Topic(s): Bible Study, Denominationalism

“Of all the counseling we can possibly give to your Holiness, we reserve the more important of it to the last. We must hold our eyes well open and intervene with all of our power in the affairs we have to consider. The reading of the Gospel must be permitted as little as possible (especially in the modern languages, and in the countries under your authority). The very little that is read generally at the Mass should be enough and it should be prohibited for anyone to read more. (As long as the people are content with that small part, our interests will prosper; but from the moment that the people desire to read more, our interests will begin to suffer.)

“Here is the book that more than any other provoked rebellions against us, storms that have been risky in bringing us loss in fact, if anyone reads accurately the teaching of the Bible and compares what occurs in our churches, he will soon find out the contradictions and will see that our teaching is far removed from that of the Bible and more often yet is in opposition to it.

If the people realize this, they will provoke us without rest until all become unveiled and then we will become the object of ridicule and universal hate. It is necessary that the Bible be taken away and snatched from the hands of the people, however, with much wisdom in order to not provoke trouble.”

(This advice was given to Pope Jules III of Rome in 1550 by his Cardinals. It is found in the National Bibliotheque in Paris, France. The Volume is Reserve 22719; Pages 101-102.)

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” - John 8:32

Jesus — Or Rats, Coffee, and Politicians?

Topic(s): Jesus

If you have ever doubted that this is a crazy world, read on. A few years back a news item told of a man who was arrested for cruelty to animals because he used a broom to kill a rat in his house. I guess he was supposed to call the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to come and get the cute little furry thing, or perhaps catch it in a live trap and take it to his garage or the dump so it could breed a few dozen more rascally rodents. Are people really crazy enough to allow such laws to be enforced?

A second news item was a lady who won a 2.9 million dollar lawsuit against McDonald’s. Why did she sue them? Because they made their coffee too hot! She bought a cup of coffee and clumsily spilled it on her lap and was burned by it. So she sued McDonald’s for making coffee the way we all expect it to be—hot. I’m sorry the lady spilled her coffee and was burned by it, but it is crazy to put the blame on the McDonald company because she spilled the drink. And 2.9 million dollars? That’s a lot of blame! McDonald’s appealed the verdict. Who can blame them? Maybe the lady can sue them for appealing. Who knows?

People must be desperate for a cause when they complain and turn in a man for killing a rat. Only greed would drive a person to ask for 2.0 million dollars for an accident in which that person was mainly to blame. Pettiness and greed seem to drive an increasingly larger segment of our society.

Gus Nichols, a great preacher of former days, used to speak of his concern when members of the Lord’s church would be more concerned about political candidates than the Lord and His church. Men and women will put bumper stickers on their cars, signs in their yards, and talk to their friends and neighbors about “their candidates.” They will go to political rallies and shout out “We need Washington,” or “We need Lincoln!” But those same people, Brother Nichols pointed out, would be embarrassed to advertise and talk about the Lord’s church or Gospel meetings and the like. They will not talk to their neighbors about salvation and the church for which Christ died. Neither will they shout aloud, “We need Jesus…We need Jesus!” Brethren, let’s not let things like rats and hot coffee be our concern. Let us talk of God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Acts 4:12). Let us not be petty in our faith and practice, but be concerned with souls which shall be in an eternal hell unless they know and obey the truth (Mt. 28:18-20; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). We can all really do something meaningful with our lives by being Christians and leading others to be saved. Or would you rather be known for rats and coffee?

“And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” - 1 Samuel 17:29

Most Significant Decision

Topic(s): Christian Life

This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude is that ‘single string’ that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me. —Charles Swindoll (no endorsement of other writings implied)

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” - Proverbs 23:7