January 2012

WHY PEOPLE MISS CHURCH

A preacher decided to check up on absentees. This is what he found:  The O. Kasional family said  they would probably be back next month. Mr. and Mrs. Faint Hearted have given up again. The Plez R. Seekers were off on one of their pleasure trips. The Spineless Sisters had someone drop in and just couldn’t leave for Church. The Weather Watchers said it was raining too hard. Mr. and Mrs. T. V. Addict had to see a certain special TV show. Mr. Luke Warm said it’s not necessary to go to Church all the time. Mr. Spaz Motic just didn’t feel like coming. Do you fit in here somewhere, or do you have another excuse?  Wouldn’t it be great if everyone was like Mr. I. M. Faithful who is present for all of the services and helps out wherever he can? -Adapted

THE NEW WAY IS NOT GOD’S WAY

Quite a few years ago Vance Havner wrote: “A new attitude toward separation has sprung up, and a new technique toward questionable things has come in vogue. A gospel is preached in many quarters that is without offense and without effect. A pleasant approach to worldliness tries to produce a new style of Christian who can be both the Lord’s sheep and the devil’s goat.” In other words, there is no separation from the world. But this is not what we read in the Bible. God says, “Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord...”  Jesus also said, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  Then, the Bible says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away: behold all things are become new.” ~II Corinthians 5:17. Watering down the Word of God, making the Gospel of Christ palatable to everyone, preaching the false gospel of Self Esteem, certainly displeases God and does an injustice to sinners who need to be convicted of sin. 

RIGHT OF WAY

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” ~Mark 1:3.  When President Garfield was shot, he was taken to a quiet, isolated house where he could rest in his fight for life. A special railway was to be constructed to facilitate bringing in doctors, nurses, family, etc. The engineers laid it out and it crossed the front yard of one farmer, but he refused to grant right of way. When they explained the purpose of the railroad, he said: “That is different, if it is for the President, you can run it right through my house.” Are you willing to give that kind of right of way to Jesus? Can you truly say, “Not my will but thine be done!”

ARE YOU A WORLDLY CHRISTIAN?

The Christian is not to be like the world. God says, “Love not the world...” Yet the truth is many of God’s people are worldly. Be sure of this, it will cost something if you are worldly:

Worldliness robbed godly Abraham of communion with God when he went down to Egypt.

Worldliness vexed Lot and caused that righteous man to lose all that he had including his family.

Worldliness nearly cost Jehoshaphat his life when he joined affinity with godless Ahab.

Worldliness  cost Demas his service for God, his reward and fellowship with God’s servant.

Worldliness cost David no end of grief  and the loss of some of his own children.

“Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind...” ~Romans 12:2