After the joyful festivities of Sukkot that we experienced when I believe the Spirit is with us in a special way, giving us extra joy typical of this season, I realized that just as Sukkot is an ENVIRONMENT where the Spirit thrives because we are celebrating Abba Kadosh and His feast, we can also make our homes a place where the Spirit can thrive. I would like to examine how we can do this, point by point, so we can avoid an environment that facilitates characteristics of the Flesh such as lack of patience and outbursts of anger. So let's dive right in!
Below are some ways I have brainstormed how we can establish standards in our homes that allow the Spirit to thrive and proper in our hearts.
Create fun traditions
Kissing mezuzah to remember his command to love each other and saying "Shalom" when entering the house!
Put worship background music on in the house
Pray pray pray - talk to God - to behold the beauty, glory and grace of the Father spiritually, and thus have attitude changed to one of His love as we are impacted by who He is and thus desire to please Him and extend His love to others as well
Have set time to read the Bible together with your family, and discuss it
Use your power of choice to:
--Focus on others and how you can serve them - deny yourself
--Forgive others as Christ has forgiven us of our sin
--Apologize and ask forgiveness of the person that you treated bad when your conscience convicts you of something you did wrong
--Be slow to anger, and rich in love - sometimes righteous anger is called for a little, but under control and mixed with sincerity, explaining to the other how they hurt you or what they did wrong that you are sincerely asking they fix.
Sing worship songs together as a family and have fun dancing to worship music as a family too, if you want!
Beware of technology - it can make us feel entitled and want everything quick and easy, our way, instead of consdi what others want – just allow the Spirit to maintain control of your spirit when using technology, with its self control, and thus you can remain in control and patient when using technology. And don't be doing personal things on phone unless absolutely necessary when it's time to eat dinner or fellowship as a family.
May these things bless you all.
What are your ideas? Feel free to comment below!
Shalom,
-Greg
Pretty great, practical tips!
Through wisdom a house is built
And by understanding it is established
By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant rices.
Proverbs 24:3-4
Free will and choice is something God gives us, whereas control is something Satan strives for.
Yes, we need to make good choices concerning technology – which is being pushed on us more and more, and can separate us from people, nature and even our Maker.
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
As I told my granddaughters at Sukkot – how can we learn to hear God’s voice if we are always on a cell phone or computer? We had a great time sitting on a hill by a lake, with each granddaughter reading a verse I gave them and discussing it. It felt like how it might have been with Jesus teaching his followers out on a hill. :):):) It was beautiful!
Thanks, and awesome, Mom!