Monday, September 29, 2014

America's First Line of Defense



(#329,353, Yermo/Hinkley/Kelso 1948
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-6; 3:13-15.

We talk much in these days about defense.  We talk about guns, ammunition, ships, tanks, planes, etc., but we leave out one of the most important of all defenses, THE HOME.  Little is said about the home, in fact, it is being sadly neglected.

*     In the first 9 mos. of 1943 arrests of girls under 21 for offenses against common decency increased 69.6%.
*     The number of wards of juvenile courts in California jumped from 12,000 in 1942 to 21,000 in 1943.
*     Last year 20% of all crime was committed by boys and girls under 21.
I'm just wondering if we are not reaping today some of the results of the lack of family life of recent years.  Compare the home of today with that of Timothy -- with that of 100 years ago.

Here are some things that are lacking in a great many of our modern homes.
ƒ      Christ.  1 Cor. 3:11.  Christ should be the Head of every home.  This means home-makers should be Christians.
ƒ      Praying parents.  Prayer has saved many a boy from a life of sin and out of sin.  Many songs speak of mother's prayers.
ƒ      Godly instruction.  Too much is left up to the outside world in instruction of the children.  Timothy received his instruction at his mother's knee.  There should be a time every day when the Bible is opened and read before the whole family.
ƒ      A wholesome atmosphere.  This is generally determined by the mother.  It involves love toward one another and revolves around our choices of literature, music, recreation, etc.  In a recent meeting of Police chiefs a definite stand was taken against radio thrillers for children.  The article stated between the movie and radio programs you can't expect your child to go straight after ten or twelve.
ƒ      Discipline (Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; Eph. 6:1).  One of the signs we are in the end-time is that children are disobedient to parents.

Our children are being drawn out into the swirling torrents of the world because parents have failed to put the Lord Jesus Christ first.

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