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The Family Altar, July 25
And there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the
name of the Lord.
Genesis 12:8
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Abraham, the friend of God, set us a worthy example. His was a
life of prayer and humble obedience, and he was as a light in the world.
Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside it was set up his altar, calling
for the morning and evening sacrifice of each member of his family....
From Christian homes a similar light should shine forth. Love should be
revealed in action. It should flow out in all home intercourse, showing
itself in thoughtful kindness, in gentle, unselfish courtesy. There are homes
where these principles are carried out—homes where God is worshiped
and truest love reigns. From these homes morning and evening prayer
comes up before God as sweet incense, and His mercies and blessings
descend upon the suppliants like the morning dew.
We must have more religion. We need the strength and grace that are
born of earnest prayer. This means of grace should be diligently used in
order to gain spiritual muscle. Prayer does not bring God down to us,
but brings us up to Him. It makes us realize more and more our great
needs, and hence our obligation to God and our dependence upon Him. It
leads us to feel our own nothingness and the weakness of our judgment.
God has made earnest prayer the condition of the bestowal of His richest
blessings....
This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself and your
family to God for that day. Make no calculation for months or years, for
they are not yours. One brief day is given you, and that one day work
for yourself and your family as though it were your last. Surrender all
your plans to God, to be carried out or given up, as His providence shall
indicate. In this manner you may day by day be giving your life with its
plans and purposes into the hands of God, accepting His plans instead of
your own, no matter how much they may interfere with your arrangements
nor how many pleasant projects may have to be abandoned. Thus the life
will be molded more and more after the divine Model; and “the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.”
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