Today and every day, we make a choice as to how we are going to establish the standards set in our homes.  Every.  Day.  Some days, if you will notice, we tend to be more lenient than others.  And if you will also notice, the more lenient days are the days that typically bring consequences.

I’m currently teaching through the Book of 1 Timothy.  I’m calling it ‘The Blueprint Series.’  I’m using this title because at its core, this Book is literally the ‘blueprints’ or the foundation of the church…but when you unmask it, we learn real quick that this foundation starts in our homes.

And this is where our ‘daily standards’ come in to play.

I love how Paul breaks it down to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12:

 ^“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Be sure you catch that phrase, ‘be an example.’

Dads.  Moms.  That’s us.

If the blueprint of the church starts in the homes, then it begins with a daily commitment of setting the standards and being the examples that our children need.

And Paul even gets extremely specific in exactly what and where we’re to be an example:

• …in word.
• …in conduct.
• …in love.
• …in spirit.
• …in faith.
• …in purity.

Let me try to break these down for us.

How are we to be an ‘example in word’?

I think this starts with our everyday language.   What do the words ‘look like’ that come out of our mouths?  Are they seen as encouraging? Inspiring? Motivating? Loving?  Or, are they seen as bullying?  Verbal Assault? Abusive? Filthy?

How does the words we use affect our spouses?  Our children?  Our neighbors and co-workers?

We must remember that everyday we use plenty of words that doesn’t come out of our mouths!  Social media is living proof of this!  Every one of your Facebook posts are the equivalent of you verbally speaking.  This even includes every one of the memes you chose to post as well

Here is a simple guide for all of us:  Before you speak…THINK!

• T – Is it TRUE?
• H – Is it HELPFUL?
• I – Is it INSPIRING?
• N – Is it NECESSARY?
• K – Is it KIND?

The Book of James is pretty clear about our use of speech!

James 1:19-20. ‘So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;  for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.’

James 1:26. ‘If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.’

How are we to be an example ‘in conduct’?

OK, can we be honest right here?  This is really a common sense issue.  It honestly boils down to this…IF you’re a Christian, then act like it!  We MUST conduct ourselves according to the high standards that are set before us in Scripture.

This includes areas in our lives such as:

• Our speech (which we’ve already looked at)
• Our dress code (or lack thereof)
• Our style of living
• Our entertainment
• Literally in all things!

Why is this important?

• (1) Because there is no higher standard of moral conduct.
• (2) Because, as Christians, we have entered into a covenant with God.
• (3) Because it is the only way one can enjoy our relationship with Christ.

Check out what the Scriptures teach us about our conduct:

Philippians 1:27. ‘Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.’

1 Timothy 3:15. ‘But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.’

Ephesians 4:1. ‘I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.’

How are we to be an example ‘in love’?

Jesus Himself honestly made this crystal clear!  In this conversation that we find in Matthew Chapter 22, Jesus had already silenced the Sadducees in their attempt to trick Him and to make Him implicate Himself.  So the Pharisees had it in their heads that since the Sadducees failed in their attempt, maybe they could outsmart Jesus.

Fools.

So out of the Pharisees comes a lawyer.  This is important to know, because this is probably the one of the group that everyone thought to be the most educated, and could therefore be the one to hang Jesus out to dry.  This lawyer most probably had the most clout of his Pharisee friends.

Again, fools.

Check out Jesus’ response when the lawyer asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Matthew 22:36)

‘Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’’

Here is another great passage of Scripture in how we’re to be an example in love:

1 John 3:16-19. ‘By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.’

How are we to be an example ‘in spirit’?

Have you noticed that if we do something that is NOT in the right attitude, everything seems to backfire?  This is where Paul is going with this.  We as believers, MUST have the right attitude (spirit) in each and every little thing we do, say, think…you get the picture!

How many times have we ‘done the right thing’ for the ‘wrong reason’?  If you’re like me, plenty of times!  Check out these Scriptures that help us with this:

2 Corinthians 9:7. ‘So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.’

1 Peter 3:15-16. ‘But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.’

Galatians 6:1. ‘Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.’

How are we to be an example ‘in faith’?

Here is a simple litmus test:  Is everything you say, think and do based upon your faith in Jesus Christ?  In other words, does your faith (or lack of faith) evident in your words and actions?  I can guarantee that everything you do…everything you say…everything you post on Social Media…everything you say…is either based on your faith, or the lack thereof.  We have to remember, our kids are watching us!  Our grandkids are watching us!  WE are the ones that are providing the foundations that our children will eventually build their lives upon.  And I can promise you that if we don’t provide them with a Scriptural foundation, they will build it upon a worldly foundation!

We must be a person that is characterized by our faith.  PERIOD!

We must have a faith that is an absolute unshaking confidence in God.  See what Paul tells the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 5:7-10:

‘For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad’

And we must also have an active faith.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4. ‘We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.’

And our faith must also be evident.  Never in question.

1 Thessalonians 1:6-8. ‘And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.’

So, what does this look like in daily application? Simple really.  Does your family see you prioritizing daily time in the Word?  Is prayer prominent in your daily routine?

In other words, does your family know the ‘why’ behind the things you do?

How are we to be an example ‘in purity’?

I think 1 Thessalonians 5:22 is spot on here:

‘Abstain from every form of evil.’

What does ‘abstain’ really mean?  It means ‘to hold oneself back voluntarily, especially from something regarded as improper or unhealthy.’  In other words, get the heck away from anything that even attempts to resemble evil.  Here is when we have to trust the guiding of the Holy Spirit, and totally do a ‘u-turn’ in our lives!  

Check out these Verses:

James 1:27. ‘Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.’

1 Thessalonians 4:1-7. ‘Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.’

Remember, every day we are setting the standards and the examples for our families.

Every. Day.

And in essence, the standards and examples we set, will eventually help set the standards for future generations as well.

Take a stand.  You got this!  No close seconds!

Joshua 24:15 – ‘…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’