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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : Are you seeking great things for yourself?

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hmmhmm
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Joined: 2006/1/31
Posts: 4994
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 Are you seeking great things for yourself?

(J. C. Philpot, "Israel Blessed and Kept" 1852)

"Are you seeking great things for yourself?
Don't do it!" Jeremiah 45:5

Ministers often seek . . .
great gifts,
great eloquence,
great knowledge of mysteries,
great congregations,
great popularity and influence.


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 2008/5/22 8:19Profile
hmmhmm
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Joined: 2006/1/31
Posts: 4994
Sweden

 Re: Are you seeking great things for yourself?

(John Angell James, "Christian Fellowship" 1822)

"I will build My church." Matthew 16:18

The power of a church is simply a right to put their
own interpretation upon the laws of Christ, and to
obey His laws, in the way which they think will be
most agreeable to Him.

This is neither understood nor remembered with as
much distinctness as it should be. Hence it is a very
usual thing for churches to consider themselves as
met to make laws, and set in order the affairs of
the spiritual kingdom. A great deal is said about
"our church," and "rules that we have established
in our church." OUR church?! When did it become
OURS? The church is Christ's! The rules WE have
established?! The sole right of making laws, is with
Him to whom the church belongs!

The church is a kingdom, of which Christ is sole
monarch! The New Testament is His spiritual code,
and all the power we have, is to execute the laws
which He has already established!

In the whole business of church government, we
are to acknowledge His authority, and consider
ourselves as doing His will. Nothing is left . . .
to our will,
to our wisdom,
to our caprice;
but in all things we are to be guided by the
law of Jesus, as laid down in His Word!

In the choice of officers, in the admission of members, in
the exercise of discipline--we are not to act upon views
and principles of our own. We are to be guided by those
we find in the New Testament. We have no power to
legislate; but merely to interpret the His law--and obey.

When we meet, Christ is in the midst of us, not only by
His essential presence--but by His revealed will. Every
authoritative voice is hushed--but that which speaks to
us from the sacred Word of God.

When a new member is proposed, we are not to ask,
"Is he such a one as we think will add respectability
to our church? is he of long standing in the ways of
God? is he peculiar in his habits?" Our only question
is, "Is he one who Christ has received as His child?"

When a new measure is submitted for our adoption,
we are not first to inquire into its policy; but whether
it is in exact accordance with the general principles
and spirit of the New Testament.

Every act of church government must be an explicit
acknowledgment of the authority of Jesus, as King of
HIS church, and an act of obedience to HIS laws!

It is impossible for this sentiment to be stated too
frequently or too forcibly. It lays the axe to the root
of all the errors on church government, which have
crept into the world.


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 2008/5/22 8:20Profile
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Joined: 2006/1/31
Posts: 4994
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 Re:



"being examples to the flock." 1 Peter 5:3

"He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus,
which agrees with what I teach everywhere in
every church." 1 Corinthians 4:17

They expect to see our descriptions of piety copied into our
own conduct; and happy the man who having set forth true
godliness in his discourses, in all its beautiful proportions and
all its glowing colors, shall constrain the audience to exclaim,
"The painter has delineated his own likeness!" Happy the man
who, when the people shall ask, "What is true religion?" shall
be not only able to reply in reference to his pulpit, "Come and
hear," but in reference to his life, "Come and see!"

He alone is an honor to his pastoral office, who lives the
gospel which he preaches, and adorns by his conduct the
doctrines which he believes. But the unholy minister is
a disgrace to Christianity, and the worst enemy of
mankind! He is the most powerful abettor of infidelity,
and does more to wither the eternal interests of mankind
than the most malignant and pestiferous treatises that ever
issued from the press. If he perished alone in his sins, our
feelings might be those of unmingled pity. But when we
view him ruining the souls of others by his example, we
unite abhorrence with our compassion, just as we would
at the conduct of the shepherd who first drove his flock over
a precipice, and then dashed himself upon the rocks below!


(J. A. James, "Character & Reward of the Faithful Minister")


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 2008/5/22 8:22Profile
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Joined: 2006/1/31
Posts: 4994
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 Re:



We can do nothing without a godly ministry. Of all
the curses which God ever pours from the vials of
His wrath upon a nation which He intends to scourge,
there is not one so fearful as giving them up to an
unholy ministry.

I trust our churches will ever consider piety as the
first and most essential qualification in their pastors,
for which talents, genius, learning, and eloquence,
would and could be no substitutes. It will be a dark
and evil day when personal godliness shall be
considered as secondary to any other quality in
those who serve at the altar of God.

No ministry will be really effective, whatever may
be its eloquence, which is not a ministry of . . .
strong faith,
true spirituality, and
deep earnestness.


(John Angell James, "An Earnest Ministry" 1847)


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 2008/5/22 8:25Profile





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