IT BEGINS AT HOME

http://www.necchurch.org/familyministry

I decided to share some thoughts, that may win me some enemies, but "it is what it is" and sometimes we just have to speak up. As a Christian, we have some simple mandates before us, sometimes very hard to fulfill, because they deal with the heart, out heart. One of them is LOVE. We're instructed to LOVE, but not just love those who love us back, we're told to love those who despise us, hate us and do us wrong. We're told to LOVE our enemies and well, the truth is, this is a really difficult reality for not just a Christian, but anyone who has been hurt, offended and mistreated. 


Another instruction that comes from Scripture is that as a believer we are to FORGIVE. This goes right along with LOVING people because it's sometimes easy to forgive and forget the person that stepped on our toes on the train. It's not so hard to forgive the person that cut us in line at the supermarket. But, it sure seems hard to FORGIVE those who have hurt us when they are the very persons we LOVE. God loves us, right? I mean, true or false? His love is everlasting? And yet, we mess up. We mess up again. We do some crazy stuff and then because we know His word says we can come boldly before Him and ask for forgiveness, we mess up again and then get on our knees, cry out and ask to be forgiven and restored.

Then, our brother or sister makes a mistake. A misunderstanding happens. Life dumps manure all over us through the person of those we are close to and suddenly we're too perfect, too holy and too right in our own eyes to LOVE and FORGIVE. Really? How many times has GOD looked at our sin? No, not at our sin but at us sinning? How many times has God seen not us, but the condition of our minds, our filthy imaginations, our bodies immersed in wrong doing and yet, through all that He calls out and says, "Come to me and I will make you new, like the white snow...."

Are you or I bigger than God? Are we somehow more righteous or have the right to hold grudges and not go out of our way to make things right? Why? Because we're too right and others are too wrong? Because our PRIDE has been touched and we can't bow down to reason? I think of PRIDE and I think of Satan who allowed PRIDE to enter his heart. He wanted to be like God. He wanted to be recognized, praised, admired, and adored. We should only want God's mercy and grace each day because without it we cannot make it each day.

 My friend, my brother and sister, your walk in the Lord doesn't start out in the streets, the school or the workplace where you open your mouth to tell people they need Jesus. Your calling and your unction to serve and walk in the Spirit doesn't begin when you decide to preach, minister or do your "thing" for the Lord. It begins at home, in your inner circle called family, in your heart. If you and I are going to truly walk in the anointing, then we are going to have to learn to "walk the talk" but starting it at home. It's the ones in our home and in our lives that will know if we are REAL or just putting on a show for others to see. You want to win the world, but you're losing at home. You want to conquer in God's name, but at home you've lost the battle. You want to talk about the power of God but you can't even plan a family gathering because of all the junk going on in your family. You talk about serving God because He is love and mercy, but you don't extend any to those that are your own flesh and blood.


I don't want to win the multitudes and lose not only my life but see my loved ones never knowing God's salvation, peace or love. In my youth, I believed God had called me to speak to the masses. As I started my family, many times I was more involved in giving to the church and not to my own family. I've learned the hard way that true ministry begins with those in my home and those that are part of my family. I must be at peace with my husband, my children, my parents, my siblings and anyone connected to my siblings through marriage. The truth is some of us are so busy serving God or trying to live in the appearance that we are serving God, that we don't realize what a waste all our efforts are if we are not living right at home first.

My dear friends and family, let us stop living like our family doesn't matter. Let us stop living like God can forgive and forget, but we're too up and mighty to forgive and love again. We need to stop with the junk that we are called to do great things and that we have this amazing ministry but we can't even accept an apology or make one. Enough with the nonsense! If you truly want to experience God's anointing and power in your life, then you need to start making a difference in your house. Your "CASA" is first. Your wife is first. Your husband is first. Your daughter is first. Your son is first. Your mother is first. Your father is first. Your brother is first. Your sister is first. Your Grandmother and Grandfather are definitely first. It's time to get involved in identifying the Enemy's tactics to come against your family. It's time to identify the work of the Enemy and how he works to trick and blind you and me so we don't see the damage that can happen when we forget our home.

It begins at home. I pray that whatever you've been going through that you can lay it aside and go fix what has to be fixed before you keep on praying for revival and a miracle. You need to get things right with your brother or your sister before you keep making plans to do God's work. It's time to destroy the work of darkness and let LOVE shine in your home, let mercy be the welcome mat at your door and let forgiveness be the cup of coffee that is shared when you come together. Pray together. Love one another. Hug one another but not for show and not for fake because you can fool me but you cannot fool the Holy Spirit. Come against the Enemy together in Jesus Name and stand together. Then, you and I will see the great things that will happen in us when the family is first.

It begins at home. 
And then from there, the Lord will do the rest.
I pray you have been challenged to seek the Lord anew.

Written by Angeline M Duran Santiago


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