Thankful For The Home

Joshua was determined in his declaration.

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

- Thankful for having a home

- Thankful for laughter

- Thankful for refuge - not be a war zone

- Thankful for Companionship- my wife and children

For what about your home are you thankful?

In our text, Joshua declares his home will follow God’s ways.

A home will not be a Godly home by accident. There is not some quick fix, easy formula. For a home to be what it should be, it will take work.

I. The Home was Created to be Permanent

A. God’s Plan - one man with one woman to rear children

Genesis 2:18 "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." It matters not what religion says. Today’s religion wants to redefine mariage.

B. God’s Priority - it is forever! Matthew 19:4-6 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

C. God’s Principles Ephesians 5:22 - 6:4

1. The Husband -

- Love like Jesus - vs. 5:25 It is not automatic, but on purpose

- Love as yourself - vs. 5:28-29

- Lead to God - 6:4 Do not provoke to anger, but to GOOD

2. The Wife - Submit to God’s plan

- Relinquish your will - vs. 5:22 again on purpose

- Rely upon the Lord - vs. 22 HE is the target of your submission

Wives, your goal is to honor the Lord - by following His plan you honor HIM

3. The Children - Obey the Leaders (Parents) vs. 6:1-3

- It is right (disobedience is wrong - duh)

- It is Commanded

- It has promises - Prosperity and Long life

God’s Plan always works, man’s ways do not. IT IS THAT SIMPLE!

But must be done by submission of Husbands, Wives and children to God’s Plan. To add to that is to say that God is not enough!

II. The Home was Corrupted by Disobedience - Genesis 3:16 "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

The man would have to labor in work. Creation was ruined. Tell that to an environmentalist. And the place of security was corrupted.

A. The Result of the Curse

1. The Wife will have Rebellion instead of Submission

2. The Husband will be Ruling instead of Guiding

3. The Atmosphere will be Rioting instead of Unity

B. The Reaping of the Curse

1. Sin within - (Neglect, Selfishness, Anger, Bitterness)

Eph 4:31-32 "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour crying out, brawling), and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."

2. Sin Against - (Adultery, Divorce)

Malachi 2:16 "For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away:"

Those that have gone through the pain of a divorce would agree, it is not somewhere you need to go. God despises the putting away, or divorce. The curse of sin caused the conflicts. We must fight to keep our homes strong in the Lord.

III. It Can be Corrected By Grace

A. Salvation is the Foundation of a Good Home -

John 4:53 "So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house."

Acts 16:15 "And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us."

Acts 16:33 "And he (Philippian Jailer) took them (Paul and Silas) the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."

Those that do not have a Christian home can still serve the Lord, but a Christian home, a Godly home is a blessing to all that abide there.