Blueprint for the Home - Making the Home a Refuge

Josh 20:1-2, 7-8

The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying, ² "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

³ that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood'"

⁷ So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah.

⁸ And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh

6 specific cities designated as Refuge Cities

When a person made a mistake, they could run to a Refuge City

Find protection & recovery from mistakes

Refuge:  secure, safe shelter inside & protection from the outside

A retreat, a haven

These cities & their requirements serve as a Blueprint for building a Home-Refuge

Shechem:  shoulder – government  Is 9:6

Submission to God’s government brings order & safety to the family

• Wives: Invest as much inwardly as you do on your hair & clothes
• Husbands: Give honor & strive to understanding

to respect, hold in high regard, esteem, set a value on, to prize, glory

Using God’s Blueprint will produce God’s Power

Kirjiath-arba or Hebron:  communion, fellowship, alliance – team

Eccl 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they can help each other succeed. 

¹⁰ If one falls down, the other can help him up.

But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

¹² Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Promise – to Family, too:  Matt 18:20.

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there

Ps 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is to dwell together in unity!

3 For there the Lord commanded the blessing

Kedesh:  sanctuary: a place set apart, or consecrated for a sacred use

• A Place of Immunity – Grace, not judgement or condemnation – Safe  
• A Place of Recovery: to get life together

Ps 73:17. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.

• Perspective & Balance 

Bezer:  munitions – where you keep the equipment & ammunition

Restore & Reload

     Prepare for battles

Ramoth:  high places

Encouragement & praise

     Gifts we give each other in the home

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Prov 16:24

Let no corrupt (rotten) communication proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good to the use of edifying (building up),

that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  Eph 4:29 KJV

Encourage one another daily.  Heb 3:13

Golan:  rejoicing

The atmosphere of the home

A merry heart does good like medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.  Prov 17:22

Prov 24:3-4

By wisdom a house is built,

and through understanding it is established;

4 through knowledge its rooms are filled

with rare and beautiful treasures.

Couples Covenant

I covenant to strive to make our home a Refuge & a Shelter

To establish it according to God’s pattern and order

So that we can have God’s power.

I covenant that we will be on the same team, in unity

So that God will be in our midst

I covenant to provide you a place of sanctuary, a safe place of recovery

So that you can be restored, then reload for the next set of challenges

Forgive me for any words that were rotten and did not minister grace

I will try to remember to encourage you every day

I covenant to work to make ours a happy home

So that you can have a happy heart

Please help me to do so, God

Power Struggle for Your Worship

Rom 12:1. I urge you, brothers and sisters, in consideration of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

• Service:  to serve, or a spiritual act of worship

Worship is not just what we do to the music, but also a spiritual act of Service  

Power Struggle for Your Worship

Isa 14:12-15

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning (Cherub that guarded - Ezek 28:14).   

How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

¹³ For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north;

¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'

¹⁵ Yet you shall be brought down to Hell, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

After being kicked out of heaven, works to divert Worship away from God

God is a Jealous God – “His name is Jealous.”  Ex 34:14

He will not tolerate the worship of other gods (Ex 20:5; Deut 5:9).

Struggle for our Worship depicted best between Pharaoh & Moses

Ex 5:1-9

Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.'"

² And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?

I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go."

³ So they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please,

let us go three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God,

lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword."

Let My people go… to worship me

Israel lived in the land so long, they toke on the worship values of Egypt

Their issue parallels our issue:

The whole purpose of the plagues was to deal with their misdirected worship

When they made the decision to worship, the enemy increased their workload

⁴ Then the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor." ⁵ And Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!"

⁶ So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, ⁷ "You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' ⁹ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words."  

When we do Worship, it is with LIMITS – Pharaoh offered compromises

          Ex 8:25. Sacrifice in the land

          Ex 10:8-11.  Leave the children

          Ex 10:24-26.  Don’t take your offerings

The enemy knows that if I engage in complete worship

•  I will never be the same
•  I cannot be kept in servitude

Worship solidifies my relationship with God

Worship ‘draws’ me & God together – John 4, Ps 19

Worship restores right order – puts God 1^st & above everything else

Luke 4:5-8

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

⁷ Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."

⁸ And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan!

For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

•  Worship puts the enemy in his place – “Get behind me!”

Worship changes my view from being linear

Change my perception – magnify the Lord

Worship opens the doors of my future – faith that calls things into being

Isa 54:1-3

Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child!  For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman," says the Lord. ² "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. ³ For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.

Worship is the foundation for my prosperity

Prov 3:9-10

Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase;

¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. 

Worship Fans

2 Sam 6:14, 20-22a

David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!"

²¹ David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. ²² Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!

Worship can actually create a challenge to church growth

 If it were just good music to listen to, with nothing required of me, that's ok.  But I'm not comfortable when you require me to engage in open expressions.

Jesus said that real worship is in Spirit & in Truth 

•  Many don’t understand “true” worship
•  Many don’t know the value of real worship – so they don’t press in
•  Many think worship is optional
•  Some think “spiritual worship” means emotional or demonstrative 
  • This makes some uncomfortable – especially men

There are Gender differences in expressions of worship 

•  Men tend to shut down when emotions are involved, while women open up
•  Men generally don’t think & feel at the same time
  • Worship is a conscious decision, not an emotion 
•  To men, Worship & the spiritual can be “intangible”
  • So men tend to gravitate to palpable works of service 

Danger: men can set the stage, but miss what comes from the stage

Worship is what really sets the stage for the Presence of God

•  The Father is seeking worshipers – John 4:23
•  Our praises create a throne for Him – Ps 22:3

This explains why we Worship before the Word

2 Kings 3:15-16

[Elisha said] “Now bring me a musician."  Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. ¹⁶ And he said, "Thus says the Lord.”

When He comes, our blessings are attached to His Presence

Matt 18:19-20

"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Sumphœnéœ;  be in agreement with; in unison; to speak together with another. a sound, voice.  Symphonious, blending of voices or musical instruments.

Look at what happens…

Isa 30:29-32

You shall have a song…

³⁰ The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard…

³¹ For through the voice of the Lord [the enemy] will be beaten down,

As He strikes with the rod.

³² And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,

Which the Lord lays on him,

It will be with tambourines and harps; and in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.

Symphonic Worship Energizes God against our opposition

Like the 12^th Man (the crowd) at a football game (11-man football team)

That’s not emotional – that’s being Enthusiastic (en-Theos: God within) 

The opponent tries to “quiet the crowd”

 Just Like te enemy works to shut down our Worship, to ultimately shut down God’s movement

He creates “Hell” – an environment to stop our worship

Worship can get you out of Hell

Jonah 2:9.  I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving

Remember: God is looking for Worshipers – He moves to it

          If God shows up, it won’t be Hell anymore

                    So, Hell has to kick you out

So, don’t let anything stop your worship

•  Don’t let your feelings stop your worship
•  Don’t worry about looking foolish

I act differently when I’m at game with others than when I’m at home alone

Deindividuation:  loss of self-awareness & individuality;

not concerned about how others around them evaluate their actions

What Have We Learned Today?

• There can be gender differences to worship
• Worship is a decision, not an emotion
• Worship sets the stage for the Presence of God
• The Word & more are attached to His Presence
• Symphonic Worship energizes God against our enemies
• The enemy works to shut down our Worship
•  Creates Hell – an environment to stop Worship
• Worship can get us out of Hell
• Don’t let anything stop your Worship

Men, find a place to serve, but don’t let it be a substitute for your Worship

Revealing Some Mysteries in Worship

There is a reason we Worship before the Word

2 Kings 3:15-16

[Elisha said] “Now bring me a musician."  Then it happened, when the musician played,

that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, "Thus says the Lord:”

Why does God need or want Worship before He gives a Word?

God made man in His image & after His likeness & gave man dominion over the earth

Everything in God is Finished & He is in a position of Rest

Heb 4:3-4

For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

"So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,'"

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way:

"And God rested on the seventh day from all His works."

We are charged with the work:

“Manifesting in the earth what He has finished in heaven”

That’s why we pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

• Dominion & Authority
• Binding & Loosing
• If we want a mountain to be moved, we have to speak to it

God’s movement is not based on Work, but on Worship

“The Father is seeking worshipers” – John 4:23

Eulogize Him (Eph 1:3) "speak well of"

God goes, not where He is given a job, but where He is celebrated

Do you know how God moves?

In the wilderness God lead them with a cloud

When the worship is good, His Shekinah is in a glory cloud

On the Mount of Transfiguration, God speaks from the cloud

He comes on the Clouds

•   Ps 104:3.  He makes the clouds His chariot
•   Isa 19:1.  Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud
•   Acts 1:9.  Jesus was received up into a cloud
•   Matt 24:30.  Jesus is coming back on the cloud

Where do Clouds come from?

Job 36:27-28

For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist,

28 Which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man.

We Create the Clouds

John 7:38.  Out of our bellies will flow rivers of Living Water

Ezek 34:26.  Showers of Blessings

The enemy works to shut down our Worship to shut down God’s movement

He understands the mysteries of Worship, because He was there…

Ezek 28:12-14

You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God;

Every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx,

and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold.

The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.

14 You were the anointed cherub who covers.

Is 14:12.  Lucifer:  Heylel (celebrate)

         He began to think he was the reason for the worship…

Heylel – Yah (Celebrate God) 

  God kicked Satan out

Satan Creates “Hell” (in our lives) – an environment to stop worship

Worship can get you out of Hell

Jonah 2:9.  I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving

Remember: God is looking for Worshipers – He moves to it

         If God shows up, it won’t be Hell anymore

                  So, Hell has to kick you out

So, don’t let anything stop your worship

Isa 30:29-32

You shall have a song…

30 The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard…

31 For through the voice of the Lord [the enemy] will be beaten down,

As He strikes with the rod.

32 And in every place where the staff of punishment passes,

Which the Lord lays on him,

It will be with tambourines and harps; and in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.

We Worship to receive a Word

Everything in God is Finished & He is in a position of Rest

God’s movement is based on Worship, not work

He moves on the Clouds

We Create the Clouds

Satan works to shut down our Worship

Worship gets us out of Hell

So, don’t let anything stop your Worship

Let’s have a Concert!

Having a 4some in Relationship

God has a 4some that’s central to the perpetual celebration of His majesty

Rev 4:6-8

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

⁸ The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

As I begin to look at God’s 4some, I saw how each one met a specific need

I want a 4some, too – actually, I need & deserve a 4some

Need a Man / Woman:

The Crown of God’s Creation

Men & Women are of the Ultimate Value to God

      Made in the image of God – “God is love”

Masterpiece, fearfully & wonderfully made

Value themselves – Self-esteem

Value others – appreciate & celebrate

When we turn to relationships

Appreciate difference – Value Masculinity, honor femininity

Gloria Steinem: a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle

Need a Lion:

King of the jungle – the Lion signifies Majesty, with its beauty & strength

Lion is most social of all cats; the only one living in family –

Pride w/ male at the center

• Male lions are responsible for security & protection
• Female lions do most of the hunting

Men

Protector, or Covering – responsibility for

Family Commitment

Women

Respect

• Not conditional respect – “he has to earn my respect”
• Love is unconditional – so is respect

Need a Flying Eagle:

Majestic – flies higher & faster than most birds

Vision is the eagle’s strength

An eagle can spot a rabbit up to two miles away – even camouflaged

When it rains, the eagle will fly above the cloud

Men

Must have Vision – a plan & a strategy for the family

Fly above the storm – when difficulty comes / be consistent

Women

Admiration – wind beneath wings (help to soar)

A man wants his woman to be his cheerleader – Celebrate and praise your man 

Treat him like he’s her champion

That energizes and inspires him to achieve more

Nest – place to lay head

A man needs a home that is a refuge – for restoration and recovery

A man needs space, because that’s how he sorts out problems

Gotta have an Ox:  (dullest & lacking the majesty of the others)

Strong, beast of burden

Willing (& trained) to serve & work (for another)

Used for plowing & threshing – able to do boring, repetitive work

Able to be yoked & paired – Submission

Work for the other

Produces Provision

Sacrifice – give their lives 

Serving & Doing the Things for the other person that are not comfortable

Things that produces growth in relationship

Men 

Affection – says I care, it’s safe, I give comfort 

          Giving without expecting anything

Conversation (men don’t have the need for conversation, esp. re: feelings)

          Listen without solving the problem

Women 

Direct Communication

Honesty  

Sex – a basic, primal & vital need in a man.  It is God’s idea. 

Just like a woman expects her husband to meet her emotional needs

          The man trusts his wife to meet his sexual needs for the rest of his life

“Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth.

As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

And always be enraptured with her love. 

For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?”  – Prov 5:18-20

Take a closer look at these 4 creatures: 

Ezek 1:4-6, 10-12

Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. ⁵ Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.

⁶ Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.

¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.

¹¹ Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. ¹² And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.

Not 4 creatures with unique qualities

But 1 person with 4 different strengths 

Ezek 1:12 shows the flexibility to respond to whatever the need demands

Each person should work to have all 4 strengths in a relationship 

Don’t focus on who the other person is supposed to be

Start by focusing on who you are supposed to be