Over the past 5 weeks we’ve been discussing blueprints for building the home and this morning I want to spend a few moments talking about the home that’s been built. Some of us have been living in our homes only a short while and others have been there for years. Either way—we’re all aware of some things that need help from the Designer. The question is what type of help does our particular home need?

1) Maybe you simply need to restore your home.

You’ve followed the blueprints for building a Christian home—but you’ve noticed over time some areas that need help. When something is restored—it means returning it to the original. This is what God has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. He restores us through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection into a right relationship with Himself (2 Cor. 5:18).

Once we’ve been restored by Christ—then we are set-apart to live a life that is focused on bringing honor and glory to God. This is natural expression of gratitude for the grace given to us that brought salvation (Eph. 4, 1 Thess. 4).

All of us—even with our best intentions make mistakes and stray from the straight and narrow. In other words—we sin. When this happens our relationship with Christ is hindered. We experience a sense of guilt within our heart that tells us something is not as it should be. Now—we might say we have joy, joy, joy, down in our heart—but what we feel is heartache…and a longing to have our joy restored.

An example of this would be King David (Psalm 51:1-12). David as the leader of his house was seeking restoration from God. He wanted their relationship to be as it was before he messed up. When the leader of the home is restored—the rest of the family has an example to look to in their own life. As the spiritual leader in your home—maybe you just need to say to the Designer, “Search me O’ God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

2) Maybe all you need is to renovate your home.

You’ve ask God to restore your home and you feel confident that He has. Perhaps—what you need now is a little ambiance. When you renovate something—you give it new life. There’s one show on HGTV where the designer doesn’t really do much more than add paint to a room and it’s amazing how it changes the whole atmosphere.

One way we can begin to renovate our homes would be to simply add the power of God’s Word to our lives. James says we ‘should be quick to listen and slow to speak’ (1:19).How often is the Bible read or spoken of in our homes? I’ll venture to say that there’s no shortage of words being spoken in our homes…Amen. But—how many of those words are from Scripture?

Notice if you will what the Psalmist says to us in Psalm 100. Now if we would apply to our hearts the truths we just read in verses 3 and 5 like a fresh coat of paint…there’s no reason why the ambiance of our homes shouldn’t be like shouts of joy – worship with gladness – songs of joy and praise filled with thanksgiving. The whole atmosphere will change.

I want to challenge all of us here this morning to begin the renovation process of our homes. Starting today—read one Psalm, one passage, one chapter, one book…whatever works for you, and let’s just see if the whole atmosphere of our homes doesn’t begin to change. Psalm 1:1-3.

3) Maybe what you really need is to remodel your home.

You’ve ask God to restore your home and He did. You’ve begun to see what happens when you renovate the home as well. Now—it’s become obvious that what you really need is to remodel. When you remodel—it’s a do over. The foundation is still good and the framework is okay—but the rest pretty much has to go. Paul says in Eph. 4:22-24…read.

The home is the seedbed for training. It’s there the foundations of faith, hope, love, morals, and ethics are taught. Everything that we’ve allowed to be placed in the home that hinders the training of ourselves, our spouse, and our children has to be put out. We need to build a home that’s inviting—but only inviting to the things of God. Friends—if you’re no longer who you used to be by the grace of God…then it’s out with the old self and in with the new…period.

Church—I wish we could accomplish all of this in 30 minutes like they do on HGTV. But—the truth is this…the sanctification process of the Lord lasts until we see Him face to face. What we can do right now is call out for help from the Designer of the universe and ask Him just exactly what we need to do in our own homes…restore, renovate, or remodel.