A Happy Home

Image courtesy of luigi diamanti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"A happy home is more than a mere roof over your head-- it's a foundation under your feet."  Unknown

For so many of us a happy home is the goal we have set our sites on. After all, it is part of the American Dream—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Is it not?

I must admit that my definition of the “a happy home” has changed over the years. I find that I require less and less to make my home a happy home. 

Being far from a minimalist, I do enjoy my creature comforts; but I treasure my family time and my time at home. I love to study the Word and I love to write my blog. There are a few other projects that I am working on which I really enjoy such as learning to paint with oils and doing a few crafts.  Seriously, I cannot think of anything I just “have to have” to make my home a happy place. 

Maybe the fact that I have been through some very harrowing things in my lifetime has tempered my outlook regarding accumulating things and living the life so many are striving to attain. I have had times when I thought I would never see my family again, and a couple of times when I thought I was going to die. I’ve also had times I thought that my family would never want to see me again because of my horrendous behavior. Jesus changed all that for me and has restored my family relationships. 

“The American Dream” is not all it is cracked up to be; and it is not as easy to come by these days. But that is not the reason that I don’t pursue it. The reason is that “The American Dream” is totally contrary to the way the Kingdom of God works. 

"The American Dream" says be dependent on yourself and your labors to get everything you need and desire—to get ahead. Hard work and self-reliance is the way to get things done.

To begin with, our home is not in this world. Our job is not at the company, or the store, or the office where we go to work every day. Our home is in heaven with the Lord, we are pilgrims here. Our job is to go into all the world and make disciples of all men. We lose sight of the reality of these things because we are getting so comfortable here in our society, in this world.

Jesus did everything it takes for us to be saved from eternity with out God—to be saved. We don’t have to work for it. We only have to believe and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then we need to walk in total forgiveness, to walk in love, and believe what God’s word says about who we are and what we have been given as a gift.

When we do that, the “good works” that everybody gets so hung up on doing, will follow out of love and not out of a feeling that we have to measure up to some expectations, or earn God’s favor and love.  

As the song says, “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.” – Elvina M. Hall

http://www.digdeeperdevotions.com/JesusPaidItAll.aspx

There is nothing we can ever do to make God love us more. There, also, is nothing we can ever do to make God love us less. He loves us. Because he loves he sent his Son, Jesus, to die and pay the entire pentalty for sin for all the human race. Anyone who goes to hell will go there with their sin already forgiven. Sin is not the problem between God and man. Belief and acceptance is the problem.

Romans 10:9-10 says, “(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

That takes care of the belief and acceptance. It is just that simple to be saved. It is a free gift. Jesus already paid for it all.

Politics will not save you or make this world a better place. The United Nations will not do it either. Even the New World Order will not help at all. Not even pursuing the “American Dream” can meet your hearts deepest need. Only Jesus can satisfy all your need and save you.

I have accepted the free gift of salvation, and I am happily living my life here on this earth until Jesus comes back to receive us (all the Christians) unto himself to spend eternity with him. That’s what makes my home a happy home.

“(11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12)Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:11-14 KJV

Have a great day; and remember who and Whose you are.
Brenda Quimby Smith

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude v. 24 KJV