AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE
God’s values for a Christian home
Part One : A Home that’s Blessed !
Many Christians do not see their homes to be as sacred as the church.
They have undervalued and underestimated God’s perspective and heart for the home.
Our aim: To highlight and outline the importance of ’home’ and ’family’ to God. God’s pattern for ’family’ and His principles for blessing in the home. To challenge the modern trends that endanger the truly Christian family and home.
God began human existence with a marriage and a family.
The first community that God established was a family and a home.
He had relationship with man in the context of the family before the setting of the church.
The Israelites did not have a formal place of worship until the Tabernacle of Moses.
Previous to this, the place of worship was the home, and all worship was directed and lead by the head of the home, the husband and father - DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9
We have replaced the home with the church.
For many Christians and their families all spirituality is exercised IN church, all prayer is IN church, all teaching is IN church - and not in the home.
In too many Christian homes there has been an abdication of responsibility for godly leadership, family worship and spiritual discipleship.
How do we experience genuine divine blessing in our home ?
What can we do to reinitiate God’s pattern for the home ?
1. CHOOSE TO MAKE YOUR HOME HIS HOME
Joshua 24:11-15 ....... "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (:15)
Joshua made a choice for his home. His choice was for his household to serve one God only, to worship one God only. A choice against idolatry and for faithfulness. Regardless of the choices of others Joshua’s wife and children knew which way he would lead them.
The challenges of Joshua’s day are no less than those we live among today. We have to choose to live according to God’s design for us IN OUR HOMES and FAMILIES.
As I was growing up we had a plaque in the hallway of our home ......
Christ is the head of this house,
The unseen guest at every meal,
The silent listener to every conversation.
Jacob also made a clear decision for the spiritual direction of his family - GENESIS 35:2-5
Is my home His home ? - It’s no good saying ... ’well of coarse it is because I’m a Christian’ - it involves much more than that. There is a secular pressure on Christian homes today to compromise our highest spiritual values.
Do we behave at home as we do at church ? - We are surrounded daily with opportunities to offer greater worth (worship) to other things and people more than God.
I am left with the undying influence of Parents who sought to make Jesus the centre of our home. Who taught us and modelled for us an authentic relationship with God whatever the happy or difficult situations we faced as a family.
Living in such a way brings blessing to one’s home - PSALM 128:1-6
(In this way even a lone Christian in a unbelieving home can bring blessing)
2. WELCOME HIS PRESENCE TO YOUR HOME
2 Samuel 6:9-11 ..... "The Lord blessed him and his entire household" (:11)
For 3 months the most awesome symbol of God’s presence was seated in Obed-Edoms home.
This box was the most sacred article in all of Israel’s history - the most powerful object on the face of the earth. A box measuring 4’ x 2.5’ x 2.5’ was the focal point of his home.
I am certain beyond doubt that this box changed the way they lived in that house.
Every day for 3 months they were aware that God was living with them, lodging in their lounge.
When God’s presence is welcomed and encouraged a home is truly blessed.
In most of our homes there is a box which is the focal point. The furniture points toward it and too often our attention is too focussed upon it. It has the power to shape our home life, form our children, corrupt our values, disturb our relationships and control our diaries. In many Christian homes the TV Times is read more often than the Bible. (This is not an anti-TV message, because I enjoy TV)
The box at the centre of Obed-Edoms house brought blessing. It reminded them DAILY of God’s presence and goodness to Israel, His faithfulness, promises, covenant, power and glory.
Inside the ark of the covenant were three items ...
The two stone tablets of the law given to Moses - God’s Word in our homes
A jar of manna from Israel’s wilderness wanderings - God’s provision in our homes
Aarons budding staff - God ordained leadership in our homes
Each of these I believe should be represented in our homes, and when they are we too, like Obed-Edom will be blessed.
In his house God was acknowledged, values and treasured.
Jacob (who we read of earlier) valued the worship of God in his family - GENESIS 35:3 .... " I will build an altar to God."
Is there an altar in our home ? - Not a construction of gold or stone put a heart to love and worship God.
3. BUILD AN ARK OF SALVATION IN YOUR HOME
Hebrews 11:7 ...... By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.
Noah did all he could to save his family from the impending judgement on the earth. He could not drag them into the ark - but he warned them and built thei way of escape in his home.
The salvation of our homes is of paramount importance. We cannot save our families only God can. But we can build in our homes what God has given us the design of and that is a home that always points our families to Jesus, the Saviour.
Our kids will make their own choices - but we must point them in the right way.
One day my children will ’leave home’
One day they will ’set up home’ - But I pray that .....
One day they will declare ’As for me and my house we will serve the Lord’
So where do we begin?
How do we initiate God’s for our home?
EXALT God in your home
EXAMPLE Christlikeness in your home
ENCOURAGE Faithfulness in your home
EDUCATE Your children in God’s ways in your home
ESTABLISH Godly values in your home
