Just a thought...some thirty years ago, I worked for a couple of years in a maximum security prison. About 1600 inmates lived in this prison that was started back in the Civil War. A prison is in a world of its own. One of the first things you learn as a correctional officer is to always be aware of sudden change. Sudden change is never a good thing for everyone in a prison. Second thing you learn is about the inmates. Never get all excited about the young men that are loud, running their mouths all the time, and all up in your face about what they can or will do to you. They will do no more today than they did yesterday and tomorrow will be the same. Instead, be very mindful of the old man sitting quietly in the corner. He has been there, done this or that, and has enough experience to know everything that is going on around him, whether it be good or bad. He respects himself and the young men, if they have any common sense, respect him. The prison employees respect him also. Most of the time, the old man has the ear of the warden. He can get things done very quickly and quietly. In the prison world, the road he has traveled demands respect and he gets it. Why this story? In the world of Independent Fundamental Baptist today, there is a whole lot of young men running their mouths and getting up in the faces of some of the old men. They are blasting old traditions in the churches and burning the work of many Christian men with their wicked tongues. Now, have the old men made mistakes and failed in some of the things they have done, there is no doubt they have done that. But you see herein lies the problem. You young men got your eyes off Jesus and on to the old men. When you did that very thing, which you are really accusing them of doing by their traditions, you saw the rough water and the strong winds of the world, just like Peter saw when he took his eyes off Jesus. But, instead of turning your eyes back to Jesus like Peter did, you decided to jump to another ship to please your self righteous egos. The truth of the matter is you are doing no more for Jesus now than you were before you jumped ship. You didnt come to prayer meetings, you didnt have a regular quiet time with God everyday, and you didnt go soul winning in or out of the church program. But one thing for sure you are now one step closer to being like the world. Personally, that is between you and God, but why dont you do it alone, instead of trying to destroy other Christians around you. You see you have already made the decision that you are 100% right and everybody else is wrong. Its sounds to me that you are already back to where you said you didnt want to be in the first place. You say you have not changed doctrines, just tradition. But yet, your heart has not changed. I may not always agree with the old men, but they have my respect. They have been down the roads you have not been. So, why dont you just listen and learn. Because, you have already started making the same mistakes that you are accusing them of making in a different way. By the way, I love you in the Lord. Dont accuse us old men of hating you young men. If I hated you, I wouldnt take the time to write this thought to you. Believe me I much rather be reading a good book, but I thought this needed to be said.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 21:17:46 +0000
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