Thankful Thursday -

Pressed Down and Shaken Together
Laced With Grace - What A Mess

What's In Your Camp? The Holy Spirit?

  • Do our physical surrounding impact the spiritual realm?
  • Is it possible to change your surroundings in a peaceful and loving way when your home is divided because of faith?
  • Can you think of one item that must go?
  • Does this scripture still apply to us today and does it matter to God what is in our home?
  • How do we welcome the Holy Spirit into our home?

    I love to ask questions. You probably know that about me. What I love even more is your answers. All of you who have been reading this series have had thought provoking and insightful answers. I encourage you to read the past posts and the answers. Click here for Part I.

    Deuteronomy 23:14 (New International Version) For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

    I have a story to tell. Three years into our marriage I heard the call of my Savior from a distance. I, the Prodigal, ran home to my Father and I dragged my husband along kicking and shouting.

    I remember one of our very first conflicts which arose over faith. I placed a small knick-knack on a table in our house. This tiny item instituted a shouting match over faith. I think the knick-knack was an angel and there was a scripture verse written on it. My husband was outraged. He was offended that I brought this “thing” into our house and told me he was completely embarrassed by the display.

    I remember this exchange because I was completely taken back by his anger. However, this tiny knick-knack was the beginning of a transformation of our home (camp).

    The scripture in Deuteronomy drew me to the importance of our surroundings. Specifically, I believe it applies to our home where we spend the majority of our time. Welcoming the Holy Spirit into our home begins with us. Even in a spiritually divided home we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

    Daily I ask the Lord for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. When I am filled, our home is filled.

    Fast forward, 16 years. Now look at this picture. Scripture_2These scripture references hang in my kitchen above the window. Slow, every so slowly, my husband’s hostility diminished. What is important to know is I didn’t place these items in our home to create tension or out of disrespect for my husband. It is my consistent love for Jesus and that living water flowing from me, which softened my husband’s heart.

    Today knick-knacks fill my home and my husband could care less. You will find books, angels, bible verses, and crosses. Last year my husband gave me a framed original page from a Gutenberg Bible. God has a way of changing people. This guy, who once freaked over a tiny angel, purchased a somewhat-costly single page of a bible for me to hang on the wall. It cracks me up.

    If you walked through my home, you would call me a Jesus freak. I am.

    Over the years my husband has accepted my faith. He no longer sees it as a threat. Living and loving Jesus consistently is the key. This is the hope I want you to cling to when your spouse sees your faith with skepticism and hostility.

    We welcome the Holy Spirit into our home because He lives within us. Evidence of His presence flows from the living waters we simply can’t contain. Our enthusiasm and love leak out of us in every direction which often shows up in the knick-knacks around our house.

    Next Friday: What grieves the Holy Spirit in our camp? Let’ talk about those indecent things.

    Thank you for stopping in today. What are your thoughts about the “stuff” in our homes?

    Be Blessed, Lynn

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