"By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."
Proverbs 24:3-4
The great message of God’s Grace in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that sinners can and must be forgiven and reconciled or restored to God’s favor. Jesus and His disciples cried out that all men everywhere must repent, and then they taught the world the new life, the new way of living that God requires, that which pleases our Savior and Lord. We must be restored to the ideals of righteous living. One of the most beautiful fruits of that life is seen in the home as designed by God: a home where the Bible, the Master’s will is taught and sought, a home where fathers, mothers, and children behave in the beautiful ways that bring peace and joy to our lives and glory to our Creator. Is this an impossible dream? I invite you to taste the beauty of this ideal, as expressed in a great hymn, “God Give Us Christian Homes!”
When God made the "Blue Marble," two days later He made the dry land appear and immediately turned it Green with vegetation. On the fifth day, He filled the oceans with sea life, making it swarm with fruitful life, but it was not good enough. The next day God created man and all of the dry land creatures that breathe oxygen and exhale CO2. There was but one problem: He made only one man. He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." He made the woman so that he and she could form a family, and fill the earth with the creature that He loved the most, mankind. The ultimate expression of that love is found in His ideal of the godly home.
When God made the "Blue Marble," two days later He made the dry land appear and immediately turned it Green with vegetation. On the fifth day, He filled the oceans with sea life, making it swarm with fruitful life, but it was not good enough. The next day God created man and all of the dry land creatures that breathe oxygen and exhale CO2. There was but one problem: He made only one man. He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." He made the woman so that he and she could form a family, and fill the earth with the creature that He loved the most, mankind. The ultimate expression of that love is found in His ideal of the godly home.
God Give Us Christian Homes!
By B.B. McKinney
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master's will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your Way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!
There is no word more beautiful in any language than the word “home.” I love this hymn so much, and the more I sing it, the more I realize that the home is central to God's original arrangement for man. It is the purpose of marriage and family. Without a clear understanding of God's intent for marriage and of His design for the home, dysfunction, moral anarchy, and chaos reign. You see, God had a design in mind when He created the family. And when we follow His divine pattern for the home, we bear much fruit to His glory. The family is the hub around which all of life should be organized.
- A Home Where The Bible Is Loved And Taught:
The preeminent responsibility of every parent is to teach the Gospel to their children that they may be saved from the wrath of God. Our primary goal must be that of pointing our children to Christ always, in word and deed. Our labor is a labor of love, not just to provide for their physical needs but also to nurture their souls for eternity. A parent’s highest ambition is to see the children walking in the Light, in Truth and righteousness. Are we creating an environment in our homes that cherishes the Bible and loves God? Do we have long-lasting structures to enshrine God’s Word in our homes? Unless our children and we ourselves start loving the Truth of God's Word, it will be almost impossible to discern the difference between what is Truth and what is deception. Deception will take us captive, for it often looks enticing, good, and wise, yet it is deadly! We must examine our hearts and do what is right before our Creator. So, who rules the cradle in our culture today? The public schools, government, caretakers, strangers, and such but not the parents. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer women and men today who accept the importance of their role in helping to bring up godly children to beautify God's kingdom.
- A Home Where The Master’s Will Is Sought:
How often do we consult the Word of God to judge our behavior in the home? What standards do we employ in making all of our decisions? How do we correct the wrong we see in our home, in our spouse, or the children? Are we seeking to do the will of God? Are we teaching our children to see that God’s will is our priority?
- A Home Crowned With Beauty Your Love Has Wrought:
What kind of a home will have beauty wrought by God’s Love? It is the home that rises above all the pain, evil, and ugliness in this world, to show the beauty of Christ, as only our love and commitment to God can.
- A Home Where The Father Is True And Strong:
A Home where Daddy has risen above all of the foolish knowledge of this world and has become a true father in word and deed, doing everything to please His creator, Jehovah God. A godly father who does not rely on himself alone, but on Jehovah God, through his active faith, doing His Father's works of righteousness.
- A Home That Is Free From The Blight Of Wrong:
What kind of home do you have? A home that has escaped the corruption that is in this world, because the very fabric of the home is woven into the WORD of God. Is it a Home where no decision is made without seeking God’s will? A home built purposely on the WORD of God!
- A Home That Is Joyous With Love And Song:
A home that is filled with wells of joy! A home where Dad bursts into singing and children love to sing! Hymns are a source of praise and worship not just on Sundays but in every step of our walk with Christ.
- Homes Where The Mother, In Caring Quest, Strives To Show Others Your Way Is Best:
Home is like a kingdom where the mother is queen, and the father is king. In this kingdom, the children find a place of refuge, comfort, and inspiration. It is a place where great souls can be formed and shaped. It is a place from which men and women of great faith and conviction can emerge. As a wife and mother, we have the power to impact many future generations. We can strengthen and turn this nation toward God as we strengthen our marriages and our homes. The decisions to build can many times be sacrificial, but this brings so much fruitfulness. A home where the mother loves God so much that she strives to let Christ's beauty be seen in her, especially by her children and husband. In a world where right seems wrong, and wrong seems right, we must be diligent to be godly examples.
- Homes Where the Lord is an Honored Guest; Homes Where the Children Are Led to Know Christ in His Beauty Who Loves Them so; Homes Where the Altar Fires Burn and Glow:
Homes where Jesus' lordship is honored and welcomed. A home where Christ is taught by the godly living of their parents. As wise and godly parents, our primary goal is to demonstrate a life lived in holiness and righteousness toward God and our family. Godly parenting is shepherding the hearts of our children in the ways of God's wisdom. As we shepherd the hearts or souls of our children by teaching them to delight in the Word of God, God's Word will be the only power to save their lives, instead of whatever other formula that might produce children who merely believe. God's Word is powerful! If we teach our children the wisdom of God's Word and its power, our children will be able to withstand all of the threats to their FAITH, come what may.
The world is in desperate need of homes where God is recognized as the Head; His Word as the only guiding light; and His glory as the only motivating power. Apart from these Biblical principles to govern the home, our home and family system is in danger of collapsing altogether. This is leading us to a blatant ignorance of authority, flourishing in decadent societies. God calls for faithful parents to guide, nurture, and train their children in His ways as His perfect arrangement (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; I Timothy 5:14). The godly home is our last line of defense against the ills that overtake the world. It is commonly said, "As goes the home, so goes the nation and the church."
God give us Christian Homes!
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
(Proverbs 22:6)
May our LORD give us wisdom as we build our homes on Him and His Truth. May we rule our little corners of God's kingdom honorably and well. May we seek His wisdom and faithfully persevere in our God-given role as godly parents. May we enthrone our LORD in our hearts as godly parents that all might see His glory shining in us. May all wives love their husbands and submit to them like Christ. May we make our homes a joyful blessing given to us by our Father in heaven. May we show the world God's beautiful picture of the home rather than destroying it because of the sinfulness that rules our marriages. May we walk worthy of the calling of our Father in heaven, living only for Christ by loving and submitting to each other. May we show respect to each other in the home by our actions and words. May wives show their beauty inwardly and not just outwardly. May we reflect a gentle and quiet spirit by our pure and godly conduct. May all husbands show compassion and understanding toward their wives, showing honor to them as their most precious and valuable possessions. May the world see Christ in us in the way we behave as wives, husbands, parents, and children. May we apply God's principles of righteousness to all of our relationships, especially in the home.
Luci
