December 30 Daily Devotional

Bible Readings:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18, KJV:
¹⁴Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
¹⁵And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
¹⁶And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
¹⁷Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
¹⁸And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Ephesians 5:22-33, KJV:
²²Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
²⁴Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
²⁸So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
²⁹For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
³⁰For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
³¹For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
³²This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
³³Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Devotional

If only all Christian parents were as concerned for the marriages of sons and daughters as Abraham was for Isaac's there would be less heartache in their homes. Let Christians marry in the Lord. That is, let a Christian man marry a Christian woman. On this basis there is the foundation for a godly home.

Because marriage was instituted for the continuation of man's life upon the earth, it is a means for the growth of Christ's kingdom. But the marriage of a believer with one who refuses to recognize the Kingship of Christ in his or her life contributes nothing to that growth. When one partner to a marriage is seeking the glory of God and the other is seeking his own glory, Christ's kingdom cannot advance through that division. Christ's church needs truly Christian homes in which husband and wife are united in their aims and each aware of his own responsibilities toward God as Christian parents.

Though the footsteps of our children are ordered by the Lord, yet parents can guide their loved ones by providing a proper environment in which companionship with other Christians is possible. The God-given natural attraction of young men and young women need not be separated from our children's instruction in the Christian faith.

The picture of the relationship of Christ and His church as set forth in the marriage relationship should make us to realize the necessity for Christian marriages. How intimate is that relationship of Christ with His Bride! How productive it is of life and joy! How it enriches the experience of the church! How expressive it is of the spirit of sacrifice which should characterize a Christian marriagel

May the love of Christ constrain Christian young people to take care in their selection of a mate. May His glory and the welfare of His kingdom be their aim even in this.

We are very happy to make available to you this month these devotionals by the late Rev. LeRoy B. Oliver. They originally appeared in The Presbyerian Guardian during the late 1940's.

The description of his "Your Family Altar" page in The Presbyterian Guardian also fits this Web page: "The page is designed for both private and family use, whichever is most convenient in your case. If you do not have family worship in your home, we hope you will begin, and suggest using these readings. They should not, however, take the place of reading books of the Bible, or the Bible itself, through in regular course." It is those who abide (continue) in the Word who are truly Christ's disciples, who know the truth, and who experience freedom in Him (John 8:31-32). May these devotionals be used for the building up of God's people and to the glory of God.