Striving About Words

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

". . . doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings."   1 Timothy  6:4

     We at the Radio Bible Class receive hundreds of letters from "hair-splitters."  We never hear a word from them until they have some criticism to offer or fault to find.  Many of these letters are not deserving of an answer, for they are written in a bitter, condemnatory spirit and are only designed to draw us into an argument by mail on some insignificant, unimportant matter of personal mail which is to no profit.  We try to conscientiously and sincerely help all who write us for advice, counsel, and comfort; we will not, however, be drawn into prolonged arguments over non-essentials with all the cranks who write to us.

     It is said that the ancient philosophers spent days and weeks arguing about the question:  "How many angels can dance on the point of a needle at one and the same time"  Indeed, one fool can ask more questions than ten wise men can answer!

     The Bible warns us against wasting our time over things like that.  Paul charges Timothy "that they strive not about words, to no profit"  (2 Timothy 2:14).  To Titus he writes,  "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain"  (Titus  3:9). Again in 2 Timothy 2:23 we read,  "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes."  We are to "shun profane and vain babblings"  (2 Timothy 2:16).  Don't waste your time arguing when you ought to be working.  Be practical, if a thing produces fruit - the rest is unimportant.

Two professors were arguing the grammatical correctness of saying "The hen was sitting - or the hen was setting."  Unable to agree, they asked Farmer Jones, who replied,  "The question of sitting and setting I cannot answer, nor do I care.  What I want to know is - when the hen cackles, is she laying or lying!"

"Bread For Each Day"

WHEN SOME BASIC NEED IS LACKING ...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

WHEN SOME BASIC NEED IS LACKING - time, energy, money - consider yourself blessed.  Your very lack is an opportunity to latch onto Me in unashamed dependence.  When you begin a day with inadequate resources, you must concentrate your efforts on the present moment.  This is where you are meant to live - in the present; it is the place where I always await you.  Awareness of your inadequacy is a rich blessing, training you to rely wholeheartedly on Me.

The truth is that self-sufficiency is a myth perpetuated by pride and temporary success.  Health and wealth can disappear instantly, as can life itself.  Rejoice in your insufficiency, knowing that My Power is made perfect in weakness.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

The Tragedy Of "Almost"

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

       "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved."  Jeremiah  8:20

     The harvest in Israel usually was limited to the two months of April and May; later came the "ingathering of summer fruits."  Jeremiah in our text speaks to the people of what will happen when the times of reaping are past and there is no longer opportunity to obtain the Living Bread that nourishes to eternal life.  What a tragedy when the springtime and harvest of life is over and one has not reaped the fruits of grace and obtained the salvation needed to enter heaven's sinless portals.

     Has it ever occurred to you how near a sinner can come to the Lord Jesus Christ and yet pass by the opportunity to receive eternal life?  The Bible contains many a solemn warning to show us that individuals can almost come to the point of being saved, and yet be lost forever.  Think of the rich young ruler, held by the devil in a "grip of gold," or of procrastinating King Agrippa who perished  in his indecision.  Call to mind the thief on the cross who was so near to the Saviour that he could hear Him pray,  "Father, forgive them,"  and who yet went down to hell an unforgiven sinner, when he might have heard the joyous words along with the other malefactor:  "Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise."

     Judas is another illustration of how near a man can come to Christ and yet remain unrepentant.  Christ called him  His "own familiar friend."  For years he moved in the very presence of the Son of God Himself, heard His gracious words, listened to His repeated invitation, and even His last soulful, personal appeal to him at the Passover supper, and yet Judas went out into the "night" of unbelief and everlasting perdition.

     Jesus said,  "Remember Lot's wife!"  Why should we remember her?  Because she was almost saved, but still lost!  She had heard the Word of Life, and she had started to obey it, but she looked back and perished. She is now with those who say:  "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." Lest her fate be yours, accept Christ today!

"Bread For Each Day"

LET ME TEACH YOU THANKFULNESS...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

LET ME TEACH YOU THANKFULNESS.  Begin by acknowledging that everything - all your possessions and all that you are - belongs to Me.  The dawning of each new day is a gift from Me, not to be taken for granted.  The earth is vibrantly alive with My blessings, giving vivid testimony to My Presence.  If you slow down your pace of life, you can find Me anywhere.

Some of My most precious children have been laid aside in sick beds or shut away in prisons.  Others have voluntarily learned the discipline of spending time alone with Me.  The secret of being thankful is learning to see everything from My perspective.  My world is your classroom.  My Word is a lamp to your feet and light for your path.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

Your Brother's Keeper

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

". . . take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak."    1 Corinthians  8:9

     "I don't see any harm in what I am doing, and therefore it is nobody's business but my own!"  Have you ever heard anyone say that - or probably said it yourself  You indulge some habit which you feel is harmless in itself, but forget what effect it may have on someone else.  A man was entertaining some children by lighting a match and then, by placing the burning end in his mouth, extinguishing it.  The father of one of the children saw it and said,  "I wish you would not do that ;it is dangerous."  The man replied,  "I am not hurting myself."  The reply was quick.  "But it may hurt someone else."  Then he pointed at his little son with a dressing on his upper lip.  He said,  "Yesterday my little Jimmie saw you do this trick and he thought it was all right for him to try it.  See the result?  He not only burned his lip but set fire to the tablecloth, and we barely kept the flames from spreading.  You may not hurt yourself, but you have caused someone else to get hurt by your example."

     Sometimes Christians are equally thoughtless.  "Do thyself no harm," was Paul's wise word to the jailor (Acts  16:28), and it was good advice;  but Romans  13:10 says,  "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor."  The believer should consider others before himself.  The question should be:  What effect has my liberty upon my neighbor?  The believer is to deny himself (Luke  9:23); love his brother (1 John 3:14); look on things of others (Philippians:  2:4); minister to others' needs (Galatians  6:10); sympathize with sorrowing ones (Romans  12:15); prefer others before himself  (Romans  12:10); and above all seek to please the Lord (Hebrews  13:21).

     To deny one's self is quite a different thing than self-denial.  We may deny ourselves some things because they are harmful to us, but to deny one's self is to make the sacrifice because it may harm others!

"Bread For Each Day"

AS YOU LOOK...

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

AS YOU LOOK into the day that stretches out before you, you see many choice-points along the way.  The myriad possibilities these choices present can confuse you.  Draw your mind back to the threshold of this day, where I stand beside you, lovingly preparing you for what is ahead.

You must make your choices one at a time, since each is contingent upon the decision that precedes it. Instead of trying to create a mental map of your path through this day, focus on My loving Presence with you.  I will equip you as you go, so that you can handle whatever comes your way.  Trust Me to supply what you need when you need it.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence"

The Rewards Of Grace

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

". . . the Lord . . . will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:  and then shall every man have praiste of God."  1 Corinthians  4:5

     Among the clippings I have in my scrapbook is one from the pen of Velma B. McConnell, in which she tells the story of a small child with whom she was personally acquainted.  This little one had a deep love for her mother and a constant desire to show her affection.  One day, while the child's mother was visiting a neighbor, little Frances, tired of looking at her story book, spied a linen handkerchief her parent had been embroidering.  She picked it up and laboriously hemmed it.  The mother, returning later with the neighbor, saw the work of her little girl.  As she gazed upon the crude results she beheld not the awkward, uneven stitches, but the deep affection that had prompted her child to "finish" the handkerchief.  Her eyes filled with tears.  To her the work was beautiful.  Says Velma McConnell,  "How often, with hearts filled with love and eagerness to please, we too attempt to do something for our Heavenly Father.  Though our work is bungled or poorly done, yet He sees the heart and the motive behind it."  God who can read our innermost thoughts will reward us for every good motive and each faithful endeavor.

    A converted girl of thirteen lay dying.  A lady visitor asked,  "Are you afraid, my child?"  "oh, no!" she replied:  "but what shall I say to Jesus when I meet Him, for I seem to have never done anything Him.  You see, Mother died when I was eight.  I tried to do as she had done and took care of the four little ones, kept the house tidy, and then - I was too tired to do more!"  Taking the rough little hands into her own, the visitor, with eyes full of tears, said tenderly,  "I would not say anything, dear, but just show Him your hands!"

  Do what you can for Jesus today, no matter how small or insignificant the deed may appear.  You will reap the rewards of grace when "every man shall have praise of God."

"Bread For Each Day"