Above Rubies

9 hrs

A HOLY PLACE FOR GOD IN THIS WORLD
Did you know that God wants your home to be holy? Wow, that’s a huge undertaking isn’t it? Especially when our homes are filled with sinners. We are sinners and our children are sinners. And even though we are sinners saved by grace, we are still prone to sin. But as we invite God to come and dwell in our lives and our homes, He woos us to holiness.

I love Hebrews 9:1: “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.” What is this Scripture talking about? It is King James language. Let’s read it in the J. B. Phillips’ translation: “. . . and it had a sanctuary, A HOLY PLACE IN THIS WORLD FOR THE ETERNAL GOD.” Don’t you love those words?

Back in those days, God dwelt in the midst of His people, Israel. God dwelt in His Shekinah glory in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle, and later the temple. Today, God does not live in a temple but He still wants a dwelling place on earth. Now He comes to dwell in our hearts and He also wants to dwell in our homes (2 Corinthians 6:19, 2.

On this bit of earth, in the neighborhood where you live, you have a great commission to make your home a holy place for the eternal God! What could be more powerful? Can you seek to make your home a holy place for Him?

But there’s more. God not only wants our homes to be holy, but all the area around our homes. Talking about Ezekiel’s temple in Ezekiel 43:12 it says: “This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be MOST HOLY. Behold, this is the law of the house.” You may only have a little backyard, or you may own many acres. Whatever God has given to you, He wants it all to be holy.

We not only guard what goes on in our homes, but what goes on around our homes. Who hangs out with our children? What is happening on the inside? What is happening on the outside?

God wants every material thing in our homes to be anointed with His presence. Yes, even our pots and pans (Zechariah 14:20, 21). Fill your home with everything that promotes holiness and cast out every evil thing.

Holiness begins with us wives and mothers. We are the heart of the home and it is our responsibility to make it holy. Let’s make holiness our vision.

Hebrews 13:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

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NO BAD ATTITUDES
Dear ladies, here are a few thoughts on a comment from yesterday’s post: “How do you correct children’s bad attitudes? ‘Stop having a bad attitude’ does not seem very helpful or guiding on the HOW TO.”

I am sure many of you would like to discuss this point.

1. We must begin with having a positive and happy attitude ourselves. If we don’t know how to do it, how will our children? Of course, we don’t always feel happy and joyful and in good spirits. But feelings are not the point. We don’t live by feelings; we live by the truth. And the real truth is that if Christ dwells in us, we can live in joy because HE IS JOY! Dear mother, your attitude sparks the attitude for the rest of the home.
2. If your child has already received Christ into His heart and life remind him that Jesus lives in Him. Teach Him how to yield to Jesus rather than yield to his feelings and the flesh. You can start teaching your children this habit from when they are young.
3. Sing with them. “Come on, Johnny, let’s sing together.” And them get them singing a joyful song with you. Do you know “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, down in my heart, down in my heart”? That’s a good one with actions too. Don’t let him off the hook. Get all the children singing to help him along if necessary.
4. You can also inspire good and positive attitudes by doing something like a weekly competition. Pin up on the fridge the names of your children with columns for each day of the week. As you notice good attitudes give them stickers. When they have a good or bad attitude, put a black mark. The one who gets the most stickers for the week receives a prize. Make it something special.
5. Don’t allow your children to get away with bad attitudes and moods. This habit must be broken. If they come to the table with a sour and glum face, encourage them to put on a smile. If they are stubborn nd refuse, they should go to their room until they are ready to come to the table with a happy face.

I am sure you have other ideas that have worked for you. Please share them.

Blessings from Nancy
P.S. Do you know the song?
Joy is the flag flown high
From the castle of my heart
From the castle of my heart
From the castle of my heart
Joy is the flag flown high
From the castle of my heart
When the King is in residence there

(So) let it fly in the sky
Let the whole world know
Let the whole world know
Let the whole world know
(So) let it fly in the sky
Let the whole world know
That the King is in residence there.

Our young grandchildren love to sing this song. We remind them that when the queen or king is in his castle, they fly the flag so everyone knows they are in residence. Jesus, who is King of king’s lives in our hearts. We must fly the flag of joy to let everyone in the family and around us know that He is there! Look up the tune on the Internet if you don’t know it.

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A PROCESS IN THE PROGRESS
Why do we correct and discipline our children? Because we want them to grow up to be successful in life. Some parents scream at their children and lash our when their children irritate them and get on their nerves. This is opposite to training children. Responsible parents diligently and lovingly discipline bad behavior. They correct their children and bring them into line when they are rebellious, out of order, disobedient, tell lies, talk back, pout, and have moods. They will not tolerate these negative habits.

Why? Because they are preparing their children for life--to one day be the best employee in the company, to have good attitudes, to be a vessel ready to be used by God, and also to enjoy a happy and successful marriage. If we allow our children to grow up with negative habits, those habits will one day destroy their marriage.

In the same way God diligently works in our lives. His wants to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This certainly doesn’t happen without some serious working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Paul said to the Corinthians: “Our one prayer is for the complete correction of your lives” (2 Corinthians 13:9 Barclay). The KJV uses “perfection” for the word “correction.” I checked my Lexicon and it says the word “denotes a process in the progress.” This can only happen through correction of what is wrong in our lives.

We must always be open to God’s gentle correction. He uses many ways to do this. He speaks to us as we read His Word and shows us what grieves the Holy Spirit in our lives (Ephesians 4:27, 3. He uses other people to correct us (sometimes our husbands). We don’t usually like it, do we? But we must remember that it is ultimately God who wants to correct us and conform us into His image.

If we don’t listen to God speaking to us through His Word, or we don’t have a soft heart to receive correction from our husbands or other people, He often allows difficulties and trials to come our way to wake us up, refine us, and bring us into line with His will.

Let’s keep soft hearts, always open to correction. If our children are stubborn and do not receive our correction, they become willful and rebellious. It’s just the same with us. We either have soft and tender hearts to God’s correction in our lives or we become stubborn and rebellious.

The Amplified version talks about the “all-round strengthening and perfecting of the soul.” I want this, don’t you? It only comes through correction—for ourselves personally and in the training of our children.

Love from Nancy Campbell