149
April, 1944
You’ll find where’er you roam, That marble floors and gilded walls Can never make a home. But every house where love abides And friendship is a guest , Is surely home, and home, sweet home; Fbr there the heart can rest. —Henry Van Dyke.-* Let us turn to the infallible Word' of God to find a blueprint for. build ing a happy home. For Those Who Have Topics I. FOUNDED -ON JESUS CHRIST. The only truly happy home is the one that is founded upon Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:24-27; 1 Cor. 3:11). On the south fork of the Kentucky River stands what was once a very beautiful dwelling. Now it is only the habitation of birds. It might still be a very fine house but, for one reason—the foundation is gone. Thus it may ,be With a>home. The super structure may look' ever so fine from the outside, but a home can be only as strong as its foundation. II. FRAMED BY GOD’S WORD. There is not a phase of human life for which the Woid of .pod does not mark out a plain path to be fo l lowed. 1. God’s Word for the father. The part of the father in building the home is clearly outlined in the Scrip ture (Eph. 5:23, 28, 29, 33; 6:4; Tit. 2:6-8; 1 Tim. 5:8),. 2. God’s Word for the mother. Ac cording to the Bible a mother’s duties and privileges are many (Eph. 5:22; Tit. 2:4, 5; Prov. 31). 3. God’s W o r d for the children. Obedience and honor are to be given to the parents by the children (Eph. 6:1-3). The larger percentage of the cases of juvenile delinquency and crime among the youth of today may be traced to homes where God has been forgotten and the children not trained. The Bible emphasizes the need of teaching children at home (Deut. 4:9, 10; Prov. 22:6; 2 Tim. 3:14, 15). III. FINISHED IN HEAVEN. There is nothing that appeals to the human heart like the love found in a happy home. Yet it is a mere foretaste of the future. Things here pass away, and years and time take their toll; but there is an eternal home now being prepared by the Lord, and it is for “whosoever will.” The aim of e v e r y father and mother should be an unbroken fam ily circle in the eternal home. The mercy and salvation of uod are ex tended to the entire family (Acts 2:39). *TJsed by permission of Charles Scribner’s Sons-
“As a Christian student nurse, I have the privilege of serving the Lord in an ungodly environment. To smoke and drink are the accepted things; ' and during the first week of my training) I Was told that if a girl did not smoke when she came in,- she would before she finished her course. Not so with me! I am rejoic ing that in Christ I have a far great er and more lasting source of satis- factidn. “While I am on duty, I have a splendid opportunity to witness to the patients for the ,Lord.' Further more, He has been pleased to use my saying of grace at mealtime as a testimony to others.” IV. BE S T R O N G IN THE LORD P (Psa. 121:2). A Machinist’s Mate, First Class, U. S. Navy, testifies: * “ After a number of weeks at sea, odr ship pulled into port, and in the mail for one of our crew, a new Christian, was the word that his mother had gone to be with the Lord. Later in the evening, he and I view ed the bright lights of the city from the ship’s forecastle. We concluded that they offered no- consolation or peace. Our next look was heaven ward. “ ‘There is where my strehgth lies,’ said my shipmate.” V. BE PREPARED TO SERVE THE LORD (2 Tim. 2:15). Captain Robert B. Thieme, U. S. Army Air Corps instructor, says: “During my recent lectures to five hundred Aviation Cadets, I witnessed for the Lord Jesus Christ. When these young fliers were graduated, I gave each one a New Testament. As a re sult, several have accepted the Lord. “Definite and consistent B i b 1d" study, the memorizing of Scripture, and dally prayer are three requisites for effective Christian Jiving.” MAY 14, 1944 TH E K IN D O F H OM E I HOPE TO BU ILD P roverbs 22:6; D euteronomy 4:9, 10 By Helen Bradley Brown The very thought, of the word “home” speaks of love, shelter, pro tection, and trust. There are many kinds of so-called homes these days; but the real home is a place where the characteristics in the following poem are found: I read within a poet’s book A word that'starred tht page, “ Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iAM bars a cage.” Yes, that is true, and something more:
IT’S AN IDEA Why not do some extra things in your C. "E. group during the month of May? • Idea 1. For May -7, Voca tions Day, three or four suc cessful Christian adults could be brought before your so ciety for brief talks on, “Why I Chose my Present Voca tion.” Idea 2. Why ndt have an after-church, meeting on May 14, and invite the mothers; of the society m e m b e r s . It should be a specially prepar ed program honoring “Moth er” on Mother’s Day. Idea 3. Pick out two or three of the best Christian homes in your community and visit them, holding inter views prior to. the meeting, on May 21. Reports of your in terviews as to Christian hab its in these homes w ill add interest to the discussion of the topic, “St^engthing Fam ily Ties.” • Idea 4. For your Scripture reading on May 28, some one could memorize and give the main portion of Peter’s Ser mon in Acts 2:14-39. This ties in with the topic and would prove a blessing. t . —Carlton E. Buck.
Conclusion, Cjirist must have the pre-eminence in the home if it is to be a truly successful and happy one. He is. the Foundation, the . Saviour, the Guide in all things, the Counselor in per plexity, the Helper in difficulties, the Great Physician in sickness, the: Tight in darkness, the Comforter in sorrow, and the Finisher of our faith. MAY 21, 1944 S T R E N G TH E N IN G F A M IL Y TIES J oshua 24:14, 15; E phesians 6:1-4 By Boris C. 4ldrich •What are family ties?, Do. they mean restraint from which we chafe to be free? Or are family ties some thing to be highly valued and great ly desired? Do they need to be strengthened; an(l if so, how? What w ill be the reward? . ,
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