WHAT KIND OF HOME?

Part 1

 "Behold, I build an house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening...who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?" (2 Chronicles 2:4,6).

Both David and Solomon had a burning passion to build a sanctuary for God. As mothers and homemakers, this should also be our burning passion--to build a home that is a dwelling place for God, and for our husband and children. In the above Scripture Solomon reveals his three-part vision for building a house for the Lord. Can we make this vision ours, too.

1. Build a House to the Name of the Lord

This is the No. 1 and ultimate vision we should have. It should not be something we hope will happen, but what we purpose to happen. In 1 Kings 5:5 Solomon states, "Behold I purpose to build a house unto the name of the Lord my God." The word "purpose" is amar and means "to say, to speak, declare." It is the same word that is used when it says, "God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Genesis 1:3). This vision should so fill our hearts that we speak about it all the time. We continually confess that we are building a home to honor the name of the Lord.

We build this home, not for our own name, not for the name of our posterity, but for the Lord. This is a HUGE vision, for God's name is far beyond our wildest imagination. God has so many names to describe Him. One name is not enough to reveal all of His character, and even the revelation of each name is only a tiny glimpse of who He is. Because it would take a whole book to write about the names of God, we will look only at the eight redemption names of God. These names alone will give us a great understanding and vision to build our home to honor the name of the Lord, "who is the only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15).

Jehovah-Jireh--The Lord Sees and Provides

We read this name in Genesis 22:14, "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."

When Abraham was offering up his beloved son in obedience to God's command, God stopped him mid-track, and instead provided a lamb for the sacrifice. Jehovah-Jireh speaks of the greatest provision that God has ever provided for mankind, the provision of salvation and deliverance from our sin through the death of Jesus upon the cross, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. But, He continues to be our provision. Matthew 6:25-33 and Isaiah 65:24 tell us that God sees our need even before we cry out to Him and has promised to be our Provider.    

Are you building your home to the name of Jehovah-Jireh? How can we build a home to Jehovah-Jireh when we are always grumbling that we don't have this or that? How can we build a home to Him if we cannot even trust Him to give us another baby? God has promised that when we walk in obedience to His will, that He will provide all that we need. God revealed Himself to Abraham as Jehovah-Jireh because of his obedience (Genesis 22:1-19).

Jehovah-Rapha--The Lord my Healer

This name is revealed in Exodus 15:22-26. The children of Israel had come through the Red sea on dry land, but now they had been walking for three days with no water! Praise God, they found water at Marah, but it was bitter so they still couldn't drink. Now they were complaining BIG TIME! God mercifully showed Moses a tree to throw into the water and it immediately became sweet. Then God made a statute and ordinance and said, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statues, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:25-26).

The full meaning of rapha is to cure, restore, heal, and make whole physically, morally, and spiritually. God is not only faithful to heal us physically (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:215) but to make our spirit whole and bring sweetness to the bitter experiences we face in life. You will notice in the Scripture that once again God promises His healing when we are obedient to Him.

Are you building your home to Jehovah-Rapha? Do you continually run to the doctor or do you seek the Lord for what He wants you to do? That may require a doctor, but you will first go to the Lord for His direction and ask for His healing. Life is not perfect and often there can be misunderstandings and differences in family relationships. Do you allow Jehovah-Rapha to come into all your family experiences to restore, heal, and bring sweetness again?

Do your children see you relying upon the Lord, or upon man's resources? I am always challenged by Isaiah 2:22, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?"

Love from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Oh Father God, please help me to understand the awesomeness of what I am doing each day, that I am building my home to the honor of your name, the name of the God of the universe. Help me to make my home worthy of your holy name. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I don't have time to waste. I have started a great building program and I want to finish the work.

THE ABOUNDING LIFE

 "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would ABOUND MORE AND MORE"
(1 Thessalonians 4:1).

What kind of life does God want us to live in our home? God leaves nothing unsaid in His Word. It's all waiting for us to read and embrace into our lives. Jesus emphatically states that He came to give us "life, and that they might have it MORE ABUNDANTLY" (John 10:10).

What is this abundant life? The Greek word is perissos and means "superabundant, excessive, exceedingly abundantly, above the normal, beyond measure, above and beyond, extraordinary." You can't get much more "over the top" than that, can you? We can't work up this kind of life. Nor is it according to our personality. It's Christ's life in us (Colossians 1:27).

Does God want us to abound in some things? Just the things we enjoy doing? Or in all things? Paul talks about the Corinthians believers "abounding in everything" (2 Corinthians 8:7). Once again, we realize it was not in their own flesh, but because of Christ living in them. Let's look at some of the qualities God particularly wants us to abound in.

Abound in hope (Romans 15:13). In the face of everything going wrong, hope keeps us going. To abound in hope keeps us going with a smile.

Abound in joy when going through tribulation (2 Corinthians 7:4).

Abound in liberality (2 Corinthians 8:2, 7).

Abound in unselfish love (1 Thessalonians 3:12). Read also 2 Corinthians 7:15; 8:7; Philippians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:3 and 1 Peter 1:5-8).

Abound in faith (2 Corinthians 8:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and 1 Peter 1:5-8).

Abound in speaking God's Word (2 Corinthians 8:7).

Abound in knowledge (2 Corinthians 8:7).

Abound in diligence (2 Corinthians 8:7).

Abound in prayer (1 Thessalonians 3:10).

Abound in your walk with the Lord (1Thessalonians 4:1).

Abound in excellence (1 Peter 1:5-8).

Abound in self-control (1 Peter 1:5-8). Not just "keeping your cool" but abounding in self-control.

Abound in patient endurance (1 Peter 1:5-8). Do you like this one? God wants you to abound in this virtue. Don't worry, you'll never do it in your own strength, only by the power of Christ's life living in you. Yield to His patience for He overflows with patience.

Abound in godliness (1 Peter 1:5-8).

Abound in thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:12 and Colossians 2:7).

Abound in brotherly kindness (1 Peter 1:5-8).

Abound in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Greek word in this Scripture is the verb, perisseuo and means "more and more, to excel, to exceed, to go beyond that which is necessary, superabundant in quantity and superior in quality." It is "over and above" (John 6:13). Yes, we get this phrase from God's Word. And "enough and to spare" (Luke 15:17). We get this saying from God's Word too! Read further examples in 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 15:10; 11:23).

The work God has given you to do is the work of mothering. Are you doing it with an abounding attitude? That might be a hard statement for you when you are just grinding through each day. Dear mother, that's what it's like when you try and do it on your own strength. Move into the next gear. Yield to the life of Christ in you. His life is an abundant life.

What about your marriage? "I've got a good marriage," you reply. Don't settle for just a good marriage. Whatever you are doing now to make it good, do it more. Aim for an abounding marriage. That is what God intends for you. Never settle for sameness. Never stay in the rut. There is always more. Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth MORE AND MORE unto the perfect day."

God's language is "abounding, abundantly, exceeding, increasing, and multiplying!"

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Dear Father, I don't have it in my own self to abound, but I thank you that this is the life you came to give me. I exchange your life for my life. Amen,"

AFFIRMATION:

I'm leaving the rut behind; I'm into the MORE AND MORE life!

P.S. You may like to take one of these qualities each day and talk about them with your children, looking up the Scriptures.

Check out these wonderful Scriptures of how God abounds to us.

God ABUNDANTLY gives grace to us (Romans 5:15, 20; 2 Corinthians 4:15; 9:8; Ephesians 2:14 and 1 Timothy 1:14).

God ABUNDANTLY gives salvation to us (Psalm 130:7; Titus 3:5-6).

God ABUNDANTLY gives wisdom to us (Ephesians 1:8; James 1:5).

God ABUNDANTLY pardons us ((Isaiah 55).

God ABUNDANTLY provides for us (Psalm 132:15).

God ABUNDANTLY gives mercy to us (Psalm 86:5; 103:8; 1 Peter 1:3).

God ABUNDANTLY welcomes us into His kingdom (2 Peter 5:8).

God ABUNDANTLY works in our hearts (Ephesians1:18 and 3:20).

SARAH'S DAUGHTERS

Part 2

"Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement" (1 Peter 3:6).

There is another reason why the Bible encourages us to be "Sarah's daughters." Even though Sarah faced many fearful situations in her life, she faced them with courage and without giving into fear. God says that we are "Sarah's daughters" when we don't give into fear! This is a biggy, isn't it? We as women are prone to so many fears, but God is looking for women who have learned to fully trust Him in every situation. If we put our trust in the Lord, we will not be overcome with debilitating fears. We are either going to fear, or trust

            The Greek word that is used for "fear" in this passage is phobeo and means "to run away, be terrified, or frightened." The literal translation is "not fearing any fear." I am always challenged by Moffat's translation of this verse, "You are Sarah's daughters if you do what is right and yield to no panic." Many years ago when I read this Scripture I coined the phrase, "Sarah's daughters don't panic!" It's great to remember when you face a crisis, or a fear, or even when you fear to trust your husband! Repeat it out loud. Say it over and over. Put your trust in the Lord instead of having a panic attack!

            Sarah had many opportunities to fear as she lived amongst enemies in strange lands. And how did she feel when one day her husband, his servant, and her precious son of her old age disappeared for a week, when Abraham went to Mt. Moriah to offer up Isaac? She must have kept her heart in peace even at this time. What king of virtue is this?

            C.H. Spurgeon says, “It is a calm, quiet trusting in God. It is composure of mind, freedom from anxiety, the absence of fretfulness, and clean deliverance from alarm; so that, whatever happens, trepidation does not seize upon the spirit, but the heart keeps on at its own quiet pace, delighting itself in a faithful God. This is the virtue which is worth a king’s ransom and Sarah had it.” She knew the secret or calmly trusting in her God, no matter what the situation.

            If we are not Sarah’s daughters and following in her footsteps, whose daughters are we? There is another woman in the Bible who is portrayed as the opposite to Sarah. Her name is Jezebel. She had a seducing spirit and enticed her husband and whole nation of Israel away from serving the living God to worship Baal. She was a domineering woman who demanded her own way at any price. Jezebel was independent and a law unto herself (1 Kings 16:1-33; 1 Kings chapters 17-21; cf. Revelation 2:20-26).

            The disturbing fact is that in our current humanistic society this kind of spirit is propagated. It is more prevalent than the Sarah spirit. May God save us from this deception. May we come back to the premise of “Let God be true, but every man a liar”( Romans 3:4).      

            Jezebel’s beauty didn’t come from within. She had to paint it on her face. She even took time to paint her face when she knew that death was imminent. There is inference to the different beauties of Jezebel and Sarah in 1 Peter:1-6 NIV, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way that holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters, if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.”

            Jezebel had everything her own way while she lived, but her end was devastating. Although she was a queen, she didn’t even have the decency of a burial. When they came to bury her, the dogs had eaten her and all that was left was her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. Her lifestyle not only brought her own destruction, but the downfall of her husband, her sons, and a whole nation! Her influence carried on into the future generations. Her daughter, Athaliah, continued in the same vein and even killed her grandsons so she could be queen (2 Kings 9:30-37; 10:1-11).

CONCLUSION

As women of today, let’s not be deceived by the Jezebel spirit, but let’s look to the pattern woman that God has given us. Jezebel reaped calamity upon herself and her family. Sarah on the other hand reaped the blessing of God (Genesis 17:15). God gives promises of fruitfulness and blessing for Sarah’s daughters.

            Sarah wasn’t perfect. She made mistakes. But, God saw her submissive and gentle spirit which is very precious in His eyes. He also acknowledged her courageous spirit in the face of fear and trauma. Therefore, He honoured her and lifted her up as an example for all women of all ages to follow.

NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Oh God, please save me from giving into fears. I know it is sin because it shows that I do not trust in You. OH God, please strengthen my trust in you that I will become a woman that trust in your in every situation. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

Sarah's daughters don't panic!

SARAH'S DAUGHTERS

Part 1

"Look... unto Sarah that bare you" (Isaiah 51:2).

The Bible is full of stories about women who have lived exciting and different lives. Many of them were examples to us of great strength of character, but there is only one woman who we are specifically encouraged to follow. Interestingly, she was one of the most beautiful women who has ever lived, perhaps next to Eve. What kind of mesmerizing beauty did she have that caused a king to swoon over her when she was 90 years old?

            The woman was Sarah. She was over 60 years old when she left the city of Haran (which was now a small village in modern Turkey) with her husband, Abram, and began the hazardous journey into the deserts of Syria and the Negev of Israel.

            Travel in the desert is considered most unfavourable to the preservation of beauty. But after many months, maybe years, of travelling and tenting in deserts, enduring dust storms, hot sun and scorching winds, and on through the northern Sinai desert to Egypt (because of famine in the land of Canaan), Sarah was still as captivating as ever. Not even her age or the desert could mar her beauty.

            She was past age 65 years of age when she arrived in Egypt. The Bible says that, “As soon as Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians noticed how rarely beautiful a woman she was. Pharaoh’s nobles noticed her too and highly commended her to Pharaoh; so she was taken to Pharaoh’s place” (Genesis 12:14 MLB).This situation was repeated again in Gerar, where King Abimelech fell in love with her. She was 90 years old at this time!

            What was the secret of her enchanting beauty? Was there something more than her fair features? The Bible gives us a clue when it tells us about the serenity of her submissive spirit. She had an inner grace that emanated from a “meek and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4).

            Imagine your husband coming home tonight and exclaiming, “Honey, God has spoken to me and I feel that it is time for us to move on. We’re going to be leaving here very soon.”

            “But where?” you cry.

            “I don’t know the destination. God will show us.” I won’t print your answer!

            But, that is what happened to Sarah when Abram confronted her with the news that God had called him to another country. Sarah was obedient to her husband and submitted to his plans and “away they went, not even knowing where they were going” (Genesis 12:1-5, Hebrews 11.8).         

            It must have been painful for Sarah to leave her home and family and familiar surroundings. Her name means "Princess." She came from a well-to-do family and lived a comfortable and pampered life in Ur (now southern Iraq.) Instead, she ended up living a nomadic life, dwelling in tents in the mountains and deserts for 67 years!

WHAT WAS THE SOURCE OF HER BEAUTY?

God honoured her faith and obedience and as we have discovered, she retained her beauty. No wonder God calls it the “ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4 GNB).

            This kind of submission took faith and strength of character. It isn't for weaklings. It doesn’t take any noble qualities to demand your own way. Any three year old can do that. Submission is for the unselfish and the mature of spirit. Wuest’s Greek exposition says that meekness is “that temper of spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us as good and therefore without disputing.” Jack Hayford says, “Submission is for people who accept divinely arranged order for the sake of protection, fulfilment and realization.”

            This dramatic entry into a new lifestyle was just the beginning of many crises for Sarah. She was obedient to her husband’s authority even when he was wrong. Abraham had a great problem as he travelled through strange places, and that was his beautiful wife. Therefore, he made a deal with her that wherever they went, she was to say she was his sister as he was afraid they would kill him because of her. It was actually a half-truth as she was his half-sister. On the two occasions when Sarah was taken from Abraham by kings, God honoured and protected her and she was given back to her husband totally untouched (Genesis 12:1-20; 20:1-18). 1 Peter 3:6 says, “Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters you are, as long as you do well.”

WHY DO WE REACT?

It doesn’t seem popular, even in Christendom, to be Sarah’s daughters today. The moment the word "submission" is mentioned the prickles go up! Women revolt at the sound of the word. Why does it produce so much reaction?

            It's a godly attitude. Why such a fuss about a godly quality? Although it is a virtue that is especially beatifying to women, it is a quality God intends for all mankind. The Bible says that we are to be in submission to our husbands “in the same way…” In the same way as what? In the same way that we submit to every human authority. When it talks in Ephesians Chapter 5 about wives submitting to their own husbands, it follows immediately on from where we are all asked to submit to one another (1 Peter 3.1 cf. 2.13 GNB; Ephesians 5:21-33).

            Isn't it astonishing that the selfish attitudes of pride, independence and assertiveness are far more popular today than the godly attitudes of meekness, humility, and submission?. And yet it was this spirit of pride and independence that caused Lucifer to be thrown out of heaven. Jesus however, because of his total submission to His Father’s will and His willingness to relinquish His rights of equality with God, wrought for us eternal salvation (Isaiah 12:12-17; Philippians 2:5-11).

NANCY CAMPBELL

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Dear Father, Thank you for showing me the source of true beauty. I ask you to work in my life by the power of your Holy Spirit. Please expose all the ugly things in my life so I can repent of them and let your beauty fill me. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I long for the ageless beauty of a humble and gentle spirit, rather than the transient beauty of this world