| Having Church in the Home |
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This article is taken from the November 1999 issue of our newsletter. It also
appeared in Sarah's Promise Magazine.
Written by Mrs. Sharon White
"When all the members of the family yield themselves to God, subscribe with their hands to be the Lord's and surname themselves by the name of Israel, and the master of the family, with himself, gives up all his right, title, and interest, in his house, and all that belongs to it, unto God, to be used for him, and disposed of by him, here is a church in the house."
- Reverend Matthew Henry, 1704
When we think about the word Church, we envision a building or temple where people gather to worship God. It usually has attendance once during the week and two times on Sunday. This is a typical Church.
Alas, with this image, we have entirely forgotten about the most important of duties required in each and every Christian home, - the dedication of all to God and a commitment to worship him daily in prayer (I Thess. 5:17 "Pray without ceasing"), Bible study (Psalm 119:97 "Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day."), and singing of hymns (Col. 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.")
This Church in the house is not a new development. There are references in the Bible to be found in I Cor. 16:19 "Aquilla and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord with the church that is in their house." As well as some others: (Col. 4:15 and Philemon 2).
If we look back in the Bible to the Old Testament we will find Abraham moving several times, but always and foremost did he build an altar wherever he lived.
What exactly does it mean to have Church at home? I will quote here from Family Worship: It's Influence over all of Life by James Alexander in 1847:
"The working man often has little disposal of his own time, and little privacy for religious acts. He rises, it may be, long before the day, and in a wintry morning hastily prepares himself to join others in labor. He is therefore under a very strong inducement to abridge, if not to omit, the Scriptures and prayer. It is of immense value for one in such circumstances, to be bound by the sweet yet constraining tie of a family - covenant, to redeem time and call his household together for God's praise. Such acts of domestic worship are among the sweetest enjoyments of the poor man's life. He thus has ensured to him a stock of truth for the reflections of the whole day. The son and daughter who go forth to shop or factory labor, carry with them some remembrance of God. And when, after a day of honourable toil, they reassemble in the evening, with the expectation of a similar service, it is to enjoy a means of grace which furnishes each individual with a new impulse towards the goal. Those who unite every day in solemn acts of worship, are thus brought to a comparison of themselves with a certain standard. They are made to recognize themselves, and to recognize one another, as servants of God."
Specifically, during family worship, there is prayer, Bible study and contemplation, discussion, and the singing of hymns. This is done in an unhurried manner, taking the time to enjoy the blessed peace, and joy of holiness in the fellowship of the Lord. This ought to be done twice a day (or at the very least, once daily), preferably in the morning when one is fresh and the day is new. And then again in the evening before retiring.
This time the family spends together at the foot of the cross, brings forth a powerful instrument of awakening, edifying and comfort of each and every soul. "Observation shows that families which have no household worship, are at a low ebb in spiritual things; that families where it is performed in a cold, sluggish, negligent or hurried way, are little affected by it, and little affected by any means of grace: and that families where God is worshipped every morning and evening, by all the inmates of the house in a solemn and affectionate service, are blessed with increase of piety and happiness. Every individual is blessed. Each one receives a portion of the heavenly food." - J. Alexander.
The affect this will have on our children is clearly described for us in II Tim. 1:5 where the moulding influence which will last a lifetime, came from Eunice and Lois onto young Timothy, as he had known the Scriptures from the time he was little. Can we do no less for our own children?
What is a house that is not dedicated solely to God? What is the house where worldly cares pervade? What sacrifice of self is this to the Lord who gave all to us?
The families that are too busy for religion are too busy for God. They neglect the health of their souls preferring rather to engage in the temptations of the world. Rev. Matthew Henry says, "If you have not a church in your house, it is to be feared Satan will have a seat there. If religion do not rule in your families, sin and wickedness will rule there. . . Where God hath not a church, the devil will have his chapel. If the unclean spirit find the house in this sense empty, - empty of good, though it be swept and garnished, - he taketh to himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. - (Matt. 12:44 and 45)."
Let us shudder at the thought of neglecting God in our homes. Shall we simply go to the Church building during the week and allow our houses to be hollow and shallow dwellings with no real meaning but worldly pursuits?
Oh, but you may say, how difficult, how inconvenient to set up the worship of God in our daily lives. Are you so concerned with carnal matters that you cannot take some of the time God gave you for religious exercises, which seek to enrich your spirit and keep you walking with the Lord?
Resolve to begin at once. Start fresh and new with the next morning. Pull out the Bibles and settle the family down to praise God and renew your strength in this your journey towards Heaven. Stray from the path of life no longer. Keep your focus on your eternal rest and use each day to bow before the Holy One with a servant's heart.
Our earthly houses must be God's houses. They must be where he reigns. The place that we call, not ours, but His. "In Greenland, when a stranger knocks at the door, he asks, 'Is God in this house?' and if they answer, 'Yes', he enters." - J. Alexander.
Let us see how blessed is the home where God alone rules. Imagine the incredible knowledge and spiritual wisdom that is gained when one is regularly soaked in the Word of God. The ancients said, "Take heed of a man of one book." This was meant as a warning. The person who studies this one book over and over again becomes so wise and perceptive that one should never try to argue with him against this book. For he knows it so well, it becomes as familiar as his very self. Could we not, should we not, do the same? Let us resolve now to cease from our neglect of having God's Church in our homes.
"In a word, we cannot think it possible for any family to enjoy, twice every day for all their lives, the privilege of hearing the Scriptures read at domestic worship, without, by that very means, rising perceptibly and greatly in knowledge and intellectual force." - J. Alexander.
The Webster's Dictionary of 1828 defines the Church as a house consecrated to the worship of God, among Christians; the Lord's house; the disciples of Christ assembled for worship in a particular place, as in a private house. - When someone comes up to you and asks, is that your house, shouldn't you, with a faithful and humble heart, answer that it is God's own house? Can you honestly say that?
My dear readers, Let us not settle for anything less. Strive each and every day, along with me, to overcome the sin of neglect in the worship of God. I, myself, struggle with the dilemma of consistent daily Church time with my family. How greedy I am to not give the Lord two sessions each and every day for his glory! And when I do have this time, it is such a blessed joy that I shudder at the thought of forgetting it the next day! Please, join me to Step out of the Darkness. What a power is available and blessing untold to those who faithfully follow God's ways. Let our families be little Churches and God will come to us. Allow the gracious presence of God to be with us today. ~
"Every family ought to be a little Church, consecrated to Christ and wholly influenced and governed by His rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace. If these fail, all other means are like to prove ineffectual." - Jonathan Edwards
Just a few days ago, I was talking to one of my readers about Churches. She attends a Church regularly- a few days a week. This is the normal and typical form of worship. She told me of a friend who has Church at home and wondered why it seemed that so many who tend to avoid the traditional churches, and have their own at home, tend to be an amazing source of inspiration, and are close to God. I told her that it was because those who attend the traditional services, usually depend on the Church entirely for their spiritual nourishment. They need to have a church at home as well. Those who consistently spend time in the word of God, in study and private communion, will be warmer and gentler as one who has just visited the gate of Heaven. But let me warn those, who neglect this great duty. In the early 1800's there was a young man who grew up in a Christian home. He had some struggles in life and eventually, at a young age, he ended his own life. His suicide note reads as follows:
"Pa and Ma do not grieve - be extremely careful to instruct your children in the great concerns of eternity. Use your utmost endeavors that they all know Jesus Christ and him crucified. Be very careful that they do not deceive themselves in the great matters of religion. . . The Devil is very active and artful. He has got fast hold of me so that I am entrapped. . . I know my case is distressing; my ruin was owing to my great negligence in the great matters of the soul. I feared when I ought to have loved. I have been too dependant on others, not looked so well to my own state as I should have done. Be careful that you come not to this place of torment."
And so it is with us, dear ones. Do not "depend on others" for the state of your own soul. Only you can draw close to God. Please do not leave it to the public Churches!
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