of thine house: thy children like olive
plants round about thy table." Psa. 128:2, 3. This picture is set in a
beautiful frame, found in the preceding verse and the one following,
"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways."
Ver. 1. "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the
Lord." Ver. 4. The picture of a happy Christian man, a loving wife,
devoted children, embossed with the blessings and glory of God, is one of
greatest admiration.

Chapter XIV. Evil Habits And Injurious Indulgences.

The Word of the Lord may not denominate in plain terms every particular
sin and evil practise man may engage in; however there are general terms
and principles of righteousness that prohibit and condemn every possible
sinful act man may perform. The words card-parties, picnics, fairs, shows
and theaters are not found in the writings of the apostles; however
indulgence in these is "revelry," "living in pleasure," "rioting" and
worldliness, of which the Scriptures say the participants do not love God
and can never enter heaven. Also the terms "whisky," "alcohol," "opium,"
"morphine," "tobacco," "tea," and "coffee," "secret vice," etc., are not
made use of by the New Testament writers. They are included, however, in
the general term "lust of the flesh." To make mention of all the things
that may be done as a lust of the flesh would make a lengthy catalogue
indeed. Anything, no matter what it may be, if done to satisfy the lust of
the flesh is very damaging to spiritual life.

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." 1 Pet. 2:11. "This I say then,
walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and
these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye can not do the things
that ye would." Gal. 5:16, 17. "For if ye live after the flesh ye shall
die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye
shall live." Rom. 8:13.

By these tests we plainly understand the "flesh" to be antagonistical to
the Spirit. God has created us with a fleshly nature, or made us a fleshly
being. He has also created things for the sustenance of this fleshly life.
He has created food and drink for man's use. A proper use of these is not
a lust of the flesh. An improper use may be considered lust. Our eating
and drinking should b