DISCIPLE

by William MacDonald Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.  Proverbs 19:18      We live in a permissive society. Especially in the area of child/training, people listen to the advice of psychologists and sociologists rather than to the teachings of God's Word. Many adults who were brought up by parents who dared to discipline them, determine to allow their children freedom and self-expression. What are the results?      Such children grow up with a deep sense of insecurity. They are misfits in society. They find it difficult to cope with problems and troubles, and seek release in drugs and liquor. A few years of discipline would have made the rest of life much easier for them.      Not surprisingly, they live undisciplined lives. Their personal appearance, their living quarters, their personal habits all betray their careless and disorderly mindset.    ...

    Covetousness denies the real purpose of our existence. it forgets that we are here for bigger business than to make money or to indulge ourselves. It forgets that the best use of our money is for spiritual purposes. It is deceptive. Said J. H. Jowett,      Riches can make a man think that he is growing bigger when all the time he is growing less. He estimates his size by the inlet of income and not by the outlet of beneficence. While the inlet is expanding, the outlet is contracting.      It is irrational. We strive to get things we don't need to impress people we don't like.     It frustrates God's plan for world evangelization by hoarding money that could be used in the propagation of the gospel.      It unfits a man for leadership in the church - and elder must be "not greedy for money" (1 Tim. 3:3) -- but, worse than that, it excludes a man from the kingdom of God (1 Cor. ...

  The politicians couldn't say this truthfully! Nor the actors or the professional athletes. But never mind them. What about us? What if we had to choose? It's one thing to sing it, another to live it. 1. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I'd rather be His than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands. I'd rather be led by His nail pierced hand. Chorus: Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin's dread sway. I'd rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. 2. I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause; I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause; I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame. I'd rather be true to His holy name. 3. He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom; He's sweeter than honey from out the comb; He's all that my hungering spirit needs. I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead. by Rhea F. Miller, 1922   ...

by H. A. Ironside      As teachers and preachers are presented to audiences, it is considered the right thing, the proper thing to laud them to the skies, to expatiate on their brilliancy and learning and wonderful personality, until I myself have often felt grieved and shocked and thoroughly ashamed as I listened to such laudations.       One cannot imagine the apostle Peter so introducing his beloved brother, Paul, nor can we think of Paul presenting his fellow-laborers, Epaphroditus, Titus or Timothy in such a manner to those to whom they were to preach. He does indeed say the kindest things of them all, for he loved them truly and was grateful to God for all the good things seen in them; but as he speaks of them, he does not dwell upon their ability or personality or charms or wonderful gifts, but rather on their devotedness to Christ in suffering for His name's sake.       Surely there is a lesson in ...

by Steve Hulshizer      There is much being written today concerning church growth, and we would be wise to heed to some of it. For example, we can not expect poor preaching, an unfriendly atmosphere, and a lack of witnessing to produce either spiritual or numerical growth. Common sense should tell us this.      There are those however, who would urge us to take extreme measures to reach the lost. They would treat the Gospel meeting like a presidential campaign. In such campaigns producing an "image" of the candidate by showing him kissing babies, waving a flag, or having a picnic with his family is more important than discussing the issues of the day. This is because people vote on "images," not on issues. The "Selling of a President" requires the best publicity and advertising professionals and techniques that money can buy. Christians are now using these techniques in the "Selling of the Church." Avoid the issues, but create an "imag...

by William MacDonald                             Spiritually we are in a shocking condition. The status of many local fellowships is bad news, and deteriorating by the minute.     It is fairly well known that there have been scandalous cases of immorality involving even elders and full-time workers. Of course this type of news never gets into the magazines; there everything is sweetness and light. But the awful truth is that some respected spiritual leaders have fallen into gross sin in recent months and the only reaction seems to have been to hush up the whole thing, lest the word get out and our reputation be impaired.     We have been arrogant, and have not rather mourned (1 Cor. 5:2).     And that isn't all. We have become materialists to the core. Supposing that gain is godliness, we have degraded ourselves to the worship of money. ...

by Bruce Hulshizer from the August 2016 issue of Milk & Honey http://www.stw1982.com/2016.html 1. Read These Verses In Your Bible: Romans 1:18-2:16 Immoral people know God and will be judged for their evil lives (chapter 1 verse 18 to 32). Some people might want to say they do not know there is a God. But God has shown everyone that He is the powerful One who is greater than them. Everyone can look at the order and greatness of what God made. There is no possible way the universe just happened. They know there must be a mighty Creator!      The real problem is that people know there is a God, but they do not want to give God glory. They want to be their own boss. They do not want to have to listen to their Creator. They ignore God.      So, men have made “god” into something they make with their own hands. God is awesome, but men changed Him into someone little! They imagine a “god” that is not true.      They ...