Prove it!
"In thy
presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for
evermore."
Psalm 16:11
Dr Morris's Favorite Verse off Scripture
(J.R. Miller, "The Glory of the Commonplace")
It is related that the famous French artist Gustave Dore was once wandering in the mountains of Switzerland, when some officials met him and demanded his passport. "I do not have it with me," he replied, "but my name is Gustave Dore." "Prove it, if you are," replied the officers, knowing who Dore was--but not believing that this was he. Taking a piece of paper, the artist hastily sketched a group of peasants who were standing near, and did it with such grace and skill that the officials exclaimed, "Enough, you are Dore!"
In the same way, the world cares little for a mere profession. We say we are Christians, and the challenge is, "Prove it!" If we are of Christ, then we must do the works of Christ, live the life of Christ, and show the spirit of Christ. The artist's skillful drawing proved his identity. Just so, we must prove that we are the followers of our Master by the love, the grace, the beauty, the holiness of our life.
Religion is not merely a matter of creed and profession, or of church-going and public worship; it is far more a matter of daily life. It is not how we behave on Sundays, nor the kind of creed we hold, nor the devoutness of our worship--it is the way we act at home, in school, in business, in society, in our associations with others. It is vitally important that all who profess Christ--shall manifest Christ's beauty in their life and character. It is not enough to preach the gospel in words alone; others must also read it in our daily life. "So that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders." 1 Thessalonians 4:12
"Whoever says he abides in Christ, ought to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself." 1 John 2:6
(J.R. Miller, "The Glory of the Commonplace")
It is related that the famous French artist Gustave Dore was once wandering in the mountains of Switzerland, when some officials met him and demanded his passport. "I do not have it with me," he replied, "but my name is Gustave Dore." "Prove it, if you are," replied the officers, knowing who Dore was--but not believing that this was he. Taking a piece of paper, the artist hastily sketched a group of peasants who were standing near, and did it with such grace and skill that the officials exclaimed, "Enough, you are Dore!"
In the same way, the world cares little for a mere profession. We say we are Christians, and the challenge is, "Prove it!" If we are of Christ, then we must do the works of Christ, live the life of Christ, and show the spirit of Christ. The artist's skillful drawing proved his identity. Just so, we must prove that we are the followers of our Master by the love, the grace, the beauty, the holiness of our life.
Religion is not merely a matter of creed and profession, or of church-going and public worship; it is far more a matter of daily life. It is not how we behave on Sundays, nor the kind of creed we hold, nor the devoutness of our worship--it is the way we act at home, in school, in business, in society, in our associations with others. It is vitally important that all who profess Christ--shall manifest Christ's beauty in their life and character. It is not enough to preach the gospel in words alone; others must also read it in our daily life. "So that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders." 1 Thessalonians 4:12
"Whoever says he abides in Christ, ought to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself." 1 John 2:6
The favorite
author of Dr. T.R Morris, is John Grisham,
Oxford Mississippi
In speaking, many
places, many pulpits, Morris often asked the question, "If you were accused of being a Christian, would a
capable-experienced lawyer be able to prove it?" Unbelievers have
often asked Dr. Morris if he could prove the existence of god. There are two
matters with which the Atheist cannot become satisfied in their un-belief. One
is the fact that all human beings have a conscious. To know, at least to some
degree, the difference between good and evil-right and wrong.
The other mystery
to the unbeliever, that god is care taker of the planets. Like shells on the sea-shore we are discovering one galaxy after
another. The Hubble telescope was put into outer-space in 1990, it has been
repaired five times since. Each time,
its reach into has been expanded... A further and further range, great dark
spaces with stars. The universe not expanding, but the ability of the telescope
to see further. From nothingness, to somethingness,
the creator of this universes has every star named
"He determines the
number of the stars and calls them each by name." Psalm
147:4
Would the most
radical evolutionist, the most stalwart unbeliever doubt this? If only those of
us to claim the name of Christ could have such proof-positive identity.
Like the women
crawling just to touch the hem of gods garment we need the holiness of god. For
she was saying to herself, "If I only touch his Garment I will get
well." Matthew 9:21
If only the Christian could realize the power of the
creator, the fact that he always meets us at our need.
The
scientist, the Christian, is not desperate to know the vastness-distances of
the galaxies of the universe. But he does need to know his relationship with
god. Those around him need to realize his relationship with god. It is the
hypocrisy of Christians that keep more of their fellow man from god than their
lives lead to god. If the un-believer saw within the life of the believer, a
truth-trust so attractive that they would want the same thing, the world
would have already been won to Christ.
I
am so glad that I sat on those hard wood benches in that old country church
built by my ancestors when I was a child. I am so glad that as a boy on the
farm, nothing but hard work and hard times, in the good Earth, and from the
rain clouds, I learned the proof of gods existence.
The professors at the University were not able to wash this proof from my
convictions.
#1723
#1723
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