House not a home?

(01.14.21—It’s an honor!--Matthew 18: 1-6)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Is creating a home not always the easiest thing to do? Certainly the remodeling costs are most threatening as we strive to turn a house into a home. But perhaps, however, it’s something far more impacting than building supplies?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day. I’m M. Clifford Brunner

When is a house not a house? Answer: when it is a home! This simple riddle infers something deeply complicated, nonetheless. The question is: creating a home in the presence of a house is not always the easiest thing to do. It’s always far more expensive than we had anticipated as we shop to feed its ever- growing appetite for vinyl flooring, paneling, and windows. It also has an expensive taste we had not anticipated in terms of the anointing varnishes and paints. Just keeping up with its maintenance and growth can be a full time job. Yet, perhaps it’s not the cost that is most threatening as we strive to turn a house into a home. Perhaps it is the investment of time more than anything that is so concerning. Remodeling and building consume both money and time. The time we spend away from our family ministering to the needs of our house is time we could have spent ministering to the needs of our family. Ultimately, the number of two-by-fours and the plush of new carpeting has little to do with making a house into a home. It’s something more.

As Christians, our Heavenly Father has given us many important things to do. But, without a doubt, nothing more important than parenting. His judgement will be severe upon any parent found lacking in the way of making a house into a home, an environment in which learning, healing, giving, receiving, worshipping, and praying can be best accomplished. In Matthew 25, 35-36, our Savior tells us that it is our responsibility to feed the hungry, quench their thirst, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, and care for the sick. Can you think of any more imminent application than the hearts, bodies, and souls of your own children? For this sake God has make your house a hospital, a place where fragile and growing souls can be nurtured, strengthened and made physically and spiritually healthy. He has made it a school where hearts can be turned to the Word and spirits can be uplifted in prayers and stories that you and I can teach them. In that sense, you and I are hospital administrators, school headmasters, ministering priests, and diligent mechanics. These are the roles given in sacred honor to parents, an estate that God holds in the highest honor above all other estates on earth. He takes it very seriously; it is “business” that He would not trust to just anyone, for every lamb that goes astray we shall each be held accountable.

Our “Father’s business” is all about being the best parent we can possibly be. It is good for children to remember in that respect that no parent is perfect for we are all sinful. It is comforting enough for a child to understand that his parents are taking their direction from God and will apply that direction as best a sinful hearts can accomplish. As parents our greatest job on this earth is transforming hearts and minds in Christ. We can do that best when we focus on ministering to our children first above and beyond all things. When we do, we will transform plain ordinary houses into temples, true churches in which more than walls and floors are transformed, hearts and lives are changed forever.

We pray. Heavenly Father, make us obedient servants of Your Word that we may always know that the greatest responsibility we can take on in this life is parenting. We know you expect much from us and, sadly, we often fail You. Forgive us when we fall short of the mark. Encourage us as parents to strive to create an environment in our homes that is always conducive to Godly learning and Godly growth in the Word. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

House not a home?

(01.14.21—It’s an honor!--Matthew 18: 1-6)

My friend, may I ask you a question? Is creating a home not always the easiest thing to do? Certainly the remodeling costs are most threatening as we strive to turn a house into a home. But perhaps, however, it’s something far more impacting than building supplies?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day. I’m M. Clifford Brunner

When is a house not a house? Answer: when it is a home! This simple riddle infers something deeply complicated, nonetheless. The question is: creating a home in the presence of a house is not always the easiest thing to do. It’s always far more expensive than we had anticipated as we shop to feed its ever- growing appetite for vinyl flooring, paneling, and windows. It also has an expensive taste we had not anticipated in terms of the anointing varnishes and paints. Just keeping up with its maintenance and growth can be a full time job. Yet, perhaps it’s not the cost that is most threatening as we strive to turn a house into a home. Perhaps it is the investment of time more than anything that is so concerning. Remodeling and building consume both money and time. The time we spend away from our family ministering to the needs of our house is time we could have spent ministering to the needs of our family. Ultimately, the number of two-by-fours and the plush of new carpeting has little to do with making a house into a home. It’s something more.

As Christians, our Heavenly Father has given us many important things to do. But, without a doubt, nothing more important than parenting. His judgement will be severe upon any parent found lacking in the way of making a house into a home, an environment in which learning, healing, giving, receiving, worshipping, and praying can be best accomplished. In Matthew 25, 35-36, our Savior tells us that it is our responsibility to feed the hungry, quench their thirst, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, and care for the sick. Can you think of any more imminent application than the hearts, bodies, and souls of your own children? For this sake God has make your house a hospital, a place where fragile and growing souls can be nurtured, strengthened and made physically and spiritually healthy. He has made it a school where hearts can be turned to the Word and spirits can be uplifted in prayers and stories that you and I can teach them. In that sense, you and I are hospital administrators, school headmasters, ministering priests, and diligent mechanics. These are the roles given in sacred honor to parents, an estate that God holds in the highest honor above all other estates on earth. He takes it very seriously; it is “business” that He would not trust to just anyone, for every lamb that goes astray we shall each be held accountable.

Our “Father’s business” is all about being the best parent we can possibly be. It is good for children to remember in that respect that no parent is perfect for we are all sinful. It is comforting enough for a child to understand that his parents are taking their direction from God and will apply that direction as best a sinful hearts can accomplish. As parents our greatest job on this earth is transforming hearts and minds in Christ. We can do that best when we focus on ministering to our children first above and beyond all things. When we do, we will transform plain ordinary houses into temples, true churches in which more than walls and floors are transformed, hearts and lives are changed forever.

We pray. Heavenly Father, make us obedient servants of Your Word that we may always know that the greatest responsibility we can take on in this life is parenting. We know you expect much from us and, sadly, we often fail You. Forgive us when we fall short of the mark. Encourage us as parents to strive to create an environment in our homes that is always conducive to Godly learning and Godly growth in the Word. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.