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Divine Considerations not Human Compromise

Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. (2 Timothy 4:2 GW)

Even good people who have been blessed of the Lord, to whom He has shown His favor and whom He has used very greatly, may in the end be involved in spiritual tragedy if for some reason compromise has entered in. It may have come in because of policy. What a snare policy is! We tell ourselves we must be very careful that we do not do this or that because it may have such and such a result. It is all policy and diplomacy. "We must be careful to avoid..." what? Just what we seek to avoid betrays the whole case. Are we afraid of losing prestige with men, support, friends, position, opportunity? Do these things weigh with us as over against implicit obedience to the Lord? If so, there is divided loyalty; and if we allow it, we may at the end pass into terrible tragedy; the tragedy that always follows compromise....

If spiritual fullness is to be reached, we have to be governed by Divine and heavenly principles, and not by human considerations. Divine principles; not, "What will the consequences be?" not, "What shall we lose?" not even, "What will the Lord lose?" because that is a very subtle argument. The Lord does not ask us to reason this thing out on that level at all. He says, "What is the Divine principle? Let that principle govern and guide." You may not see at all how it is going to work out. If you are governed by Divine principles you may seem to lose a lot here; you may, for a time, have to go out with David and wait. But in the end the principles will be vindicated. You have to recognize that compromise on principle only brings disaster. You see it everywhere.... We must say, "What has the Lord revealed? It will mean this, it will cost that, it will involve me thus; but that is not the point. I am not going to be influenced or governed by consequences at all. Policy must have no place with me. What God has revealed that is the only argument for me."

Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted.

Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly. § If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me!

So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart— these, O God, You will not despise. § He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. § He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

2 Cor. 7:10;  Matt. 26:75;  1 John 1:9,  1 John 1:7;  Ps. 40:12,13;  Hos. 12:6;  Ps. 51:17;  Ps. 147:3;  Mic. 6:8

“Is it well with you?” . . . And she answered, “It is well.”

We have the same spirit of faith.

As chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. § We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body … Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

2 Kings 4:26;  2 Cor. 4:13;  2 Cor. 6:9,10;  2 Cor. 4:8;  2 Cor. 4:9  2 Cor. 4:10;  2 Cor. 4:16;  2 Cor. 4:17   2 Cor. 4:18;  3 John 1:2

Cross-less Church

I determine not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified " (1 Cor. 2:2).

The harvest can be no better than the sowing and cultivating. The burden over the need of others develops our hunger of heart to be a "vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Tim. 2:21). "It is a universal law that everything possessing productive power brings forth after its kind.' This is no less true in sharing. Religious ministry may be psychic, orthodox, heretical, social, humanitarian, educational, political, or spiritual. In each case it produces results after its kind.' But are outward results' (as such) the main objective of evangelism? God forbid! By those initiated in the art, results' of a kind can be easily and cheaply produced. But the true end of evangelism is the establishment of the Lord Jesus' sovereignty in hearts. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and it cannot be measured by statistics." -R.W. "How much there is that is called spiritual that is but flesh! How many of the Lord's people are seeking to touch the living God and fail to find Him and satisfy their heart-hunger for true fellowship with Him. Theoretically we believe in His presence, but we find only a mere stirring of emotions. We are told of the Spirit's power, but we see results produced by showmanship, oratory, and emotionalism. We are counseled to depend upon the Spirit, but in practice dependence is really on human wisdom, ability, personality and programs. We do not get through, behind all that is of man, to touch the living God." -A.H. "Ten thousand tutors! Not many fathers!' How true it is today! Many teachers, but not many willing to suffer, and to bear others on their hearts, until they are borne through their babyhood stage to maturity." "Preach the Gospel: not with words of wisdom, lest the Cross of Christ be made of none effect" (1 Cor. 1:17).

In, Of and Thru Christ

Learning Christ