Focus: Home For God

Text: Philm.1:2

"The church in thy house."

In Rom.16:5, Paul says of Priscilla and Aquila, "Likewise greet the church that is in their house." In verse 19 of 1Cor.16, Paul again says of them, "The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house." In Col.4:15, Paul says, "Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house." Nymphas had a church in his house. In 1Cor.16:15, we read of the house of Stephanas: "I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)." 

Could it be said that your house is synonymous with God's house? Is your house a home for God? Does God feel comfortable in your house? Can your house be described as God's sacred space? Who feels the impact of the worship that goes on in your house, if any at all? Does someone think of you when he's looking for God? Whoever contacts you when he's hungry for God?

The queen of Sheba saw something remarkable when she visited Solomon at Jerusalem. The Scripture says, "And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built… and his ASCENT by which he went up into the house of the LORD" (2Chron.9:3,4). Can you see what I see? Solomon connected his royal house to the temple of God by means of a stairway. That is to say that Solomon's royal house and God's house belong together and should not in any way be separated from each other. 

The temple and the throne are not separate things, that is, no dichotomy exists between them. Priesthood and kingship belong to God. 

Our homes are as sacred as God's house is. Understand that as God's people we are the temple of God, and each believer's body is also the temple of God and his Spirit dwells in us. Nothing is therefore secular about the believer in Christ.

Your house is not a secular place, but a sacred space where God is experienced, expressed and reflected. In his preaching, Stephen reiterated the fact that "Solomon built him (God) an house" (the word in brackets is mine).

Philemon turned his house into Christ's church. The word for church here is 'ekklēsia', which refers to a people called out by God. Every believer is called out by the Lord from the rest of humanity. We are a people set apart for God's mission on earth.

Turn your house over to Christ! If you are truly God's, so is your house. All you own you owe to the Lord. He is creator and owner of all things. 

Joshua boldly declared to all Israel, "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Josh.24:15). Joshua's house was the Lord's house. The house where the 120 disciples of Christ were waiting on the Lord was filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and every one of them also got filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues. Your house is meant to be a Spirit-filled house.

In verse 40 of Act.2, the Apostles shared spiritual fellowship from house to house. Virtually every house served as a place of worship and fellowship. In Act.5:42 the Apostles moved from house to house, preaching and teaching Christ. In Act.9:11,17, Ananias found Paul praying in the house of one Judas, and in that same house Paul recovered his sight and received the Holy Spirit through the ministration of Ananias. 

In Act.10:2, we read of Cornelius fearing God with all his house. In verse 30, Cornelius says, "I prayed in my house," and while he prayed, he says, "A man stood before me in bright clothing." According to Peter's report in Act.11:13, Cornelius was reported to have "seen an angel in his house." In Act.11:14, we read, "All thy house shall be saved." 

In Act.12:12, many were gathered praying in the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. In Act.16:15, Lydia was saved along with her household, and she pleaded to host the men of God. In Act.16:31,34, the Jailer took Paul and Silas to his house, and right there, he and his whole house believed in Jesus Christ. In Act.18:8, Crispus believed with all his house.

Make your house an extension of Christ's church! Let people walk into your house and see God in manifestation! Make Christ and His people feel at home in your house! Let the Holy Spirit live and move in your house! Let your house be the gateway of heaven! Let the angels ascend and descend upon your house! Make your house Christ's church and seek earnestly for the salvation of every member of your family.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter