Going Too Fast
A number of years ago, a Navy jet fighter plane shot itself down over the deserts of Nevada while testing a new cannon mounted on its wing. The plane was flying at supersonic speeds, but the cannon shells were subsonic. What happened was crucial. The fighter actually ran into the shells it had fired seconds before. The jet was traveling too fast.
Sometimes we travel too fast for our own spiritual good. God speaks and we are going too fast to hear Him.
Don’t be guilty of traveling so fast with your life that you run past the sound of the Word of God. Be in the center of His will.
See Only Christ
You are familiar, no doubt, with one of the most famous paintings ever done by any artist: The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, that classic portrayal of Christ and the twelve apostles at the table.
Many students of art history believe that the painting, when first created, was somewhat different from the version which we now see. There was initially, it is believed, an exquisite lace border on the tablecloth. When, immediately upon completion, da Vinci invited a group of art students to view his masterpiece, they were immensely impressed by the delicate design of that lacework. They studied it intensely and praised it highly.
Upon seeing the reaction of these young men, the artist took up a brush, dipped it, and made a few long strokes across the canvas, obliterating the lace. Then, with uncontrollable feeling, he shouted, “Now, you fools, look at the face of Christ!”
The Mind Has No Garbage Disposal
In describing one of the new movies of the day, a critic wrote, “The plot moves rapidly down the sewer.” It would not be so damaging to those who watch such trash if the mind could be equipped, like your kitchen sink, with a garbage disposal. Then you could flush away all the filth and be done with it, but the mind does not work that way. It stores up impressions for a lifetime. The only way to protect the mind is to expose it to only the best!
The Burning Torch
Among ancient Greeks the runner who won the race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time, but the man who crossed it in the least time with his torch still burning.
We are so often so busy with life’s activities that we are in danger of allowing the torch of our spiritual life to become extinguished.
A good woman once said that in the rush and hurry of her life she felt in danger of being “jostled out of her spirituality.” There is a real danger of being too busy to be good, of running too fast to keep our torch burning.
Tracing Character to Its Source
During a thunder storm that contained high winds, a giant oak tree was blown down. The tree was thought to be in perfect health; that is, from outward appearance it seemed to be in good health since it was almost perfectly shaped and full of green leaves. However, the massive tree could not withstand the stress of the high wind because of deterioration on the inside. What started as a tiny corruption at the center of the tree had spread until that tremendous tree was so weakened that it was toppled by the wind.
One may reach a point where he forsakes God altogether. It is because he (like the tree) has decayed on the inside. Perhaps the deterioration started with a little lie or one small drink of beer or forsaking the assembly to go fishing or camping. Long before our feet carry us where we ought not go, and our hands do what they ought not do, the desire is in our hearts (Psa_119:9-11). With pure hearts we will be able to stand the stress of temptation and the stress of everyday living.
Extremes
Many times we are caught in the trap of running to extremes. God’s will has been revealed and needs to be understood the way God intended it to be.
The Pharisees had this problem. They even had everyday life defined to the point where it was hard for a person to live. On the Sabbath day, they had problems with different concepts such as “work.” On the Sabbath you were to cease from work, and the Pharisees decided to define what God intended by this. Here are a few examples:
You could not turn over in bed more than seven times or that was considered work.
If you wanted to borrow something from your neighbor, you could not put your hand through the threshold of the door to receive it, nor could the neighbor do that. This would be considered work. If you both met halfway, it was not considered work.
Jesus said in Mat_15:6, speaking to the Pharisees, “…And thus you invalidated the Word of God for the sake of your tradition.” For the sake of their definitions which they had made law, their extremes, they made void the Word of God. We laugh at the Pharisees and wonder how they could have been so ignorant. But if Jesus were here physically today, what would He say of us? Let us not run to extremes; let us seek what God intended and do it. Either extreme of a truth is no longer truth.
Nine Mistakes to Avoid
Remorse over yesterday’s failure.
Anxiety over today’s problems.
Worry over tomorrow’s uncertainty.
Procrastination with one’s present duty.
Resentment of another’s success.
Criticism of a neighbor’s imperfections.
Impatience with youth’s imperfection.
Skepticism of our nation’s future.
Unbelief in God’s providence.
Committed, Now Complacent
There is a tiny harbor town on the ocean shore where many ships have crashed on the rocks in violent weather. This town became well-known because of a dedicated rescue team which aided mariners in distress. The rescue team would rally to the sound of the siren and rush to the scene of the accident, risking life and limb to save the sailors from drowning. As time went on, the citizens of that tiny town raised enough money to build a rescue station close to the shore. While this greatly facilitated the operation, it softened the dedicated team as well. As time went by they added some of the comforts and conveniences that other rescue stations had. Through the years the rescue station became a social club where the town’s people gathered to have fun and relax. Ships would still crash upon the rocks, the alarm would still sound, but eventually no one responded. They were reluctant to leave their comforts because their commitment to rescue the miserable mariners was no match for their complacency.
A Successful Shock Treatment
A young military officer was traveling by train from Newark to New York City. He constantly introduced profane language into his conversation as he conversed with another passenger beside him. His profanity greatly annoyed a young lady who sat not far away.
At last, unable to tolerate his language further, the offended passenger leaned over and inquired politely, “Sir, can you converse in a foreign language?” “Yes,” was his reply in a slightly surprised manner, “Then,” she continued, “if you wish to swear anymore, you would greatly oblige me-and, no doubt, the rest of the passengers-if you would swear in another tongue.”
Astonished at her suggestion as well at her audacity, the young officer was speechless momentarily. However, he finally resumed his conversation; he did not swear again-neither in a “foreign language” nor in English.
Decision Without Procrastination
During the early days of the ministry of Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist launched a series of meetings in Chicago with promise of the largest crowds that he had ever addressed up to that time. He was speaking of the life of Christ, and on the first Sunday night, October 8, 1871, he took as his topic the trial before Pilate. As he came to the end of his message, he turned to Mat_27:22, “What shall I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?” He concluded, “I wish you would take this text home with you and turn it over in your minds during the week, and next Sabbath we will come to Calvary and the cross, and we will decide what to do with Jesus of Nazareth.”
It may have been an artistic device. But speaking of it in later years, Moody called that conclusion to his morning’s address the greatest mistake of his life. Even while Mr. Sankey was singing the final hymn:
Today the Savior calls;
For refuge fly;
The storm of justice falls,
And death is nigh-
the fire engines began to sound on the street on their way to their first contact with the great Chicago fire in which Moody’s hall was laid in ashes, and in which it is estimated that over a thousand persons lost their lives. Moody never saw that congregation again, and some of those to whom he spoke on that night doubtlessly died.
Is the Church a Zoo?
Some church members are as stubborn as a Missouri mule about doing church work, but as sly as a fox in their own business deals; as busy as a bee in spreading the latest gossip, but as quiet as a mouse in spreading the gospel of Christ. Many are as blind as a bat to see the needs of others, but have eyes of a hawk to see the faults of a few. Some are as eager as a beaver about a barbecue, but as lazy as a dog about the prayer meetings. Some will roar like a lion when things do not go just to suit them, but they are as gentle as a lamb when they need the preacher of the church. Some are as noisy as a blue jay when calling on the church for advice, but as timid as a kitten about talking to the lost and as slow as a snail about visiting absentees and shut-ins. Many are night owls on Saturday nights, but “bed bugs” Sunday mornings and as scarce as hen’s teeth on Wednesday nights.
Whose Fault Is It?
A preacher and an atheist barber were once walking through the city slums. Said the atheist barber to the preacher: “This is why I cannot believe in a God of love. If God was as kind as you say, He would not permit all this poverty, disease, and squalor. He would not allow these poor bums to be addicted to dope and other character-destroying habits. No, I cannot believe in a God who permits these things.”
The minister was silent until they met a man who was especially unkempt and filthy. His hair was hanging down his neck and he had a half-inch of stubble on his face. Said the minister, “You cannot be a very good barber or you would not permit a man like that to continue living in this neighborhood without a haircut or a shave.”
Indignantly the barber answered: “Why blame me for that man’s condition. I cannot help it that he is like that. He has never come in my shop; I could fix him up and make him look like a gentleman!”
Giving the barber a penetrating look, the minister said: “Then do not blame God for allowing these people to continue in their evil ways, when He is constantly inviting them to come and be saved. The reason these people are slaves to sin and evil habits is that they refuse the One who died to save and deliver them.”
How Much of the Gospels Is Occupied by the Death of Christ?
Nearly one-third of the four Gospels is devoted to accounts of the death of Christ, the incidents leading up to it and following it. A writer has reminded us that the other two-thirds of the four Gospels are given up to a preparation for the account of Christ’s death.
If the men who gave us the record of Jesus’ life thought His death was an event of such importance as to justify giving it so large a portion of their attention, is it not possible that we have erred in understanding the comparative importance of the cross?
Simplicity of Living
During the Revolutionary War in America, a few British officers, the bearers of a flag of truce, were invited by the general of the Insurgents to stop and dine with him. As a result of this courtesy, they were ushered into a tent where an officer was roasting some potatoes on a camp stove. Expecting an elaborate table, the British officers were astonished when the officer preparing the meal wiped away the ashes from the potatoes, and placed them on the table as the dinner for the general and his company.
When the British officers returned to their own camp, they contrasted the American soldiers’ fare with their own expensive fare. They justifiably reflected on the difficulty of their self-indulgent habits and their need of contentment under all circumstances.
The Blind Man and the Lantern
A blind man was discovered sitting at the corner of a city street with a lantern beside him. When he was asked why the lantern was there since light and darkness were the same to him, he replied, “I have it so that no one may stumble over me.”
What a message for Christians who have the light!
Word Camouflage
The footnote in the New International Version at 2Ki_18:4 is most interesting. When Hezekiah found the children of Israel worshiping the brazen serpent made by Moses in the wilderness, he destroyed it. Hezekiah called the serpent “Nehushtan.” The footnote explains the meaning of the word as “a serpent made of brass.”
We wonder how such an idol could have existed for so long. It would seem that it would have been destroyed in one of the reformation movements of one of the judges or kings. In my opinion, it lasted so long because it apparently was not recognized as an idol. Perhaps the children of Israel justified the worship by not calling it an idol. Hezekiah, however, came and called it what it really was-a brass image of a snake.
How often we justify sin by either ignoring it or calling it a different name! Some call adultery “a meaningful relationship.” We excuse covetousness by calling it “prudence” or “economy.” A life of sensual pleasure is “living with gusto.”
In answer to a critic, Abraham Lincoln asked, “How many legs does a cow have?” “Four,” was the reply. “If you call her tail a leg, how many does she have?” “Five,” was the answer. “No,” Lincoln said, “just calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg.”
Have we made a similar mistake? Do we think that sin is not sin just because we do not call it by the right name?
It Only Takes a Minute
Charles Dickens once wrote: “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” It only takes a minute to begin reflecting on our present blessings: the gift of life itself, the warmth of friendships, the riches of good health, the power of love, the glory of a sunrise, the privilege of prayer, the joys of music, the satisfactions of work, the treasures of books, the beauty of art, the miracle of spring, and the grace of God. Be more grateful and you will become more joyful!
Lincoln Speaks
Abraham Lincoln spoke about the legacy the people of his time were leaving, and he clearly is speaking to us today as well.
“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in number, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown.
“But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these things were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.
“Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.”
Saints in Wrong Places
The sins committed by ancient Israel were recorded “for our admonition” (1Co_10:6, 1Co_10:11) that we might not make the same mistakes. Many great men have failed God because they were found in the wrong places. In the form of a question, we introduce several of the “wrong places” where some great servants of God failed.
Are you on the slippery path of DISHONESTY, as was Abraham when he went down to Egypt (see Gen_12:10-20)? Since his wife, Sarah, was such a beautiful woman, Abraham feared that the Egyptians might kill him in order to have her. To prevent this, Abraham deceived them by telling them she was his sister. It was only a “half-truth” for Sarah was Abraham’s half-sister (Gen_20:12). We have a modern name for what Abraham did: “situation ethics,” the philosophy which says that one’s ethics are determined by the situation in which he finds himself. According to this concept, there is no absolute standard of morality, no objective basis for conduct. Thus, one may lie, cheat, commit immorality, etc., if the situation “calls for it.” However, God has always abhorred the practice of dishonesty (Deu_25:13-16), no matter who was involved. Christians are to “provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Rom_12:17).
Are you giving way to IMPURITY as did David when he walked upon the housetop (2 Sam. 11, 12)? David yielded to his lower and baser instincts when he saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing. The immorality led to further sin-murder! It all began when David was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Christian, whose mind should be on things above (Col_3:2), would do well to avoid people, places and literature which tempt him to yield to unholy passions.
Are you sitting under the juniper tree of DISCOURAGEMENT as did Elijah (1 Kings 19:1-18)? Elijah’s great victory at Mt. Carmel was followed by despondency when he learned that Jezebel was out to kill him. He sat down under a juniper tree and prayed that God would let him die. Despondency frequently comes after a mountain-top experience, doesn’t it? When it happens we want to crawl under our “juniper tree” and let the rest of the world pass us by. Remember, God is still on His throne and rules the world (cf. Psa_42:5).
Are you sailing on the ship of DISOBEDIENCE as did Jonah when he fled to Tarshish (Jonah 1:1-17)? Jonah’s prejudice prompted him to disobey God when he was told to preach in Nineveh. Is it possible that you are “on the way to Tarshish” when you should be “on the way to Nineveh?” Did you obey the Lord in becoming a Christian, but you have now boarded the ship of disobedience and are fleeing away from your Redeemer?
Saints in the wrong places! Maybe we can learn something from them and avoid their mistakes.
The Door That Goes Nowhere
Have you ever been caught in a revolving door? It just keeps on going around and you cannot get out. Some people are like that, they have no direction as to where they are going. You may ask someone, “Where are you going?” The person will answer, “I don’t know.” Then how will you know when you get there? Besides its common use as the entrance to a house or building, this word is used metaphorically as the entrance to anything. Jesus said that He is the door, the entrance, into the kingdom (Joh_10:7-9). The door of faith is the opportunity of belief offered to the Gentiles in Act_14:27. Elsewhere it means opportunity.
Paul refers to a great door opening to him in 2Co_2:13. Rev_4:1 says, “I looked and a door was opened.” Do we have the ability to see the open doors, and if so, do we go in and avail ourselves of the opportunities that await us? Jude talks about people who have no direction, driven about by winds first one way then another. This accomplishes nothing. Ephesians 4 speaks of being carried about by every wind, again depicting no direction.
Some brethren show no more direction after being a Christian for thirty or forty years than they did when they first obeyed. This is the door that goes nowhere. They have gone through the door but stopped, so in essence it has taken them nowhere. Paul relates to this when he says, “By reason of time you ought to be teachers, you have that need that someone teach you again what be the first principles” (Heb_5:12).
Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will (Mat_10:29 RSV).
We worry too much. We follow the example of our earthly father Adam when he confessed to God, “I was afraid…and hid” (Gen_3:10). We have become a fearful people, even though most of our fears are often unfounded or just plain silly, because we do not have our eyes on the sparrow.
One of the renderings for the term sparrow in Hebrew referred to small birds, and in Matthew the word probably refers to a small house sparrow. The birds were well known in Syria; they were small, tame and found everywhere. Because of their great number they were sold cheaply; five would go for one and one-half cents. The idea is that if God cares for something so inexpensive and small, then certainly He will care for and protect us!
Jesus always gives us the assurance, “I am with you always” (Mat_28:20). Yet we continue to be afraid: Nuclear war, loss of health, serious accident, job loss, and a thousand other things.
The lesson of 1Jo_4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,” should teach us something: that either we do not love God as we should, or we do not believe Him when He says that He loves us. Think about the following:
“Worry comes through human interference with the divine plan.”
“You cannot change the past, but you ruin a perfectly good present by worrying about the future.”
“Why worry when you can pray?”
“Worry is interest paid on trouble before it is due.”
The story is told of the ship that was trapped in a severe storm at sea. All were preparing to abandon ship, all except one young lady who was playing with her dolls. When asked if she were not afraid, she calmly replied, “No, because my father is the captain.”
When the storms of life seem to trap us, let us learn to keep our eyes upon the sparrow and to say, “I am not afraid because the Captain is my Father!”
Forward through Goals
A person without goals in his life is like a ship without maps and a compass. He will drift aimlessly from day to day hoping to arrive at the nebulus port of “somewhere.” His voyage though life will be left to chance. Without goals life is uninteresting and without challenge. Goals are decisions to action. Goals are maps which give the routes to distant ports in life. Goals help a person know where he is going and how he is going to get there. A goal is more than a dream; it is a dream being acted upon. It is more than an “Oh, I wish I could.” A goal is a clear statement of “This is what I am going to do.” Goals are not fanciful doubts; they are declarations of faith.
14 Reasons for Setting Goals
Do you have a list of goals that you are working on at this moment? If you do, congratulations, because it places you in a small group of achievers. If you do not have goals for your life, let me share some basic reasons why you need to set goals.
Goals will give your life purpose. They help you to specifically know where you are going. They provide a clear target for your life.
Goals will help you develop a plan of action for reaching your goals.
Goals are exciting because they keep you active. Work is a sure way to success and happiness.
Goals are biblical. Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phi_3:14).
Goals produce results. They are not just exercises in futilities.
Goals help keep you young and interested in life. There is hope and expectation in the future.
When you work on your goals you help to encourage others to do the same.
Good goals help you know where you are at each month. You have planned your journey in life. You have a map to check each action by.
When you set meaningful goals you are following the pattern of all great leaders who have gone before. They work.
Goals are essential if you are going to accomplish things in life. Whether on the job, in the home, or in the church, goals are vital to success.
Goals get us involved in the present. The steps to accomplishment must be taken today.
Goals provide a procedure for doing things decently and in order. It eliminates the “hit-and-miss” approach to life.
Goals provide a framework for evaluating our progress.
Nothing will happen until you set some goals for your life. This is the major advantage of failure: you do not have to do anything to achieve it.
Belief in Action
The world is full of nominal Christians-but how many are Christians in deed? The Bible makes it clear that mere belief is not enough.
A United States Senator recently quoted a very moving, yet indicting poem, “Listen Christian!” (by Bob Rowland), which reads as follows:
I was hungry,
and you formed a humanities club
and discussed my hunger.
Thank you.
I was imprisoned
and you crept off quietly
to your chapel in the cellar
and prayed for my release.
I was naked
and in your mind
you debated the morality of
my appearance.
I was sick
and you knelt
and thanked God
for your health.
I was homeless
and you preached to me
about the spiritual shelter
of the love of God.
I was lonely
and you left me alone
to pray for me.
Christian,
you seem so holy;
so close to God.
But I am still very hungry,
and lonely,
and cold…
This poignant poem is an obvious modification of the words of Jesus Himself as recorded in Mat_25:35-36: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.”
Building a Noble Character
In a great cathedral in Europe, there is a window made by an apprentice out of the bits of stained glass that were thrown away as worthless refuse when the other windows were made; this is the most beautiful window of all. You can build a noble character for yourself, in spite of all the hurts and injuries done consciously or unconsciously by others, with the fragments of the broken hopes, joys and the lost opportunities that lie strewn about your feet. No matter how badly others have hurt and marred you, they cannot prevent you from building a beautiful character for yourself; conversely, others by their best work cannot cause you to build a beautiful character. The fine character of your father or mother is not yours; you’ve got to build your own.
Christian Liberty
As in the natural body, so in the mystical body of Christ, the Church, a large measure of liberty is granted to each member. But this liberty may not pass the bounds by which another member would be injured or suffer loss. My liberty to stretch out my arms depends on how close I am to the other fellow. As Paul says in Gal_5:13, “For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Fruit Needs Light
Some time ago we noticed that a tree planted at the sunny end of a house had large and beautiful blossoms. It was a feast to the eyes; but what an amazing difference in some of the branches trained round the corner of the house where they got much less sun. The blossoms were starved and drooping, and there was little promise of fruit. They had the same root and stem in common, but while one part of the tree was in the full glorious light, the other branches were in the shade.
Our character is affected in the same way by insufficient enlightenment. The dark places produce unfruitful branches: strange weaknesses, distortions, immaturities, indirection, failures in practical life and conduct. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal_5:22-23). If we are to bear all manner of precious fruit, each in its rightful season, we must trustfully and joyfully lay open our whole soul to the full expanse of God’s light shining in the face of Jesus Christ.
No Spiritual Blind Spot
Cricketers talk a great deal about visual imperfection, for sooner or later the bowler finds the blind spot, the batsman misjudges the ball, and his sport comes to an end. The devil plays for the blind spot, and if there is such a defect in our spiritual vision, sooner or later it gets us into trouble. The blind spot in the natural eye is a necessary, unavoidable, physiological defect of which the brightest and most skillful athlete cannot rid himself. However, morally and religiously no part of our nature need be dark, and we may successfully defend ourselves in every assault. If for any subtle, selfish reason we harbor some bias of the mind, some prejudice that warps the judgment, some neglect of charity, some inertia that obstructs conviction, some deviation of aim, some deflection in action, we lay ourselves open to grievous losses and sorrows. “But if we walk in the light, as he [God] is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1Jo_1:7). If we don’t have fellowship with other believers, there is a dark spot in our spiritual vision. But the Christian whose heart is full of light enjoys the company of those of like precious faith, “and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” It is our privilege to walk in the full light, to have our whole soul instructed and illuminated.
Faithful in This World
The student in the lower grades who is always idly dreaming of the time when he will be a senior, and thus neglects his present studies, will never be prepared to take his place with any distinction in his senior year. If we scholars in the larger school of life are so fascinated by revelations of the unseen world that we lose interest in the present one, we will never be prepared for its highest enjoyment.
A Good Reason for Politeness
“My boy,” said a father to his son, “treat everybody with politeness, even those who are rude to you; remember, you show courtesy to others, not because they are gentlemen, but because you are one.”
Perils of Conscience
It is essential that we should exercise conscience, but let us not forget that in this matter, as in all others, privilege is linked with responsibility. Of course, we may attribute unworthy motives to authoritarian churches that proclaim the right to dictate to the individual what is right and what is wrong. We may say, as many have said, that they adopt this standpoint for their own ends to acquire power and control. But that is not a satisfactory explanation, and it is an unworthy charge. Their action is generally based on the danger of individual judgment and the peril of the individual conscience, because this privilege that we all claim does have it perils. It is so perilous, indeed, that while we pay lip service to its sanctity and sacredness, we are compelled to curtail its freedom. There is no community that can or dare base its life upon the freedom of each individual’s conscience. It would result in chaos. Jesus Christ allows us a certain freedom. Freedom is the basis of joy, but if it oversteps the bounds of moral responsibility it is too perilous.
Conscience Must Be Tested
Not every coin that bears the exact stamp is a genuine coin. Very often, the counterfeit, the base and worthless coin, bears the right stamp also. It isn’t the impression that matters so much as the nature of the metal. Many an action that bears the impression of a good conscience is condemned before God as perilous, injurious, and destructive in its issues. The coin must be tested on the touchstone to discover if it rings true. Conscience must be tested on the touchstone of Christian principle and the Spirit of the Master. It is not enough to say, “It seems right to me.” We must ask how does this action, this line of conduct, ring on the touchstone of Christian principle? Not what we think but what Christ thinks, what the Master thinks, matters most.
Conscience Like a Pet Dog
Speaking of conscience, E. L. Allen said, “Honestly, what use do we make of our God-given reason? I know what use I make of it. I use it chiefly to provide reasons for what I want to do without admitting it is for pursuing some personal ambition. A man may have his conscience so well disciplined and trained that, instead of blazing a trail before him, it is like a pet dog which just trots obediently at his heels and never so much as barks! ‘If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!’ “
Shut the Door
A man went inside a telephone booth and dialed the number of a friend. When the connection was made, the friend kept saying, “I can’t hear you; speak louder; I can’t hear you.” All he cold hear was the roar of traffic in the background. “Shut the door so I can hear,” he said to the caller. In order to hear God’s voice speaking to you, you’ve got to shut the door to the outside world so that its enticements won’t distract you. Doing this could change your whole life. Then when you go back into the crowd, you’ll not only be able to listen to what the world has to say, but you’ll have something to say to the world that you’ve personally heard from God.
The Right to Pursue
Someone cursed Benjamin Franklin, charging that the Constitution of the United States was a farce. “Where is all the success that it guarantees us?” he sneered. Franklin, smiling, answered, “My friend, the Constitution guarantees only the right to the pursuit of happiness.” Psa_34:14 tells us to not only seek peace but pursue it.
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