BLIND TO OUR SIN

The following is a true story (though the details tend to vary slightly according to which source you use.)

Back in 1893, there was a group of four sisters in Iowa. They called themselves the Cherry Sisters and made their stage debut in Cedar Rapids in a skit they wrote themselves.  It was terrible.  But, for three years, the Cherry Sisters performed to packed theatres throughout the Midwest.  People came to see them, to find out if they were as bad as they had heard!  Their unbelievably atrocious acting… Continue reading →

On Loan

God is speaking to us in so many different ways, especially through our Daily Scripture Reading Feast, but also in Sermons and Songs and in so many other ways as well, and He is always calling us to step up higher, to get closer and into a much deeper relationship with him.  We so often hear said, and say things like this ourselves, “I am in Control,” but let us consider this verse.  1 Corinthians 6:20 “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”… Continue reading →

Your Sincerity?

Quote; “Of every soul the Lord demands service. Those to whom the living oracles have been opened, who see the truth, and yield themselves body, soul, and spirit to God will understand the words of the Saviour, “Go work today in my vineyard” (Matthew 21:28), to be a requirement, but not a compulsory one. God’s will is made known in His Word, and those who believe in Christ will act out their belief. They will be doers of the Word. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22. … Continue reading →

Heaven Here

Quote; “Never treat those with whom you work as unfaithful unless you have unmistakable evidence that they are unfaithful. And even when a worker’s unfaithfulness is clearly proved, you are not to deal with him in a manner that will give him excuse for saying, “You were harsh.” You are to do nothing that will provoke the erring to anger. Do not bear down on believers or unbelievers in a way that arouses the worst feelings of the heart. Do not make charges that may be cruelly unjust. By such a course, you may drive souls to… Continue reading →

Getting Rid of Sin

Quote; “For a Babylonish robe and a paltry treasure of gold and silver, Achan consented to sell himself to evil, to bring upon his soul the curse of God, to forfeit his title to a rich possession in Canaan, and lose all prospect of the future, immortal inheritance in the earth made new. So great had been his hardihood and persistence, that even at the last Joshua feared he would assert his innocence, and thus enlist the sympathy of the congregation and lead them to dishonour God. He would not have confessed, had he not hoped… Continue reading →

Sentinels

Quote; “The apostle sought to teach the believers how important it is to keep the mind from wandering to forbidden themes, or from spending its energies on trifling subjects. Those who would not fall a prey to Satan’s devices, must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts. The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest. The heart must be faithfully sentineled, or evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander… Continue reading →

Heat

It has been oft been said, “If you cannot stand the Heat, then get out of the Kitchen.”  Quote; “The minister of the gospel is never exhorted to strive to be a smart preacher, a popular speaker, but is commanded to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:15-16). Will every messenger of God give heed to these words? We are laborers together with God, and if those who… Continue reading →

Eraser

If you sat down one day, and went through your daily Diary, or Journal entries, and with a great big Eraser, started to rub-out all the bad things recorded there, how long before there would be just a book full of “Blank Pages” or just a few tiny bit of text of what you did right or overcame, here or there?  In your life, what would happen if you made no more “Bad Decisions” and that from now on, all that you ever did was kind, and good and uplifting?  What would your life look like, and… Continue reading →

The Branch

There in the Garden it grew, the Pear Tree, it was already a Double Graft, as there were already two varieties of Pears on the one tree, but the gardener desired something else, so in late winter, “The Branch” was snipped off the Williams bon Chretien, and taken over to the Pear tree.  A sharp knife cut a deep vee into the trunk, and then the branch was trimmed to size, and then pressed firmly into the space, and then well bound and taped into place with Grafting Tape, and then the gardener left it to grow,… Continue reading →

Development and Service

Quote; “Christian life is more than many take it to be. It does not consist wholly in gentleness, patience, meekness, and kindliness. These graces are essential; but there is need also of courage, force, energy, and perseverance. The path that Christ marks out is a narrow, self-denying path. To enter that path and press on through difficulties and discouragements requires men who are more than weaklings.  Men of stamina are wanted, men who will not wait to have their way smoothed and every obstacle removed, men who will inspire with fresh zeal the flagging efforts… Continue reading →