Let it— never be forgotten that the time of
success is a time of danger to the Christian soul.

The very hearts that are depressed when all things seem against
them, are often unduly exalted in the day of prosperity.

Few men like Samson and can kill a lion without
telling others about it (Judg. 14:6).

Paul warns of pride in the successful novice (1 Tim. 3:6).

Most of Christ’s laborers probably have
as much success as theirs souls can bear.

Let us pray much for humility and especially for
humility in our days of peace and success.

When everything around us seems to prosper and all our plans
work well, when family trials and sickness are kept from us, and
the course of our worldly affairs run smooth, when our daily
crosses are light and all within and without is like a morning
without clouds- then, then is the time when our souls are in
danger! Then is the time when we have need to be doubly
watchful over our own hearts. Then is the time that seeds of
evil are sown in us by the devil which may one day astound us
by their growth and strength.

There are few Christians who can carry
a full cup with a steady hand.

There are few whose souls prosper in their days
of uninterrupted success.

We are ready to think that our own might and
our own wisdom have procured us the victory.

In the midst of our triumphs let us cry to God for humility. (J.C. Ryle)

Have you heard the story of Jim Smith and Ron Jones? Jim went to church one Sunday morning. He heard the organist miss a note, and he winced. He saw a teen talking when everyone else was praying. He felt certain the usher was watching to see what he put in the offering plate, and it made him boil. Five times, by actual count, he caught the preacher in slip-of-the-tongue mistakes. During the invitation, he slipped out the side door, all the while muttering to himself, “What a waste of time!”

Ron went to church, also. He heard the pianist play an arrangement of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” and he was stirred to worship by the majesty of it. A special missions offering was received, and he was glad his church was doing what they could for people around the world. He especially appreciated the sermon that Sunday; it really spoke to a need in his life. He thought, as he shook the preacher’s hand and left, “How can anyone come here and not feel the presence of the Lord?”

Both men were in the same church the same day. Each found what he was looking for. It has been said that churches and banks are much alike in one respect: “What one gets out is, for the most part, dependent upon what one puts in.” (copied)

“We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor. 5:7.

This walk of faith takes in all the minute circumstances of every day’s history; a walking every step by faith; a looking above trials, above necessities, above perplexities, above improbabilities and impossibilities, above all second causes; and, in the face of difficulties and discouragements, going forward, leaning upon God. If the Lord were to roll the Red Sea before us, and marshal the Egyptians behind us, and thus hemming us in on every side, should yet bid us advance, it would be the duty and the privilege of faith instantly to obey, believing that, before our feet touched the water, God, in our extremity, would divide the sea and take us dry-shod over it. This is the only holy and happy life of a believer; if he for a moment leaves this path and attempts to walk by sight, difficulties will throng around him, troubles will multiply, the smallest trials will become heavy crosses, temptations to depart from the simple and uptight walk will increase in number and power, the heart will sicken at disappointment, the Holy Spirit will be grieved, and God will be dishonored. Let this precious truth ever be before the mind, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” —Octavius Winslow

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.–Romans 10:1   The apostle Paul was used mightily of God because he never forgot what was most important. He understood that his mission was to win the lost to Christ and he refused to shift his focus to anything else. Sadly, we often fail to keep the main thing the main thing. The following story by Terry Bell serves to remind us how important it is that we keep our priorities straight:

The year was 1969. It was my first “real” mission trip. I was in a little village in South India and terribly homesick. I was 20 years old and starving for a “good ole” American cheeseburger. I had not had one in 2 1/2 months.

The land around me was semi-jungle, semi-bush. Tarzan would have felt right at home, but I did not.

One boring afternoon I whiled away the hours by playing with the monkeys that forever enlivened our premises. Standing out on the balcony, I teased the little primate creeps by giving them doughballs made from a loaf of bread I was holding. A hairy hand (or is it a paw?) would reach over the edge of the roof, I would place a morsel in it, and like lightning, it was retracted to the squealing and grunting delight of his monkey-minded buddies. What a great game!

Suddenly I realized that on the street below my balcony a crowd had gathered. They were not nearly as entertained by this “monkeying around” as I was. One thin-faced, sickly looking boy looked up at me with bulging eyes. In broken English, he said, “Master, feed poor boys, not monkeys.”

It was like a stab in the heart. In the street below were orphans, beggars, lepers … the off-scourings of humankind. Mothers and fathers who had starving children. Children who watched malnourished parents die. Parents who would watch their hungry children watching them die, knowing they left them to a miserable life on the streets. And there I was, playing games with the bread that for them was so precious. I was cut to the heart.

Every day this scene is reenacted in thousands of padded-pew churches, whose priorities are playing games with monkeys.

…..be thou an example of the believers…1 Timothy 4:12

Around the turn of the century in rural Tennessee an old man crippled with arthritis was very faithful in his assembling with the saints. Twice on Sunday and on Wednesday nights a little girl watched from her window as the old man with his cane painfully made his way down to the little church on the corner. One Sunday morning following a snow storm, the little girl ran to her window and looking out exclaimed, “Surely the old man will not go to church this morning.” But there he was, right on schedule, plodding very cautiously through the snow.

The little girl could not contain herself any longer. She just had to visit the little church to see what possibly could be there that would bring the old man out on such an inclement morning. The rest is history. The little girl was impressed by the services there that morning and a short time later became a Christian. After high school she enrolled in a Christian college and while there she met a fine young Christian boy whom she later married. To this union a son was born who was to become one of the finest gospel preachers. This brother during his ministry has literally led thousands to Christ.

The old man went to his reward never realizing just what an impact he had made for the cause of Christ. Because of his godly influence many will go into heaven with him. There can be no greater joy than to reach heaven and to her someone say, “I am here because you have shown me the way.”(copied)

Some of you have children and grandchildren—you better stop and think about where your example is leading them. We only get one chance to get it right and we are accountable for our actions. Hopefully we will lead them to Christ.