Anyone ever heard of a house being blessed???

[Andry]

I dont believe in blessing a home becos the word bless means to speak positively about someone.

So this idea of having a priest or pastor come over to sprinkle water or bless the home, hoping that such an act will make the home safe from evil is rather odd.

I do however, believe in praying about the home and sort of thanking God for it and 'consecrating' it to God.

After I got married. We bought a new home. We had some renovations dones to it. B4 we moved in, I had to go in one day (alone) to do some cleaning and touch up.

It was already in my heart to do it. So, when I got in, I as the head of the family and gatekeeper of the home, took up my priestly responsibility (rather than get someone else to do it), knelt down on the floor and prayed.

I thanked God for the new home. I acknowledged that He had blessed us with a nice new home. So I 'dedicated' it to Him, asked Him to fill it with His love and peace and Spirit, asked Him to strengthen our marriage, etc. I just prayed from my heart.

I don't know if you call that blessing the home or consecrating it. It doesn't matter to me. I just think its more meaningful this way instead of just getting someone else to do it for you and expect that all will be well just becos a pastor or priest prayed or sprinkled holy water.

the home does not belong to him anyway. the spiritual head of the household should do the job, and just talk to God about it from his heart. If husband and wife can kneel down b4 God and just pray in agreement, so much the better!

Amen to that. I think Andrew has the right perspective.

For me, I travel on business a lot, and I hate flying! So before the plane takes off, I say a prayer.... not out of fear! And not praying for protection, either, but rather, thanking him that he will protect me regardless....that "nothing shall by anymeans hurt you". And I don't pray to 'bless' the plane. But I do pray for the the flight crew for their health, strength, and wisdom, etc. And upon touch down, I give thanks again.

As for other material goods that the Lord has blessed me with, such as a car, I do 'dedicate' it to be used as God chooses, which usually means for me to keep a good attitude for Sunday pick ups and drop offs to/from church, allow it to be 'borrowed' as need be, and not be too concerned about nicks/scratches. May sound trivial, but that's one of God's way of dealing with my heart right now.

 

[countrymousenc]

Yes...okay, fair enough, I phrased it wrong.

Please keep calm about what I have just written. I'm not trying to start an argument.

That's a very good idea, to keep calm, and I'm not upset by what you wrote. Please don't take any of my comments as argumentative; they're not meant to be, and nobody is obligated to agree with me. With that, if I may comment: (and if not, the mods are welcome to edit this post as they see fit)

...what I meant to say is why would they need him to do something like this? Wouldn't He provide protection through their faith in him anyway?

Yes, of course! What I can tell you about the Orthodox tradition of blessing homes (and please remember that I have a lot to learn) is that it isn't done out of lack of faith. It's not just about trying to keep evil spirits out of buildings. It's more like making a covenant with God in the presence of your church community to extend your life of faith into your home, the place where you live out the most difficult part of your life! The people we live with are the ones that have all the real "dirt" on us! They know us for who we really are. I don't know everything yet (being only an inquirer), but I hope (and believe) that this involves a commitment to Christ, by His grace and with His help, to live in a Christ-like manner (which means dying to ourselves) where it is hardest of all to do that. I expect that it does.

Let me try to put it another way. For example, a person praying to God to get them through a school exam, praying to him to make them pass. The point is, you can't fool God like that. The person should study, that's what gets them through exams, not God. He doesn't have an influence if you pass or fail. If you have studied for the exam well then you will pass.

I don't quite think that God has little influence over whether we pass or fail (all kinds of tests), but, yes, if we wait until the last minute and go in unprepared, we shouldn't expect to be handed a passing grade.

Okay, I know that this sounds completely irellivant but what i'm trying to say is that God will provide you protection anyway. You don't have to ask for that kind of protection from Him. All you need is faith. As far as Demons etc and good luck are concerned then that is 'Baloney' ( or what would you Americans say to put effect into the word without literally swearing??).

Well, I think we see faith in different ways. I don't see faith as meaning that we shouldn't ask God for what we need. For instance, you know the story of the woman who'd been to many doctors who had failed to heal her of a bleeding problem. All she dared to do was try to touch the hem of Jesus' robe, but at least she dared that much. What did he say to her? We have many stories in the gospels in which people asked for help in a variety of ways - lowering a friend down through a roof (how would you like it if a neighbor made a hole in your roof?), a Gentile woman asking for at least scraps of grace (like the little puppies under the table), a Roman asking Jesus just to send one of his angel-servants to heal his son, the list goes on. Yes, God does know our needs before we ask, but He seems to like for us to ask Him anyway. Go figure.

As far as Demons go....does one really believe they exist?...If so, then, to me, that sounds like a person believes other Gods exist, thus a complete lack of faith.

Well, I do believe that demons exist, but that they were angelic beings created by God who rebelled against Him and have sealed their doom. That just reflects the views of the early Church. You don't have to agree with me, of course.

Many blessings to you,
Dianne

 

[P_G]

I think that the custom of blessing or setting apart a new home as territory of God is entirely scriptural. Let us look here at the Peasach:

Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

As you can see the image here forms the sign of the cross! Interesting side note isn't it?

the Door posts is an imortant thing here the word in Hebrew:

4201 mzuwzah mez-oo-zaw'

or mzuzah mez-oo-zaw'; from the same as 2123; a door-post (as prominent):--(door, side) post.

Now there is a Jewish custom to place on the door post at about shoulder level something called a Mezzuah. This is a container which has a very small scroll that contains a specific pasage from Deuteronomy called the Shema It comes from this COMMAND

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Deu 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

This small thing will then set apart this home for the Lord and bless it. It is a command of the Lord and all people entering the home now know it is a home of a beleiver.

Dieynu (That would be enough but there is more!)

Lets look at what G-d told Joshuah to do in his new home

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Deu 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.


As soon as they crossed over the Jordan they were to mark and consecrate the land their new home for the Lord.

I see nothing wrong with asking your pastor or elder to pray for and bless and set aside for G-ds good purpouse your new home. Could you do this yourself YOU BET! But some people don't want to or feel unworthy. Thats another issue entirely but from my perspective I would be happy to do this and have indeed done so.


Blessings

Pastor George

 

[J.A.I]

12volt - Actually I was going to give you the scriptures, but it has turned from a chance to educate into a matter of me defending myself against my supposed brethren. Fine, you don't believe it, that is great. But there is no need to call someone else's belief system silly. I will pray for your spirit... The love we are supposed to clothe ourselves with ? I felt none of that in your post. God bless you and keep you.

 

[12volt_man]

12volt - Actually I was going to give you the scriptures, but it has turned from a chance to educate into a matter of me defending myself against my supposed brethren.

In other words, you can't.

But there is no need to call someone else's belief system silly.

Then prove me wrong. Show me where such a practice is supported by scripture. So far, the only verse of scripture you've been able to show had nothing to do with what you said it did.

I will pray for your spirit... The love we are supposed to clothe ourselves with ? I felt none of that in your post. God bless you and keep you.

Thank you. I can always use prayer. At the same time, I will pray that God will show you the folly of following "vain superstitions".

 

[Dark_Lite]

And now I ask you this.

What do you think beleiving in an omnipotent creator who sent a sinless man to walk the earth and sacrifice himself is?

In another 1000 years or whenever this cycle of human civilization has gave way to a new age of civilization, and Christianity will most likely lose its influence, they will look back on this religion and say the same thing we say about other world religions: "Silly. Perhaps it did give them a sense of unity and drove on the culture, but it is just silly compared to what we have today."

 

[Phoebe]

I saw it portrayed in The Amittyville Horror.
I don't see it as wrong. (Luke 10:5, 1 Samual 25:6)

 

[aanjt]

I will pray that God will show you the folly of following "vain superstitions".

All because the way other people worship is vain to you does not mean it is vain that they do it. The Rosary is not superstitious. Having a house blessed is not superstitious. Going to a priest when sick to have the laying on of hands and anointing with oil is not superstitous. When I pray the Rosary, I am praying to God (and in it, asking Mary to pray for me just as asking a family or friend to pray for me). What is superstitious of asking God to protect the place we live (our home)? Things done are not vain unless the person doing it is doing it only in rote with no meaning behind it. When I pray the Rosary, my mind is completely on Christ.

About demons, you say that if anyone believes that there are demons that we believe that there are other gods? So, I guess Christ believed that there were other Gods as well. He did exercise 7 demons from Mary Magdelene. A legion of demons from another man, etc. Christ told his disciples that they will be able to cast out demons.

How do you worship? Can you give biblical citation, very specific citation of the way you worship in every aspect? I doubt it. In my parish, we use incense. It was used in the OT, it is used to represent our prayers rising to God. Is that superstitous? Only if you concede that God was also superstitious in biblical times. Oil is used in the NT as well as the OT.

Our way of worship is our way of worshiping God. We are not going to stop just because you and maybe others think it is silly. To us, it isn't silly to God because worshiping God is not silly and that is what we are doing. When having our homes blessed, we ask God to dwell in our homes. What is silly about that? Can you show me scripture where God says never to ask Him to dwell in our homes, to protect our homes? I highly doubt it. All because something is not specifically cited in scripture does not mean it is unbiblical. Unbiblical carries to connotation of against scripture. It is not against scripture. Maybe you condemn the way we worship God, but we know that God does not condemn the way we worship Him. Maybe what you should do, instead of saying that the way we worship is silly, vain, superstitous, etc, is practice showing the love of Christ, the light of Christ to others and concentrate on your worship to God and quit worrying how we worship God. Do we worship God differently than you do? Yes. Does that mean the way we worship is invalid? No. It means that we worship God in different ways. It does not mean that one way is invalid, unless you are saying that God is that small that only one set way to worship is the only one He recognizes, which means that you run the risk of it being your way that is invalid.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

 

[12volt_man]

All because the way other people worship is vain to you does not mean it is vain that they do it. The Rosary is not superstitious. Having a house blessed is not superstitious. Going to a priest when sick to have the laying on of hands and anointing with oil is not superstitous. When I pray the Rosary, I am praying to God (and in it, asking Mary to pray for me just as asking a family or friend to pray for me). What is superstitious of asking God to protect the place we live (our home)?

I think you have me confused with someone else. I never said any of these things are superstitious.

When I pray the Rosary, my mind is completely on Christ.

I have no doubt that it is.

About demons, you say that if anyone believes that there are demons that we believe that there are other gods?

What are you talking about? I never said anything even remotely like that.

In my parish, we use incense. It was used in the OT, it is used to represent our prayers rising to God. Is that superstitous?

Not at all. We don't do that in my denomination but I don't see anything out of the ordinary about it.

Oil is used in the NT as well as the OT.

Yes, but could you please show where we're told to smear it on the walls of our home.

Our way of worship is our way of worshiping God. We are not going to stop just because you and maybe others think it is silly.

Um, OK. I wasn't aware that anyone said it was silly, least of all me, but it's good to know you're committed, anyway.

When having our homes blessed, we ask God to dwell in our homes. What is silly about that?

Nothing at all. I'm all for it.

Can you show me scripture where God says never to ask Him to dwell in our homes, to protect our homes?

No, but I can show you several that show just the opposite.

Maybe you condemn the way we worship God, but we know that God does not condemn the way we worship Him.

No, I don't.

Maybe what you should do, instead of saying that the way we worship is silly, vain, superstitous, etc, is practice showing the love of Christ, the light of Christ to others and concentrate on your worship to God and quit worrying how we worship God.

Again, I think you have me confused with someone else. I've never said anything one way or the other about the "way you worship".

 

[Jamie70]

Ermm.... Someone sounds pretty angry here. I never said the way you worship is silly either. In fact, this has really got out of hand here. Its funny how, as the thread gets larger and larger, it gets more away from the real point.
In any case, thats what the forums are for...'discussing issues'. I don't believe anyone should shut up or keep their opinions to themselves. Let them out I want to hear about them!

 

[LynneClomina]

And now I ask you this.

What do you think beleiving in an omnipotent creator who sent a sinless man to walk the earth and sacrifice himself is?

In another 1000 years or whenever this cycle of human civilization has gave way to a new age of civilization, and Christianity will most likely lose its influence, they will look back on this religion and say the same thing we say about other world religions: "Silly. Perhaps it did give them a sense of unity and drove on the culture, but it is just silly compared to what we have today."

Christ will never lost His influence, and thus true christianity will never lose its influence. how could you say such a thing?????

 

[aanjt]

I think you have me confused with someone else. I never said any of these things are superstitious.



I have no doubt that it is.



What are you talking about? I never said anything even remotely like that.



Not at all. We don't do that in my denomination but I don't see anything out of the ordinary about it.



Yes, but could you please show where we're told to smear it on the walls of our home.



Um, OK. I wasn't aware that anyone said it was silly, least of all me, but it's good to know you're committed, anyway.



Nothing at all. I'm all for it.



No, but I can show you several that show just the opposite.



No, I don't.



Again, I think you have me confused with someone else. I've never said anything one way or the other about the "way you worship".

It was the word "Superstitous" that got my attention. And, with that, I have had people say that our practices are superstitious, so I probably let that on you as well, sorry. I also probably had other posts in my mind as well, so it really goes to anyone who said it (sorry for not using my qualifiers). I was questioned at work by this one lady about the way I worship. I am getting ready to go to college, so I cannot hit on some things.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

 

[aanjt]

Ermm.... Someone sounds pretty angry here. I never said the way you worship is silly either. In fact, this has really got out of hand here. Its funny how, as the thread gets larger and larger, it gets more away from the real point.
In any case, thats what the forums are for...'discussing issues'. I don't believe anyone should shut up or keep their opinions to themselves. Let them out I want to hear about them!

Please understand something. It isn't anger. It is frustration (difference). I have been told by people in real life that the RCC and the EC (those are the ones that are mentioned) are superstitious, full of idoltry, etc. Someone did mention the Rosary as being superstitious (this is what I get for not really looking who made the post ) So, it isn't anger. Do I get tired of people saying that how we worship (both of us, since you are Anglican) being superstitious? Yes. Do I try and correct that notion? Yes. Does it at times come off as frustration? Yes. Does it come off as anger? No, although it looks like some have taken it that way. I have had my own in-laws say that we are going to hell because we aren't [gasp] Baptist and that we are [gasp] too Catholic in the way we worship and do things. They are very closed in why we do what we do. They have told me that what we do in Mass is all just for show (the procession and stuff). When I have explained to them (very calmly, not any frustration) why we do what we do, they said that I am lying and the only thing that I could say truthful is that it is all for a show. I run into people like this every single day. Probably because people know how devout I am and know that I want to become a priest. But, that is there issue now. I do not argue with my in-laws about what we do in Mass, because they are not willing to listen to the reasons behind it because they do not care (even when they ask why we do something, just by their response, they do not care for what we say). So, is it anger? No, just frustration. I work beside a woman who has questioned me countless times of why I pray the Rosary, why we worship the way we do, etc. I can tell that she has learned things but she has still asked me "Why don't your church just take the Bible and read that?" I told her that in our church, we are visual, and that I am a very visual person. Doing what we do in church makes me feel closer to God and is the way I worship God. She has her way, I have mine..

BTW, when we had our house blessed, it was only our immediate family. We didn't have other people come over because for us, this was something that was just for our family.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

 

[Jamie70]

Do I get tired of people saying that how we worship (both of us, since you are Anglican) being superstitious? Yes.

Just for the record, Jen, nobody I have ever met, in this life at least, has ever said that the way I worship is superstitious. I really don't know where your coming from on any of your points.

 

[aanjt]

Just for the record, Jen, nobody I have ever met, in this life at least, has ever said that the way I worship is superstitious. I really don't know where your coming from on any of your points.

That's great! I'm glad you haven't. See, I live in the Bible belt, and there are fundalmentalists on every corner ranging from the SBChurch to Pentecostals (the ones who believe that if you do not speak in tongues you are going to hell, if you worship the way we do, we are commiting idoltary and are superstitious and going to hell for it, etc).

Let me tell you something When I was dating my husband, my husband mentioned in passing that my father is a retired minister. They asked, "Oh, of what church?" assuming I was baptist. My husband replied, "I don't know. He was a Methodist minister." They told him that he needed to quit dating me and find "a good Baptist girl". For the first 9 years of our marriage, his parents told him over and over that he needed to leave me, take the children and find a good Baptist girl to marry. We will celebrate our 14th anniversary this June, btw. When we were confirmed in the EC, my in-laws told us that we would burn in hell since we are not Baptists. See, it was a mortal sin (and unforgivable) for him to switch churches. It would not be, however, mortal if I switched to the Baptist church. They cannot get past that we are still of the same religion (they swear and tell people that we switched religions). That religion is Christianity. They cannot get past us being Episcopalians to see that we still worship the same God who is Christ. They told us that they hope and pray that our children would hurt us the same way and then said, "hahahahaha". I asked them, "The way they could hurt us in this same way is if they turned their backs completely on Christianity and never came back. Is this what you want? You want your grandchildren not to be Christians?" They walked off. Because my husband did not stay with the Baptist church (and they seem to forget that I did not stay with the church I was raised in either) that I am a manipulator, a brainwasher, etc. I am an evil woman for "leading him astray."

Yes, I run into this a lot where I live. You should be thankful that you do not. But, because you have never come across people like this does not mean no one else has. Just like all because I have run across people like this does not mean every one else has. (Gotta leave in less than an hour for my next class!) Believe me, if my in-laws knew that we were having our house blessed when he did, they would have called us superstitous and all other sorts of things. They still don't know and I see no reason to tell them.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

 

[countrymousenc]

See, it was a mortal sin (and unforgivable) for him to switch churches. It would not be, however, mortal if I switched to the Baptist church. They cannot get past that we are still of the same religion (they swear and tell people that we switched religions).

I've got a "remedy" for that! (I grew up Southern Baptist, then switched to Methodist, and now... .) Ask them why they have Charles Wesley's and Martin Luther's hymns in their hymnals!!! Ask 'em how many hymns they'd have left if they took out all the music not written by Baptists. (I'd estimate maybe 20 or 30.) LOL, I posed that question to my dear brother, and he had to admit there's something just a hair hypocritical about it.

 

[alaurie]

Back to thread topic first... A Methodist minister of a church I was attending informally prayed for blessings on my new house once when a group from the church was over to see it. I thought it was wonderful. Can't get too much prayer and love!

That's great! I'm glad you haven't. See, I live in the Bible
belt, and there are fundalmentalists on every corner ranging from the SBChurch to Pentecostals (the ones who believe that if you do not speak in tongues you are going to hell, if you worship the way we do, we are commiting idoltary and are superstitious and going to hell for it, etc).

Let me tell you something When I was dating my husband, my husband mentioned in passing that my father is a retired minister. They asked, "Oh, of what church?" assuming I was baptist. My husband replied, "I don't know. He was a Methodist minister." They told him that he needed to quit dating me and find "a good Baptist girl". For the first 9 years of our marriage, his parents told him over and over that he needed to leave me, take the children and find a good Baptist girl to marry. We will celebrate our 14th anniversary this June, btw. When we were confirmed in the EC, my in-laws told us that we would burn in hell since we are not Baptists. See, it was a mortal sin (and unforgivable) for him to switch churches. It would not be, however, mortal if I switched to the Baptist church. They cannot get past that we are still of the same religion (they swear and tell people that we switched religions). That religion is Christianity. They cannot get past us being Episcopalians to see that we still worship the same God who is Christ. They told us that they hope and pray that our children would hurt us the same way and then said, "hahahahaha". I asked them, "The way they could hurt us in this same way is if they turned their backs completely on Christianity and never came back. Is this what you want? You want your grandchildren not to be Christians?" They walked off. Because my husband did not stay with the Baptist church (and they seem to forget that I did not stay with the church I was raised in either) that I am a manipulator, a brainwasher, etc. I am an evil woman for "leading him astray."

Yes, I run into this a lot where I live. You should be thankful that you do not. But, because you have never come across people like this does not mean no one else has. Just like all because I have run across people like this does not mean every one else has. (Gotta leave in less than an hour for my next class!) Believe me, if my in-laws knew that we were having our house blessed when he did, they would have called us superstitous and all other sorts of things. They still don't know and I see no reason to tell them.

Yours in Christ,
Jen

So sorry this is your experience as a Southener. I've always lived in Mississippi but haven't, thankfully, shared this. My parents are still small town Southern Baptist- deacon, SS teachers. I pretty much left that denomination in college, and am now non-denominational (currently attending a Methodist church). My dad was driving me to meet some friends to go to a Presbyterian retreat in college and I asked him if it bothered him that I was going to another church and fellowship group. He was fine with it- said that if they were biblical and preached salvation by Christ the other doctrinal differences didn't really matter. They've been cool when I've attended an Episcopal Church.

It sounds as though your in laws go off the top of the "dysfunctional family" scale. I will pray for you, that they won't continue to emotionally escalate you and that their attitudes won't harm your children.

Allye

 

[ufonium2]

I hate to rehash an old standby, but show me scripture that mentions Sunday school. Every church does things that aren't scriptural.

I have never had this particular house blessed, but it's temporary and I'm getting ready to move. I plan on having my new house blessed as soon as I move. I've been to several house blessings. I've also seen many houses with cross-stitched "Bless this House" wall-hangings in the living room. I don't see anything wrong with either situation, although neither is mentioned in the Bible.

 

[Carlos Vigil]

Anyone ever heard of a house being blessed??

In my opinion, that's pretty stupid. Isn't it asking a bit much from God? I mean, isn't that in a sense a lack of faith in Him. Why should one ask for more other than in prayer and on your own? Why is there a need for public display and gathering to bless one house's residents.

Does anyone catch my drift here or do you think i'm over reacting?

Let me know your thoughs...

Hi Jamie 70,
Yes, I have had my house blessed by a priest and I ask God to bless my house often....
I trust HE CAN HANDLE IT it..it is not as if He were a buisy little convenient store clerk just barely keeping up with the demands of his "job."

in regards to "over-reacting....
I would ask you; Are you trying to limit Lutherns to a small faith like yours?
and also, wouldn't you rather invite God into EVERY little corner of your life?
and DIDN'T HE CHALLENGE us with;..."He who is faithful IN LITTLE THINGS will be entrusted with bigger things"?
I would say you are REACHING too little.

Carlos

 

[Overcash]

I was at a house blessing once. I was in a singles group and this girl moved into an apartment. An American Baptist minister prayed over all the rooms and put a cross over all the entry ways.