Tension:

Start with a question - What does your home feel like? OR start with example of nice AirBnB with no AC

• I’ve learned that homes have a feel.
• Some homes feel light, joyful, peaceful, and loving. 
• Some homes feel heavy, sad, tense, and anxious. 
• You can live in the country club, with the nicest house, and it be the worst place to live
  • Proverbs 17:1 (NLT) — “Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.”
  • Proverbs 15:17 (NLT) — “A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.”
• You can live in the country, in a small house, and have peace, love, joy.
• Bro Roy and Sister Ruth home
• I could walk through the door and breathe.
• You could sleep in that house! 
• I do not remember every conversation, but I remember how that house felt.
• Paint a picture in this scene of restful haven

Passage:

2 Samuel 6:10–12 (NLT) — 10 So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household. 12 Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration.

Comments: Your home will have an atmosphere. God’s presence makes the difference. Let’s talk about 3 ways to have an incredible atmosphere in your home. 

Three things that shape the atmosphere of your home

1. WHAT FLOWS FROM YOU

• This is the real truth. The atmosphere of your home is flowing from within you. This is especially true of a father and mother. 
  • Fear, anxiety, anger, rage, all spill over into the home. 
  • Your walk with God, the peace in your heart, will fill the home as well.
• The frustration - People want the home to feel a certain way, BUT they aren’t even flowing in that direction. 
  • Some people try to force their home to feel a certain way when it is completely against the nature of what’s already going on inside of them. They want the home to feel peaceful but inside they are in chaos.
  • Lady who told me that she was upset at her boys because they weren’t peaceful, but I knew they were just picking up from her anxiety.
• The disconnect - they have no idea how they are coming across. 
  • There was a video of celebrities that had to watch themselves cussing, and couldn’t believe it. 
  • Often, we have no idea what is actually coming from us. 
  • A woman riding to church with her husband, leaning on the glass away from her husband, said “why are you so far away.” She said, “I don’t want what’s on you, to jump on me.”
• “You don’t know what spirit you are of”
  • It comes down to the Spirit. 
  • Whatever spirit is operating in you, will have authority in the home. Spirits of fear, anger, lust, all want to rule in your home. Allow the Holy Spirit to reign.
  • “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. 
• Your words are flowing from your spirit
• John 7:38 (NLT) Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

2. WHAT YOU MAKE NORMAL 

• The culture of the home is one of the greatest indicators of what the Home will feel like. 
• I like to define culture as “what’s normal here”
  • Examples:
  • The culture of bedtime and sleeping. 
  • The culture of meals
  • The culture of chores  
  • The culture of conflict resolution
  • The culture of fun
• Colossians 3:12-17 (NLT) 12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
• One of the greatest things you can do for your family is to INTENTIONALLY determine what’s normal here. 
  • Determining natural cultures in the home. Chores, meals, mornings, family time. 
  • Determining relational cultures in the home. Conflict resolution, encouragement, affirmation, serving.
• A few practical things to make normal
  • Make fun rhythms normal 
  • Make grace normal 
    • Grace over condemnation
  • Make togetherness normal 
    • Togetherness over individualism 
  • Make encouragement normal 
    • Encouragement over criticism
  • Make faith normal
    • Faith over fear
• A few that are big for us
  • Pack rat - we always go together
  • Meals - looking for meal time, meal place, together
  • I love Lucy 
  • Birthday cakes 

3. WHAT YOU WELCOME 

• Reference again - 2 Samuel 6:11-12 (NLT): “The Ark of the LORD remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.”
  • The ark represented God’s covenant presence, holiness, and rule.
  • The entire household was affected.
• Concept of habitation - Spiritual realities of physical spaces
  • You aren’t the only one living in the house. There is spirit! 
  • You can welcome a spirit into a house by what you allow! 
  • Darkness is PUSHY! 
    • Fear wants to come in! 
    • Perversion wants to come in! 
    • Anger wants to come in! 
  • Light is WELCOMED! 
    • The Holy Spirit is different, he must be welcomed. 
• Concept of reclaiming your house for the Lord
  • Repent of sin. Sin is what empowers darkness
  • Declare Jesus as Lord of your home. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
• How do you push out darkness?
  • Cut it off at the source!
  • Media impact 
  • Unforgiveness 
  • Honesty, confession
  • Welcome the Holy Spirit. 
• How do you welcome the light?
  • Daily devotional 
  • Presence of the word
  • Presence of worship and prayer
• Obed Edom welcomed the presence of the Lord into his home, and his home became a place of blessing and fruitfulness. 

Closing:

• Return to my grandparents’ home
  • Recap
    • What will people remember about your home?
    • What is flowing from me?
    • What have we made normal?
    • What have we welcomed?
• SALVATION