Truth Magazine

By Weldon E. Warnock

Recently, a lady asked: “What is the difference between having a small group of people sing spiritual songs to a congregation of people at a funeral and having a group sing during worship services?” This is a good question! I have heard solos, duets, trios, quartets, small groups, and even the whole assembly, sing at funerals. Why may we have these arrangements at funerals and yet many of us object to the same arrangements as unscriptural during worship of the church?

In my judgment there is nothing unscriptural with God’s people singing any where, whether one or a thousand, providing it is done to God’s glory and for the edification of those who hear. In the New Testament individuals sang psalms. before the whole church. One would sing, and, then, when he finished, perhaps another one would burst forth in song and praise. I do not know the procedure or what all took place, but I do know Paul said, “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm. . . ” (1 Cor. 14:26). “Everyone” would be only those who had a gift to exercise. Now, if brethren, individually, at Corinth were permitted to sing psalms, may we not do the same thing? If not, why not?

Lange, commenting on 1 Corinthians 14:26, says the meaning is that “he comes to church in a state of mind inspired by the Spirit, to produce and pour forth some song of praise” (Lange’s Commentary, Vol. 10, p. 294). Bengel stated, “Individuals had a psalm, wherewith to praise God” (New Testament Word Studies, p. 249). Thayer says “the phrase echein psalmon (hath a psalm, WEW) is used of one who has it in his heart to sing or recite a song of the sort, 1 Cor. 14:26” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, p. 675).

M. C. Kurfees wrote years ago, “Hence, so far as the mere question of the number of persons who may sing at one time is concerned, one person or any number of persons may sing God’s praise and impart instruction in the worship of God” (Gospel Advocate, May 15, 1913, p. 464). R. L. Whiteside, gospel preacher and Queries Editor for the Gospel Advocate for ten or more years, wrote, “To the Corinthians, Paul said, ‘When ye come together each one hath a psalm’ (1 Cor. 14:26). A solo is sometimes very effective; so also is a quartet. But no one wants either as a regular diet. In solos and quartets there is a temptation to sing for show, and a poor solo or a poor quartet is a mess” (Reflections, p. 372).

McClintock and Strong state: “As to the persons concerned in singing, sometimes a single person sang alone, but the most ancient and general practice of the Church was for the whole assembly to unite with one heart and voice in celebrating the praises of God” (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 8, p. 738). We read further, “Each member was invited, at pleasure and according to his ability, to lead their devotions in a sacred song indited by himself. Such was the custom in the Corinthian Church” (Ibid., Vol. 6, p. 758).

Paul wrote, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). The American Standard Version translates the passage, “Speaking one to another.

The thought is not that each Christian communes with himself in song, but they speak to one another in letting others know of their joy, gladness, peace and feeling in the heart, as well as the great truths of the Bible in general. Paul also wrote, “. . . teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16). None of these passages teach how many must sing at one time or in concert. Kurfees said, “. . . we must not erect any one thing into a law, such as fixing the number who shall sing at one time. . . ” (Ibid.).

Motive is a factor that must be appraised as to the scripturality of any or all of our singing. Among denominations, singing, to a great extent, has become show, entertainment, pomp and formalism. Choirs, quartets, solos, etc. are to entertain the audience and to exhibit musical skill. Congregational singing is supplanted by these groups by and large and people become spectators instead of worshipers.

Kurfees again said, “. . we add that, while solo singing, as we have seen, is as clearly within the limits of New Testament teaching as is singing by any number of persons at all, still, as frequently carried out in practice, it becomes a sort of show for the public exhibition of the singer instead of being for the praise of God and for the instruction of the saints, and this of course, is a perversion of the divine purpose of singing. From this point of view, we sometimes find it expedient to discourage solo singing, and exhort all to sing in concert, which does not furnish the same temptation to such perversion; though it must be admitted that the singing, whether done by one person or by any other specific number of persons, or by all in concert, is sometimes perverted from its divine purpose. Assuredly Christians cannot be too careful at this point” (Ibid.).

Marshall Patton wrote, “I think it well to observe just here that in view of the more ornate and artistic type of singing with which we are accustomed, solo singing must be ruled out in our worship today. It would be next to impossible to keep such from converting the worship into a theatrical performance. History does repeat itself! This is not to say under no conditions and at no time could one person come before the congregation and present a spiritual message in song, being truly motivated by that which is spiritual, and which song was received by the congregation in the same spirit. However lawful such may be, remember that history shows that the regular practice of such makes it highly inexpedient” (Searching the Scriptures, June, 1986, pp. 5-6).

We see the danger of so-called “special singing” in the following quotations: “Sacred music must, in the primitive Church, have consisted only of a few simple airs which could easily be learned, and which, by frequent repetition, became familiar to all. . . . Their psalmody was the joint act of the whole assembly in unison. . . . An artificial, theatrical style of music, having no affinity with the worship of God, soon began to take the place of those solemn airs which before had inspired the devotions of his people. The music of the theater was transferred to the church, which accordingly became the scene of theatrical pomp and display rather than the house of prayer and of praise, to inspire by its appropriate and solemn rites the spiritual worship of God. . . . Thus it soon came about that the many, instead of uniting their hearts and their voices in the songs of Zion, could only sit coldly by as spectators” (McClintock & Strong, op. cit., Vol. 6, p. 758).

We conclude, therefore, that any number may sing in an assembly of the church, although I wholeheartedly concur with brethren Patton and Kurfees that such is highly inexpedient in the assembly for the reasons already stated. Having established the principle that solos, quartets, etc. are scriptural, we must also conclude that such types of singing at funerals are also scriptural, and due to the nature of a funeral and the circumstances involved, I believe that such singing is also expedient. If a few sing at a funeral to console and comfort the bereaved and edify those in attendance, they have done nothing more than what God has authorized.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 16, pp. 486, 501
August 21, 1986

By Jimmy Tuten

Parents are instructed to rear their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). This is the most important way to bring up a child. Children cannot be trained right unless the father is right. The father will be right only if he gives attention to reading and studying the Bible. What does training a child in the instruction of the Lord involve?

1. Respect for parental authority. Children must obey their parents in all things (Col. 3:20). Respect for authority begins in the home. Failure to teach children proper respect for authority is failure to do what God commands. The fault of the child many times begins with the parent. To rear a child in the “nurture” of the Lord involves “discipline.” Failure to discipline is to hate the child (Prov. 13:24). This training must begin early while hope exists (Prov. 19:18). It is worthwhile to save a child from hell (Prov. 24:13-14). Training a child to respect authority may seem grievous; “nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:9-11).

2. Respect for governmental authority. Every child needs this respect (Rom. 13:1-7). Since such powers are ordained of God, failure to respect them is to resist God’s ordinance and to receive damnation. This respect is not only for wrath (fear of penal consequences), but also for the conscience’s sake (it is your duty, whatever might ensue.) A child must be taught to be a good citizen who respects the laws of the land. Laws are for the good of mankind. “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work (Tit. 3:1). Many lives would be lengthened if people would obey these laws. We are to obey the government as long as such obedience does not require us to disobey God (Acts 5:29).

3. Respect for Divine authority. The Bible is the Word of God and the means by which God speaks to us today (1 Cor. 2:12-13; 1 Thess. 2:13). Jesus Christ has all power and all authority (Matt. 28:18). Recognition of this will cause the serious minded parent to teach his children the Bible, knowing that it will furnish him completely unto every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). All that pertains to life and godliness is found in the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:3). If a man speaks, he is to speak as the oracles of God (1 Pet. 4:11). To go outside of its bounds results in one not having God (2 Jn. 9). Teach your children these verses. Impress upon their tender minds that there is a God, that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died for their sins. Show them the need to respect the Lord’s authority by obeying His commands in order to be saved (Heb. 5:8-9).

Conclusion

Train your children now. Before you know it they will be out from under your control and under the guidance of others. In some college they will have their faith challenged. The beliefs that are now so cherished may be wrecked unless they are firmly rooted in God’s truth. Teach them how to become Christians and how to live in respect for all authority (Jn. 3:16; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38). As long as they live and have their being they will be held accountable by God (2 Cor. 5: 10-11). Among the best home furnishings are children.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 16, p. 485
August 21, 1986

By Mike Willis

Those with whom we associate influence us. This influence is called “peer pressure” today and it can either improve or destroy us. Many a soldier has been motivated to heroic bravery by the “ample of his leader, (whether higher or lower in rank). Many have become involved in sordid crimes by the influence of those around them (cf. how the mob was encouraged by the leaders to shout “Crucify Him” at the trial of Jesus).

Recognizing the power to influence our lives which those with whom we associate have upon us, the Lord gave several commandments regarding our associations with others.

The Word of God Will Deliver Us From The Evil Man

When the book of Proverbs was written, it was written “to give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Prov. 1:4). Included in what the Lord would do for us through His word was this: “to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things” (Prov. 2:12). But how does the word of God deliver us?

The Lord does not deliver us from evil men by miraculous guidance and direction of the affairs of our life. Rather, He delivers us from evil by warning of its dangers and directing us in how we should avoid that danger. The Lord warned:

Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge (Prov. 14:7).

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away (Prov. 4:14-15).

The young man can be delivered from the evil man by giving attention to the divine revelation of God which tells what our conduct toward these men should be.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psa. 119:9-11).

Hence, the Lord will deliver us from the evil man when we recognize the dangers of the association and resolve to depart from associating with him!

How important it is to teach this lesson to our children. “The injunction, so absolutely stated, to have nothing to do with sin, is required, if not indeed prompted, by the knowledge of the fact that youth, confident in its own power of resistance, frequently indulges in the fatal mistake of imagining that it can dally with sin with impunity” (W. J. Deane, The Pulpit Commentary.- Proverbs, p. 89).

Sinners Entice Us

The Lord warned that sinners work to encourage others to sin.

For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall (Prov. 4:16).

He pictured their enticements to persuade a young man to walk with them in sin.

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse (Prov. 1:10- 14).

I am confident that such a scene literally transpires in the ghettos of many major cities where gangs persuade young men to join them. These are the gangs which attack and steal from the elderly.

However, stealing is not the only temptation to sin which peer pressure causes. Some attract others saying, “Come with us and we will stop at the convenience store, buy a sixpack, get some girls, go to a drive-in movie, and have a good time.” Others say, “Come with us and tell filthy jokes.” Others say, “Come with us and read pornographic literature or view X-rated movies and video tapes.” Many young people have fallen victim to the enticements of their friends.

Whom Should You Avoid?

What kind of people should young people avoid? Let the Scriptures reveal the answer to us.

1. The Fool. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20). “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge” (Prov. 14:7).

Who is a fool? The fool is not simply someone who acts silly. The fool in the book of Proverbs is the man who “has no perception of ethical and religious claims” (nabal in Brown, Driver, and Briggs’ Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, p. 614). He believes that God has no claims on his life (Psa. 14:1), reproaches God (Psa. 74:22), and otherwise shows no respect for the Lord. When a person assesses that a man is of this character, he should stay away from him.

2. Angry Man. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Prov. 23:24-25). What kind of man is an angry man? This is not discussing a man who occasionally becomes angry and directs his anger properly: Even the Lord became angry (Mk. 3:5). Rather, this man is one who has no control over his temper – the hasty of spirit (Prov. 14:29; 15:18; 19:19; 29:22). When you perceive that a man makes no effort to control his temper, quit associating with him!

3. Drunkards, gluttons, and slothful. “Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh; for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags” (Prov. 23:19-21). How often these attributes are found together!

Some young men are industrious, clean-cut, and zealous to be pure and holy. They look for jobs by which they can earn funds to buy what they want and/or need. They keep their bodies healthy, not destroying them with drugs, drinking, and immorality. On the other hand, other young men are too lazy to work, ready at any time to go party (get drunk), and are gluttons. When their dissolute manner of living becomes known to a wise man, he will cease associating with him.

4. Those Who Teach Sinful Ways. “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge” (Prov. 19:27). Paul wrote, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). This admonition was given, not to a young man to encourage him to avoid associating with drunkards, harlots, and thieves; rather, it was written to Christians to instruct them to avoid associating with false teachers who denied the resurrection of the body (cf. 1 Cor. 15).

Reasons For Avoiding The Wicked

1. The danger of learning his- way (Prov. 4:14-17; 5:8; 22:24-25). The adage is still true that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6). You say, “This will never happen to me” or “I would never do that.” However, constant association with those involved in sin weakens your resistance and makes you more susceptible to sin. We observe this truth in these English proverbs: “He that lives with cripples learns to limp.” “He that goes with wolves learns to howl.” “He that lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas.”

2. The danger of destruction. The one who rebells against God will come to destruction (Prov. 13:20), not only in eternity but frequently in this life as well. One who lives in rebellion against God will reap what he sows (Gal. 6:7). To avoid a temporal life of misery and woe and to avoid eternal destruction in hell, one must abstain from sin.

3. To avoid bringing shame to his parents. “. . . he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father” (Prov. 28:7). Those who love their parents will not want to bring them grief. Grief comes to a parent whose children associate with worthless men of ungodly reputation. Many a parent has gone to an early grave as a result of his worry and concern over a child who becomes involved in wickedness and with wicked men.

With Whom Should I Associate?

1. Those Who Fear God. “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Psa. 119:63). Shun the company that shuns God, and keep the company God keeps. As one Christian, I can testify to how richly my life has been blessed by my association with faithful Christians. We have had many gospel preachers in our home; their life experiences have enriched our conversation, their congeniality has been an example for each member of the family, and their faith has inspired us to persevere.

Some men associate with those who reject God. When they go out to eat, their faith is attacked by their insistence that they have a few drinks before dinner; when they go to a movie together, their faith is attacked by the choice to attend R- and X-rated movies; when they get together just to visit, their faith is attacked through filthy jesting (filthy jokes and remarks). Everything about this association threatens their faithfulness to God.

Others chose to associate with Christians. When they go out to eat, not only is their faith not threatened, they are encouraged to faithfulness by the example of others. They can enjoy recreational activities together without having their faith attacked. The person is encouraged to greater faithfulness, not tempted to apostasy, by these associations.

2. The Wise. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise” (Prov. 13:20). The wise man should be understood to be the opposite of the “fool” as described earlier. Make opportunities to spend time with wise men; one’s life will be blessed by this association. Make every effort to learn what they know.

What better advice can be given than that from the song “Take Time To Be Holy”? The first verse says, ” . . make friends of God’s children. . .”

Conclusion

We see that one’s companions are a matter of choice. We gravitate toward those with whom we feel the most comfortable. Our English proverb says, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Consider carefully the thoughts of this verse:

You tell on yourself by the friends you seek, By the very manner in which you speak, By the way you employ your leisure time, By the use you make of dollar and dime.

You tell what you are by the things you wear,

By the spirit in which your burdens bear,

By the kind of things at which you laugh,

By the records you play on the phonograph.

You tell what you are by the way you walk,

By the things of which you delight to talk,

By the manner in which you bear defeat,

By so simple a thing as how you eat.

By the books you choose from the well-filled shelf:

In these ways and more, you tell on yourself;

So there’s really no particle of sense

In an effort to keep up false pretense.

-author unknown

I remember a young girl who began dating as she became a teenager. I noticed that every boy she dated looked like a worthless, moral reprobate. I lamented to one of our elders that this girl just could not seem to find a boy friend who was morally attractive. He responded, “We attract whom we want to.” He was right and had made a wise assessment of her character. “Tell me your companions and I will tell you what you are.”

George Washington wrote, “Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company” (Rules of Civility via The Pocket Book of Quotations, p. 39).

Guardian of Truth XXX: 16, pp. 482, 502-503
August 21, 1986

By Aude McKee

For some time I have been considering the motivations of Paul’s life. Probably no person suffered more for the cause of Christ, than did he, and few, if any, have surpassed him in devotion and commitment. What made him different from so many of us today? What did he have that lots of us lack?

The word “motivate” means “to stimulate to action; provide with an incentive or motive; impel, incite.” The word “motivation” is defined as “an incentive, inducement or motive, especially for an act.” The same act may be motivated differently in different people. One man buys a new automobile because his old one is worn out. His motive is need. A second man feels he can save money by getting rid of the old car before it begins to cost him for repairs, so his motivation is economics. A third man sees a shiny new model in his neighbor’s driveway, and he trades out of pride. Two men might outwardly be equally committed to the Lord, but because of entirely different reasons. The first views the church as an institution in which he takes pride. He wants it to grow, surpass others in the area, etc., because it is “his church.” The other man is equally faithful and works just as hard, but all he does comes from a heart filled with love for the Lord and the salvation of souls. The first man may see his zeal cool, his attendance slacken, and his work retarded if things don’t go to suit him. If his favorite preacher moves or problems arise, his motivation may be gone. But the second man is stable and unwavering. His faithfulness is not tied to any man, or program. Externals don’t affect his relationship to the Lord or the fact that he lives in a world of dying, lost people.

Some Things Which Did Not Motivate Paul

Now let us notice three things of a negative nature about Paul’s motivations. First, he never did anything out of spite or ill will. In Philippians 1, we learn that some were preaching Christ in order to add affliction to Paul’s bonds (vv. 12-18). Certainly Paul did not defend the motive of those wicked men, but he rejoiced that Christ was being preached. Second, he never obeyed the Lord simply because it was convenient. Paul was a wealthy, well-educated and prominent member of the Pharisee sect, but from the day he met the Lord on the road to Damascus until the day he died in a Roman prison, he was continually faced with doing the inconvenient. When he learned the truth from the lips of Ananias, “he arose and was baptized.” But that meant turning his back on his cronies with whom he had labored to destroy the Lord’s church, and as soon as the news got out, he probably could count his friends on the fingers of one hand. The religion that he and his ancestors had held dear was put behind him because he began preaching that the law was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14), that Jesus is the Son of God (1 Cor. 1:2), and that He not only died on the cross but He was raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:14). And third, Paul was not motivated by the new and the novel. He wasn’t on fire one day and dead as a mackerel the next. That old joke about the cat, that had been injected with gasoline, running around the room for a few minutes and then flopping over on his back, describes a lot of Christians. “What happened to the cat?” you are supposed to ask, and the answer is “He ran out of gas!” Paul’s life could be described as a lot more of the same. Day after day of hard work, very little of this world’s goods, persecution, hardship, and the danger of death were his lot in life. But in the face of all this, he could write, “Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Motivated By Gratitude

What did motivate Paul? For one thing, he was motivated by gratitude. On one occasion he wrote, “For I am the least of the apostles, that I am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am. . . ” (1 Cor. 15:9- 10). He never forgot what he had been and what he was able to become because of God’s mercy and grace. I think that sometimes many of us feel we were pretty good before we obeyed the gospel – sort of like Simon in Luke 7:36-48 – and our gratitude simmers on low heat. If we could get a glimpse of the horrors of hell that we would have suffered had it not been for God’s forgiveness, we might be capable of a deeper sense of gratitude. How thankful we need to be every day of our lives!

Motivated By Trust In Jesus

Another thing that motivated Paul was hisfaith and trust in the Lord. In 2 Timothy 1: 12, he said, “. . . I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” To the Galatians he made an unusual statement: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not 1, but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). There is probably nothing that will rob a person of his zeal any quicker and more effectively than doubts. How could a person serve the Lord faithfully and make sacrifices gladly, if he is not sure that the one he serves is for real? When John the Baptist was in prison, he was afflicted with this problem of doubt, but Jesus laid it to rest. He told the two disciples John had sent, to go and tell John again what they were hearing and seeing. “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them” (Matt. 11:2-5). 1 doubt Paul ever doubted for a moment, but if we suffer from the problem, the answer lies in more investigation of the evidences of our Lord’s divinity (Rom. 10:17).

Motivated By Desire To Save The Lost

A third thing that motivated Paul was his deep desire to see lostpeople saved. In 2 Timothy 2:10, he told this young man he loved so dearly, one of the secrets behind the sacrifices he made. “I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Again, regarding his Jewish brethren (in the flesh), he said, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1). One chapter back, he made an amazing statement when he said he would be willing to be lost himself if his Jewish kinsmen could be saved! If we could arrive to the point of spiritual development where we see our neighbor as a person on his way to hell, instead of a good fellow who is a little mixed up in his religion, it would revolutionize our conduct, I have read that Henry Ward Beecher would occasionally say, as he preached before an audience of thousands, “I preach as a dying man to dying men and women.” May God help us to increase our concern for the souls of dying men and women.

Motivated By The Unseen

Paul was also motivated by his ability to see the unseen. In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” How could he keep on keeping on under such circumstances? “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal” (vv. 16-18). Paul could see his eternal spirit as clearly as others of us can see our hands or feet. He could experience the second coming of Christ as though it had already happened, and heaven and hell were as real to Paul as Corinth or Antioch. When we are spasmodic in our attendance, neglectful of our responsibilities, and hesitant to make sacrifices, it could be that our spiritual eyesight is at fault. We need, like Paul, to keep our eyes on the unseen instead of putting so much emphasis on this world.

Conclusion

I have been around for a considerable number of years, and back in my boyhood days a lot of people got their water from a well with a “pitcher pump” device to draw the water. As I recall, those things had to be primed every time you used them. They weren’t on “go” when the need existed. But other people more fortunate had a spring close by and the water ran all the time. Paul was not a fellow who had to be “primed.” He did not need to be pumped to get him started. He was more like a spring with internal motivation that “forced” him to worship, to preach the gospel, to break out in prayer and song even in the midst of trying circumstances.

I grew up in a country congregation in western Indiana. The lighting system in the building was unique. In the rear of the building was a tank of gasoline with an air pump attached. Pipes ran from this tank to one or two drop lights with mantles like our gasoline lanterns today. But the system was not designed to run for an hour, and so about half-way through services, Woodford Neal would go to the rear, pump for a few minutes, and then the dim lights would be bright again. When we find ourselves in need of “pumping up,” the fault is not in the Lord but in us. We are surrounded every hour of every day by the goodness of God. “Every good and perfect gift cometh down from above. . . ” (James 1:17). In Christ Jesus we have access to all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). Gratitude ought to be ever-present in our hearts. Too, we are surrounded every day by lost people and “into our hands the gospel has been given.” Under such circumstances our work of preaching and teaching ought never to slacken. It is true that God’s word adequately supplies us with evidences that will cause us to grow in faith and trust. As we act on our faith day by day, our trust will deepen as the Lord’s promises are fulfilled in our own lives. Finally, we are caused to be more consistent in our service to our Lord as we learn to keep our eyes on things that transcend this earth and this life.

Guardian of Truth XXX: 15, pp. 483-485
August 21, 1986