WHAT’S IT LIKE IN YOUR HOME?

What kind of an atmosphere should be in our homes? Jesus showed us when He told us how to pray. Read the Lord’s Prayer again in Matthew 6:9-13. The Luke 11:2 passage says: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth . . . ”

What a powerful statement: “as in heaven, so in earth.” Read this over and over. Let the amazingness of this truth sink into your mind and heart. Let it fill your being. Write it out in big letters and pin it up in your kitchen.

Can you believe it? God wants His will to be accomplished in our homes, just as it is in Heaven, His home. God wants the atmosphere of heaven to be the atmosphere of your home. God’s wants His presence to fill your home. This is His perfect will for you. This is the prayer Jesus wants you to pray for your home every day. Start praying it today.

What’s the atmosphere like in heaven? We haven’t been there yet, but we know it is filled with harmony and unity. We know it is filled with light and glory. We know it is filled with love and joy. We know that it is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

We know that it embraces children. When the disciples tried to shoo the little children away from Jesus, He rebuked them and said: “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Children are very much part of the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:13-16; and Luke 18:15 16).

We know that it involves eating together around the table for when Jesus spoke to His disciples, He told them about His table in His heavenly kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29; 22:29-30; and Revelation 19:9).

When I have spoken on this subject, I have sometimes asked this question, “What kind of atmosphere does God want you to have in your home?” Here are some of the responses women have given to me . . .

appreciation, acceptance,
beauty,
cheerfulness, commitment, communication, compassion, consideration, contentment, courteousness,
encouragement, excitement and fun (in the home rather than having to find it outside the home),
eliminating unnecessary telephone calls,
faithfulness, forbearance, forgiveness, fruitfulness,
generousness, gentleness, godliness, goodness, God-centeredness, God’s Word, graciousness,
harmony, heavenliness, helpfulness, holiness, hospitality, humility,
interaction,
joyfulness,
kindness,
longsuffering, love, loving discipline, laughter,
mercy, meekness, motherliness
opportunities for creativity, opportunities to dream and think great thoughts, order and routine without rigidity and legality,
patience, peace, praise and worship, prayer, purity, a place of refuge, pleasantness, politeness, positiveness, putting others first,
respect, rest, righteousness,
self-control, selflessness, serenity, servanthood, singing, submission, sweetness,
teachableness, tenderheartedness, thankfulness, thoughtfulness, truthfulness,
unity,
warmth, willingness,
quietness.

“Help,” you cry out. “This is beyond me! How can I have the atmosphere of heaven when I often scream and yell at the children?” “I’m tired of being a servant and I’m angry with my husband and he does nothing to help me,” another mother sighs.

Don’t worry, dear mother, you can’t do it on your own, so stop trying. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, THAT THE EXCELLENCY OF THE POWER MAY BE OF GOD, AND NOT OF US

God has shined in your heart so you can reveal His light to your children and to all you meet. You are just an “earthen vessel” with no power to do anything. It’s not your light, but God’s light that shines through you. It’s not your longsuffering, but God’s patience that flows through you. It’s not your love, but God’s love in you. Your love runs out easily, but God’s love never runs dry. Psalm 107:1 (Msg) says: “His love never runs out!”

Each new day you can come to Him and replenish from His inexhaustible well.

God wants to bring a bit of heaven to your home today. Yield yourself to Him so He can shine His attributes through you. Invite Him to come in and fill every room in your home. Invite Him to take His place at the table with you when you sit down to eat. Invite Him to fill you to overflowing so you will overflow with His love, His joy, His longsuffering, His patience, and His self-control.

And don’t forget to write these words and pin them up in your kitchen a daily reminder . . .

“As in God’s home, so in my home!”

Love from Nancy Campbell