Good Decisions
By H. E. Phillips
Good decisions are important. We often make decisions without thinking of
the consequences that will follow. Joel said: “Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of
decision” (Joel
3:14).
Decision is the making up of one’s mind or deciding the course of one’s
actions. Moses decided to stay with the children of God and suffer affliction
rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Paul decided to give up
all, including his place of prominence among the Pharisees, for the suffering
as a bond-servant of Christ.
Millions have chosen to die rather than deny the
Lord that bought them. These are decisions that are righteous. Others have decided
to leave the church and return to the world and sin, such as Demas. Many have
decided to try to “play both ends against the middle” to try to
serve God and enjoy the pleasures of sin at the same time. This cannot be done,
but
somehow millions have not learned the lesson.
The decisions that count are those that lead to a better and more spiritual life.
Decide to read the word of God more; decide to be more faithful in attending
every opportunity to publicly worship God; decide to love and respect your brother
in Christ as never before; decide to try to lead some lost soul to Christ. These
are worthy objectives and we should devote more time and effort to them.
- Preacher of the Word, May 5, 1996
True Picture
By H. E. Phillips
Disciples in the first century had a picture of what humanity would be in
the twentieth century and even later. I do not mean that they could see the
inventions
and accommodations that we have, but they were given an inspired description
of the conditions of men’s hearts and lives toward God and other men. Notice
the following words of inspiration that accurately describe the present condition,
even in the church:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself
that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these
things?” (2 Thess, 2:3-5).
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
speaking lies in hypocrisy: having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding
to many, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received
with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth” (1 Tim. 4:1-3).
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors,
heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form
of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim.
3:1-5).
We do not have to look far to see these conditions in our present surroundings.
We must do all we can to see that our own lives are what they should be.
- Preacher of the Word, May 19, 1996