ARISE AND BUILD A CONSECRATED FAMILY

INTRODUCTION

Through Cyrus the remnant of the children of Israel returned to Jerusalem. In Ezra and Nehemiah we saw the process of rebuilding the ruins. The process brought about transformation of lives and families, revival of worship, and the revelation of the Word of God.

There are four significant things in the process of rebuilding –

1.      They built the ALTAR unto the Lord – Ezra 3:2-3

2.      They built the TEMPLE and its gates– restoration of the Levitical priesthood  - Ezra 3:10

3.      They built the WALL of the city that was broken down – Nehemiah

4.      They build the Word (the Laws of God) – Ezra 7:10; 9:4

Based on this four-fold process of rebuilding let us now study this BUILDING PROGRAM – Arise and Build; to build Christ’s Kingdom in the Home.

BUILD THE ALTAR - A CONSECRATED FAMILY

There is a two-fold meaning of the word 'altar": First, it is a type of the cross upon which Christ, our whole burnt offering, offered Himself without spot unto God (Leviticus 1:1-17; Hebrews 9:14). This is God's part in salvation – the atonement, Christ our sacrificial Lamb.

Second, on our part, an altar is a place of "born-again' experience - a place where we died to our sins, self and fleshly desires. It is where we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice - a place of consecration, whole-hearted commitment and surrendering of our whole being to the will of God.

Let's look at some men of God and the altars they build before the earthly institution of the Altar in the Tabernacle of Moses. The key thoughts in these altar-building will cause us to appreciate more the altar in the Tabernacle of Moses. Three Key Thoughts seem to run through – (1) comes after an encounter with God afresh, (2) comes after God made a covenant with His servants, and (3) was built as a remembrance of God's unfailing kindness and promises.

Let us juxtaposed (put side by side) the theme of an individual consecrating his life to the Lord at the altar to a CONSECRATED FAMILY, surrendered unto the Lord. Let us learn precious life lessons and apply them to our families! 

THANKSGIVING / THANKFULNESS

Genesis 8:20- Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

The ark represents Jesus Christ and the provision of salvation. It speaks of safety and security. The rainbow was a continual sign and testimony that God's promise still exists. The altar was built as an act of thanksgiving for salvation and the establishment of a covenant. It is here we see Noah and his family consecrating their lives to God Almighty. The lesson for us is that THANKFULNESS is an attitude of a consecrated life. Therefore, we can also apply that to our family life. If we want to have godly family we need to promote an attitude of thankfulness. That will set us apart from the world.

1 Thess. 5:18 - Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. We are encouraged to give thanks for all things, through all seasons of life, and in the midst of every circumstance. It is really not an optional extra – but the will of God to have an attitude of gratitude – being thankful.

Psalm 107:1 - Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! The reason we give thanks to God is because God is good and his steadfast love endures forever. His love is steadfast, enduring, and sure. His goodness cannot be compare even with the evilness of the world quantitatively.

Colossians 3:15-17 - And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. The expression of thankfulness in one’s life flows like music and songs –the richness of God’s Word and the wisdom of it.

Application -

1. In our marriage – In everything give thanks to God for His love that endures forever – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Such attitude will outflow into your marriage relationships. There is no perfect marriage but forgiven sinners united in love through the power and strength of Christ. Thanking and appreciating each other becomes possible and doable when we live in an attitude of thankfulness to God who loves us enough even while we were yet in our sins.

2. In our home – model to our children, not so much as perfect people but as real people who make mistakes and in need of Christ in our parenting, in our relationships, and in our marriage. Share with them things that you are thankful for – provision, health, whatever good things that comes along our ways. But never use guilt trip – the people in India have nothing to eat, blah, blah, blah. Pray with your children – thanksgiving should always be the main focus.

REMEMBER thankfulness is an attitude of a godly and consecrated family. Let’s get started today!

- Thankful to God for salvation, love, and provision

- Thankful that we have each other – spouse, children, and God’s family.

COVENANT RELATIONSHIP

In Genesis 12:7 Abraham build an altar after God spoke to him. In Genesis 13:4 he went back to the altar and commune with God. It is place where his call into a life with his God was established - salvation call. The altar speaks of a covenant. It is not only a place where Abraham made a decision to completely follow God and trust His Word, it is also a place where he began to commune with God. Christ the Mediator between God the Father and men.

The lesson here is that the COVENANT RELATIONSHIP God established with Abraham became the measure of a life of consecration. Likewise, each individual has an encounter with God, and is established in a covenant relationship through Christ. There, we receive our call to the plan and purposes of God. So, as a family (the sacred institution of God in community) God also has a call for the family unit to live out God’s purpose.

It is a HIGH CALLING - Phil.3:14 (KJV) – I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This high calling is both to an individual follower of Christ as well as the family that God has instituted. Marriage is a covenant between two persons – they become joined together into “one flesh”. The godly marriage covenant outflows from a godly understanding of a biblical foundation of marriage and family institution under God.

It is a SACRED INSTITUTION. It is only right that a man shall leave and cleave once he is married. Together they will form a new family unit – a new community (like a life group) where there is love, passion, and nurture! The head of the home knows how to gather the family around the Word and around the purpose of God for the family. The consecrated family remains in covenant relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. The family also covenanted to live out the call of God for marriage relationship, for raising godly children, and exemplify the consecrated family to a broken society.

Applications -

1. In our marriage we (a) ADD VALUES in our relationships – keep the home fire burning; build a love house and (b) GOD FIRST, EVERYTHING ELSE FOLLOWS. I know that many people said that family comes first before ministry. We need to rest. Family is priority. PRECISELY!! It's possible to do just that because we love our family. In fact, many of us would go out of our limb to provide everything possible for our family.

Take my circumstances for example. I love my wife so much because she is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, and we have been married for 29 years. When she was in her greatest need I took care of her 24/7; never let her out of my sight, sat next to her for hours, and pray for her. I am not saying that it is a burden (be sure of that) but I am asking "what balanced life" are we talking about?

The understanding out there is that "balanced life" means spacing yourself neatly in your life - sleep, recreation, family time, God-time, alone-time, ministry, sex (if you're married), parenting, studying, etc. etc. Can it even be possible, that's my question?

I believe we should let God be first in our lives; be it work, marriage, children, or ministry. He should take pre-eminence and everything else follows behind. The rest is seasonal – meaning, different concerns will take more attention from us at different times. Prioritizing is the key to balancing life’s demand.

2. In our home maintain (a) a family altar – prayer, and reading of the Word of God, (b) provide spiritual education – share our lives with our children by letting them know of our roots, our faith and our walk with the Lord, (c) encourage each other to serve the Lord – “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord", and (d) start early in our prayer for our children’s vocation, calling and life-time helpmate.

TESTING AND TRIALS

In Genesis 22 we read the account of Abraham offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice on the altar.   It is a place of brokenness and death - a place of total commitment and consecration; no turning back. It is a place where he experienced what resurrection power is all about.

He was totally changed and transformed by this experience. It's a place where his priority was set in order and God dealt with the idol in his heart, i.e. Isaac. It is a place of obedience - a place where he was God's provision through obedience. It is a place of revelation. God revealed Himself as Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord will provide. It is a place of absolute surrender - a place of the Cross.

The lesson that we can learn about Abraham’s test is that this test of faith is the strength of a consecrated life – that which develop spiritual muscles to our spiritual life. Likewise, in every family that consecrated itself to the Father will come into collision cause with testing and trials of life. James said: count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, trials, and testing of life. A Christian family goes through trials just like any other families under heaven, and the only different is that we have the Holy Spirit who would come alongside us and be the Lord of all comfort to us. Our Father God will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death and his rod and his staff will comfort us. Christ made it possible for us to enjoy the peace of God that passed all human understanding – becomes our referee and empire – keep our hearts from brokenness and our mind from insanity.

Applications - 

1. In our marriage - 

(a) GUARD AGAINST INFIDELITY – watch your heart carefully, faithfulness should be our rear guard. Never be in a place of compromise – become a slippery slope. The THREE areas of unfaithfulness is SEX, POWER, and MONEY. Must learn how to handle these with the help of the Holy Spirit – especially the husband.

(b) GUARD AGAINST LIES (half-truth / part-truth). Our marriage must be built upon the foundation of RESPECT, TRUST, UNDERSTANDING and LOVE.

2. In our family we need to be there for each other. Some difficulties are experienced by the family together but there are other problem only a member of the family is facing. The rest must learn to bear each other’s burden. We need to teach that to our children. Teach our children these two important truths:

(a) Teach them faithfulness

(b) Teach me integrity

YIELDED-NESS

Genesis 26:25 - Isaac's servants dug wells but there was much opposition. Instead of RETALIATION, he moved out to give way. He doesn't spent time in senseless quarrels.

After a few places he called the last place (Verse 22) REHOBOTH - "the Lord make room for us, and we shall be fruitful." He petition before the Lord and make proclamation. His attitude was positive, free from strive of tongues. It was here he encountered God. It was here that he built as altar. Isaac knew what it means to build an altar. He has a first-hand experience of what it means to be a sacrifice on an altar before he ever built one!! From here on the quarrelsome people began to realize that Isaac has the Almighty God behind him. They quickly make peace with him. When we allow God to make room for us, we will not be disappointed.

The lesson we can learn here: it's a place of yielding of personal rights to God and let Him act on our behalf. Isaac built an altar in recognition of a definite promise of God. A YIELDED LIFE is the mark of a consecrated life.

Likewise, when a husband and his wife bring to the marriage a life that yielded (surrendered) their personal rights to God, the marriage became other-centredness rather than self-centredness – what can I get out of the marriage.

1. In our MARRIAGE, there are some things that are vital – non-negotiable:

a. We RESPONSE in love and not REACT in anger.

b. The only fight rule: Do not let the sun goes down upon your wrath

c. We enter a biblical marriage by giving up our personal rights in order to receive it – unless a seed dies, it abides alone. We gain by losing. We yield our personal rights and we gain love.

d. God first, everything else comes after.

e. We walk in MEEKNESS (control-strength) not in retaliation, quarrels, and resentment.

2. In our FAMILY, we teach, we train, and we exemplify. Our children need to see our yielded-ness to God in carrying out our responsibility in the home, workplace, and in the church.

FORGIVENESS

Genesis 33:20 - The Place of Reconciliation. Refer 28:10-22 on Jacob's dream. God commanded him to build an altar in Sheshem after being reconciled with his brother Esau. It's a place of reconciliation, a place of new beginning. Jacob left home under a very trying circumstances – he cheated his brother of his birthright. In fact he was scared what his brother would do to him as he made his way home under the instruction of God (33:1-3).

Verse 4 - But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Esau apparently must have forgiven him. The lesson learned here: FORGIVENESS is the grace of a consecrated life. We have received forgiveness for our sins, and have reconciled to the Father through the finished work of the Cross by our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Likewise, in a family forgiveness is a very important ingredient for a happy home. We have first received acceptance from the Saviour need to know how to forgive and when mistakes have occurred to know how to say sorry.

- Genesis 45:1-5 – Joseph forgave his brothers

- Jesus to Peter – forgive 70 X 7

- Lord’s Prayer – “forgive those who trespass against us”

- 2 Corinthians 2:10 - Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

- Colossians 3:13 - bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

ASKING for forgiveness and TO FREELY FORGIVE is the grace that should be seen at all times in the home. A consecrated family holds dear to their hearts the idea and the practice of forgiveness, reconciliation, and acceptance. There may be times our children disappoint us, failed us or even hurt us BUT we must have a heart large enough to embrace them including all of their failures, mistakes, and what-not! Our parents may failed us too – must not find ourselves in a place where we allow bitterness to fester. We need to walk in forgiveness. It is not about tolerating sin but about extending the love of God – owe no man anything except to love. There may be difficult parents or children or church people that hurt us, unfair to us, or slight us – we are call to forgive – to be magnanimous!!

WORSHIPFUL

Jacob (Genesis 35:1 & 3): The Place of Reckoning. God instructed him to arise and go to Bethel to build an altar. 

Two things happened here:

a. It is place of reckoning, a place of face-to-face encounter with God. The place was named Bethel meaning the House of God. We are to build an altar in the house of God - in the very presence of God. It is a daily reckoning of the greatness of God.

b. It is here that God touched his thigh - a mark of the dealings of God. Jacob will never forget from now on that his name "surplanter" was now changed to Israel - a Prince. From then on he was to completely depend on God and no more on his unscrupulous wit.

Lesson: PLACE OF RECKONING - The Position of a Consecrated Life

OVERCOMING

Moses (Exodus 17:15): The Place of Victory. Moses went up to the mountain with Hur and Aaron. Joshua, the army commander, led Israel into battle in Rephidim. It's a place where Moses struck the Rock (type of Christ's atoning death) and Israel obtained an abundance of water. It's a place where the Lord revealed Himself as Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord my banner. It's a place of victory.

An altar was built after the defeat of Amalekites (type of bondage) and the victory of Israel; the yoke of bondage been broken by the anointing outflows from INTERCESSION. Moses named the altar "Jehovah-Nissi" as a memorial of one important fact - "the Amalekites (all demonic hosts) were completely wiped out in this place!!

Lesson: VICTORY IN HIM - The Result of a Consecrated Life

SUMMARY

Arise and build a family altar surrounded by godliness, a consecrated family that –

1.      Walks with thankfulness and gratitude – the attitude of a consecrated family

2.      Function in covenant relationship to God and each other – the measure of a consecrated family

3.      Weathers through all seasons of life with faithfulness and dependency – the strength of a consecrated family

4.      Stood firm in yielded-ness and surrender to God’s will – the mark of a consecrated family

5.      Repent, Reconcile, and Return to right relationships – the grace of a consecrated family

6.      Maintain intimacy with the Father – the position of a consecrated family

7.      Pray and intercede for freedom and victory in Christ – the result of a consecrated family.

CONCLUSION

Each of the above areas is worth meditating and reflecting. How do we bring about such qualities into our lives and that of our families? How do we inculcate an attitude of gratitude to God and to each other? Where do we start in our perception, our presuppositions, and prejudices especially to those who are closest to us? It has been said that we hurt more deeply those who are closest to us. And in the same vein we get hurt more painfully by those who are closest to us. That's for the point on thankfulness!

What about the calling of the family in the economy of God? What about trials and testing of life? How do we response to it? Are difficulties and problems that we face in life cause by the devil or someone else's evilness? Are our family yielded to the Lordship of Christ? Are our family decisions, plans, and future locked into Christ or our own good ideas? 

We have to have forgiveness ever present in our home because there is no perfect family only imperfect sinners saved by the grace of God. We need to inculcate worship into the lives of those who lives under our roof. We need to focus on God - trust in His ability to lead - so that we will experience victory in our lives and in our family. If there is no war to wage there is no victory to talk about. So if we want to have victory in our family we need to overcome the giants in our lives.

Let's Pray.......