~ ~ ~ ~"Some people want only as much of God's salvation as will keep them out of Hell, and they measure out with unconscious precision how much worldliness and sin they can still hang on to without jeopardizing their chances. This is 'conversion' without repentance. Flee from it!" David Shepherd
"Are you guilty of this insidious practice? Are you unconsciously weighing out each day how much sin and worldliness you can still enjoy, and yet miss Hell's eternal torment and flames? If this is the case with you, then you are a religious pretender and a gross hypocrite who needs to swiftly run to the foot of the Cross and repent of such an atrocity!
"A 'worldly Christian'? Can there be such a thing? Or is this a term that the backslidden Church came up with to try to appease their guilty consciences and to excuse their ungodly ways? The concept of a 'worldly Christian' is a total absurdity! A true Christian is devoted, dedicated, or consecrated to God's service--not worldliness. We are either devoted to Jesus--or to the world. Which is it for you?" C. Giordano
"Nothing worse can happen to a church, than to be conformed to this world! Those who would be transfigured by Jesus, must not be disfigured by conformity to the world." Charles Spurgeon
"If I find anyone who is settled down too snugly into this world, I always doubt whether he's ever truly been born again." A.W. Tozer
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money!" Matthew 6:24~ ~ ~ ~We have published several short quotes on the minced oaths and the sin of taking God's Name and Word in vain:
The sin of sacrilege!
(Octavius Winslow, "The Officer's Daughter" 1861)
"I, the Lord, have spoken! I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at My Word." Isaiah 66:2
Alas! how prevalent the sin of sacrilege is — even with some professing Christians! The common use which is sometimes made of sacred words, the light and flippant manner in which holy phrases are employed, the carnal use which is frequently made of the words of Scripture itself, the interlarding of vain conversation with Scripture phraseology, and what are intended to be witticisms — at the expense of God's holy Word. These are sins of greater prevalence and magnitude than, perhaps, many who are beguiled into their commission are aware!
We can scarcely conceive of anything more grieving to the Holy Spirit — than the manner in which some people deal with His inspired Word. Nor is the low spirituality which this solemn trifling with the Bible betrays, less painful.
A heavenly mind will guard the sacredness and purity of God's Word with holy jealousy! How can it be otherwise? To the Bible, the instrumentality of God's truth — the believer is indebted for his quickening, for his sanctification, and for his comfort! To trifle, then, with that holy Word, to quote it flippantly, to speak of it irreverently, to jest with it profanely — would seem a crime from which a mind stored with its precious treasures, and imbued with its hallowed spirit — would recoil with holy dread!
Oh, beware, reader, how you sport with, or trifle with — God's holy Scriptures! Oh, it is a fearful thing to quote with sportive lip, to touch with unhallowed hands — the holy Word of God!
"My heart stands in awe of Your Word! I rejoice in Your Word like one who discovers a great treasure!" Psalm 119:161-162
(Editor's note: It is truly lamentable, that many professing Christians use the holy Word of God to amuse others with 'bible jokes' and in other trifling and irreverent ways. Much of today's pseudo-Christian music, movies and literature — use the Word of God in a flippant manner, if not in a downright profane and sacrilegious way.)
Little Sins
(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)
"Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same — will be called least in the kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 5:19
A great many people are careful about breaking large commandments and committing heinous sins — while they commit 'little sins' continually and without scruple.
They would not tell a direct lie for the world — but their speech is full of little falsehoods!
They would not steal money from the purse or drawer of another — and yet they continually commit small thefts! For example, by mistake the grocer gives them a penny too much change — and they do not think of returning it. Through the carelessness of a postal worker, the postage stamp on a letter is left uncancelled — and they take it off and use it a second time.
They would not purposely try to blacken a neighbor's name or destroy his character — and yet they repeat to others the evil whispers about him which they have heard, and thus soil his reputation.
They would not swear or curse in the coarse way of the ungodly — but they are continually using such minced oaths such as, Gosh! Gees! Heck! and other mild, timid substitutes for overt swearing.
They would not do flagrant acts of wickedness to disgrace themselves — but their lives are honeycombed with all kinds of little meannesses, impurities, selfishnesses, and bad tempers.
We need to remember, that little disobediences — harm our witness for the kingdom of Heaven.
Little sins — mar the beauty of our character.
Then, little sins are sure to grow! The trickling leak in the dike — becomes a torrent deluging vast plains!
Ofttimes, too, little sins are infinite in their consequences.
We ought never to indulge even the smallest faults or evil habits — but should aim always at perfection of character, and perfection is made up of 'littles'.
(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)
"Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same — will be called least in the kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 5:19
A great many people are careful about breaking large commandments and committing heinous sins — while they commit 'little sins' continually and without scruple.
They would not tell a direct lie for the world — but their speech is full of little falsehoods!
They would not steal money from the purse or drawer of another — and yet they continually commit small thefts! For example, by mistake the grocer gives them a penny too much change — and they do not think of returning it. Through the carelessness of a postal worker, the postage stamp on a letter is left uncancelled — and they take it off and use it a second time.
They would not purposely try to blacken a neighbor's name or destroy his character — and yet they repeat to others the evil whispers about him which they have heard, and thus soil his reputation.
They would not swear or curse in the coarse way of the ungodly — but they are continually using such minced oaths such as, Gosh! Gees! Heck! and other mild, timid substitutes for overt swearing.
They would not do flagrant acts of wickedness to disgrace themselves — but their lives are honeycombed with all kinds of little meannesses, impurities, selfishnesses, and bad tempers.
We need to remember, that little disobediences — harm our witness for the kingdom of Heaven.
Little sins — mar the beauty of our character.
Then, little sins are sure to grow! The trickling leak in the dike — becomes a torrent deluging vast plains!
Ofttimes, too, little sins are infinite in their consequences.
We ought never to indulge even the smallest faults or evil habits — but should aim always at perfection of character, and perfection is made up of 'littles'.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Editor's note: Minced oaths are used to avoid swearing, when expressing surprise or annoyance.
Minced oaths are usually, although not exclusively, religious in nature, and date from the days when it was irreverent and unacceptable to use the name of God, Jesus, or other sacred words in everyday speech. To mince your words, means to choose words so as not to offend anyone — except for God, who sees them as sacrilege (the sin of profaning sacred things).
Here are a few examples:
Bejabbers — By Jesus
By George — By God
By golly — By God
By gosh — By God
Chrissakes — For Christ's sake
Criminy — Christ
Cripes — Christ
Dad gum — God damn
Dagnabbit — God damn it
Dagnammit — God damn it
Dang — Damn
Darn — Damn
Darnation — Damnation
Doggone — God damn
Gee whizz — Jesus
Good grief — Good God
Goodness gracious — Good God
Gosh — God
Gosh darned — God damned
Heck — Hell
Jeepers Creepers — Jesus Christ
Jeez — Jesus
Jiminy Christmas — Jesus Christ
My goodness — My God
My gosh — My God
Tarnation — Damnation
Bejabbers — By Jesus
By George — By God
By golly — By God
By gosh — By God
Chrissakes — For Christ's sake
Criminy — Christ
Cripes — Christ
Dad gum — God damn
Dagnabbit — God damn it
Dagnammit — God damn it
Dang — Damn
Darn — Damn
Darnation — Damnation
Doggone — God damn
Gee whizz — Jesus
Good grief — Good God
Goodness gracious — Good God
Gosh — God
Gosh darned — God damned
Heck — Hell
Jeepers Creepers — Jesus Christ
Jeez — Jesus
Jiminy Christmas — Jesus Christ
My goodness — My God
My gosh — My God
Tarnation — Damnation
Sacrilege!
(by Octavius Winslow)
Cultivate a profound reverence for God's Word. Nothing is more grievous to the Holy Spirit than a trifling with revelation. The words of Scripture are divinely inspired. "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
Beware of referring to it with levity. To adopt the words of Scripture irreverently, or to employ its phraseology flippantly, is to cast discredit upon inspiration, to press it into the service of the flesh, and to make the Word of God the jest book of the profane. This is awful trifling with the thoughts and words of the Holy Spirit!
Stand in awe of this Holy Book!
God says, "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at My Word." Isaiah 66:2
"Then all who trembled at the Words of the God of Israel..." Ezra 9:4
"We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the commands of our God..." Ezra 10:3
"My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of Your laws." Psalm 119:120
"My heart stands in awe of Your Word." Psalm 119:161
(Editor's note: How very sad is it that many professing Christians use the holy Word of God to amuse others with 'bible jokes' and in other trifling and irreverent ways. Much of today's pseudo Christian music, movies and children's literature use the Word of God in a flippant manner, if not in a downright profane and sacrilegious way.)
(by Octavius Winslow)
Cultivate a profound reverence for God's Word. Nothing is more grievous to the Holy Spirit than a trifling with revelation. The words of Scripture are divinely inspired. "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
Beware of referring to it with levity. To adopt the words of Scripture irreverently, or to employ its phraseology flippantly, is to cast discredit upon inspiration, to press it into the service of the flesh, and to make the Word of God the jest book of the profane. This is awful trifling with the thoughts and words of the Holy Spirit!
Stand in awe of this Holy Book!
God says, "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at My Word." Isaiah 66:2
"Then all who trembled at the Words of the God of Israel..." Ezra 9:4
"We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the commands of our God..." Ezra 10:3
"My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of Your laws." Psalm 119:120
"My heart stands in awe of Your Word." Psalm 119:161
(Editor's note: How very sad is it that many professing Christians use the holy Word of God to amuse others with 'bible jokes' and in other trifling and irreverent ways. Much of today's pseudo Christian music, movies and children's literature use the Word of God in a flippant manner, if not in a downright profane and sacrilegious way.)
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