799. ARE YOU STILL A "THICKET OF THORNS" Most people know by word or deed whether or not we have their best interests at heart. An old adage comes to mind, which says: 'You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time.' How often this can be applied to those who with a prepared text recite the "good news" parrot-fashion to people on their doorsteps; people who suspect they are hearing the same speech that their neighbours received. This is yet another way of stopping up the Kingdom of God before men. (Matt 23:13-15). The attitude that either the public accept having the gospel message recited to them in this manner or else they are without hope, is lamentable. Primarily, it is lamentable for those preaching the "good news" of our Lord Jesus in this way. (Matt 24:14. 18:6,7).
For good
reason, the apostle Paul addressed the following words to anointed ones:
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but there is the same
Spirit;
and there are varieties of ministries, and yet there is the same Lord".
(1 Cor 12:4,5).
But if the one preaching hides behind this soulless way of communicating, then
his listeners will probably do the same
"No
man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him".
(John 6:44). And with
this scripture in mind, I know a man who
spent four hours every week for over
a year questioning and cross-examining a preacher over basic scriptural
doctrines
before
committing himself to an organized study of the Bible, and even then it was
slow going. For members
of the sect calling themselves Jehovah's Witnesses to suggest that a Bible study
should be terminated after six months if that person is deemed to have made too
little progress, is not only presumptuous, it is acting in the place of God. If
such a Bible study is to be terminated, Jehovah will terminate it. Indeed,
Jehovah may choose someone else to help a new convert progress further. Some may
be drawn to Jehovah through loneliness, despair, or by a thirst for spiritual
knowledge.
(Isaiah 55:1-4). But if somewhere along the way they stumble upon the
truth about God
Furthermore, there are those who desire and expect spiritual progress of new
converts far too
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