The Blueprints for My House Building a Godly Home The Blueprints for My House

Give background of my life and meeting Kylie

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Building My Home Suffering happens… but God is Sovereign Story of my life and girls with asthma and miscarriage (2001-2005)

Job 38 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man;     I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?     Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!     Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk,     or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together     and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Background of Job’s life Why are you doing this?! God declares His sovereignty over ALL things! Sovereign over my life too – He can do what He wants to me Doesn’t have to give me answers for my life What kind of God we can understand is worthy of our worship?

Job 42 1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that you can do all things,     and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,     things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;     I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,     but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself,     and repent in dust and ashes.” God knows exactly what He is doing in my life Doesn’t need to line up with my plans His plans are better, maybe more brutal, but better Thankfully, He is not a mean dictator, but a benevolent one I learned

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Building My Home Sin happens… but God is Good My family addictions and my addiction Getting caught in 2001 and counseling How is this good?

Romans 8:31-39 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:31-39 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. If God had not outed me, I shudder to think of the damage I would have done to a church, my family He wasn’t just sovereign, He was good to do that Sin may happen in your life, remember that God is good through it and in charge Both of these blueprints for life all lead to the final thing to keep in mind

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Building My Home Dysfunction happens… but God is working on your holiness more than your happiness Story of 2008-2010 with Temple and me shutting down leading to ED with Kylie All these terrible things happening to us, being done by us Where is God? Why is He allowing all of this to happen?

Psalm 119:1-2  1 Blessed (Happy) are those whose way is blameless,     who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed (Happy) are those who keep his testimonies,     who seek him with their whole heart, True happiness comes when we are holy, blameless True happiness comes when we keep His commandments, seek Him with everything

Psalm 119:22-24 22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,     for I have kept your testimonies. 23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,     your servant will meditate on your statutes. 24 Your testimonies are my delight (happiness);     they are my counselors. Notice the dysfunction in the Psalmists life – scorn, contempt, plotting But it is God’s testimony or law that brings the psalmist wisdom and delight

Psalm 119:69-70 69 The insolent smear me with lies,     but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; 70 their heart is unfeeling like fat,     but I delight (am happy) in your law. More dysfunction in the life of the psalmist in verse 69 Smeared with lies, but happiness is found in holiness as they obey God

Psalm 119:143-144 143 Trouble and anguish have found me out,     but your commandments are my delight (happiness). 144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;     give me understanding that I may live. Trouble, anguish, not having clear understanding But God’s word and law bring the writer happiness I have become convinced that God allows and brings things into our lives and the life our family to see if we will choose to pursue His holiness or our happiness When things fall apart at our hand or someone else’s, where will be turn for answers and solutions Because often times the holy way forward is not the happiest at the moment

God is working on my holiness more than my happiness God is Sovereign God is Good God is working on my holiness more than my happiness When you feel out of control like I did with my children, I can cling tighter and control harder, or remember and confess that God is sovereign Once I did that, I was truly happy, knowing God had this, even though I did not When you are caught in sin, you can hide it better, make more excuses, or come clean, remembering that God is good and He will restore Once I did that, or it was done to me, I was truly happy not hiding anymore, living a double life, lying to everyone. No longer caught in the cycle of sin, confess, repeat. When dysfunction from your past or present catches up to you, you can make the wrong choice assuming that starting over will bring true happiness, or see that God is working in you to make you like Him, holy Once I did that, and fought for the right thing, not the easy thing, happiness came even in the midst of pain and difficulty

The Blueprints for My House You may need to spend some time talking with your spouse later today about any of these items Maybe reflecting on God’s sovereignty in suffering Maybe confessing sin and asking for forgiveness Possibly addressing some dysfunction in your family that may be presenting a veneer of happiness, but is NOT holy These are some of the blueprints for a Godly home. Just some Next session we do demolition and lay a foundation for building that home Building a Godly Home The Blueprints for My House