This is a favorite scripture of mine as found in D&C 88:119, "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God. This is how I wanted and tried to pattern my home. I desired to have a Christ-centered home.
Of course, with six active children I can't say that our home was always prepared for the Savior to visit. However, we did try to do the kinds of activities that would invite the spirit into our home.
Today we are besieged with Babylon. Satan is strong and is battling for our families. He will do all in his power to bring about the destruction of the family unit. We all know that he is on a rampage. We must be ever watchful because he enters unannounced through the media of TV programs, music, books, magazines etc. that we allow into our homes.
I would say to begin the process of developing a Christ centered home one must be working towards being a Christ centered person.
Here are just a few quotes from a BYU Education Week class on the Savior taught by Robert Millet: "We need to live the part we believe". What we think of Christ is what we will be." "What we say, and how we live will determine our lives". "Christ is our master, the captain of our soul." "Turn your lives unto God." "Put your trust in Christ." I also love this scripture as found in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins". This is good instruction for us and for our family.
One of my favorite quotes is from President Ezra Taft Benson: "The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the slums.The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” (Ensign, November 1985).
In order to become a Christ centered person one must be humble and willing to be taught. The Savior has said in D&C 88: 64: " Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." It is important that we ask our Heavenly Father in the name of Christ for direction in becoming a true disciple of our Savior.
The following is a short list of things to do to draw closer to Christ:
1. Daily sincere prayers offered morning and night or whenever inclined and wherever you are. Ask for the gifts of the Spirit as found in D&C 46:11-33 and also for increased Faith, Hope, and Charity.
2. Daily scripture study with emphasis on pondering how the scriptures can apply to your life. Become a life-long student of the Book of Mormon. The scriptures should become your training manual for your own life and those in your family.
3. Daily service given to family, friends, neighbors and others you may come in contact with. There is always someone that could use your service each day. Pray to know who you might touch with your prayers, love or hands-on service. I love the quote by Bonnie D. Parkin in a BYU Devotional in 2007: "Never suppress a generous thought".
4. Attend the temple frequently. Go to the temple prepared to ask for revelation for your life, your family, your callings or other needs. Bask in the peace of the temple to help you cope with your day to day struggles.
5. Follow the current Prophets and 12 Apostles by listening to or reading their messages of faith and hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
As you continue to grow and mature in your testimony you will become more anxiously engaged in helping your family members to “come unto Christ”.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles expressed the following: "I am sure you can identify the fundamental principles that center your home on the Savior. The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much -needed peace and refuge from the world.....
One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds. (Ensign, May 2013. pg. 29).
Those who enter a Christ-centered home will feel the spirit and the peace that prevails within those walls. It takes diligent work to keep the spirit in your home. There will be moments when peace is diminished or has fully fled. Such times are a part of learning to become a Christ centered family. However, always remember that you can reach the Savior in prayer at any time to seek the spirit’s abundant return to the atmosphere of your home.
That atmosphere will be more conducive to the residing of the spirit when you closely and carefully manage what you allow within your home. It is especially beneficial to display pictures of the Savior, the living prophet, temples of the Lord and of course, those precious pictures of the family. Fill your home with items that represent your centered beliefs and the sacred desires of your heart.
In that same article Elder Scott stated: "As you center your home on the Savior, it will naturally become a refuge not only to your own family but also to friends who live in more difficult circumstances. They will be drawn to the serenity they feel there. Welcome such friends into your home. They will blossom in the Christ-centered environment, become friends with your children's friends. Be a worthy example to them."
Even now I continue to desire that when my children, grandchildren and others enter our home they will feel the spirit. I want my home to reflect our testimony of our Savior, and know that he is the center of our home.
Today we are besieged with Babylon. Satan is strong and is battling for our families. He will do all in his power to bring about the destruction of the family unit. We all know that he is on a rampage. We must be ever watchful because he enters unannounced through the media of TV programs, music, books, magazines etc. that we allow into our homes.
I would say to begin the process of developing a Christ centered home one must be working towards being a Christ centered person.
Here are just a few quotes from a BYU Education Week class on the Savior taught by Robert Millet: "We need to live the part we believe". What we think of Christ is what we will be." "What we say, and how we live will determine our lives". "Christ is our master, the captain of our soul." "Turn your lives unto God." "Put your trust in Christ." I also love this scripture as found in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins". This is good instruction for us and for our family.
One of my favorite quotes is from President Ezra Taft Benson: "The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the slums.The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” (Ensign, November 1985).
In order to become a Christ centered person one must be humble and willing to be taught. The Savior has said in D&C 88: 64: " Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." It is important that we ask our Heavenly Father in the name of Christ for direction in becoming a true disciple of our Savior.
The following is a short list of things to do to draw closer to Christ:
1. Daily sincere prayers offered morning and night or whenever inclined and wherever you are. Ask for the gifts of the Spirit as found in D&C 46:11-33 and also for increased Faith, Hope, and Charity.
2. Daily scripture study with emphasis on pondering how the scriptures can apply to your life. Become a life-long student of the Book of Mormon. The scriptures should become your training manual for your own life and those in your family.
3. Daily service given to family, friends, neighbors and others you may come in contact with. There is always someone that could use your service each day. Pray to know who you might touch with your prayers, love or hands-on service. I love the quote by Bonnie D. Parkin in a BYU Devotional in 2007: "Never suppress a generous thought".
4. Attend the temple frequently. Go to the temple prepared to ask for revelation for your life, your family, your callings or other needs. Bask in the peace of the temple to help you cope with your day to day struggles.
5. Follow the current Prophets and 12 Apostles by listening to or reading their messages of faith and hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
As you continue to grow and mature in your testimony you will become more anxiously engaged in helping your family members to “come unto Christ”.
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles expressed the following: "I am sure you can identify the fundamental principles that center your home on the Savior. The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much -needed peace and refuge from the world.....
One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds. (Ensign, May 2013. pg. 29).
Those who enter a Christ-centered home will feel the spirit and the peace that prevails within those walls. It takes diligent work to keep the spirit in your home. There will be moments when peace is diminished or has fully fled. Such times are a part of learning to become a Christ centered family. However, always remember that you can reach the Savior in prayer at any time to seek the spirit’s abundant return to the atmosphere of your home.
That atmosphere will be more conducive to the residing of the spirit when you closely and carefully manage what you allow within your home. It is especially beneficial to display pictures of the Savior, the living prophet, temples of the Lord and of course, those precious pictures of the family. Fill your home with items that represent your centered beliefs and the sacred desires of your heart.
In that same article Elder Scott stated: "As you center your home on the Savior, it will naturally become a refuge not only to your own family but also to friends who live in more difficult circumstances. They will be drawn to the serenity they feel there. Welcome such friends into your home. They will blossom in the Christ-centered environment, become friends with your children's friends. Be a worthy example to them."
Even now I continue to desire that when my children, grandchildren and others enter our home they will feel the spirit. I want my home to reflect our testimony of our Savior, and know that he is the center of our home.
13 comments:
Thanks for posting today! I needed that! Melody
making a house a home....there are so many ways to accomplish that through strength of character, morals, values and most importantly, love!!
The scriptures and quotes you used were wonderful to read! I felt the spirit as I read them.
Something else occurred to me as I read. Having a Christ centered home is unifying, because I can feel the spirit in my home, and when I visit someone else who is following Jesus Christ, that spirit is felt in their home. It's unifying in that way.
I also thought that the spirit unifies, but that doesn't mean we'll all have "cookie cutter" homes. We all choose to display on our walls what we like, or like you said, what is sacred to each of us.
I love that idea, what we display in our homes says a lot about what is in our hearts. That has been on my mind as my sister is making me some lovely sayings in vinyl for my walls that I requested. When I look at those sayings on the wall, it will remind me of the Savior, and of my sister. I Love seeing what she chooses to put on her own walls, too, because it shows her own heart's desire. So many ways to think about these things!
It's lovely to read your posts. They are so lovingly crafted and shared, I can feel. Have a nice weekend and Sabbath!
Eve
What a beautiful message. You always lift my spirits. Thanks so much. Sending love and hugs. Christy
Beautiful post as always. We try to have a Christ centered home. I will work on the things you listed to have a Christ centered home.. I do most of them but I can do them better and with more intent.
Have a great weekend. Hugs, Lura
I loved this post. I truly believe that we must be working to become a Christ-centered person if we are to have our homes be centered in Christ. I love it when someone enters my home and says they can feel the spirit. Sometimes I wonder if it is there. You also quoted one of my very favorite thoughts from Sister Parkin's. Both my daughter and I are always quoting this to each other especially when we question a thought that has come to us to do something for someone. It is so important to be careful what we allow into our homes and not become immune to the subtleties of Satan. Thanks for such a timely reminder. Nola
Thank you for being such a Godly woman, love you.
Great thoughts and quotes.
=)
Love this one! I wish we could all remember to be more like Christ every day.
Sandy
Oh I needed to read this as with our move and life in turmoil at the moment I am forgetting to put him first. I will take a little extra time today to remember him:)
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