Letters    

ON CONTROLLING ANGER

Dear T. F.                                                                                                        April 13, 1993

     ...Honey draws more flies than vinegar, and you will have far more influence if you will subdue your spirit. "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love" (Romans 12:10).

      A hasty temper is an infirmity, and not health. It is a demerit, not a merit. The songwriter wrote, "The work of faith will not be done till thou obtain the crown." Paul wrote we must keep the body under, and bring it into subjection (I Corinthians 9:27). We are to bridle the tongue so that we do not speak unadvisedly with our lips. But this is a mighty work that requires a lifetime of struggle, and can be done only when aided by the Lord.

      "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32). To bring our thoughts into captivity is to do a greater work than those do who only wrestle against flesh and blood. This is a tiring conflict of life that has many failings. To conquer our spirit is to keep it chained constantly. There is no discharge from this war until we lay this body down.

    Be kind. Think before you speak, for words cut deeply. As I pray for you, so I ask that you pray for me.

TO AN ARROGANT MAN

 Dear E. V.                                                                                                      October 7, 1991

      ...The Apostle John wrote, "If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another" (I John 1:7). I am very concerned about you because you cannot get along with anyone. You cannot be right with God, and be so arrogant and vitriolic. Although our Lord was not above knotting a cord and driving men out of the Temple, He was, nevertheless, known to be meek and lowly; wiser than Solomon, yet humble; Lord of all, yet obedient. This is the reason Paul admonished, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant ..." (Philippians 2:5-7).

     I am not your enemy because I tell you the truth. I must go. "May God Smile On You" —Bach.

TO ONE ONCE REPROVED

Dear D. P.                                                                                                        April 28, 1986

      I am very much concerned about you particularly since the death of your father. I had hoped that his death would bring to your mind the realities of life, death and eternity, but as I warned you then, since you have not kept alive that conviction (humanly speaking), you have lost it, and have sunk back into your indifference.

      "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).

     Jude speaks of sinners saying, that what they know naturally as brute beasts, such as hunger, thirst, and physical attraction, they corrupt themselves. And, the Apostle Peter says they are as "natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed" (Jude 10; II Peter 2:12). Charles Jones wrote,

When Judgment Day is drawing nigh,                                            When God the works of men shall try,                                          When east to west the fire shall roll,                                                How will it be with your poor soul?

When wicked men His wrath shall see,                                              And to the rocks and mountains flee,                                           When hills and mountains flee away,                                           When all the works of men decay, Where shall you be?

     I do not write this letter to scold you, or to make you angry, but only that God might be pleased to work in your heart, and cause you to see your need for Him, and the reason the Lord Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cross so long ago. Must go.

TO A REBELLIOUS MAN

Dear B. G.                                                                                                        March 4, 1992

      A word regarding our conversation yesterday. If you have been an honorable man in this matter, the Lord will bless you. He is a lover of righteousness. But, if you have taught rebellion to children, God will judge you by causing your children to rebel, and to go into the world. We will wait and see whether you have acted the part of a good man in this matter.

TO A CRITICAL SPIRIT

Dear W. B.                                                                                                        March 7, 1990

      ...I must confess that I was troubled by your statement that over the years you have had nearly 50 pastors, but that you were not impressed with any of them. ... Through the years, one vice I have had to constantly guard against was that of a critical spirit. Someone has written,

     Time was when I believed That wrong in others to detect Was part of genius, and a gift To cherish, not neglect.

     May the Lord graciously smile upon your savoury influence in your labor of love.

Dear J. B.                                                                                                           April 9, 1992

     ...Since you do not practice rudimentary godliness by regularly attending public worship as commanded in Hebrews 10:25 ...a word of caution. "Pride goeth before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18), and I have seen many given over to the naughtiness of their own heart, who made shipwreck of the faith. You are in such danger because "you think of yourself more highly than you ought to think" (Romans 12:3). Do you now imagine yourself to be a great expositor of the Scriptures? a defender of the faith? yet, you do not obey basic Scripture. "Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth" (Galatians 4:16)? I would like nothing better than for our Lord to give you a meek, and tender heart, a teachable spirit, eyes that can see, and ears that can hear. I will pray for this end. "May God Smile On You" —Bach.

Dear E. V.                                                                                                     August 19, 1991

     Thank you for your letter of encouragement. Your kindness exceeded your meekness. The fruits of the Spirit exhibited in your letter including love, joy and peace are a real example to us. Sincerely.

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