The Little Foxes
“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines.” Song of Solomon 2:15a
Human nature is a complex mixture of inconsistency: “Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:24)
Every Holy Spirit convicted, repentant, converted, born again sinner, saved by grace, has a deep consciousness of the sinful adamic nature. Every servant of God has a constant warfare with his or her own sinful nature, that must be denied in the course of seeking and carrying out God’s will. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17
Whenever we apply this conviction of our sinful imperfection, it will serve us well to keep us vigilant against Satan and sin. But as imperfection is, so imperfection does. Being imperfect, we often imperfectly apply this conviction to what we are and do.
In the course of imperfectly assessing and managing our own imperfection, we may very well allow things to go on in our lives that we know do not measure up to what they should be. These are the little foxes that spoil the vines. These are the little errors that throw off the big equation.
Satan knows that a direct affront to a Christian’s conviction and faith most likely wouldn’t work, but would only put us on the defense against his wiles. So, he works on getting us to allow for some imperfections, that there are no real justification for them, BUT they are gratifying to, or fit well with our imperfect nature. Eventually these allowances will grow unto making more allowances, unto “a little leaven leavening the whole lump” 1 Corinthians 5:6.
Do not err, beloved brethren! It only takes a spark to get a fire going. “Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” Romans 14:22
Be circumspect and reject inconsistencies and strive for perfection: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
“…be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Peter 3:14b
SHARING
The Foundations Being Destroyed
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” 2 Timothy 4:3
Not all lusts are base, but some are self-exalting. Man has always used his religion to enhance himself. Today, religion is on the move. It is seeking relevance in society through what is esteemed to be progressive minded. Sound doctrine and “the old paths” are acknowledged as an ancestor of today’s religion, but ill-fitted for modern application.
Contradictions have always existed between man’s wisdom and God’s. Man considers his own wisdom to be increasing; and the more “understanding” man thinks he has acquired, the more base and out of step he considers Biblically sound doctrine to be. Modern theology deems Biblical laws and doctrines to be intolerable. But this new self-enlightenment on man’s part, is nothing more than the old lack of spiritual discernment glorifying itself above the Truth of God: “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:7
Man esteems not the preaching of the Word, but that which proclaims itself to be the authority over the Word. Many proclaim to have knowledge superior to, and understanding that exceeds what the common man reads in the scriptures. While this may be new and intriguing amongst professed fundamental churches, it is the old ways of the Roman hierarchy creeping in, who have always maintained to have authority that preempts the written scriptures.
This breakdown and destruction of the foundations (Psalm 11:3) is occurring, not so much through bold and open defiance, but with the subtle legalization of that which is illegal. “Reverend Doctor so-and-so” holds the congregation in awe as he instructs them in how the wording of the written scripture is so much better expressed and more easily understood in some modern version of the Bible than it is in the Holy Bible (KJV). But what they don’t detect, is that he is leading them astray regarding the authority of inspiration to change the wording of the Bible in any way. The Bible itself condemns the writing of new versions. God gave His Word by verbal inspiration, and it is forever settled in heaven.
To admit any new version, is to agree to the principle of accepting all new versions. To accept any new version is to accept that the Holy Bible is not sacred. To accept a changed version is to say the Holy Bible needs to be changed. To accept man’s new versions is to concede that man is a greater authority than the written Word. Once this concession is made, the precedent is established for churches to practice what is deemed to be correct by man, rather than defer everything to the written Word of God. WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE????
DO NOT ERR, BELOVED BRETHREN! “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” Titus 1:9 We must separate ourselves and reprove that which is not the walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel. To not stand firm on the inerrant, holy Word of God, is to depart from the ways of the Holy Spirit which inspired the Word.
SHARINGBe Ye Kind
There once was a school that had but one rule. (Oh, what a wonderful place that would be!) It is now known as Washington and Lee University and Robert E. Lee was at one time the headmaster of this institution. During his tenure, the story is told that only one rule was enforced. It was simply: Be kind.
This world of sinners can be a cruel place to live. Churches full of sinners are often no less cruel. Meanness abounds. Because of this, it is always refreshing when you cross paths with someone who exhibits true kindness.
Kindness is not a sentiment. It is an action. It is the action of our loving Father and it should be the action of all of His children.
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
• Kindness is the opposite of meanness. We all have a “mean streak.” It is called sin nature. We want our way. Selfishness and “one to another” living cannot coexist in the same home.
•Kindness is rooted in tenderness. Soft hearts can make a great difference in a hard world. A kind word. A tender tone. They do not begin in the tongue, but in the heart…“tenderhearted.”
•Kindness is demonstrated most in our response to others who have done us wrong. “Forgiving one another.” It is not kindness to be kind when others are kind to us. That is just common courtesy. It is kindness to treat others lovingly when we have been treated hatefully.
•Kindness is a characteristic that makes us most like our Lord. “Even as God.” Only God is our example and only God can enable us to act and react kindly.
Of all the truth in this one little verse, I believe the greatest is to be found in the words, “for Christ’s sake.” Here lies the open secret to real kindness. We all want to be kind. How many times I have scolded myself for not having reacted as a Christian. But, how? There is only one way. We must not look at others. All eyes must be on Jesus.
I should not treat others kindly because they deserve it. At some point, I will reason that they do not deserve it! I should treat others with kindness because that is what Jesus would do. No, that is what Jesus has done. He has treated me with kindness when I did not deserve it.
Look at the cross of Christ and your heart will be tender. Listen to the kindness of the Saviour in the middle of His mistreatment and you will know how to respond.
“Be ye kind.” Ye means me. What a difference could be made by kind people in a mean world! Somewhere today, you and I will cross paths with some hurting person, some wounded soul. May they see and hear the kindness of Christ in us.
–Scott Pauley
SHARINGBeyond Understanding
“And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” Genesis 22:7-8
This was a most difficult question for Abraham at the moment. How could he tell his son that he was the one to be sacrificed?
So, rather than resort to trying to come up with some satisfactory explanation, he directed Isaac to trust in and wait upon the Lord.
This is where Abraham had to go for his reckoning: “By faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” Hebrews 11:17-19 Abraham did not attempt to deal with this on the circumstantial level, but only by complete trust in God’s righteousness.
There was the testing moment when Abraham had to lay hold on and bind his son, put him on the altar they had built, and draw the knife to slay Isaac. Again, this moment could only be endured by sheer faith in God’s promises, that Isaac would be alive to perpetuate the promised seed.
Whatever agony Abraham experienced and whatever fear beset Isaac, yet they were both relieved and elated when God supplied the substitute to take Isaac’s place.
When our understanding doesn’t seem to be enough for our every question and perplexity, we are counseled to ask that we might receive, and to trust without doubting, in waiting upon the Lord in full confidence of God’s righteousness.
Because Christ is our substitute and means of deliverance, rather than suffer loss and deprivation, we are assured of being made overcomers beyond our understanding.
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32
SHARINGPersonal Convictions
“For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.” Romans 14:2-3
Personal convictions are very important in the life of a Christian. To believe in God’s righteousness is to care about our lives in His sight. But it must be remembered that personal convictions are just that, they are personal. Whenever we try to make our personal convictions the public norm, we run into problems. We must remember that our personal convictions are to be between us and our Master. We must do all we can to make sure they are approved of by Him, for the judgment’s sake and our testimony of faith. For if God approves them not, they are just weights that easily beset us.
For the most part, personal convictions are made up largely from our own person: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know even as also I am known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 It must be remembered, that at best, our person is still incomplete and is still yet to discover more things than we now know.
Personal convictions do not necessarily imply Christianity proper. People of heathen religions have personal convictions. The Pharisees had personal convictions, and because of these, they were given to finding fault against Christ and His disciples. Job’s friends had personal convictions, and due to their convictions, they deemed Job to be “unholy” and under Divine judgments for ungodliness. Peter had very high convictions about loyalty to Christ, unto death. And it was his personal convictions that got in his way of doubting himself enough to fully surrender himself to the admonitions of Christ, and thus Satan took advantage of him. When we become driven by our own personal opinions, we are wide open prey for Satan to sift us as wheat.
Due to personal convictions, some view a ministry to be too strict, while others view the same ministry to be too lenient. There is no way to form a bond of unity out of a mix of people’s personal convictions.
Real unity, and things done in a way that is expedient for the Lord’s work, comes to pass from the fruit of the Holy Spirit working within. People who live right and make decisions that honor God and build up His work, do so, not because of self-assertiveness, but by forsaking their own thoughts and ways, unto becoming directed by the Holy Spirit in what they are doing. Due to parties with strong personal convictions, the church can be sharply divided. But due to submission to the Holy Spirit, unity, growth, and fellowship abounds. BE CAREFUL! By personal convictions, we can be a more conscientious Christian, or become a law to ourselves, hardened in our own conceits!
SHARING
