Month: February 2019

Christian, Do You Harbor Any Of These Unchristian Characteristics?

• A secret spirit of pride or an exalted feeling of yourself in view of your success or position. Taking pride of your good training, appearance or your natural gifts and abilities. Entertain a self-reliant, independent spirit? Prov. 16:18, 20:6; Rom. 12:3; James 4:6-8.

• Love of human praise; a secret fondness and desire to be noticed; love of supremacy; drawing attention to self in conversation, appearance, or conduct; a swelling out of self when you have a specialopen door in public speaking or praying? Jn. 5:44, 12:42-43; I Cor. 13:4.

• The stirrings of anger or impatience at others which you piously call “nervousness” or “holy indignation”; a touchy, sensitive spirit; a disposition to resent and retaliate when disapproved of, corrected, or contradicted; a desire to throw sharp, heated remarks at another; a defensive, vindictive, critical spirit? Psalms 37:8; Eccl. 7:9; Luke 21:19; James 1:19: Rom. 5:3.

• Self-will; a stubborn, unteachable spirit; an arguing, talkative spirit; harsh, sarcastic expressions; an unyielding, headstrong disposition; refusing or grudgingly admiting wrong; a driving, commanding spirit; a disposition to criticize and pick flaws at others when you are set aside and unnoticed; a peevish, fretful spirit; a disposition that loves to be coaxed and humored? Deut. 1:43; Mal. 2:2; James 3:17; II Peter 2:10.

• Carnal fear; a man-fearing spirit; fear of losing worldly, carnal things; a secret fear of speaking for or being associated with Christ and His word; a shrinking from reproach and duty; reasoning around your cross; a shrinking from doing your whole duty to those of wealth or position or poor and needy; a fearfulness that someone will offend and drive some prominate person away; an undue compromising spirit? I Sam. 15:24; Prov. 29:25; Gal. 2:12; I John 4:18.

• A jealous disposition; a secret envy in your heart; an unpleasant sensation in view of the prosperity and success of others; a disposition to speak of the faults and failings rather that the gifts and virtues of those more talented and appreciated than yourself? Gen. 26:12-16; I Sam. 18:8-9; Prov. 6:34,14:30; Mt. 21:15; Rom. 12:9-10.

• A dishonest and deceitful disposition; the evading and covering of the truth; the covering up of your real faults; leaving a better impression of yourself than is strictly true; false humility; exaggeration, straining the truth; blaming others alone while you share the blame? Ps. 15:2-3; Isa. 29:13; Jer. 17:9; Mt. 23:28; Lk. 22:48; Acts 5:2-3; I Tim. 4:2.

• Unbelief; a spirit of discouragement in times of pressure and opposition; lack of quietness and confidence in God; lack of faith and trust in God; a disposition to worry and complain in the midst of pain, poverty, or at the dispensations of divine Providence; an overanxious feeling whether everything will come out all right? Is. 7:9; Lk. 12:28-30; I Cor. 2:14; II Cor. 5:6; Heb. 11:6; I Pet.5:7.

• Formality and deadness; lack of compassion and concern for lost souls; dryness and indifference; lack of zeal and power with God? Mt. 15:14; II Tim. 3:5; Rev. 2:4, 3:1.

• Selfishness; love of ease; love of money; love of your own time; value yourself above others; a secret desire for worldly things and ways? Lk. 12:19-21; I Tim. 6:10-11; Amos 6:1-6.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me…” Psalms 139:23-24

Living in the reality of this blessed hope will mean much to every believer.

The Second Coming of Christ is a Purifying Hope

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3) The same thought is presented in 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, “…waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Coming of our Lord is a Cleansing Hope

In Colossians 3:4-5, we read, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”

The Second Coming of Christ is a Strengthening Hope

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” (Philippians 4:5). We need spiritual fiber for our daily walk with the Lord.

The Blessed Hope is a Patient Hope

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (James 5:7-8)

The Return of Christ is a Love-Giving Hope

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13. How little love there seems to be among Christians! So often there is jealousy, envy, backbiting, and devouring of one another. God grant more love in these last days.

The Coming of the Lord is a Heavenly Hope

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 3:20). This hope helps us to realize we are heaven-bound, and we are not to live for time and for the things of this world, as so many believers are doing today. This world is not our home.

Robert Moffat, the great missionary to Africa, once told this story: He said that a woman came to him after having walker fifteen miles and said that she wished for a New Testament. Mr. Moffat said to her, “My good woman. There is not a copy to be had.

            “What!” exclaimed the woman, “Must I return empty-handed?” “I fear you must,” said Mr. Moffat.

            “Oh,” she said, “I borrowed a copy once, but the owner came and took it away, and now I sit with my family, sorrowful, because we have no Book to talk to us. Now we are far from anyone else. We are living at a cattle outpost with no one to teach us but the Book. Oh, go try to find a Book! Oh my brother, do go and try to find a Book for me! Surely there is one to be found. Do not let me go back empty.”

            Mr. Moffat felt so deeply for her; for she spoke so earnestly, and he said, “Wait a little, and I will see what I can do.” Mr. Moffat searched here and there and at last found a copy and brought it to the good woman. Mr. Moffat, as he told the story, said, “Oh, if you could have seen how here eyes brightened, how she clasped my hands and kissed them over and over again. Away she went with the Book, rejoicing with a heart overflowing with gratitude.

We need a greater love for God’s Word! “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” Proverbs 4:20-22

Christ has no hands to do His work today;

He has not feet but our feet to lead men in His way;

He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how he died;

He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

We are the only Bible the careless world will read;

We are the Sinner’s Gospel, we are the scoffer’s creed;

We are the Lord’s last message, given in deed and word;

What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?

What if our hands are busy with other work than His?

What if our feet are walking where sin’s allurement is?

What is our tongues are speaking of things His lips would spurn?

How can we hope to help Him and hasten his return?

-Annie Johnson Flint