A recent comment on one of my posts with a link caused me to contemplate on the character of those who wish to sound one way in public, but in private are completely different. It is impossible to know a man's true character without knowing his life, or at least discovering what those who know him best believe about his life. Granted, sometimes people can be fooled, but in the old days when pastors stayed at the same church for thirty, forty and even fifty years, it was very, very difficult to teach one thing and live another.
Men will put great trust in the words of one whose life agrees with his teaching. If they can detect something inconsistent in his character, the man's power is ended.
But if a man is evidently carried away with the one idea of being and doing good, and consumed with the purpose of glorifying God, then his utterances have power.
It is not what he says, but the man who says it, that makes the impression.
It is the life behind the words, the holy confidence in God every day exhibited, the calm restful walk with God which everybody can see in his very face, which, to a thoughtful man, makes his feeblest accent more powerful than the most furious declamation of a mere rhetorician.
C.H Spurgeon's "Words to Rest On"
3 comments:
Wade:
Amen and amen.
Jesus Himself said He couldn't do anything of Himself, but rather looked around to see what God was doing, and then He (Jesus) did THAT work.
He also said HE would build His church.
Conclusion: we're not about our own work here ... we're doing the continuing work of Jesus. And that mandates we do it the way He'd do it. The only way that can be done is to be imitators of Christ.
When we resort to clever speech (Paul said something about that), rhetoric, speaking ministerially, misrepresentation, withholding, or any other clever devices that work out here in the business world, we're denying that God is able to finish the work the way Jesus started it.
We'd best get as far away from that as we can.
Friends…it has been my life long ambition to live a fully integrated Godly life and to be well regarded by good men who know me well.
Sadly many men spend their lives trying to be well regarded by men who don’t know them well. These men often hide their faults and sin in order to be well regarded by people who know them only from afar. They live one life in religious circles, another at home, and still another at work.
Lastly my highest goal is to be welcomed by Jesus into heaven…who while he knows my every thought, my every fault, my every sin, smiles and says…”Well done ( ) , my good and faithful servant”
Rev. Burleson,
My husband, Gary, and I are praying for you. We strongly agree with your stance. We are members of Dixie Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. We have taught GAs, RAs, Sunday School, and Training Union. I have taught Sunday School for over 20 years. I have prayed in tongues privately since 1984. This has been a very supportive help to me. I know it is led by the Holy Spirit. I have led many to Christ and believe that the Gospel is the main subject to teach. I am very worried about God's reaction to our Convention's move to quench the Spirit. What will the next move be - to force out Sunday School teachers who pray privately in tongues?
In His name,
Donna DeFatta
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