Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

GOD OF THE MINIMUM OR THE MAXIMUM

Should one judge the character of God by the actions of everyone called Christian, and some do, would He be judged as the God of the minimum or maximum? Think about it.

Over the past fifty plus years, viewpoints and practices of churches, and church members have undergone drastic changes. With the advent of inflation and its materialistic flood, life in many respects has been altered. What was rejected a couple of generations ago is now accepted, and vice-versa. So, evil is called good, and good is called evil . . . by some! Now inject the parable of the sower, Matt. 13. Even the seed that was sown in good, fertile ground (receptive hearts) brought forth variations of harvest: some brought forth thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some one hundredfold. Does this variation not teach us that faithfulness and consistency are all important? It is an obvious truth that people are unique. This is especially true regarding talents, abilities, and awareness levels of life. The lesson then is that each of these was bringing forth its maximum. It would not be the maximum if the hundredfold fruit bearer only brought forth thirty or sixtyfold. But with each doing the maximum, the thirtyfold bearer was as blessed as the hundredfold bearer because it was the maximum.

When this is extrapolated into modern Christian life, it exposes a widespread deficiency among the fruit bearers. What is within the realm of probability is regarded as belonging to the impossible. Folks say that it is impossible for them to have time to read the Bible, to pray, to attend worship services with any degree of faithfulness. Additionally, there is not time to witness or to express joy over what God had done for them in life. Church is relegated to the category of a civic club to attend or not, at will, and the excitement of certain hope in the next age with Christ has become a dull, cold, preachment compartmentalized into mental acquiescence. It seems the modern idea is not how close may one follow the Bible, but how far away may one walk and still fit the loose classification of “Christian.” Theirs is the God of the minimum. So shall their reward be in the intensified tears of ancient Esau. Neither is God the God of the maximum as a flippant choice, but with foundational dedication to the God of salvation, and determination, by His grace to learn of Him, and to reveal Him in life, He becomes the God of the maximum. Is your God the God of the maximum!

FOR THOUGHT: How big, and how capable is the God you serve? Is anything too hard for Him? With God, all things are possible within the scope of His divine will. If you have not trusted Him to save you, please do so today!

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