GOD THE ARCHITECT OF THE HOME
The home is a small unit designed by God and consisting of a man, his wife and possibly children. The world is the entire environment where the home operates.
Reasons why God designed the home:
- So that His children will have dominion over all other creatures made by Him.
- So that His children will be fruitful and increase in all aspects, fill the earth and then subdue it. Read Genesis 1:26-28
- God designed the home so that He could use it as a medium to perform signs and wonders Isaiah 8:18. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27) God made them male and female from the beginning so as to add variety to life through feminity and masculinity. For this reasons we have different strength, different weaknesses, different likes and different dislikes etc
- God designed the home to solve the problem of loneliness, Read Genesis 2:18. Are you married but still lonely? Then prayerfully seek God’s guidance and the right counsel so as to put things in order. You must not seek worldly counsel; rather seek godly counsel from God’s servant so that God who is the architect of the home will put your home in order. Only Him can fix any problem in the home.
The home designed by God in Genesis 1:27 was for a man and a woman. This is why a Christian marriage is God’s creation of life – long union of a man and woman joined in matrimony to the exclusion of all others. Which means polygamy, polyandry, lesbianism, homosexuality and cohabiting without paying of bride price etc are not included in this definition. God’s idea from the beginning is monogamy.
It takes time, patience and God’s wisdom to build a home and ensure that your home does not become a house or just a dwelling place for the man and the woman. The home must be a wonderful world for you as a married man or woman
Essentials in the home
All the essentials you need to make your home a wonderful world is contained in Genesis chapters 1,2 and 3
Your home must be a place of peace and comfort. There must be mutual respect in the home. Always remember that respect is reciprocal and your children if any will copy you and do likewise. In Genesis 2:18 God gave Adam a helper comparable to him. Not a slave girl or just a housewife. So you must not turn your wife to a slave or punching bag. God’s word must take precedence over culture/tradition in your home
If you are a woman, you must posses a gentle and quiet spirit and be submissive. Be wise enough to build your home (Proverb 14:1) Are you a man? It must not be difficult for you to love your wife. When the home is at peace, everything about you will be at peace. This means that your world will radiate peace and influence other lives for Jesus. This is God’s desire for you. So go ahead and make your home a wonderful world.
CHRISTIAN HOME
The synonym of a Home is a House. The Home is being accommodated by a house (i.e The home is inside the house) A Christian may have a house but no home. The desire of God is that you have a home. If you are raising a house and not a home, then you are classified among the wicked. The wicked are those who neglect the way of the Lord. God places curse on the wicked.
When you establish your home in God’s will, you will end well. Jesus our Saviour, John the Baptist and all the Apostles of old were raised in their own home while they were here on earth. The question is what is a home? A home is a place where you are properly and specially catered for, both spiritually, physically, morally etc. every Christian ought to have a home.
Home is the origin of every man. After a man has been born, he should be carefully brought up in a home
SOME BASIC REASONS FOR THE HOME
1. God desires to raise godly seeds through the home (Malachi 2:15)
2. The home is an institution to teach our children the counsel of God (Deut 6:5-7, Gen 18:19) Therefore the home should be in the right atmosphere through which God can plant His word.
3. The home will provide a platform for propagation of godliness.
4. The home provides an atmosphere for homeliness or comfort. If you want this kind of atmosphere for your home then you must do the following:
1. Obey the Lord
2. Love, honour and pray for one another in your home
3. Cultivate the habit of telling the truth to one another (both Parents and children) Psalm 51:6. Do not keep secrets from each other.
4. You must not be self centered. Consider others in the home before yourself.
5. Speak quietly and respectfully to one another. Learn to use soft words to prevent hurting each other to create an atmosphere of love
6. Correction should be done in love
7. Learn to forgive and forget when somebody is sorry.
A home is an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit should always dwell. It is the Holy Spirit that creates the atmosphere around your life so do not stop His move. The Christian home is a target of the devil so take heed. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by distorting the atmosphere in the home. You must take proper care of the home that God has given you because you will give account.
The basic ingredient for the home is knowing and accepting Jesus. When you give your life to Jesus and allow Him to be Lord over your home, then your home will experience the atmosphere of homeliness.
HANDLING THE FAMILY
If the family must go on the way God wants, there are seven points that must be taken consideration. For God to reach out to the world His starting point is the Christian home. Though certain things were not outrightly mentioned in the bible, the principles are there to follow. Jesus had a family and a household.
In Luke 4:43, Jesus was rejected by His people/family. Even at that point he still puts up an attitude – He went to another place. He did not deal treacherously with them. Rather he accommodated them saying that for that reason He was sent. Most men put up a negative attitude towards their wives when these wives are rude or stubborn. This is wrong As a man Be accommodative and learn to be patient with your wife.
Divorce results when couples do not dwell together with understanding. In Mark 3:21, Jesus understood the reason why he came. He did not allow His people to control His behavior or vice-versa. He had a focus. As a man or woman what did God call you to be or to do in the home?
Men must provide for and love their wives. Women also must be submissive. Jesus did not demand that His people must agree with Him neither did He try to retaliate their wrong
Seven Points to Consider
1. As a man you must recognized that there is always a way out: Jesus recognized that His spiritual family will provide what His physical family could not. Although the home begins with 2 people (men and woman) it does not end with them alone
Fellowship in the body of Christ for example is more than attending church services. Christians ought to live as one family with the pastors and elders etc playing their various roles.
2. Do not fail in your responsibility; Even if your wife is not meeting up, play your role/perform your duties as a man and look unto Jesus (Heb 12:2) Jesus did not allow the difficulties from His home to overshadow His ministry.
3. Do not be distracted or drawn away from God’s purpose: Jesus refused to allow the opinion of the crowd to derail His direction. As a husband what is your purpose in marriage? What did God call you to do?
Are you also a woman? Read Ruth 1:16-17 what did you have in mind when you were entering into marriage? Don’t ever believe that your marriage will not work. Commit it to God as mentioned in Ruth 3:3
4. Wash yourself
5. Anoint yourself (Ruth 3:3) points number 4 and 5 enjoins the woman to wear perfume and be presentable. A perfume is a symbol of character. Therefore your character as a woman should win your husband to you. Dead flies symbolizes wrong behavior (Eccle 10:1) and will have no place in your life as a woman
6. Change raiment: As a woman you must not remain the same old way. What is your garment? Let your beauty be the character in the inner man (1 Pet 3:16) your best garment is your changed character.
7. Get down to the threshing floor: As a woman you must believe in your husband and give yourself to whatever he believes in and he is doing as long as it glorifies God. As a man pray that God will help you to be accompaniment. As a woman also prays that every form of dead flies over your life causing rejection from your husband should be destroyed in Jesus name.
DRAWING THE MERCY OF GOD
‘’ Mercy prevails over judgement’’ James 2:13 the mercy of God in our live is the intervention of God in the flow situation of our life. All the difficulties and afflictions one encounters will be taken care by Jesus “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy’’ let thy mercy O Lord, be upon us according as we hope in Thee Psalm 33:18-22
The mercy of God prevails over every form of judgement and because of God’s mercy; the yoke of the ungodly is broken. When the mercy of God comes upon you, burden will be rolled away. When the children of God were faced with the red sea, God through Moses commanded them to move forward. This was a situation of mercy (on the side of the Israelites) and judgement on their enemies, even the element of the earth example water. The mercy of God will prevail over your life in Jesus name. By God’s mercy you will move forward (Exodus 14:15)
What is this mercy of God?
The mercy of God is the flow of the law of God into the life of His people to bring them out of affliction and misery.
The mercy of God removes or intervenes in every intense problem. The mercy of God will cause you to be reckoned with.
The mercy of God also reveals some difficulties Daniel 2:18. The mercy of God ultimately is for God’s children. May the mercy of God not depart from your life Read Psalm 91?
The mercy of God showed Shadrack Meshack and Abednego and they were delivered. That same mercy will show in your situation today in Jesus name. God says He will have mercy upon those He chooses to have mercy.
God mercy cannot be wasted. If you must enjoy His mercy, you must live in total obedience to Him. The wrath of God will not rest upon those who trust in Him; rather His anger and judgement will rest upon His enemies.
Your unconditional obedience to God will draw His mercy upon you and His hand will move to attend to your situation. Your hope for God’s mercy will not be cut short in Jesus name.
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