Proverbs 24:3a AMP
Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built,
The building blocks of your home should be based on the word of God. Meaning the principles in your home should be according to scriptures. The word of God should be the final authority in your home. When you live in a house, whether or not you own that building, you can make it a home. When you chose to make your house a home, you benefit first. So, please, this principles are not reserved for only the married or the married with children. Whether or not you live alone this applies to you. It applies to any individual who lives in a building. As we proceed to examine some of these spiritual principles, we do so assuming that you have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life. If you have not done so, please pause and make that decision. If you do not know how to go about it, write to us or call us. We will help you.
Let’s proceed! So, how then do we transition our house to a home? Remember it is a transition. It does not happen overnight, it is not a quick fix either. So many spiritual principles need to be applied before you start seeing physical results. We will look at a few and remember, it is all about relationship.
When you begin by having your personal relationship with Jesus, the spirit of God will continually guide you on how to go about this journey. Some implementations will be unique to you yet not contrary to the Word, this is where skill comes into play. We are told that, "through skillful and godly wisdom".... Therefore, the fact that it is skillful does not mean that it should be ungodly. Always remember that the Word is the final authority.
Position
a) Begin by taking a posture in the spirit and make up your mind like Joshua did when he said this Joshua 24:15 (the latter part). “But, as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” You may say, I do not have a family, well, this scripture begins by saying “But as for me…” so, without a family, you have “yourself”. What will do with yourself in this case? Serve the Lord, right? That is the posture and mindset I am advocating for. Amen! Let’s camp here for a while. This is very significant because, the pressures of life will cause you to either bow or compromise. If you do not make up your mind, there will be many reasons why you should act contrary to the Kingdom. I am certain that you will agree with me on this. The pressures could be internal (those already living with you) or external (friends, relatives, co-workers, etc.).
Once you do so, you align yourself in the God camp. This decision is a step in the right direction. You are consciously communicating to yourself and to those around you what your intentions are. You may not start seeing the fruits of the decisions right away but just give yourself time and you will be happy you did.
Investigate
b) Now, this decision will cause you to start investigating on how to go about this process. The word of God is a great tool to help you transition and overcome the challenges that come with this transition. Remember, this process will vary from person to person depending on the life you previously lived. We say so because, you will stop doing many things the old way and you will start doing things the Kingdom way, in that environment.
Matthew 6:33 (NIV) tells us to ‘Seek first the kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added”. The word “seek” here in Greek denotes inquiring; investigating to reach a binding resolution; to search; getting to the bottom of a matter. Amen! So, we see here that it is not a casual approach, it takes work and effort. It takes activity not passivity. It takes intention; something you desire to do and are actually doing.
Let’s look at a few examples on some things that you will certainly be considering. We’ll use Matthew 6 as our guide because it contains some great commands and principles that any home that desires to be the model should implement. Among many things, this chapter highlights the principle of
i) Giving
ii) Prayer
iii) Fasting
This can be a good place to start as you evaluate the values of your home. Do you know that it is godly to give, to pray and to fast? If not, this chapter will equip you with the knowledge and revelation needed to make this a consistent practice.
Implement
c) Now, you have taken a posture in the spirit and your mind is made up. You began your investigation and this investigative process is now opening so much to you which should not just remain at the level of information and revelation. Implementation is required so that you can begin reflecting the kingdom in tangible ways and also enjoy the benefits of doing so.
Using Matthew 6 as our example again. Your search led you to see and know that giving, prayers and fasting are necessary Kingdom lifestyles however, the question is this how can I make these principles work for me?
i) Begin by sharing these truths and the importance with the inhabitants of your house. Sincerely emphasize your desire to not just live in a house but a home.
ii) As a group, decide on creative ways to be a household that gives generously. It could be to a food pantry; to your church; to your guests or just deciding on a day to visit a family and bless them. It is not a onetime decision; it is not a law, meaning that you do it out of love and adjust on the approach when needed, do not restrict yourself to a schedule that puts pressure on you and those around. That way, it eventually becomes burdensome, not a blessing. It is a lifestyle, meaning, it is the new way of doing things. The approach might change but the principle remains.
This is also applicable to prayers and fasting. These are necessary lifestyles in the kingdom.
iii) Once you agree on a schedule and how to get them done, start doing them, continually, persistently, productively. It will not always be convenient but always remember that this process began with a decision that you will do differently, so do not give up.
Block by block, you are building; using skill, you make adjustments that will suit your situation without compromising godliness. Before you know it, this will be your confession “I build my house with skillful and godly wisdom. Amen.
You might be wondering, why are all these necessary? They are necessary because every aspect of your life must be reflective of Kingdom values and principles. Purposefully advance the kingdom where ever you are and help others to do likewise.