, and bring God’s truth and grace into every sphere of life that you enter into until every nation proclaims “Jesus is Lord!” – Amen

I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘One Year Original Order Reading Plan’. Check it out here: https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/23295

“I will make your descendants as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.” Genesis 13:16 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.13.16.NASB2020

“For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”” Genesis 18:19 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.18.19.NASB2020

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/eph.6.4.NASB2020

Household Prayer: Fall Fellowship Prayer

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the families here tonight and all those that have come together in a unity of the faith and mission to disciple and teach our children diligently to know You our God and make You known.

May we build each other up and encourage one another in our fellowship.

God I pray for continued civil favor in Illinois. Many tyrannical voices are speaking of their desire to overreach their God ordained civil role and encroach on the governance of the family and parents. May Your people be informed and active in sharing Your truth. May justice and the rule of constitutional law prevail. Heavenly Father be our advocate and fight for Your people.

May Your will, God, be our desire. Bless everyone here and especially the children.

In Jesus Christs Name I pray – amen

Scripture and supporting notes:

Unity “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the good oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes.” Psalm 133:1-2 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.133.1-2.LSB

Mission “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:7 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.7.LSB

Mission “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.6.4.ESV

Mission “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/mrk.16.15.LSB

Encourage “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for building up what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/eph.4.29.LSB

Encourage “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/heb.3.13.LSB

Civil role “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” Romans 13:3-4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/rom.13.4.LSB

Civil overreach “God’s law makes it clear that parents are to rule and raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Any man who does not take care of his family is worse than a pagan (1 Tim. 5:8)… Governments that incentivize single parenting and then take on the role of absentee father, providing income and shelter, are wicked. The moment civil government inserts itself in such ways, it has moved beyond the overlap of influence and entered into overreach.” A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/

Civil duty “As the pillar and buttress of truth (1 Tim. 3:15), the local church is to have a prophetic voice in various spheres of society, promoting biblical truth… how else can magistrates be held accountable to that message except from the prophetic voice of the church? In this way, Christians, especially ministers ordained to gospel ministry, ought to engage in this governmental sphere prophetically… John the Baptist serves as a prophetic example… Mark 6:17-18.” A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/

Why Does HSLDA Get Involved in Fourth Amendment Cases? https://hslda.org/post/why-does-hslda-get-involved-in-fourth-amendment-cases

Civil justice, our King! “¶Arise, O Yahweh; O God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the afflicted. ¶Yahweh is King forever and ever; Nations have perished from His land. O Yahweh, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will cause Your ear to give heed To give justice to the orphan and the oppressed, So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.” Psalm 10:12, 16-18 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.10.12-18.LSB

God’s will, our desire “‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/mat.6.10.LSB

Household Prayer: God’s Providence in Ordinary Families

“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.4-9.LSB

Brothers, I once again find myself meditating on the providence of God through history, but today really amazed by His working through “ordinary” faithful families. From Adam and Eve, Noah and his sons, Abraham, Ruth the great grandmother of David leading to Mary and Joseph, to our Savior Jesus the Christ! Amazing grace! I pray we labor to know God, to pass the faith on to our children, and to make Him known in all spheres of our lives. Happy reformation day! (Deut. 6:4-9, Ps. 127:3-5, Malachi 2:15, Eph. 6:4)

“In matters of doctrine you will find orthodox [true faith] congregations frequently change to heterodoxy [false faith] in the course of thirty or forty years & that is because too often there has been no catechizing of the children in the essential doctrines of the Gospel.” —C.H. Spurgeon

““Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one! You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as phylacteries between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.4-9.LSB

“¶Behold, children are an inheritance of Yahweh, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:3-5 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.127.3-5.LSB

“Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” Malachi 2:15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mal.2.15.ESV

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.6.4.ESV

Household Prayer: Rule Well

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” … God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” … God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” Genesis 1:26, 28, 31 NASB1995

Well brothers, the school season is almost at an end. I hope and pray it was a joy and a blessing for you as it was for me. I have enjoyed weekly scripture meditation and prayer for you and our community. Until next season starts I pray we love, enjoy, instruct, and disciple our families well. I pray we rule well in our households. Genesis 1:26,28,31; Eph. 6:4

“Dominion is a fact – human beings simply have it. It’s God’s doing. We can’t abdicate. Human beings possess power over all the creatures of the world… But dominion isn’t arbitrary power, at least not originally. In the Christian faith human dominion is subject to God’s dominion. And it is informed by God’s Law – his moral standard, his holiness.” (In the House of Tom Bombadil by C.R. Wiley)

“The reason that God creates man on the earth, according to Genesis, is for productive, representative rulership. This is what it means to exercise dominion: to fruitfully order the world in God’s stead…” (It’s good to be a man: A handbook for Godly masculinity by Michael Foster and Dominic Bnonn Tennant)

“Families are the nurseries of all societies; and the first combinations of mankind. Well-ordered families naturally produce a good order in other societies… Every serious Christian is concerned, that he may be serviceable in the world… but are you not a member of some family? If that family may be your means, O Christian, become a well-regulated family, in that point you will become serviceable; I had almost said, incomprehensibly serviceable.” A Family Well Ordered by Cotton Mather (1699) modern English translation by Patrick Doucette

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:19 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/gen.18.19.KJV

“You May here observe a most comfortable connection, between, He will, and they shall. Says the Lord, He will Command his children, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. It seems, if every one that is owner of a family, would faithfully command, and manage those that belong unto him, through the blessing of God; they would generally keep His way, and His law… ‘If parents did their duties as they ought, the Word publically preached would not be the ordinary means of regeneration in the Church, but only without the Church, among infidels: God would so pour out His grace upon the children of His people, and hear prayers for them, and bless endeavors for their holy education, that we should see the promises made good unto our seed.’” A Family Well Ordered by Cotton Mather (1699) modern English translation by Patrick Doucette