Fear the Smiles

Yes, the character of the world is evil; and the appeal of the world is real. With its disarming appeal, the world has swallowed up many one-time believers.

Lot lost nearly everything to the world. Demas lost it all; he sacrificed his soul on the altar of the world.

The nearer one gets to the world, the stronger the pull of the world becomes. Its attractions are very glittering. It is patient, and yet it is persistent. It has many tactics. In order to captivate the unsuspecting, it stoops even to compromise. It has a philosophy which says, "If you can't beat them, join them." So it sends out many wolves in sheep's clothing. Like the Gibeonites, it has a very disarming approach. Instead of appealing to the baser appetites of the Israelites, they appealed to their good qualities. They appealed to their sympathy, their compassion; and consequently, they deceived the Israelite leaders.

The world will likewise direct its appeal to that which is highest and best among Christians. "Look at how wonderfully humanitarian we are. Here is a list of people we have helped. Our organization needs people like you. Imagine what a contribution you can make through our channels."

Those who are spiritual recognize that we have less to fear from the frowns of the world than we do from the smiles of the world.

The pull of the world is resistible by God's grace. If you are a saint of God living up to your spiritual potential, those appeals of the world will fall upon deaf ears. The most useful saints are those least attracted by the world. God has given them the power to see through the disguise the world wears.

Someone said this about one of God's servants: "There was nothing in the world that held the slightest attraction to him."

--Excerpt: 'Dying to Live with Christ' -M. Ruth

Face to Face

Face to face with Christ my Savior,
Face to face, what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ, who died for me?

Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!

Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face to see and know,
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ, who loves me so!

Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!
--Gospel Hymns #349 vs. 1&4

Mud or Stars?

"Two men look out through the same prison bars;
One sees the mud, the other sees the stars."
--Frederick Langbridge

As strangers and pilgrims on this earth, we are essentially imprisoned by flesh and blood. Romans 8 tells us the whole creation is imprisoned in the "bondage of corruption" and that the whole creation "groaneth and travaileth" as we do, waiting for the redemption of our body.

Some have also suffered behind earthly prison bars for their faith. Some suffer in prison bars of affliction, either of body, mind or spirit.

What do we see when we look through our prison bars?

Do we see mud (the world, earthly cares or desires, darkness, discouragement)?

Or can we look beyond -- far beyond -- to the stars and the realm of light where our Father dwells? Is our vision fixed far above the mud and mire of this earth so that we can have hope, joy, peace and contentment in whatever our circumstances?

Are we truly strangers and pilgrims? Or are we merely earthly dwellers?

Do our lives, our hearts, our conversations give evidence that we are not citizens of this world? That we are hardly aware of the prison bars because we are focused beyond the stars to Heaven?

Paul and Silas were in the "inner prison" and "...at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." -Acts 16:25

Who might we be able to inspire by our consistent "looking to the stars"; by our desire to sing and praise God in the worst of prisons?

How Can I Be Lonely?

One is walking with me over life's uneven way,
Constantly supporting me each moment of the day;
How can I be lonely when such fellowship is mine,
With my blessed Lord divine!

How can I be lonely
When I've Jesus only to be my companion and unfailing guide?
Why should I be weary,
Or my path seem dreary,
When He's walking by my side!

Days may bring their burdens and their trials as I go,
But my Lord is near and helps to make them lighter grow,
Life may have its crosses or its losses, or increase,
Jesus meets them all with peace.

How can I be lonely
When I've Jesus only to be my companion and unfailing guide?
Why should I be weary,
Or my path seem dreary,
When He's walking by my side!
--Tabernacle Hymns #61 vs. 1-2

Love Not the World

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world,
-the lust of the flesh, and
-the lust of the eyes, and
-the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof;
but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
--I John 2:15-17

No Darkness At All

... God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
--I John 1:5-7

Give Me Mercy

Give me, Lord, sympathy and mercy
With my poor brethren in distress,
My bitt'rest foe to love and pity.
Thy love in death Thou didst confess.
Thy blood for sinners does implore:
Compassion! grace, forevermore.
--Zion's Harp #220 vs. 6