happy home, peaceful living, family life
By Steve Van Nattan
The Ten Commandments don't need any help. That is not the point of this item. This is a set of Commands or Observances which are needed when the children of a family are all grown up but still at home. You may add some others of your own. Let us know if you have suggestions.
ONE- There is only one earthly Father and one Mother in this home. If you are not one of them, please refrain from robbing your Father and Mother of their role by fathering and mothering each other.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
TWO- Teasing and cutting one another are of little or no eternal use. They push fellowship to the brink of disaster and can easily go too far and hurt.
Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
THREE- If a member of the family offends you, tell them alone, or else drop the thing. Pouting is NOT an adult and spiritual solution to offense.
Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
FOUR- Altercations and arguments will cease. Even when allegedly done in jest, they are NOT spiritual and edifying.
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
FIVE- Guests-
a. If a guest offends you, and you cannot stand it, go elsewhere on the property and busy yourself.
b. We will not trash our guests after they leave, even if they turn out to be heretics or evil. Any discussion should be only to guard the family against any further visitation of their problem.
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
c. Seek to exalt any and all good traits in our guests. Encourage them, ladies with ladies, and men with men, as you see they are doing a good thing that honors God.
1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
d. Let your Father and Mother do all the rebuking of adult neighbors and guests. Feel free to call attention to offenses privately since your parents may not see what is going on.
1 Timothy 5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
SIX- History- If it is sad and filled with the sorrows of sin, espebliplly the sin of others who offended us, FORGET IT!
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
SEVEN- Y2K-
a. Do not talk about Y2K the last thing at night just before going to bed. This applies to ALL disaster related topics.
b. Try to keep it to preparation. We have enough horror stories now to justify our present action.
Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
EIGHT- Come at once when you are called. Those who prepare the meals are sovereign when they call the family and guests. Ignore this, and you will prepare the next meal. "Church's Chicken" will do, even for breakfast :-)
Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
You should be grateful every time you are both called and chosen.
NINE- Bed Time- Learn to quit the day, or take your punishment accordingly.
Psalm 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
TEN- Computers- Those who let the computer take their leisure time will have their leisure time minutely defined by their Father. If this fails to put the computer in perspective, a computer fast will be assigned.
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The day will come when you all leave home, and you will long to see one another again. Try it now-- Your family are nice folks. When part of the family gathers to read, talk, or sing, if you are not there, you are an offense against them unless you are actually working vocationally.
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background & graphics by mary vannatan