Remodeling the Home

Proverbs 15:13–22 AV

13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. 14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. 15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. 16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. 18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. 19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. 20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. 21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. 22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Introduction

We learned this summer that having a kitchen is a nice feature in a home.

A kitchen isn’t the only thing that makes a home enjoyable.

1.Good Countenance made possible by merry hearts

2. Godly Contentment that protects us from great sorrow

3. Guided control from anger by God’s wisdom

Good Countenance made possible by merry hearts

Proverbs 15:13 (AV)

13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

How does one have a merry heart?

Does your family have a history of heart disease? Don’t you hate that question at the doctors?

Proverbs 15:15 (AV)

15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

A heart that feeds on God’s wisdom and not the foolishness of this world.

Proverbs 15:14 (AV)

14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

Merry hearts are those that get their understanding from God.

An upright heart allows for delightful prayers.

Proverbs 15:8 (AV)

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

God is looking at our heart. Even sacrifices can be an abomination.

You will not have a merry heart if you do not have anyone to talk to about the problems of this world.

How to lose your happiness

Psalm 1:1–2 (AV)

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

What is blessed?

Better than a dictionary is usage

Psalm 32:1–2 (AV)

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psalm 34:8 (AV)

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 65:4 (AV)

4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Psalm 89:15 (AV)

15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

The blessed man is the delighting man. He is not just doing right things but meditating and enjoying the right things.

Psalm 1:2 (AV)

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Walking, standing and sitting

Do not walk with bad counsel or take their paths.

Do not stand and participate in the way of sinners.

Do not sit around thinking about this world they way sinners do.

Happy is the man who avoids this progression that starts with listening to bad counsel.

Happy to not have my sins covered for ever and not participating in it today.

Three things you ought to give to your children: life, love, and laughter. - Adrian Rogers

God has made people laugh

Genesis 21:6 AV

6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

a good laugh is just sunshine in the home

A merry heart is a great gift to our families

Proverbs 17:22 AV

22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Story of powerful laughing: car burning up in drive way

God has a purpose for our hearts.

Proverbs 15:11 AV

11 Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

There are different seasons in our lives. We should not want to miss any of them.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 AV

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

There are times our countenance cannot be what we would want us because our spirits are broken.

Proverbs 15:13 (AV)

13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Just like my kids. We should be bringing things to our Heavenly Father and say “I broke this, can you help me?”

Godly Contentment that protects us from great sorrow

Proverbs 15:16 (AV)

16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

In Chile I preached on “The rare jewel of Christian Contentment” (book by Jeremiah Burroughs) and the next preacher preached on “Why we should never be content.” Like the song leader singing “Shall we meet at the river” after a sermon on “throw all you alcohol in the river”

1 Timothy 6:6 (AV)

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Covetousness will never give great gain.

Covetousness is desiring something so much that you lose your contentment in God.

A side salad can be better than a Pittsburg filet mignon with content.

Proverbs 15:17 (AV)

17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Covetous will never give you satisfaction

Ecclesiastes 5:11 (AV)

11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

Modern reading: With every new iPhone comes the need for new chargers and new cases

Covetousness tells you to find your identity in stuff

Luke 12:15 (AV)

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Why did Jesus say this because He knows how we think

Want to invite trouble into your house? Do not teach your family to be content but teach them to be greedy for more.

Proverbs 15:27 (AV)

27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

Proverbs 15:6 (AV)

6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

Lack of contentment or the love of money leads to many other sins

1 Timothy 6:10 (AV)

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Such strong language as a result of being covetousness.

How do you help your home have the contentment feature. Share testimonies of God’s goodness.

Psalm 119:36 (AV)

36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

3. Guided control from anger by God’s wisdom

Proverbs 15:18 (AV)

18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

We do not use the word strife. We have replaced it and many words with the word “stress”

Anger is a judging emotion. It is a deeply felt response to wrong.

God gets angry

Nahum 1:2 (AV)

2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Jesus got angry

Mark 3:5 (AV)

5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Unlike God, when we get angry, we can corrupt it.

Wrath is not a friend to our home

James 1:20 (AV)

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Most have seen people who seem to use anger as a super strength

It might get your kids to clean their room but it will also make them want to leave from it as soon as possible

What would Christian anger look like?

Ephesians 4:26–27 AV

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.

Anger without sin / Christian anger doesn’t create victims. It gathers allies, for God’s glory.

Anger without a grudge / ready to restore peace

Anger that knows the devils strategies and avoids them

Move slow when becoming angry

Proverbs 14:17 AV

17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

Proverbs 29:20 AV

20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive III. Alleviate Anger

I heard of a man pushing a baby carriage, and he said, “Easy, Harold. Easy, Harold. That’s a boy, Harold. You’re doing fine, Harold.” And somebody said, “It’s just so wonderful the way you’re so patient with little Harold.” “Oh, no, he’s Albert; I’m Harold.” “Easy, Harold.” Learn to control that speech.

stress in the home is just simply a sign that you have forsaken the wisdom of God.

Family Event

Now in order for the family to have wisdom, the family has to come together in a family council.

Proverbs 15:22 (AV)

22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Proverbs 16:22 AV

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.