1 John - Being Independent and dependent
Independence
7516 Typical American
A United Press survey found that the “typical American” is a twenty-seven-year-old who does not read one book a year. He is materialistic, satisfied with small pleasures, bored with theological disputations. Although he may attend church twenty-seven times a year, he is not interested in the supernatural. He is concerned with neither heaven nor hell. In fact, he has no interest whatever in immortality. His principal interests are football, hunting, fishing, and car-tinkering.
—Lon Woodreum
7518 “I Don’t Want Christ To Come”
I remember one night in Stockton, Calif, … I was preaching about the coming of Jesus. As I was in prayer I was conscious of a woman getting up and going out, for in those days the skirts would swish whenever a lady walked. It seemed to me that this lady must have gone out in a hurry. When I finished my prayer and went to greet the friends at the door, I found a woman pacing back and forth in the lobby. The moment I came, she said to me, “How would you dare to pray like that—“Come Lord Jesus?” I don’t want him to come. It would break in on all my plans. How dare you!” I said, “My dear young woman, Jesus is coming whether you like it or not.” Oh, if you know Him and love Him, surely your heart says, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
—H. A. Ironside
7521 Whom Is He Kidding?
When a man says he can’t keep awake through a thirty-minute sermon, and stays home with his 700-column newspaper, whom is he kidding?
When a man says Sunday is his only day to rest, and gets up at 4:30 a.m. to go fishing, or spends the day on a golf course, whom is he kidding?
When a man says church seats are too hard and uncomfortable, then goes some Saturday to sit on a bleacher for hours in a drizzle watching 22 men push one another back and forth across a mud lot, whom is he kidding?
When a man says he doesn’t have time for Christ and His church, then spends evenings shopping, bowling, watching television, going to clubs, playing cards and having evenings out, whom is he kidding?… Not God!
—Spire
7522 Something You Should Know
5% of reported church members do not exist;
10% cannot be found;
20% never pray;
25% never read the Bible;
30% never attend church;
40% never give to any cause;
50% never go to Sunday school;
60% never go to church Sunday nights;
70% never give to Missions;
75% never engaged in any church activity;
80% never go to prayer meeting;
90% never have family worship;
95% never win a soul to Christ.
—Crusade Contact
Do not love the world - Be independent of it
7528 A Greater Enemy
Long ago, William Law warned that the world is now a greater enemy to the Christian than it was in apostolic times:
It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over Christians by its favours, riches, honours, rewards, and protection than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutors.
It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance of enmity. Its outward profession of Christianity makes it no longer considered as an enemy, and therefore the people are easily persuaded to resign themselves up to be governed and directed by it.
—Robert H. Lauer
Do not love the world - Be independent of it
Anything that cools my love for Christ is the world.
—John Wesley
Our independence from the world requires Dependence on God
1941 My Love And Baby’s Love
A gentleman who was a professed Christian was taken seriously ill. He became troubled about the little love he felt in his heart for God, and spoke of his experience to a friend. This is how the friend answered him.
“When I go home from here, I expect to take my baby on my knee, look into her sweet eyes, listen to her charming prattle, and tired as I am, her presence will rest me; for I love that child with unutterable tenderness. But she loves me little. If my heart were breaking it would not disturb her sleep. If my body were racked with pain, it would not interrupt her play. If I were dead, she would forget me in a few days. Besides this, she had never brought me a penny, but was a constant expense to me. I am not rich, but there is not money enough in the world to buy my baby. How is it? Does she love me, or do I love her? Do I withhold my love until I know she loves me? Am I waiting for her to do something worthy of my love before extending it?”
This practical illustration of the love of God for His children caused the tears to roll down the sick man’s face. “Oh, I see,” he exclaimed, “it is not my love to God, but God’s love for me, that I should be thinking of. And I do love Him now as I never loved Him before.”
—Gospel Herald
1945 Brokenhearted Father
Among the first glimpses we get of our God is that of a Seeker: “Adam … Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9). In commenting upon this question to his Bible class, a teacher said, “You can never be a preacher if you read it as though God were a policeman. Read it as though God were a brokenhearted Father looking for a lost child!”
—Al Bryant