The Bible: Operating Manual For Families

OPERATING MANUAL For Families

The only safe standards we have for right and wrong are the principles of Scripture.

Not only is God eternal, but God’s Word is eternal as well. The psalmist wrote, “Forever, O L ORD , Thy Word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89 KJV ). And Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Mt. 24:35). The Bible is truly a timeless book.

How important is God’s Word to your family? Is it a priority? Do you set aside time each day when your family reads the Bible together? In His Word, God has given us everything we need to be good Christian families. He created the family (Gen. 2:24), and knows more about it than we do. The Bible is the family’s operating manual. We’ve heard it said, “When all else fails, read the directions.” How tragic when families wait until they have serious problems before turning to the Bible. It would save a lot of trouble if we would turn to it first, find out what God says and then do it.

There are four reasons why the Bible should be the operating manual for families.

Timeless Principles
First, the Bible’s principles are timeless. We live in a world of constant change. Some changes are for the better, but most are for the worse as they try to make us believe that there are no absolutes, and no standards of right and wrong. If your family has bought into this idea, you need to understand that God’s Word is the absolute final authority in everything, because the principles of Scripture do not change. Jesus said, “Thy Word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). And the apostle Paul wrote that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable” to teach us what’s right and what’s wrong (2 Tim. 3:16). The only safe standards we have for right and wrong are the principles of Scripture. Make those principles an indispensable part of your family each day because they are timeless.

Flawless Counsel
Second, the Bible’s counsel is flawless. No other counsel compares with it. Psalm 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly ... But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” Today we are deluged with ungodly, worldly counsel that attempts to tell us how to be successful, be happy, raise our children, handle our money, solve problems, etc. But if we compare the world’s counsel with God’s, we discover how flawed it is, because it eliminates God. If we want counsel we can depend on, we need the flawless counsel of God’s Word.

Priceless Wisdom
Third, the Bible’s wisdom is priceless. Christian families desperately need God’s wisdom in dealing with life’s questions. When we look to the world for answers we get sadly disappointed. Only in God’s Word will we find what we need. Paul wrote that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Cor. 3:19). He also advised that “your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:5). Personal experience tells us that the only dependable source of wisdom is God’s Word. It’s priceless!

Limitless Blessings
Fourth, the Bible’s blessings are limitless. When we turn to the Bible in time of need we discover that God has provided exactly what we’re looking for. He loves to bless us when we follow His directions. When we live contrary to His truth we miss those blessings. When we follow God’s operating manual we discover them.

In the late 1800s, John Wanamaker was a very successful Christian merchant in Philadelphia. As a boy he bought a Bible for $2.75. He paid for it in installments. Years later he said, “Looking back over my life, I see that little Bible as the foundation on which my life has been built, and the thing which has made possible all that has counted in my life. I know that it was my greatest investment, and the most important purchase I have ever made.” What a profound testimony to the value of God’s Word. Don’t deny your family that blessing. Be sure the Bible has a prominent place in your home.

By Jack Palmer