- Proverbs 22:6
Addition Dr. Morris: Perhaps we do not fully appreciate youth until we get old. My only child, my son and his wife, and I, are looking forward to the birth of my first great grandchild. Is it not wonderful still, when in spite of the gay agenda and even liberal churches who are supporting same sex marriage when over 50% of all babies are aborted (4,000 each day of which 1,300 are black babies. We were saddened just yesterday that 300 human beings were killed in an airliner crash, these same liberal politicians and media people are not saddened at all when twenty such airliners crash each day when you consider innocent human beings aborted), when illegal drugs and Satan's forces are the rule, not the exception. God's greatest creation, beginning with a small human being, are still desired and wanted in this world. The sound of babies brings back some sanity to this insane world.
Near my house, in the historic district, Wilmington, NC, there is a children's museum. It is so truly wonderful to hear the sounds of these children at play. I have just finished reading a book involving the Amish community, their emphasis on family, (I say read because as a totally blind veteran, I have a machine that reads books to me. A machine which was promised to me by the VA over 50 years ago which I finally received last year and which has been a great blessing in my life. For those of you who think government is the answer to everything, even the care of your family, you are going to be very disappointed), the lifestyles of the Amish people, so very different from the communities around them. So much to be desired. Their commitment-discipleship is to God, and this is shown in the way they raise their children. They don't care what the world thinks of them. Their faith involves a total relationship with God, compared to most modern religions in which God is a "bellhop," called on when needed. They know, as real Christians know, that Christianity is not for the weak-hard to comprehend, but is difficult for all believers. Our discipleship is not decided by man, Madison Avenue, smart liberal theologians, but by the word of God. Perhaps not the extent of the Amish, Mennonites or even Catholics in monasteries, (I speak of lifestyles-use of modern conveniences-technologies, I speak of dress-diet, shrinking from the sphere of influence of the modern world) I think of taking up the cross which Jesus has given us and running with it.
The Amish are not bothered, their children not ashamed of the lifestyles of their parents and ancestors. This writer was born into a small baptist denomination whose practices and disciplines were very different from modern mainline denominations. Hard work and hard church benches did not bother the saints in our old church. I still remember how ashamed the college aged members of my family, as well as myself, to invite any of our friends to our home because we did not have inside plumbing there or at our church. It did not bother my parents or grandparents at all, nor the other people in our disciplined faith, that we did not yield to the influence by the world, flesh or satan. When will we learn that the citizenship of the Christian is in Heaven, that we are just passing through. We are supposed to be different, much like the Amish or the Catholic nun in her habit, stared at by the unbelievers. In this day of the "Purpose Driven Life", when most church members are more concerned with what man thinks than what God knows, in our "stinking thinking" we need to get a few things straight. God does not need us, we need Him, His healing, forgiveness, redemption. If we love our children, our chief concern should be their salvation. The paltry coins we leave them from our hard work on Earth is nothing compared to their eternal security.
Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:Meditations from the book of Psalms
Pure Scripture!
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A child can crush a serpent's egg!
(Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883)
"It is easier to crush the egg--than to kill the serpent!"
It is prudent to break up all the eggs we can find, before the reptiles are hatched!
Just so, far greater wisdom will be shown in early dealing with a temptation, than in allowing it time to make headway. It is best to correct ourselves early and unhesitatingly to stamp out the first sparks of evil desire, before passion rises to a flame!
A child can crush a serpent's egg--but who will contend with the venomous creature which may be hatched from it, if it is left unbroken?
So is it with that vice which stings like a viper! The first glass can readily be refused; it is quite another matter to stop when the wine has entered the brain. The first lust we may readily avoid; but when unchaste desires are fully aroused, who shall bridle them?
O Lord, teach me to crush sin early, lest it should gather strength and crush me!~ ~ ~ ~We have published William Nicholson's insightful short article, "The Unparalleled Sufferings of Christ!"~ ~ ~ ~Feel free to forward these gems to others who may be encouraged or profited by them!
Addition Dr. Morris: Perhaps we do not fully appreciate youth until we get old. My only child, my son and his wife, and I, are looking forward to the birth of my first great grandchild. Is it not wonderful still, when in spite of the gay agenda and even liberal churches who are supporting same sex marriage when over 50% of all babies are aborted (4,000 each day of which 1,300 are black babies. We were saddened just yesterday that 300 human beings were killed in an airliner crash, these same liberal politicians and media people are not saddened at all when twenty such airliners crash each day when you consider innocent human beings aborted), when illegal drugs and Satan's forces are the rule, not the exception. God's greatest creation, beginning with a small human being, are still desired and wanted in this world. The sound of babies brings back some sanity to this insane world.
Near my house, in the historic district, Wilmington, NC, there is a children's museum. It is so truly wonderful to hear the sounds of these children at play. I have just finished reading a book involving the Amish community, their emphasis on family, (I say read because as a totally blind veteran, I have a machine that reads books to me. A machine which was promised to me by the VA over 50 years ago which I finally received last year and which has been a great blessing in my life. For those of you who think government is the answer to everything, even the care of your family, you are going to be very disappointed), the lifestyles of the Amish people, so very different from the communities around them. So much to be desired. Their commitment-discipleship is to God, and this is shown in the way they raise their children. They don't care what the world thinks of them. Their faith involves a total relationship with God, compared to most modern religions in which God is a "bellhop," called on when needed. They know, as real Christians know, that Christianity is not for the weak-hard to comprehend, but is difficult for all believers. Our discipleship is not decided by man, Madison Avenue, smart liberal theologians, but by the word of God. Perhaps not the extent of the Amish, Mennonites or even Catholics in monasteries, (I speak of lifestyles-use of modern conveniences-technologies, I speak of dress-diet, shrinking from the sphere of influence of the modern world) I think of taking up the cross which Jesus has given us and running with it.
The Amish are not bothered, their children not ashamed of the lifestyles of their parents and ancestors. This writer was born into a small baptist denomination whose practices and disciplines were very different from modern mainline denominations. Hard work and hard church benches did not bother the saints in our old church. I still remember how ashamed the college aged members of my family, as well as myself, to invite any of our friends to our home because we did not have inside plumbing there or at our church. It did not bother my parents or grandparents at all, nor the other people in our disciplined faith, that we did not yield to the influence by the world, flesh or satan. When will we learn that the citizenship of the Christian is in Heaven, that we are just passing through. We are supposed to be different, much like the Amish or the Catholic nun in her habit, stared at by the unbelievers. In this day of the "Purpose Driven Life", when most church members are more concerned with what man thinks than what God knows, in our "stinking thinking" we need to get a few things straight. God does not need us, we need Him, His healing, forgiveness, redemption. If we love our children, our chief concern should be their salvation. The paltry coins we leave them from our hard work on Earth is nothing compared to their eternal security.
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