Our Spring series is entitled Preppers.
Our definition of prepping is "Making preparations for something or to do something." The intent of our series is to look at the lives of some Bible characters who could be identified by that term and to learn some lessons that will help us to be more like Jesus.

Today we want to look at a Biblical family and learn some lessons that we can apply to our own families but also to all social relationships that we're involved in.

Think about 2-3 family members that have positively impacted your life or 2-3 others who've influenced your life. Who would that be? And how did they impact or influence you?

The Nuclear Family is based on the idea that the nucleus is the basic or most essential part. In the 50's and 60's the institution of the family became a necessity to repopulate the globe and bring stability to global societies.
But since the 1970's there has been a very intentional governmental, judicial, and educational plan to corrupt, control, and even change the nature of the family.

Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family has said, "Nothing short of a great Civil War of Values rages today throughout North America. Two sides with vastly differing and incompatible worldviews are locked in a bitter conflict that permeates every level of society."
The war is a "struggle for the hearts and minds of people. It is a war over ideas"...which ultimately determines the major influencing factors to either enslave people or set them free.

American society is slowly enslaving each succeeding generation of our country's youth to the philosophy of "Nihilistic pagonism." This includes no absolute truths, morality is whatever, life and existence have no definable purpose, extreme pessimism and radical skepticism toward any historical person or event, there is no God, rejection of any authority but your own, and the only thing you are committed to is your self-centered ideals and pursuit of momentary pleasure.

Family does matter! The Biblical concept of family must be restored if our nation is to survive.
If the three-headed Hydra (government, courts and schools) win this battle, our nation, freedom, and heritage is lost.
So as we look at our Bible characters today, we'll see how the role of family impacted a young man and how that young man went on to become a great influencer of culture and the church.
This young man is Timothy, his mother Eunice, his grandmother Lois, and his step-in father, the Apostle Paul.

1. Timothy
In Acts 16:1-5 we see how Paul met Timothy near the start of his 2nd missionary journey.
Paul described Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:2a.

2. Eunice
Mother to Timothy
2 Timothy 1:5

3. Lois
Paul talks about the training that these two women had given in 2 Timothy 3:14-15

4. Paul the Apostle
Some of Paul's writings illustrate his commitment to the growth and maturity of Timothy...
1 Timothy 4:12
2 Timothy 2:1-2, 15

This family circled the wagons. A mother, grandmother, and step-in dad impacted the life of Timothy who later influenced his community, church, and culture.
Today we'll look at a few lessons we can take and apply to our lives. By doing so we can impact the lives of the next generation, raise up spiritual difference makers, slow down and hopefully stem the rising tide of nihilistic paganism, and produce a generation of workers, worshipers, and warriors for God.

First: RECOGNIZE that there is a problem in our culture, and maybe in your family.

Second: UNDERSTAND that each child is a gift of God and a target by Satan and this world.

Third: BELIEVE that you can make a difference, if you have the guts to do so.

Fourth: EMBRACE each opportunity to positively influence a child.

Fifth: WORK together with like-minded people who share your spiritual values.

Sixth: PLACE a child under the influence of those who can truly disciple them for the Lord.

Seventh: PRAY for a child as though their spiritual destiny depended upon it.

Prepping for the next generation is a theme throughout the Scriptures and must be taken seriously. It can produce incredible results that can bring about positive change.