gether, you should seek to fuse your personalities and to improve your re- lationship.

The Lord’s Counsel Is:

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” Colossians 3:18, 19
Keep your thoughts pure and don’t a l l o w t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f y o u r f a c e t o communicate anger, scorn or desire for vengeance. In regards to this, we have a clear counsel from the Lord that says:
“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9 There are diverse degrees of silence that can be more destructive than words. In such times of tension let us try to be prudent and cautious with the words that come out of our lips. On- ly a couple of seconds are necessary to open deep wounds, which take years to heal. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21

COMMUNICATION

A r e s e a r c h e r c a l c u l a t e d t h a t c o u p l e s have an average of 17 minutes of con- versation per week. The week has 10
080 minutes!
decisions in the everyday plans of life. Be sensitive in this, because your will should not always be first in everything. Create a happy environment, and make the home an attractive nest. It does not need to be big or luxurious, although it may be composed of single room, the climate of love should be breathed in here. Let us give them some practical help, especially if the woman works. Let us try to share the burdens of daily life, of the home, the children, work, etc., and place her interests above our own, and above all let us be understanding and thoughtful.

Appreciation and Love

Happy families appreciate each other mutually and love each other. How can this love be fed? By giving and receiving tokens of affection we can make our loved ones happy. Let
us look at the positive points and virtues of our spouse, and not only their weaknesses. Instead of criticism, let us emphasize each other ’s good points, in
this manner, love will in- crease and improve.
A husband changed his way of thinking in regard t o h i s w i f e , w h e n s h e had to be absent from home for three days, leaving the children under his care.
H e r e i s t h e r e - cord of his adven- ture at home:
Open the door for the kids to come in:
63 times.
Scold them to be quiet or sit still: 22
times.
I n t e r v e n e a s a p e a c e m a k e r t o e n d quarrels: 8 times.
Lose one’s temper: 12 times.
Tie shoelaces: 15 times.
Stains in the pants: 3 times.
Eat badly: The entire 3 days, etc.
I have never wanted to see my wife, as much as now!
L e t u s a v o i d r o u g h a n d o ff e n s i v e w o r d s . W h e n b o t h o f y o u w e r e b o y - friend and girlfriend, you spoke to each other sweetly. As you begin to live to-


Television often steals from the fam- ily precious time that could be used to communicate with each other. And what a tremendous loss!
Communication is essential for under- standing and stimulating the growth of love. The experiences at work, the daily experiences with the children, our hap- piness and concerns, our ideas or disil- lusions outside the home, can all be con- versation topics.
W h e n w e n o t i c e t h a t s o m e o n e a t home doesn’t communicate, let us see why. Let us talk and resolve the problem. Perhaps the wife is made to feel inferior or frustrated by something, or perhaps she thinks that she doesn’t know how to express herself with the ease her hus- band does. Let us always try to under- stand what the other thinks, by putting ourselves in their shoes. Let us not seek to frighten, dominate, accuse, control or
win the other one to our way of thinking.
Don’t shout at each other. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 The home should be filled with laughter, love, en- thusiasm and happiness.

SPEND TIME TOGETHER

1.500 students were asked: What do you think makes a family the happiest? The most frequent answer was: “to do things together.”
Let us make time to do things togeth- er. Let us include our children in our ac- tivities and recreation. Share problems and happiness.
Although we may all be busy with ac- tivities that absorb our time, we should plan our time in such way that will per- mit us to dedicate ourselves to our fam- ily, but if we don’t make time we will end up separated.

UNITED IN ADVERSITY A solid family unites to face the chal- lenge of a crisis, because there is a mu- tual sense of obligation. It is necessary to develop the capacity of facing adversity. But how? God wants to stretch out his hands of love toward us amidst the most violent storms. The Holy Scriptures in- form us of His promises. And how beau- tiful they are! You may learn to know them by searching the topic index of the
“Biblical Guideline Investigation.”
If there are problems let us not look for who may be guilty but for solutions. It is not difficult to say “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you.” The couple should never go to bed angry. Let us apply the divine counsel: “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Ephesians 4:26

MORAL STRUCTURE

This has been proven to be a common denominator in stable families. In the cultivation of Christian virtues there is a blessing.
Moral structure includes: Integrity, honesty, loyalty, responsibility, moral virtue and the principles of love that will certainly benefit us. The principles of the Ten Commandments should be in each heart, because they bring a bless- ing. The Holy Scriptures say: “Or that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my command- ments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” Deuteronomy 5:29

GOD IN THE HOME

In a survey carried out in different coun- tries by the “International Missionary Society” it has been proven that most people believe that religious faith is of great help in the home. But what a trag- edy it is to discover that materialism is taking the place of the
things of the spirit and destroying faith. Conversation about deep things marvelous-
l y u n i t e s t h e c o u p l e . G o d wants to bless those who seek H i m a n d l o v e H i m . O n l y H e c a n
g i v e u s s t r e n g t h d u r i n g o u r d i ff i c u l t


great dangers that surround them.
D on’t neglect your devotional and spiritual life. Make the Holy Scriptures the guidebook for your life and home. It counsels us, guides us, and illuminates the path of our life and fills us with hope. Throughout its 2 300 prophecies, it re- veals to us the past, present and future with mathematical accuracy. Study it and you will receive great benefits.
If you have failed in married life, seek God, because there is nobody better than He who can change the direction of your life. If you are happy give Him thanks and take care of that happiness not for- getting to do your part by practicing the principles of love.
“Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itelf, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Re- joiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth a l l t h i n g s . C h a r i t y n e v e r f a i l e t h : b u t whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” 1 Cor. 13:4-8
Gerhard Hunger, Argentina SW

WORDSFROMTHECROSS
• 2nd. part •

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43.

The crucified Christ did not concen- trate on Himself and His sufferings. He did not pay attention to the pain of the wounds that had been inflicted to Him or the insults addressed to Him. His last moments on this earth, the last seconds of His life were too precious to dedicate them to thinking on Himself, so He spent them still working, in the same way he used to do it, through His example, in order to gain souls for the
kingdom of heaven.
The diginity with which He acepted the cross, the gentleness of His appear- ance, the compassion that could be read in His eyes, the sobriety of his conduct, the steadiness of His character made Him stick out among men, He, the Son of man. That is how one of the crimi- nals hanging next to Him, saw in Him
the Son of God, saw God Himself hid- den in the miserable appearance which He was turned into by the same men He had come to save, saw God Himself dying for humanity that rejected Him until the last moment. The thief on the cross, as he compared himself with Jesus, saw, for the first time, that he deserved the cross because he was a malefactor, but there, was someone who “had done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41) “under the same condemnation”( 23:40) as the crimi- nals. That moment Jesus had turned into the worse of malefactors, into the most abominable being on this earth because He was carrying upon Himself the guilt of each man who ever walked upon this planet, He was carrying your and my shame, and in spite of His pain, He did it with joy because he could already get
a glimpse of “the fruit of the travail of His soul” (as it says in Greek (Is. 53:11): your salvation and mine.
At that moment, He projected Him- s e l f o u t o f t i m e a n d s p a c e a n d s a w Himself, not among two criminals, but s u r r o u n d e d b y a m u l t i t u d e o f s a i n t s , dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads and leaves of palm in their hands, standing before the throne of God Father, He saw Himself travel- ing from planet to planet escorted by a group of those who had been selected to tell the glory of the Father’s love that had worked the miracle of converting malefactors into saints.
The thief on the cross had the expe- rience of justification by faith and was reconcilied with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Rom. 5:1) Have you also


The thief on the cross had the experience of justification by faith and was reconcilied with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

h a d t h i s e x p e r i e n c e ? H a v e y o u s e e n yourself condemned to death and Jesus taking your place on the cross? This man expired in peace, with hope and joy in His heart.
There was another criminal who had a deep experience with Christ, although we do not know whether he treasured that experience or not. Barrabas, that r e b e l , t h a t t e r r i b l e c r i m i n a l w h o h a d justly been condemned to the cross was in jail waiting for the moment in which he would be conducted to Calvary to be crucified. Suddenly he heard a great uproar and the voice of men scream - ing “Crucify him, cruficy him” (Luke 23:
18) What was going on? He could not understand. Why was his name in the mouth of the crowd? Who was the man who had been chosen to take the cross in his place and why? Was it possible? Could an innocent die for a wicked one? Would the authorities agree to such an i l o g i c a l a n d u n r i g h t e o u s p e t i t i o n ? H e had spent many nights without beeing able to close an eye, thinking that the punishment for his deedswas drawing closer; he was afraid, he wished that day might never come. He could see that although he had been the leader of a rebellion against the authorites, re- vealing courage and braveness, in fact he was a coward, a fearful man who pan-
icked before the idea of punishment. He wished he could die of a natural death and avoid the pain of the nails piercing his flesh, but he knew no miracle would happen, he had to pay the consequences of his deeds. He had not really repented for what he had done, but he feared the consequences of his actions.
And now, as he was thinking about all this, he heard footsteps coming nearer, someone stopped before his door, the d o o r w a s o p e n e d a n d t h e g u a r d i a n s took him to Pilate. There he saw the Man, the one who would carry his cross, his sin, with the air of a king in spite of his shabby appearance. They put him next to Jesus, and he felt his purity, saw his clear eyes full of compassion, and felt enfolded by His love. He felt like a wave of tenderness enwrapping him, stirring his whole being, touching each one of his cells, his guts tightened up/shrunk as he saw so much unselfishness and love and he saw how the Son of Man, who could not be other than the son of God, was taken like a sheep to the slaughter- house. (Is. 53:7)
We do not know whether Barrabas accepted the grace heaven was offer- ing him, if he accepted in his heart Je- sus’ vicar death and led a righteous life after this encounter with his Redeemer, or if, when the scene of that solemn mo-
ment came to his mind as the Holy Spirit worked on his soul, he rejected it, thus hardening his heart. Whichever the re- sult may be, that man literally experi- enced what it means to deserve the cross and for someone to take his place upon it; the plan of salvation was revealed to him in all its magnitude.
Has it been revealed to you? Have you seen Jesus, the saint, taking your place on the cross? Have you seen yourself as a malefactor who is set free from condem- nation and to whom the opportunity is given, by the infinite grace of God, to lead a pure and sanctified life? If it is so, if you have accepted His grace, then the promise Jesus made the thief on His right is valid for you too: “Assuradely, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” It was not on that precise day that the thief ascended to heaven, but that day his name was registered in the books of heaven as a citizen of heaven, and in God’s eyes, even if he would lie in the tomb for centuries waiting for the glorious day of the second coming of His Son to resurrect the dead, he was alive.
May the Lord help us to accept His g r a c e , a n d w h e n w e c o n t e m p l a t e t h e c r o s s w h e r e w e s h o u l d b e c r u c i f i e d , our hearts may be filled with gratitude. Amen.
T. Corti, Germany SW


Have you seen yourself as a malefactorwho is set free from condemnation and
to whom the opportunity is given, by the infinitegrace of God,
to lead a pure and sanctified life?

HEALTH

The normal state of the body is com- plete health, which includes every condition necessary so a person can free-
ly perform his normal activities.
Every living creature is governed by
c e r t a i n u n c h a n g i n g p r i n c i p l e s w h i c h regulate vital functions. The body’s nor-
mal performance–“health”– depends on the faith- fulness with which t h o s e p r i n c i p l e s
a r e f o l l o w e d . Obviously, then, g o o d h e a l t h i s a l m o s t t o t a l l y e v e r y i n d i v i d u - al’s personal re- sponsibility.
Transgressing the natural laws of life causes the body to be out of balance, to a greater
or lesser degree,
which is the oppo- site of health. The hu- man body can pa- tiently endure
a great deal of mistreat- ment without
showing any im- mediate reaction;
but sooner or lat-
er, the ef- fects are bound to come out. This is what
we know as disease.
If a person comes to this unfortu- nate state, he or she should try to find out what has caused the problem. Then he will be able to use the means
at hand to correct the immediate situation and figure out how to avoid having the same thing happen again. The natural means available to us include:
Sunlight, water, earth, air, healthful food, exercise, rest, and faith in God, always keeping in mind that every therapy has a particular scope and method.
Briefly stated, our physical life encom- passes a dual process–eating things and then eliminating those things. Life is sus- tained as the body uses a small fraction of the substances it takes in and then gets rid of the useless remainder and waste produced in the body’s operations. The normal cycle of those functions is what makes a person healthy, while a disrup- tion of that cycle makes him ill.
Nutrition
Virtually everyone knows that one of the main foundations of health is good nutri- tion. That is why we should eat natural, fresh, clean food every day. Furthermore, everything we eat should be in good con- dition, easy for our digestive system to handle, and completely free from harm- ful substances. We should also realize that our digestion depends on the kind of food we introduce into our stomachs. Good digestion means good health, and the best way to have good digestion is to be careful of what we eat.
What is food?
Food is every substance man ingests that rebuilds the body’s cells and replenishes energy, making it possible for the body to keep working in the best way. By this d e f i n i t i o n , a i r a n d w a t e r, a l o n g w i t h what we eat, are part of nutrition. The best foods for us as human beings are those whose biological content is stable, healthful, easy to digest, and refreshing to the digestive system. These charac- teristics are found in fruits, green veg- etables, cereals, and seeds.
Which foods are most healthful?
G o d t o l d A d a m a n d E v e : “ Yo u m a y freely eat of every tree of the garden.…”


God created human beings to be vegetar- ian, not carnivorous. How do we know that? Because He gave them the food they should eat. It wasn’t part of God’s plan for people to kill other living crea- tures and then eat them. The fruit from the trees was all they needed to eat for health, along with cereals, nuts, berries, and some vegetables. Plant foods, pre- pared as simply and naturally as pos- sible, are the most nourishing for us as human beings.

How much should we eat?

At mealtime, one should eat enough to have his hunger satisfied and still have a light feeling in his stomach. It is more
important to eat what we know is best
for our bodies than to enjoy a large ar- ray of delicacies. Since our stomachs do not have a window so we can see when

 

we have eaten enough, we need to use our mind and reason to keep from over- eating. This is very important, because our digestive organs play an impor- tant role in keeping us healthy and h a p p y. D i g e s t i v e t r o u b l e s c a n
make life miserable.

When should we eat?

We should always eat when we are hungry, and we should never eat when we are not. Why is this? Because a good appetite indi-
c a t e s t h a t t h e s t o m-
ach is ready and that the food one eats will be well digested for good
health. It takes at least three hours for a meal to be digested, and nothing should be eaten until af-
ter that time. After all, the stomach needs rest, too. It is best to eat meals at the same time each day, for the body works best when it is on a schedule.

How should we eat?

If it is our goal to have good digestion, we need to do four things:
• Eat slowly and without hurry
• Chew thoroughly
• Let the saliva flow through our food
• Avoid eating too rapidly
When good food is chewed thorough- ly, mixed well with saliva, and swal- lowed calmly, it will be well digested.

What is the purpose of eating?

One has to eat to stay alive, to make the
body work, and to have physical and mental strength. Thus, we have to eat to live–we do not live to eat!

Exercise

T h e h u m a n b o d y n e e d s a c t i v i t y, m o - tion, and strength to develop and func- tion properly.
U n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e h u m a n b o d y ’s need for activity is one of the keys to g o o d h e a l t h . N a t u r a l m o v e m e n t s a r e those which the body performs sponta- neously with ease. There is no doubt that certain kinds of farm work and garden- ing, as well as hiking and brisk walks in the open air, are exercises which are both healthful and pleasant.

Rest

Each of us is born with a biological clock which regulates our body’s various sys- tems, including sleep. If you want to be healthy, you should respect the hours of sleep needed by your body. If you want to avoid the harm that fatigue and wor- ry can do to your body, here are some useful tips (they will help you maintain your energy and good spirits if you prac- tice them):
• Rest before fatigue sets in.
• Do your daily tasks in order by prior- ity.
• If you have a problem, take steps to solve it
immediately.
• Be willing to work, and do your work happily.
• If you cannot sleep, get up, drink a cup of
herbal tea, and go back to bed.
• Work six days and rest on the sev- enth.

Sunlight

The sun is a source of life and health. Its rays provide the energy, light, and heat that plants and animals on earth need