Today I begin a new series on, "How To Have A Happy Home".   Sadly to many of  our homes  are unhappy  and full of  conflict and strife. First, let me give you a brief  overview of the  things we will be  discussing in the  coming days.  A  happy home  possess many  things  but,  I will focus  on four  truths  found in  Ephesians chapter five and six.  A Happy Home has Leadership,  Involvement,  Security, and Relationships.  Lets begin with Leadership In The Home.  I have four  thoughts on this topic and I will present two of them in this section of Marital Moments and the additional  two in  the next  installment.    (1) Successful Leadership Follows God's Command.  Ephesians 5: 22-23  gives  us  this  important  truth.  There  the  Bible states,  "wives submit yourselves unto the your own husbands,  as  unto the  Lord. For  the husband  is the head  of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and  He is the Saviour  of the body".  I know  that this passage is  hated by secular minded  people today but, it is however, the  Word of God and  therefore still valid for  marriages of all  generations.  God instituted the home and  He knows the best and most productive way for it to operate.  God has ordained that the husband lead the  home.  This  in  no  way  implies  that  the  man  is  morally,  spiritually, or in-tellectually  superior  to  his  wife.  In fact  she may  far exceed him  in these areas. However,  she is to  submit to his leadership.  The Greek word translated "submit" means to  "rank in order".  The Greeks  used it as a  military term  to describe  the ranking  of men  in the service.   They knew that someone must lead the army and others must  follow if the military was to function properly.  Likewise,  if the home is  to function  properly,  it must  have  leadership  and  others in  the  home  must submit to  that  leadership. God plainly  stated  that the  husband  is to be  the head and the  wife is to submit  to his leadership. He is to provide direction,  instructions when  needed, and  guidance to the family.  Sadly, to many men have defaulted on this  important  responsibility.   They  refuse to  lead  the  home  because  they are to  busy,  to involved  in sports  activities,  to glued  to the television,  or  to lazy to accomplish this great task. If the husband doesn't lead then the wife must fulfill this necessary obligation.  When that takes place your home is not  functioning the way God  ordained it.  The  wife must  knowingly and  intentionally submit  to her hus-band.  Notice,  she is not to submit to  every man.  She is not  to be  treated  like a servant  but,  rather  like an equal  partner  in  the  martial relationship.  She  is not required  to obey  like a  child.  She is not  to be ordered  around  for the husbands wishes and demands.  The wife's  responsibility before God is to lovingly submit to her husband  as unto  the Lord.  The test  of her submission  will  come when  she disagrees with her husband's leadership.  Of course  you must never submit when-ever your husband is leading you to  do anything that is displeasing to  God or  that will cause  you to sin.  Your greatest  responsibility  is to live in  obedience to God. (2) Successful Leadership  Operates On The Principal Of Love.   The husband has the  greatest  responsibility in this relationship.   The Bible states in Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands,  love your wives,  even as  Christ  also  loved  the  Church,  and  gave himself for it".  The husband  must  provide  loving servant leadership.  The  word "love"  in the text is the highest  expression of love in the Bible.  It is that sacrificial love.  Love that  thinks not of itself,  but is focused on the wife.  It  reaches out  to her.  It lives for her.  Leadership without love is  a cold tyrant,  a cruel taskmaster. Leadership  without  love  complains,  criticizes,  compares,   and  conquers.   The husband  is to love  his wife as  Christ  loved  the  Church.  How much  did  Christ love  the  Church?   He  loved  the  Church  enough  to  die  for  her.  Christ  gave himself   for the Church.  He  sacrificed  for  her.  He is preparing  a place  for  the Church.  He longs  to be  with her.  He thinks about her all the time.  He wants the best  for her.  Christ  doesn't  fail  in  his  responsibilities.  He doesn't  abandon the Church.  He  doesn't  mistreat her.  Husband,  when you  love your  wife  the way Christ  loves the Church  she  will have  little  trouble  submitting  to  that  kind  of loving servant  leadership.  This kind of love  calls for your dedicated involvement. You  cannot afford to  fail in this  important task.  The success  or  failure  of your home  depends  on the  leadership  you  give your  family.  Make certain  that it  is loving  leadership.  That is the  only kind  of leadership  that will meet the needs of the  family.

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