Christianity and your home

Welcome to this week's message from the church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

I want you to turn with me this morning in your Bibles to Psalms 127.

Right in the middle of your Bible almost.

Psalms 127.

Five verses in that chapter we'll be looking at this morning as we look at Christianity and your home.

Last week we looked at Christianity and your marriage.

And this week we're going to look at Christianity and your home.

And then next week we'll be looking at Christianity and your friends.

I've got about three to four more messages.

And then we got the whole Sunday through Wednesday night of the tabernacle coming up at the end of the month.

Then after that, we've got our next big, should I say, uh opportunity to bring a lot of visitors to will be Easter.

And that's a favorite time.

And you know me, uh Christmas and Easter.

I always like to preach three or four messages on Christmas or three or four messages on Easter.

So I'm already kind of looking at where I want to go for Easter right now.

Last year, you remember, we went, we looked at the uh uh six, well actually seven words from the cross.

And uh so uh this year I don't know yet.

Uh you can go so many different places.

Uh I may, I'm I'm kind of leaning toward the people that were around the cross.

So we'll see.

We'll see.

I hadn't got total direction, but it'll definitely be preaching on Easter.

I love Easter and Christmas because I get to just go back and dig in the truths around the crucifixion and the resurrection and uh and the birth.

So those are great times.

But we I told you last week, I am sick and tired of Satan winning the battle against the home.

Can I get an amen?

He is destroying our homes.

And I told you, God had laid on my heart and Susan's, and uh we will we will start writing some of the material.

We've done, I have a little booklet.

We used to do marriage seminars all over the place when I was at liberty.

And we're but God laid on my heart as I was studying Genesis 1, 2, and 3 for that message last week on Christianity and the home.

God laid on my heart, he showed me God's triangle in chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Genesis, and then he showed me Satan's triangle in chapter 3.

So we're gonna put together a six-week study on God's triangle versus Satan's triangle, and we're gonna take couples through that on a Wednesday night.

Well, it may be at my house, it may be here, we're not sure yet.

But it's gonna be a commitment for six weeks, you can't miss.

You gotta get involved in Sunday school, the couples class.

I mean, it's gonna be kind of a really a mentorship for six weeks.

And uh we're very serious about this.

And I'm gonna be taking some couples through it with me that can be coaches so that we can continue this mentorship in our church for couples.

Can I get an amen?

So it's not gonna be a non-chill-chillant type of commitment, it's gonna be a commitment for six weeks.

And you we we're gonna, it's gonna be five couples at a time in each group, or maybe three.

I know.

It's gonna be a mentorship.

It's not gonna be me preaching, Susan preaching, teaching.

It's gonna be a mentorship as we work together through uh God's triangle versus Satan's triangle.

And I tell you what, if you go through that, you'll have the tools you need to defeat Satan's triangle.

Can I get an amen?

With that said, I can't wait to preach this message this morning.

Psalms 127, verses 1 through 5.

Psalms 127 · chapter mention

Remember, ladies, you didn't forget what 1 Corinthians 11 7 said you were to your husband, right?

What are you, ladies, to your husband?

Man, they really listened, didn't he?

You are the crown to your husband.

This past Monday and Tuesday, Susan and I were on the evaluation team of five couples that are that have submitted uh to plant a church in the state of Alabama.

Oh man, it was in detail for two days.

We were 10 hours a day.

And part of her job was dealing with the husband's wife, and on that Monday night, we had them a gift certificate to take their wives out.

We called it date night.

And so I got up and right before they left, I said, I want to read to you, gentlemen, what your wife is to your husband, 1 Corinthians 11, 7, which says that she's the crown in glory to her husband.

And well, and well, actually it says she's the crown from God to the husband.

And uh, so anyway, with that said, ladies and gentlemen, tonight, men, some of you have forgotten to get your wife.

Some of you have.

I have.

No, I'm joking.

No.

Well, no, Rotroud, I I'm taking her tonight.

I got our hot date.

Hot date.

Hot date.

With me.

You a big one over there to be talking.

You know what you a big Darren, you and I can deal a hole.

Hey, we can dig a hole quicker than anybody I know.

But but tonight, Valentine's Banquet, right here.

How many do we have signed up, Rick?

Fifty already.

Do we have room?

Can anybody else sign up or is it over?

It's over.

You missed out, guys.

You missed out.

Okay.

One, she said.

One.

All right.

For you, hey guys, guys, this is the opportunity to bail yourself out in a big way.

So we do have one, but it's gonna be a fun night here.

It really is, as we have our Valentine banquet.

So you don't want to miss that tonight.

And by the way, let me just tell you, for you that have been praying for dirt, how many of you have been praying with me for dirt?

Come on.

Four of us.

Can I get you?

Can I get you to start praying for dirt, please?

You don't understand.

It's about$400,$500 a load of dirt.

So when you get a we get a truckload, that's$500,$400,000.

And are you ready for this?

We got 28.

Hey, truckloads this week.

Give God a hand.

Amen.

Since last June, Darren was telling me we've had almost 600 loads of dirt.

Let's give God a hand.

Amen.

We're planning on seeding that thing soon.

Jeremy's gonna help us there.

And be then we're gonna have to pray for rain because we don't have any water sprinklers.

Amen.

So uh, but we're excited about what God's doing, and we're gonna have camps out there this summer.

Uh fellowship Christian athletes, we're teaming up with them, gonna do sports camps.

It's gonna be all kinds of wonderful things starting.

And I know a lot of y'all have been saying, ah, I hear preachers say that.

When are we gonna do it?

Well, you're not praying for enough dirt yet, amen.

But we're getting close.

We're getting close.

We really are.

So just thank Darren and all of you that all the work you do.

And here's something else I'm excited about.

If you haven't seen our new children's church area and everything that's going on down there, you need to go look and just see.

Uh God's just blessing here, folks.

It's unreal.

We have a well, I said all that to say we tie this in for the vision for the family, for young couples and mid, hey, mid-age couples and even older couples.

So, you know what I in every seminar as Susan I did, we'd always have some older couples been married 30 plus years.

And I used to get up and I used to say, you guys need to be teaching this, you know, this retreat, not us.

And never failed at the end of the seminar on Friday and all day Saturday, they'd come up to us, especially on Sunday morning.

We'd usually, I'd stay over and preach on the home on Sunday morning.

They'd say, Pastor Danny, I wished I'd heard that 20 years ago or 25 years ago.

So, Psalms 127, verse 1.

Psalms 127:1

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord.

And the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his siver full of them.

They shall not be ashamed.

They shall speak.

I love that statement, with the enemies in the gate.

Today, it is important to remember that the whole idea of the home was planned by God.

Amen?

Remember last week?

If you missed last week, got to go online and watch the message.

Last week's message and this week so fits together like a hand in a glove.

You got to hear that.

And this the actually last week's the foundation message to everything we're going to be doing, even in our our six weeks counseling that we're going to be doing with couples.

And when I say counseling, I mean growing together, learning God's triangle versus Satan's triangle.

But it's home, hey, it's a divine one.

It is not surprising, therefore, to find that the Bible has so much to say about the home.

It really does.

And for this purpose, I've chosen Psalms 127, 1.

But it parallels with Ephesians chapter 5 in the New Testament.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

And it's powerful.

So, what then is the secret to a happy and a holy Christian home?

And that's the key.

Having a holy, happy Christian home.

There's four.

And we're going to be looking at them this morning.

Number one, first of all, we see in verse one, a divinely established home.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

Does everyone have a worship guide?

Does anyone need a worship guide?

Everyone's got a worship guide?

Good.

So we can start filling in the blanks.

Blank number one, a divinely established home.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

Fundamental to every home is the necessary partnership of the man and the woman.

And I dealt in detail with that last week.

It is God who basically brought the woman to the man.

And for that purpose, they came together to build a loving, holy, happy, excited, I'm talking a restful home.

What we literally call a little haven on earth.

Or put it like scripture says, a little heaven on earth.

And the question this morning should be: Is your home a little heaven?

I hate to say the other.

Or is it a little hell?

One or the other?

Which is it?

So that's what we're going to be looking at.

Men and women who choose to ignore the truths that I'm about to explain this morning will not have a home that is a heaven.

They'll have a home that is a hell.

And I pray that we take Satan on right at the heart of his triangle and defeat it.

And that's what we're going to be looking at, some of those principles on how to do that.

Except the Lord build a house that labor in vain that build it.

Number one, God must authorize the marriage.

What's wrong with most couples today if they do decide to get married?

Now, a lot of couples today just decide to live together.

They just decide to live together.

They don't enter into that covenant relationship that God has ordained.

And that God promises, if followed, hey, will be a, I call it, a home that is a little heaven.

I tell you, I used to at Liberty University all those years and at Tennessee Temple, I used to tell couples, I used to tell them all the time, there is a storybook ending done the storybook way.

But the storybook is the B-I-B-L-E.

That's the book for me.

Has to be done God's way.

There is no other way but God's way with the home.

So God must authorize marriage.

Accept the Lord, build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

Let me explain, and I'm probably, I don't think I brought these verses on my outline, but it's easy.

Write down Matthew chapter 7 and listen to what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 7, verse 24, which is very applicable for the home today.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention Matthew 7:24

Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of mine and do, hey, and doeth them.

In other words, whoever hears my word and does it.

Be ye doers of the word, not hears only deceiving your own selves.

James 1:22.

James 1:22

Whoever hears my word and does it, and listen to what he says, I will liken him unto a wise man which builds his house upon a rock.

Wow.

Who builds his house upon a rock?

The purpose God wants for you and me in our home is to build our home upon the rock.

And the rock is Jesus Christ.

And then the rain, when it comes, and the floods come and they will.

Rain and winds will come, troubles will come.

Can I get an amen?

They're coming.

It's not if, it's when.

They're coming.

And the winds blew and beat upon the house.

Boy, what a great terminology.

Satan's coming to beat against your home.

Satan's coming to attack your home.

Satan's coming to destroy your home.

And then he says, but when they are beat upon that house, it will not fall, for it was founded upon a rock.

But verse 26 in chapter 7.

And everyone that hears these sayings, hears the truth of mine, and doeth them not, now listen, shall be likened unto a foolish man which builds his house upon the sand.

And then verse 27.

And the rain descends and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon the house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

Great is the destruction of the home if it's built any other way than God's way.

That's Jesus speaking.

So he that hath ears to hear, let him hear, Jesus said.

Matthew 13.

So listen, except the Lord build the house, he labors in vain that build it.

I thought about a verse, Psalms 42.

I think that's done there.

He, you know, he brought me out of a herbal pit.

I say it about you, Steve.

He brought us out of a herbal pit.

I was there, baby.

Hey, and he put my feet upon a rock.

He established my goings and he gave me a new song.

Woo! Amen.

Gave me a new song, gave me a new life.

But he put me and established me upon the rock.

And that's exactly what's what's I when I counsel with couples that's been through divorce, I always take them to Psalms 127, these first five verses, but then I take them to Psalms 40, and I said, now that you've gone through a major uh bad situation, and and even though you know your home's been destroyed, look, God wants to take you out of that muck, take you out of that bad situation.

He wants to put you a hey, your feet upon a rock.

And he wants you to go to Psalms 127, verse 1, and allow him to rebuild your life and rebuild your home.

Psalms 127:1

And when that takes place, folks, it's a vast difference.

You have a home that's a heaven instead of a home that's a hell.

Big difference.

Big difference.

So God must authorize his marriage.

He made a statement.

He pointed his questioners when they talked to him about marriage, even in the New Testament, he pointed them back to the very first marriage in human history.

And he turned them back to Genesis 2.18.

It's not good that a man should be alone and therefore prepared a helpmate for him.

Isha, that soft woman, that woman.

And we said it's a woman, not a man.

Amen.

And we dealt with that, and I'm not going to reiterate that, but we did in detail.

In other words, God recognized from the very beginning that marriage was a necessity.

It was a must.

And it would be his example of his relationship to the church in Ephesians 5.

That's how much he thinks about marriage, folks.

It's his relationship, his example to the church.

So God must authorize the marriage.

Notice number two, God must formalize the marriage.

Except the Lord built the house and labor in vain that built it.

Referring again to the beginning of Genesis, we read in verse 22 in chapter 2, if you remember.

And commenting on this, the Lord Jesus said in Matthew chapter 19.

Matthew 19 · chapter mention

Now listen to what he said.

Verse 5, he says, For this cause, what?

For what cause?

That a man is, remember we said lonely.

Hey, he's incomplete, he's not fulfilled without a woman.

Woman was his compliment, woman was his security, woman was his satisfaction.

Can I get an amen, ladies?

Women were the crown from God to man.

So God, Jesus knew that when he makes this statement.

Now watch how this ties together in Matthew 19, verse 5.

Matthew 19:5

For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh.

Why?

For the purpose of God's plan for marriage and for the home.

And then he says in verse 6, I love it.

He says, and what therefore God hath what?

Put together.

Oh yeah.

What God, he says, has put together, no man shall put asunder.

In other words, no man, not include, hey, no man can divide and destroy a home that God has put together.

It's hard to divorce someone when you pray with them every day.

Amen.

Amen.

It's hard to be pulled apart when you're praying together.

It really is.

And so this is what he's saying.

In fact, he says, if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Mark 3.25.

So what he's saying is there's a oneness when God is in that triangle.

You got man, hey, you got man, you got woman, and right in the middle, you got God.

Except the Lord build the house, hey, they labor in vain.

What a powerful, unbelievable insight here.

In fact, we see that the unity, the love, the oneness is founded by God.

Joshua 24, 15.

Every couple, every Christian ought to have it at the very beginning of their home, right in the door somewhere when you walk in.

Joshua says, You choose you this day whom you're going to serve.

For me and my house, we're going to serve God.

Amen.

So number two, not only is it a divinely established home, but notice the second thing, it's a divinely guarded, guarded home.

He says in verse 1, Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Even the hey, wakeful watchmen on the walls of our cities have not prevented the evils from taking place.

I don't care how how good you try to be.

I mean, you can be a great worker, you can be a great wife, you can be a great husband, and you can try to build a home your way, but if you don't do it God's way, Satan's still gonna destroy it.

Only God can build the home.

Only God.

There's been some times, if God hadn't been in my marriage, I know I would not have made it.

Amen.

Hey, am I the only one?

Amen.

And can I get one more amen, gentlemen?

Thank you.

Amen.

Oh me.

Yeah.

That's true.

That is so true.

And we see that.

So we see how important it is.

God is the only effector.

Hey, hey, he's put it this way.

God is the only effective protector of the home.

Nobody else.

No one else.

I love what he says in Psalms 34:7.

Psalms 34:7

David could say it this way: the angel of the Lord, hey, is in camp round about them that fear, hey, him.

What?

To deliver him.

You got God on your side when you build in your home God's way.

Can I get an amen?

And the angel here, the word angel there refers to Jesus Christ of the New Testament.

And we see how much Jesus loves his church and the home in Ephesians 5.

I love it.

He says, 1 Peter 5, 7, casting all your cares upon him because he cares for you.

Amen.

God is my refuge and strength, the very present help in time of trouble.

Psalms 46, verse 1.

Psalms 46:1

So the word of God makes it plain that, hey, if God is guarding your home, his pervading and prevailing presence is what keeps us safe.

Can I get an amen?

That's good.

Now notice the word of God makes it plain that the presence of Christ is mediated and radiated throughout three things.

Number one, the practice of prayer.

The practice of prayer.

Now, watch this.

That's why I have God have so laid on my heart at the very beginning of this year that this church, we've got to learn to pray.

We've got to learn to pray.

It's the secret.

In fact, look at 1 Peter 3:7.

1 Peter 3:7

Listen to what the word says about a husband and wife praying.

Writing to married couples, we see here Peter warns the husband.

Peter's writing to the husband here.

Guys, listen to me.

Listen to what he says.

This is awesome.

He says, give honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel.

Now watch.

Why?

That your prayers be not hindered.

Hello?

See, look at the powerful truth here.

If Susan and I are divided and there's problems and we're not in one accord and we're not unified, our prayers for each other, our prayers for our family, our prayers for our life, our jobs, our everything can be hindered and quenched.

And Satan's a master at that.

If he can get, hey, hey, if he can't get me, he'll go after Susan.

If he can't get Susan, he'll go after me.

And now actually goes after both of us, but his purpose is to divide us.

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

You with me?

That's the purpose of his triangle, to try to ease in through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

To divide us.

And he works at it vehemently.

I meant he doesn't rest.

While it is primary intention is to underscore our relationship, notice though, prayer, hey, must be the foundation of our homes.

And I really believe this.

I love what he says here.

He asks the question.

And he asks it.

For example, prayer.

Do you realize the latest statistics?

Couples, less than 1% of couples pray together.

My, my, my.

No wonder our homes are being destroyed.

See, what don't you realize?

You saw the picture that was so beautifully portrayed about the war room.

The prayer room.

The war.

It's what it's called war room.

Why do you think they titled it war room?

Because it's a war.

Prayer is where the power source is.

I see Daniel back there.

He makes power.

He works with Alabama power.

Well, hey, you want to make our power?

You got to start praying together as family members.

Husband and wife, pray together.

You ought to pray individually.

You ought to pray, hey, hey, you and your wife corporated together, and then you ought to pray with your family.

Teach your children to pray.

One of the greatest things you can do is show your children, hey, that you're a prayer warrior and teach them to be prayer warriors.

That's their hope.

Oh, I love the scriptures throughout.

He says, watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.

That's what he says.

Jesus said, men ought to always pray and not to faint.

Luke 18, 1.

Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing.

In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5, 16 and 18.

And then listen to Ephesians 6.18.

Praying always.

Now listen, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Wow.

That's your home learning to pray.

There was a beautiful illustration I found about praying.

And Spurgeon said this if you meet together in prayer, you cannot pull apart in life.

That's good.

That's convicting.

Don't raise your hand.

But how many of you couples really pray together?

Now I'm not talking about, well, we pray when we have supper and dinner.

That's another thing couples have quit doing.

They don't eat, sit down, and eat together, pray together.

So we see how important it is.

Number two, reading the Bible.

Listen to what he says in Colossians 3.16.

To the families at Colossae, he says, as well as the church of today, Paul is writing to us as well.

Listen to what he says.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Why?

Because he says, let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another.

Hey, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs make a melody in your heart.

In other words, when you're in the word of God, there ought to be a love relationship going on between you and the Lord.

And that love relationship should be teaching you how to be more like Christ.

And the more you're like Christ, the more you love like Christ.

The more you love like Christ, the more you are Christ.

And that same love is what is to be communicated and exhibited in the home.

And that's what he says.

That's what he's talking about.

In fact, he says the Bible is profitable for Christian teaching, reproof, for correction, for instruction in right living.

The Bible should be read individually, it should be read jointly, and it should be read cooperatively.

I love what he says, and it ought to be read daily.

He says, Happier those who can't wait and hey, get up and wait at my gates, he says in Proverbs 8:34, waiting with anticipation, what to get in the Word of God so that God can teach them.

Proverbs 8:34

Why do you think I am such an advocate of our children's ministry and our wanna program?

Approved workmen are not ashamed.

2 Timothy 2.15.

Listen to me.

You ought to have, if you got children, they ought to be involved in the Iwana program, they ought to be involved in our youth program.

But I wanna program from the time they're four years old until the sixth grade, they're learning the word of God.

And it never returns void, folks.

Do you read?

Hey, do you read Proverbs?

Every couple ought to read a proverb a day together.

Why?

A proverb a day keeps the devil away.

But you ought to, and then pray.

Pray.

Pray for your children.

I pray for my kids every morning like Satan's right there trying to snatch them into hell.

And God's answered prayers.

I'm telling you, I'm watching him answer prayers right now in my own family.

Can I get an amen?

Except the Lord builds a house, they labor in vain to build it.

And we see it.

It's praying, it's studying the word of God together.

God says his word is with power.

Luke 4 32.

So if his word's with power and you have prayer power, Satan can't come against you.

Oh, he'll try.

Do you realize the word of God is the only offensive weapon you have as a Christian?

Amen.

Now let me tell you something.

Somebody's gonna fight me?

Hey, they're coming at me to try to whip me.

I would like to have a good plan to whip him, wouldn't you?

Amen.

I mean, you say, well, I'm tough, I can handle it.

Well, you can have the shield of faith.

You can have the helmet, you know, the helmet.

You can have the helmet, you can have the shield, you can have the belt of truth, you can have on those sandals so you can stand.

But let me tell you something.

In a fight, if all you're doing is standing there and the guy's beating the tar out of you, after a while that's gonna get old, or after a while you're gonna start running.

But bless God, if that sword is sharp, hey, amen.

Bam! Come on, baby.

Next thing you know, you go, hey, you got something to take him out with.

When God, hey, when Satan tempted Jesus on Matthew chapter 4, he'd said, Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thy serve.

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

When your kids have the word of God in them, they've got an offensive weapon, hey, to defeat Satan when he attacks them.

Amen.

You ought to memorize scripture?

We had a goal at our home all those years.

We'd memorize at least two, a minimum of one a week, but we went through the little one-a-booklets with them.

So we were memorizing the same scripture our kids were.

I'm telling you, folks, that's hey, let me tell you what you can give your kids.

I know, oh, I'm working hard right now to give them a good education.

Saving up for that education.

I'm saving up for a Macar.

Let me tell you what the greatest thing you can give them.

A godly home where a mom loves dad, dad loves mom, they pray together, they love each other together, they teach their kids to pray, they teach their kids the word of God, have a love for the word of God, and I'm telling you, that's the greatest thing you can give them.

Amen.

Nothing, that's the greatest.

Yeah, but I want them to grow up and make a good living.

No, no, what you want to pray for, you want them to grow up and love God.

Can I get an amen?

If they love God and faithful to God, everything else will take care of itself.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things shall be added unto.

Did you hear me?

All these other things.

All that's career, that's that's the and if they listened to me last week, God ought to be involved in who they pick to marry.

Not your butterflies.

Hello.

Not your hormones.

Hello, God.

I'm telling you, from about 13 to 20, those hormones and butterflies fly in all directions.

Most time the wrong ones.

Amen, preacher.

Third thing.

Filling of the Holy Spirit.

The filling of the Holy Spirit.

Look at what he says in Ephesians 5.18.

He says, be not drunk in wine and in excess, but be filled with the Spirit of God.

Now, again, once again, he is addressing not merely the church, but homes and families.

Because when you from verse 18 through all the way chapter 6, verse 4, and you're going to be studying this in Sunday school, in Bible study, in Ephesians chapter 5 and 6 through verse 4, right before he puts on the armor.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

He's talking about the home, how the husbands to love the wife as Christ loves the church, how the wife's to submit to her husband, and how the husband doesn't submit to one another, how they're to love each other, how they're to be uh, you know, as a partner together, as an example of the church.

Man, it's awesome.

It's awesome.

He says to be filled with the Spirit.

I love what uh Dr.

Carroll said.

He said, where there is no Holy Spirit, there is no charity.

There's no love.

By love, we do not mean about fundamental.

We're talking about consideration.

We're talking about level community, leather devotion to the children, to the children, and the children to the curve, uh, after the top of that, the other to the total fabric and the fourth and third of court of fabilize and fourth of faith.

And that's why it has to be for the love of Christ.

You and your husband, ladies, and husbands, we and our wives, you can't love them truly unless you understand the love of Christ.

If you don't understand the love of Christ, all you're doing is loving each other fleshly.

Hello?

You okay out there?

And if you love each other fleshly, that that'll last for about 10 minutes.

Maybe a little bit longer.

Hello?

Hello?

Come on.

Don't look at me like, oh, where's he going with this one?

You know exactly where I'm going.

Amen?

You okay out there?

I mean, really?

That sweetness, if it's not, hey, sweetness from Christ and the Holy Spirit, it doesn't stay sweet very long.

Amen.

And what happens, you say, well, I'm not, I'm not not sweet.

Yeah, but you're not loving.

Now I know what you're saying.

What does it mean by not sweet?

You can endure anything.

You can be in the same house and and live together and not love each other.

Oh me.

Yeah, but at least we're not fighting.

So you'd rather just have a desert for a home.

Hello.

Well, at least we don't have a hell.

Well, but you got a desert.

That's fun.

I just want to live in the desert.

Amen?

Come on now.

Help me, amen.

Hey, I'm talking about a home when you get up, there's joy.

I'm talking about a home when you get up, there's there's good coffee too.

But I'm talking about a home.

And you get the coffee for you.

Just a thought.

But I'm talking about a home where there's joy and happiness and support and security and helping one another.

Amen.

Let me tell you, when when when you've been married 20 plus years and you look at each other and you and you can see that look.

Hello.

I mean, there's that spark's still there.

That honeymoon love still there.

Walk in that room.

Remember Solomon?

Oh, Solomon chapter.

Ah, yeah, I better not go there.

I'm gonna have to preach on the book of Solomon for married couples only.

Now where's that book?

Where's that book?

Hey, but remember when the groom came and knocked on the door?

Woo! That the hey, the bride just melted.

I meant just melted.

I can't wait.

I meant, and the and the and the groom was so excited he couldn't get the door open.

I can't get in!

But that's what I'm talking about, folks.

I'm talking about that honeymoon love.

Can I get an amen?

That's what I'm talking about.

You say, but my soul picture been married 30, I've been married 35 wonderful years.

Anybody been married longer than 35 years?

Good grief.

Amen.

Hey, I've been around Rosemary and I well.

I see that look.

I see that look, and I'm gonna pick on Harry.

He's not here so I can get him.

He's having to work today.

Hey, I when Harry looks at Niva, woo! Look out! Mercy.

That's what I'm talking about.

Amen.

Come on, Paul.

Come on, Paul.

Amen.

That's what I'm talking about.

You just can't wait.

You know, that's the greatest gift you can give to your kids.

Right there.

That they know that, hey, that you've got each other's back.

It doesn't matter what happens, you're there.

Hey, you know you're not walking out.

Amen.

I saw that the last couple of days.

With Bob McKay.

And his precious wife, children.

That's what I'm talking about.

I was thinking about that in the hospital tonight.

That's what I'm talking about.

That's the greatest example of what I'm talking about right here.

Right here.

Amen.

You don't hear that preached anymore.

It's a lost entity.

God help us.

You want to stop the division that's in America today?

We start building godly homes.

You'll see it change overnight.

It's not Republicans against Democrats.

It's Satan against God.

And God's, hey, God can win.

He has.

He's won it.

But he can bring it back to the home.

We need godly homes in America.

Can I get an amen?

And that's what we're going to be about at CCW.

People are going to say, you want to learn to build a godly home.

You want your kids to be taught right.

Go to CCW.

Wouldn't that be great to be known for that?

A place where couples come to get help.

Amen.

I'm telling you, he's, I've been awakened, folks.

And we're going to do something about it.

That takes me to the number three.

We have a divinely established, divinely guarded, then we have a divinely furnished home.

Look at verse 2.

It is vain for you to, hey, rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows, for so he giveth his love sleep.

Solomon.

Solomon is saying here that the, and we I I really believe Solomon probably was the author of this.

Or David.

I'm pretty sure it's Solomon personally, but but because it relates to Ecclesiastes all the way through it.

Solomon is saying here that the furnishings of a home that really matter are not those things of a home.

He's saying you can work all night.

Oh, and I've already said so I'm not going to repeat myself too much.

You can work till early in the morning, get up, work tonight, because I'm working.

I want to provide a great home for my wife.

I want to provide a college fund and you can do all that.

But if you do not give them what they need more than anything, and that's the love to each other, the love of Christ, and teach them about Christ and read the Word of God with them, memorize the Word of God with them, be in church with them, you've missed it.

You're not giving them the great.

Thing you can give them.

That's what he's saying.

What he's saying here, here's what means more than anything.

Number one, the holy enchantment of the home.

In other words, people can't wait.

Hey, hey, the enchantment ought to be the home.

Husbands ought to can't wait to get off from work to go home.

Because they're going to have a happy, a happy home, the wife and loving each other, the kids, they can't wait because they know there's it's a place of haven.

It's a haven, it's a heaven.

And they can't wait to get there.

Oh, it's a place where there's no strife.

Hey, the the chaos, and what happens a lot of times, they've already been in chaos and then they go home and have more chaos.

No wonder I don't want to come home.

I've been fighting the devil all day, I've been in chaos, and I come home in this chaos.

So guess what?

I go by the bar, I get drunk, I take drugs, I do this, I do all this other stuff.

But I'm telling you, when you get sober and haven't accomplished anything, the only answer is J-E-S-U-S Jesus.

That's the answer.

That's it.

Let me let I read this.

You got to hear this.

Mm-mm-mm-mm.

This is so good.

Here's the design for a home.

I started to make a copy of this and I still may.

Here it is.

Preparation.

This is by uh, again, one of B.R.

Lakin's unbelievable uh writings of the design for a home.

I had not seen this in so long when I was.

This is beautiful.

Preparation.

Invite the Lord Jesus Christ to lay the cornerstone.

Excavate for foundation by removing all doubt, fear, and selfishness.

Construction.

Erect a strong framework of faith, supported by sturdy beams of deep devotion.

Lay stout flooring of sympathetic understanding.

Hey, lathe with generosity, insulated with enthusiasm, and plastered with a sense of humor.

Boy, that's good.

Hey, shingle the roof with protective kindness and apply siding composed of high hope and great expectation.

Chink all cracks and crevices with pleasant memories and little family jokes.

Build.

Build in permanent fixtures of honesty and integrity.

Provide doorways wide enough for the heavy-hearted and the merry-hearted to enter.

Plan plenty of windows to emit sunshine for the joy of living.

Carefully weather strip all openings with appreciation.

Equip with plumbing adequate for daily cleansing of the spirit.

Install heating apparatuses guaranteed to maintain a steady glow of friendly warmth, illuminated with shining radiance of smiles and tears, and ventilated with an unlimited supply of patience.

Adorn the walls with cheerful courtesy and pave the doorway with hospitality.

Wow.

That's my prayer.

That's my prayer.

That's my prayer.

That's it.

Which brings me to the second thing a holy enchantment of the home and a happy contentment of the home.

Listen to what he said in Hebrews 13, 4 and 5.

Let your manner of life be without covetousness.

It's not about things, folks.

And be content with such things as ye have, for he said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

The test of a happy home is that it does not have to depend on material comforts for happiness.

Where Jesus is, there's heaven.

Amen.

I keep this in my Bible.

Little$5 bill, track.

What money?

Hey, what money can buy.

Money will buy a bed, but not sleep.

Books, but not brains.

That's true.

Food, but not appetite.

Finery, but not beauty.

A house, but not a home.

Medicine, but not health.

Luxuries, but not culture.

Amusement, but not happiness.

A crucifix, but not a savior.

A church pew or chair, but not heaven.

What money can't buy.

Jesus Christ gives freely.

Is that not good, folks?

Let me tell you what else I found.

I couldn't help but cry.

Illustration I found.

A young woman who runs a power sewing machine for 40 hours a week in a factory tells the following story of her married life.

My husband left as an orphan.

Never had a chance to go to school or learn a trade.

He is a teen master and makes very little money, but he loves me enough to trust me with all that he earns.

We have nothing that rich people have, and we are boarding until we can furnish a little home for ourselves.

My husband does not go to saloons or places of that sort, and he never goes out for pleasure without me.

Do you think it hurts me that he can't give me fine clothes whenever day he gets up and tells me I'm the best thing God's ever given to him?

Every night he kisses my hand, prays with me, and that he's worked so hard all day, me holding those rough hands, and he's taking my hands and praying with me.

We have been married over a year, and I never, we've never had a crossword.

I did not know anyone could be so happy.

Do you think I mind working to help a man like that?

His love makes everything worthwhile.

Here is a man ignorant, listen, of books, with no business training, yet possessing the rare faculty that guides his home life in ways of happiness and peace every day.

Is that good?

You won't read that in modern day books.

Last thing and I'm three.

The third thing, the healthy refreshment of the home.

Notice what he says, verse two.

He gives his beloved sleep.

Let me tell you, there's nothing more restful than a home that loves Jesus.

Everybody, I mean, there's peace, there's harmony, there's love, there's support, and there's rest.

Can I get an amen?

You don't go to bed fighting, you go to bed loving.

Amen.

And then the last thing: a divinely favored home.

Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

First thing, the desirability of parenthood.

Notice kids are a reward to the home.

There's nothing more enjoyable when I go to see my grandkids than hear those little feet running, poppy, poppy.

There's nothing sweeter.

Nothing sweeter.

They're a reward.

Children are not to be burdens, they are to be rewards.

Can I get an amen?

Well, mine, you don't know my kids.

Well, can I say something?

We don't have a kid problem.

We have a parent problem.

I'm gonna show you.

Secondly, they also, we see, lo children are a heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Notice second thing.

They also rejoice the home.

Happy, look at verse 5, is the man that has his quiver full of them.

Dr.

F.

B.

Myers replied, a playground of little children.

Hey, you know what he said?

Hey, what Dr.

Myers was asked, what do you think heaven looks like?

He said, A playground of little children.

That's what he said.

And then I thought to myself, listen, Zechariah chapter 8, verse 5.

Zechariah 8:5

I've never seen this before.

Describes the streets of the holy city as being, watch, full of boys and girls playing.

Wow.

What then could be more like heaven than to have a home that rings with the golden laughter and the excitement and happiness of little kids?

And then the responsibility of parenthood.

Look at verse 4.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth.

Now watch.

It is significant.

For you, how many of you are bow bow people?

Shoot bows.

You're bow hunters?

Okay.

I knew Jack.

I mean, I knew you would.

I knew you would be.

Carolyn, do you shoot a bow too?

You do?

Jesse and Carolyn, look out.

Daniel Boone and Miss Daniel Boone, right there.

But now what's this?

What's this?

See if I'm right then.

The flight and direction of an error.

I just read a little thing on how to prepare an error this week.

The flight and direction and effect of an error depends on the way the error is produced.

Polished.

Pointed and poised.

I said, man, that'd a preach.

That's four P's.

Product, hey, produced, polished, pointed, and poised.

And then the statement was made by the author of this book using explaining this verse.

The tragedy is that so many arrows leave our homes today dipped in poison.

Oh my soul.

I leave you with this verse about correcting children.

I only need one verse.

And here it is.

Our responsibility is found in Ephesians 6.4.

I think it's up there.

Is Ephesians 6.4 up there, Jason?

I think it is.

But anyway, it says, train up a child.

And here's the way you do it.

We train in the nurture and admonition of God.

There it is.

And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture, admonition of the Lord.

There's two words there.

Look at it.

First of all, there's the word of nurture.

Okay?

And the word nurture is the Greek word paidia.

Pidea.

And it means to train by discipline, hey, by discipline, disciplinary correction, by action.

Now, that could be a lot of ways.

That could mean ultimately spanking.

Now, I know there's even countries outlawed spanking.

But let me just remind you.

Proverbs 13, 24 says, he that spares his rod hates his son.

Let me give you another verse.

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

My granddaddy took took that verse, Proverbs 22, 15, literally.

That means beat the devil out of him.

I'm not advocating abusive nut by any means.

And then Proverbs 19, 18.

Listen, chasten thy son while there is hope.

Let not thy soul spare for his cry.

So, nurture.

That is some kind of discipline action.

Ultimately, it couldn't mean having to spank them.

Amen.

Spanking did not hurt me.

Well, it hurt me.

But it it helped me.

Okay?

You know what it helped me?

You said, well, how does it help you?

You don't do it again.

Hello?

Now for my girls, I couldn't spank them.

You know what I did?

I took the keys of the car away.

They'll straighten up real quick.

When you have to ride the bus.

You mean, daddy, I gotta ride.

Well that's what I did to Eric.

I'd take that Grand Prix away.

Dad, I got to ride the bus.

Two weeks.

Two weeks! Yeah, if you say anything else, it'll be a month.

It worked.

It worked.

And then admonition.

The Greek word nuthha.

It means calling attention to good and bad actions.

Training by word.

Showing them why you're correct them and what they should have done instead of what they didn't do.

Can I get an amen?

Wow.

Wow.

What a passage of scripture for five small little verses.

It's powerful.

Powerful.

Now listen to me.

Here's the question this morning.

Is your home a heaven?

Or is it a hell?

And I don't even like to say that, but it's the truth.

Is it a haven?

Or is it a storm?

Is it a place of rest?

Or a place of confusion and turmoil?

What is it?

I can tell you what it is if it's not built on God's foundation.

It's not a haven.

It's not a heaven.

So let me ask you this morning.

Don't you want a home where God's magnified, Jesus is exemplified?

Don't you want that?

Hey, let me tell you folks, listen to me.

It takes work.

I'm going to tell you something, it's the hardest thing you ever do is to build a godly home.

And you know why it's the hardest thing you ever do?

Satan is so vehemently attacking it.

We take each other for granted.

That's our problem.

For us that have been married a long time, it's easy to take each other for granted.

Amen.

So on this Valentine weekend, you know, I did not plan this.

Because it's not God to have these messages preached on Valentine weekend.

I did not plan that.

I wished I could say I did.

You say, man, he's sharp.

It's God, folks.

Amen.

Do you love each other today?

Do you love your wife like she's your crown?

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

If you would like to find out more about us, visit us on our webpage at thechurch at cw dot com.

You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at TheCurch at CW.

Need prayer or more information?

Send us an email at office at the church at CW dot com.

We hope you have a wonderful day, and again, God bless you.