Reflections, March 8th, 2009

Reflections: Whose House Are You?

Sunday, March 8^th, 2009

Growing up, did your parents ever say to you, "remember whose house you're in?". Whether you were visiting someone else's home, or they were leaving you home alone for the first time; they trusted you to act accordingly, as though they were there in your presence. I know my Gram would tell us not to embarrass her. To act like we have some sense, and good upbringing. We represented her; even outside the home. As her children, grandchildren, she knew that people were watching. And they would say: "That's Ms. Ruth's children...Look at Ms. Ruth's family." And if we acted any other way than who people knew my Gram to be, she would surely hear about it-well before we got back into the house. We couldn't just act any kind of way. We brought the inside, outside. (Which probably accounted for the many stray people and animals that found their way to my grandmother's home!)

There is also peace and rest in the house of a person who trusts you, and loves you. In my Grams house, there was complete rest. No one was made to feel unwelcome. Her home was a reflection of who she was. And when you remembered whose house you were in, and how that person loved and cared for many, you wanted to ensure that the peace and rest remained. So you behaved accordingly. It was this behavior that drew the many others to her home. They saw what we had and wanted it, too. As it is with our Heavenly Father. Do we know whose house we are? Do we understand that what we do, say, and believe is a reflection of who we say we belong to? Do we know we have the power to draw others or repel them?

May the grace of God be in seen in your life each and every day. It is my fondest prayer that this week's Reflection will bring encouragement and peace to your soul and spirit, as well as enlightenment. I pray that your house will shine bright with the favor of God, and a spirit of unshakeable faith, and profound belief in the promises of God.

Hebrews 3:4-6 (KJV)

"For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."

As believers, we are the house of Christ. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet many of us have acted other than. We have filled our houses with unbelief, doubt, backsliding, adultery, fornication, unforgiveness, malice, selfishness, greed, etcetera. We have moved far from God, and have began to behave in a matter that is no different than those in the world that do not believe. Many have stopped believing.

What has occurred in the life of someone to stop them from believing in the promises of God? To stop walking by faith, and instead walk by sight? Many say that much has happened. Just look at the world around us; the world in which we are living. They find it plausible that many would lose their faith, and begin to doubt that there even is a God. Let alone, being the house of Christ. They are wondering how such a "loving" God could allow such strife and hurt to happen in the life of His children.

God understands. Yet He admonishes us to continue to stand firm, and to know that troubles will come but we have an anchor in Him. He tells us that we are not to worry or become anxious about how we are going to make it in the time in which we are living. That He has always been our provider (Matthew 6:25-34), for He knows what we need, and that the key to our sustenance lies in our ability to seek Him first, and to continue to believe in the promises that He has given us. And to represent Him well, to a dying world.

We are facing nothing new "under the sun". The world has gone through many harsh realities, many worse than what we are facing at the present. Yet, God has always been there. He is the same God, yesterday, today, and forevermore. We are, as believers, to continue to believe and know that God is more than able to handle and take care of all that comes our way. We must, even in the face of adversity, stand firm and hold to our belief that God is able and that He is a promise keeper.

Yes, it is difficult many times. It can feel as though we are slipping on a slippery slide. But guess what? Even if you do slip, as a child of God, He is there to catch you. Many times we will be faced with things that seem insurmountable at the time. We will look and see no light at the end of the tunnel, and all we have is the Word of God to hold onto. The promises of our Heavenly Father, that He will provide. That nothing is impossible for Him. That He is there with us always. Even when we feel most alone and even abandoned- God has never left.

We must be careful to remember whose house we are. Why? How can Christ, in his magnificent glory, reside where there is unbelief? How can He do, through us, the promises of God; fight for us; and give revelation if our "houses" are polluted with unbelief, and hardened hearts against the Father?

Hebrews 3:12-19 (KJV)

"Take heed, brethern, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, hardened not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was grieved forty years? Was it not with them that sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief."

The children of Israel had began to have unbelief in their heart. That unbelief caused their hearts to be hardened against God; so much so, that when He spoke, they did not recognize the Father's voice, and because they did not recognize it, they did not hear His instructions, and could not enter into what He had promised them.

There is rest that comes from believing what God has spoken to you. There is a peace that surpasses all understanding that envelops the heart of a person that truly recognizes the voice of God. When you know that you are the house of Christ. That within your heart, beats the heart of God; that within you is the spirit of God; you begin to understand things that you never have before. You begin to have a "knowing" that all that God has said shall surely come to pass. And, it not only affects you, but those around you. People will see you, and begin to wonder how in the world is this person maintaining in such harsh times? How in the world, is this person maintaining a sunny disposition when they know you have suffered, if not just as much, but more than they have? They will wonder. And you can tell them about the rest you have found in God. Your actions, how you represent can bring a soul into the Kingdom of God. Remember: our actions speak so much louder than words alone.

Don't you see the power that you have? Do you not understand the awesome gift that God has made available to you? In you, residing in you, is Christ. And if you would allow yourself to be used of Christ; if you would represent the Father, and continue to believe- even when the world seems to be crumbling around you, God says that He will give you rest, and a peace in your heart that will transcend every harsh and difficult time that would ever come your way. Sure, things may be lean for a while; but it will not always be that way. God will never allow you to go hungry or naked. It may not be what we may want or desire at the time; but as my grandmother said: "A belly full, is a belly filled."

Every thing that you have need of, God has already provided for. Every thing that will ever be, has already been done. That is why God rested on the seventh day. When He said He ceased from His own works, and rested; it's because everything God ever was going to do was completed. And He wants us to know that all we have to do is believe, have confidence, and know that all we have need of has already been answered. All we have to do is follow what He says, believe and have the boldness to get it.

God understands His creation. He knows our hearts, and He knows our thoughts. We do not want to be as the children of Israel who could not enter into rest or the promises of God because of unbelief. We should desire to be in the presence of God, resting in His promises, in His word, knowing that if there be anything we have need of, He has already provided. If there be anything we have trouble with; any obstacle that we deem to hard to get through, that we have an advocate in Jesus Christ, who knows all, and has been touched with every thing we face, that we can go to, and boldly ask for help; for grace and mercy.

Do not allow the circumstances of this world, or the current state of affairs to shake your faith or diminish your trust and belief in our heavenly Father. Do not allow the whispers of the enemy to penetrate your heart and have you vacate your house of peace and rest; for doubt, worry and unbelief. For God has made a way of escape. He charges us to remember whose house we are, and in whom our faith stands.

Hebrews 4:9-16 (KJV)

"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Stand firm in who you are. Remember whose you are, and all that you have access to. It is my fondest prayer that you would have peace and prosperity in every area of your life: spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and financially. Allow belief to reign in your heart, and enter into that rest that only the heavenly Father can give. You are loved and made worthy because of the blood. Be Blessed.

©2009. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.