ADAM AND EVE LIVED SOLEY to glorify the Creator every moment of the day. Because they were completely submitted to Him, they were also submitted to each other. Thus in that first home there was absolute harmony... peace... love... and oneness.

THEN WHEN THE SERPENT BROUGHT SIN into the garden, they lost their peace and fellowship with God and with each other... and began living for themselves. Now there was discord and hate... SIN!

IT WAS INTO THE HOME THAT SIN first came. It is there revival first needs to come. Remember that revival means new life in hearts where spiritual life has ebbed... not self-effort... not man's life... but the life of JESUS filling us and overflowing through us.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR HOMES? . . . .

THE FIRST THING THAT IS WRONG with so many families is that they are not really open with one another. The others do not know us for what we really are... and we do not intend that they should. Even those living in the most intimate relationships with us do not know what goes on inside... our difficulties, battles, failures, or what the LORD JESUS has to cleanse us from so frequently.

THE FIRST EFFECT OF THE FIRST SIN was to make Adam and Eve hide behind the trees. They soon began to hide reactions and thoughts from each other, in their hearts. The transparency is covered behind a wall of reserve and we are not real with each other. The scripture calls it "walking in darkness"... for the darkness is anything that hides.

FAILURE TO LOVE . . . .

THE SECOND THING THAT IS WRONG with our homes is our failure to really love one another. Love is not just a sentimental feeling, not even a strong passion.

LET'S TEST OURSELVES TO SEE IF WE ARE REALLY LOVING, BY...

"LOVE IS PATIENT... LOVE IS KIND... AND IS NOT JEALOUS; LOVE DOES NOT BRAG AND IS NOT ARROGANT... DOES NOT ACT UNBECOMINGLY (rude)... IT DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN (is not selfish)... IS NOT PROVOKED (does not get irritated)... DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A WRONG SUFFERED... DOES NOT REJOICE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS... BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH; BEARS ALL THINGS... BELIEVES ALL THINGS... HOPES ALL THINGS... ENDURES ALL THINGS..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

HOW "EASILY PROVOKED" WE ARE! How quick to be irritated by something in the other! How often we allow the unkind thought, the resentful feeling, over something the other has done or left undone!

SO OFTEN WE ACT IN THE OPPOSITE WAY OF LOVE... which is hate. Impatience, envy, conceit and self-will are hate. So are selfishness. irritability, and resentment. And HATE is SIN. What tensions and barriers it causes, and fellowship with both God and the other is made impossible.

"THE ONE WHO SAYS HE IS IN THE LIGHT AND YET HATES HIS BROTHER IS IN THE DARKNESS UNTIL NOW." (1 John 3:9).