Be Like Christ!!

Christians should excel in the manifestation of Christ's character. The mind, which was in Jesus, should be in them. They should consider His character as a model of their own; and be conspicuous for their poverty of spirit, meekness, gentleness, and love. 

It is matter of surprise and regret, that many people seem to think that Christianity has nothing to do with character! And that provided they are free from gross sins, and have lively feelings in devotional exercises, they may be as petulant, irritable, and implacable as they please! This is a dreadful error and has done great mischief to the cause of God! 

A sour, ill-natured Christian is like a lamb with a wolf's head, or like a dove with a vulture's beak! If there be any one word which above all others should describe a Christian's character, it is that which represents his divine Father; and as it is said, that 'God is love', so should it be also affirmed, that a Christian is love embodied, an incarnation of love! His words, his conduct, his very looks should be so many expressions of love! 

[J. A. James]

Ephesians 5:2 ... And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 

Matthew 11:29 ... Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Philippians 2:5 ... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ❤

Do You Indeed Act as You Pray?

I need not prove to you that prayer, as a duty, is essential to Christian conduct; and, as a privilege, prayer is equally indispensable to Christian enjoyment. All Christians give themselves to this devout exercise. Their petitions are copious, comprehensive, and seemingly earnest.

What solemn professions they make to God!  What ardent desires they express!  What numerous blessings they seek! What wrong resolutions they form!

If we so pray, how ought we to live? What kind of people must we be, to live up to the standard of our prayers? And ought we not, in some measure at least, to reach this standard? Should there not be a harmony, a consistency, a proportion between our practice and our prayers?

Do you indeed ACT as you pray? Do you understand the import, and feel the obligation of your own petitions? Do you rise from your knees where you have asked and knocked to seek? Do you really want, wish for, and endeavor to obtain an answer to your prayers? Are you really intent upon doing and being, what you ask for in prayer?

Our prayers are to act upon ourselves; they have, or ought to have, great power in the formation of character and the regulation of conduct.

It is plain, therefore, that much of prayer is mere words. We either do not understand, or do not consider, or do not mean what we say.

Do we go from praying to acting, and to live for Jesus, for Heaven, for eternity?

How common is it for professors to pray for victory over the world;  to be delivered from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;  to be enabled to set their affections on things above, and not on things of the earth; and to be dead to seen and temporal things.

And yet all the while they are as obviously eager to amass wealth, to multiply the attractions of earth, and to enjoy as much luxurious gratification as possible!

'Spirituality of mind' is the subject of innumerable prayers from some who never take a step to promote it! But, on the contrary, who are doing all they can to make themselves carnally-minded! How many repeat that petition, "Lead us not into temptation," who, instead of most carefully keeping at the utmost possible distance from all inducements to sin, place themselves in the very path of sin!

How often do we pray to have the mind of Christ, and to imitate the example of Jesus. But where is the assiduous endeavor, the laboring effort, to copy this high model in  its self-denying condescension,  its profound humility, its beautiful meekness, its indifference to worldly comforts,  its forgiving mercy,  its devotedness to God?

How often do we pray to be delivered from evil tempers and irascible feelings; and yet we indulge them on every slight provocation, and take no pains to subdue them!

It is unnecessary to multiply the illustrations of the inconsistency between our prayers and our practice.

[J. A. James]

Romans 8:6 ...  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

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The Press

The press has a great power for evil. Infidel and immoral writers are pouring forth a deluge of skepticism and vice, which are depositing a poisonous and toxic slime over the minds of the people.

Let it be imagined, if imagined it can be, what must be the state of multitudes in this country, when millions of pestiferous publications are annually going out among the masses of our population. Let the minds of all Christian people dwell upon the insult offered to God, the ruin brought upon souls, the injury done to morals, and the mischief perpetrated in the nation, by such a state of things!

These ungodly publications originate from Satan's workshop, and reflect the scenes of that dreadful laboratory of mental poison! These authors, printers, publishers, booksellers, vendors, by myriads, are all busy and indefatigable to do what?  To destroy the Bible,  to corrupt the mind, to pull down the cross, to dethrone God, to subvert true religion, to turn man into a speaking brute, to overturn all morality, to poison the springs of domestic happiness, to dissolve the ties of social order, to involve our country in ruin!

Satan, and all his emissaries upon earth, are in earnest in ruining men's souls!

We have an evil to contend with so gigantic in its strength, so diffused in its influence all around us, so infectious and malignant in its effects!

The enemy is coming in like a flood!

Infidelity and immorality are invading us!

The alarm bell must be rung!

[J.A. James]

 

2 Corinthians 2:11 ...  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. ❤

These Predominant Sins!

Almost all of us have 'favorite pet sins' which there is not ordinarily that concern and labor for putting them away, which there should be. They are indulged, instead of being resisted. Thus they gain strength by such indulgence, and most sadly disfigure our character and disturb our spiritual peace!

Prosperity, like sunshine upon weeds, often causes them to grow rapidly! And then God in great faithfulness, love and mercy sends adversity, like frost, to kill them. Upon a bed of sickness, and in other severe trials, they are often remembered, understood, and seen in all their sinfulness. They are then lamented, confessed, and mortified.

Nothing can be a darker sign than for a professor's conscience to be so dull and drowsy during a time of trial, as to leave him unadmonished respecting these predominant sins.

It is sometimes a blessed fruit of tribulation, that these predominant sins have been weakened, if not eradicated. It is worth any amount of suffering to secure this result. Happy is the Christian who comes out of the furnace, with his dross removed by the fire! No matter what he has lost, he has gained freedom from these inward enemies of his peace and purity.

[J.A. James]

Hebrews 12:1 ...Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

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Survey The Idols

There are other Baals in this age, in all the various forms under which they are objects of human idolatry.  It is true that you are not called, invited or disposed to bow the knee to idols of wood, stone or metal. These, however, are not the only way in which idolatry may be practiced. Everyone has a god, and if man does not love and worship Jehovah, he will make a deity of his own image. Survey the idols which you are called upon to worship:

Among them, sustaining a high place, is the vile idol of SENSUALITY. This goddess is decked out with all that can pollute the imagination, inflame the passions, or excite the evil propensities of the heart. Before this image, multitudes of devotees of both sexes bow the knee and offer the most costly sacrifices of property, health, virtue and reputation!

Near her is the bewitching and smiling image of WORLDLY PLEASURE, with the sound of music, the song and the dance, alluring the giddy and thoughtless to its orgies; and throwing the spell of its fascinations over the imagination of multitudes who go merrily to their eternal ruin!

MAMMON, the despicable deity of wealth, is there glittering with gold, and offering riches to his eager followers as the reward of their diligent and faithful adherence. His liturgy is the cry of "Money! Money! Money!" His sacrifices are the time, the bodies, the comfort, and the souls of his worshipers!

Near this is the shrine of HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. This idol is only evil, when raised above the place of faith, piety and virtue. When thus exalted above Scripture, it is a deceiving, corrupting idol, the false goddess of a Pantheon of Vices.

Nor must we leave out the idols of FALSE RELIGION, the chief of which is Popery, the anti-Christ of the Apocalypse, "the Man of Sin sitting in the temple of God, exalting itself above all that is called God." This idol, taking the name of Christ as its designation, assuming the cross as its symbol, and boasting of an apostle as its first pope; enriched by wealth; venerable for antiquity; dignified by learning; decorated by sculpture, architecture, and painting; and adding the abysmal policies, and most serpentine craft to all these other dangerous qualities has fascinated countless millions! And, notwithstanding the monstrous absurdity of its doctrines, the blood-stained page of its history, and its hostility to the liberties of mankind is now putting forth the most arrogant claims, and making the most audacious attempts for the conquest of our country!

These idolaters have chosen their god, and are the determined and devoted worshipers of their Baals! They have hardened their hearts and seared their consciences.  They congratulate themselves upon their having thrown off all the weaknesses and fears of Christianity, and upon their being now enabled to pursue their Hell-ward course unchecked by the restraint of conscience. Duped men, blind, and boasting in their blindness are benumbed in all their moral faculties, and exulting in their stupidity! With every tie cut, which held them to piety and truth, they account it a privilege that they are drifting unobstructed to eternal destruction determined to be lost, and rejoicing that nothing bars their path to the bottomless pit!

[J. A. James]

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1 Kings 18:21 … And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Ezekiel 14:3 … Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Ezekiel 20:16 …  Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.❤

Satan's workshop!

The press has a great power for evil. Infidel and immoral writers are pouring forth a deluge of skepticism and vice, which are depositing a poisonous and toxic slime over the minds of the people.

Let it be imagined, if imagined it can be, what must be the state of multitudes in this country, when millions of pestiferous publications are annually going out among the masses of our population. Let the minds of all Christian people dwell upon the insult offered to God, the ruin brought upon souls, the injury done to morals, and the mischief perpetrated in the nation,  by such a state of things!

These ungodly publications originate from Satan's workshop, and reflect the scenes of that dreadful laboratory of mental poison! These authors, printers, publishers, booksellers, vendors, by myriads, are all busy and indefatigable to do what?  To destroy the Bible,  to corrupt the mind, to pull down the cross,  to dethrone God,  to subvert true religion,  to turn man into a speaking brute, to overturn all morality,  to poison the springs of domestic happiness, to dissolve the ties of social order, to involve our country in ruin!

Satan, and all his emissaries upon earth, are in earnest in ruining men's souls!

We have an evil to contend with so gigantic in its strength, so diffused in its influence all around us,  so infectious and malignant in its effects!  The enemy is coming in like a flood!  Infidelity and immorality are invading us! The alarm bell must be rung!

[J. A. James]

2 Corinthians 2:11 … Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.❤