other four issues fail, you must give Christ first place in each heart of hearts. Unless each member of your family is soundly converted, that is, born again, that family is not really complete in Christ. As father or mother or any sig nificant member of the home, be dead sure that all members of your family are in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. At times it is most difficult to break great theological truths down into such simple unmistakable ter minology that every one might understand, and yet the Bible is fun damentally that simple and clear. Faith brings us into a relationship with God through Christ who died on the cross for us. Faithfulness (day by day) maintains that fel lowship witb God through the pow er of the Holy Spirit. Faith places us in the family, and faithfulness brings happiness in that family of faith. Romans 4:5 is an astonish ing but wonderful verse, “But to him that worketh not,- but believ- eth on him that justifieth the un godly, his faith is counted for right eousness.” The Bible does not con tradict itself. It says in the first place, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of your selves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). This is the doorway into the house of salvation. On the other hand it says, “Faith without works is dead.” This is the result ant service of one who is already in that home of faith. Faith is the root; works, the fruit. Salvation is a present position by faith (John 3:36). Rewards are future attainments by works of faith (1 Cor. 3:11-13). Salvation is ob- tainment (actually a gift) and rewards an attainment. When you with utter abandon realize the great load of your sin and place Christ first in your heart of hearts at the foot of the cross, salvation is instantly yours. How can we know we are ac tually right with God? I believe that I can make this plain. We turn to the Word of God, to bank upon His promises, and we find our salvation by pure, naked faith in Jesus Christ. Read Romans 10:9,10. This faith is heart faith and cannot be a mental ascent to the historicity of Jesus Christ alone.
“With the heart man believeth un to righteousness.” You can know you are a Chris tian because there is a witness within your heart according to Ro mans 8:16. It is not an emotional spasmodic experience, but the real ity of inner, throbbing, heart-faith in Jesus Christ. You can know instantly your faith is real because you have a re verse relationship to the commer cialized sin of our day. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). A Christian is a man with a changed heart, a changed mind, a changed life, a changed body, changed service, changed family. He is a man that has allowed Christ to come into his heart of hearts. It is not “churchianity” but Christianity. The influence of genuine Chris tianity goes far beyond the im mediate home circle. And the in fluence of a non-Christian environ ment goes just as far. Nearly a century ago a young girl on the Hudson fell into an evil life; and the county records show the his tory of her descendants. They were 900 in number. Of these, 200 are on the county records as criminals; nine of her own children served an aggregate term in the state prisons of 50 years; a considerable propor tion of her descendants were idiots, lunatics, prostitutes, drunkards and paupers. Jonathan Edwards was a man whom the Word of God changed from sin to holiness. A record of his descendants is known—out of 1,400 of these, eight have been presidents of American universities; 100 of them professors; 100 of them min isters of the gospel; 60 have been eminent doctors; 30, judges; 25, officers in the Army and Navy; and others, mayors, senators, governors and ambassadors. “I the Lord thy God am a jeal ous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Ex. 20:5,6). You parents will never know how extensive is the influence of your life for or against Jesus Christ.
Poems by Helen Frazee-Bower F aithful and Fruitful Faithful and fruitful I would be— But oh, how weak is the flesh! Holy Spirit, I come to Thee: Touch me, fill me afresh. Faithful and fruitful ? Who can hope, Alone,,to reach such a goal? Holy Spirit, I falter, grope— Cleanse me, strengthen, control. Faithful and fruitful only when Bereft of self I shall be. Holy Spirit, anoint me—then The faith, the fruit, are of Thee. Treasures o f Darkness "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness." — Isa. 45:3 Treasures of darkness. When the night descends, How like a gentle river flowing by Comes quietness, comes rest. Day’s tumult ends; God lights the distant candles of the sky. Now each comes home to sit beside his own, To share the time of shelter, warmth and light. Oh, happy they who need not face, alone, The falling darkness and the coming night. So, for the darkest hour of the heart, God has His treasure too. Then trust and sing— He does not say to every cloud, "depart,” But shares its shadow. Through all suffering He sits beside His own. So reach and slip Your hand in His—and find sweet fellowship.
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