CHRISTIAN, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
by Wang Ming Tao
(Originally translated by Timothy Tow with minor edits from the editor)
The end of this age is drawing to a close. False prophets are arising in the church.
Many people who are not careful are led astray, some are even making a total
shipwreck of their faith. Having left the pure Gospel, they imbibed an unscriptural
doctrine. Since the leaders are blind, their followers must naturally fall into the ditch
(Luke 6:34). Christian, take care of yourself!
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.” (1 Tim. 6:10) East, west, south, north, we have seen many Christians fall
into bitter sorrows because of covetousness. Christian, take care of yourself!
Promiscuous love, unbridled sex, these have ruined both body and virtue, and have
harmed the family. In the annals of both Scripture and history, and by what we see
and hear today, countless people have slid into these pits. Christian, take care of
yourself!
A little spark can light up a prairie fire. A wrong decision can cast into a grave error.
Many enormous sins have sprung from a whim of greed or lust, of jealousy or
hatred, of pride or selfishness, lurking in the heart. And who ever knew an evil
thought like one of these would lead to such awful crimes, a curse to self and a curse
to others. Christian, take care of yourself!
Some people defraud and lie through self-conceit, to achieve fame and wealth, and
for a season they prosper. As a result, they become bolder to lawlessness. In the end,
however, their lies are exposed and their fraudulence pierced through. Their
credibility becomes bankrupt, their reputation is dashed to the ground. Being cursed
by God and abandoned by men, they find that their defrauding of others was
defrauding themselves. Christian, take care of yourself!
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Pet. 5:8) Some Christians, by a
moment’s slumbering, not being awake to certain matters, come to great grief.
Christian, take care of yourself!
When a Christian becomes most fervent in spirit, and reaches the pinnacle of virtue
and height of devotion in the work, then they fall into the greatest of sins – pride.
Christian, take care of yourself!
A fisherman must use a little bait over the hook to catch fish. So does Satan use
money, fame, food, raiment, friends, love, pleasure to bait us. Many Christians,
having coveted after these things, are hooked. Christian, take care of yourself!
When a Christian fears men, he will be snared by Satan’s net. He will do things
displeasing to God. When King Saul feared the Philistines, he did not wait for
Samuel, but exceeding his powers, he sacrificed whereby he brought down God’s
chastisement on his own head (1 Sam 13). Peter feared the clutches of the Jews, so
he thrice swore to deny his Lord (Matt. 26:69-75). Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear
of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be
safe.” Christian, take care of yourself!
Have you not seen the many Christians fallen by the wayside? How pitiful is their
plight! How sordid is their way of life! How painfully bitter their livelihood! How
when you see them you will sigh in sympathy. But take note of this – have not
some among them also received much grace? They have lived once in good
circumstances. Owing to carelessness, they have fallen thus. Christian, take care of
yourself!
“ART THOU FOR US, OR FOR OUR ADVERSARIES?”
(Joshua 5:13-15)
This question was posed by Joshua when he saw a man with a sword drawn in his
hand by Jericho. The answer posed by the man is most puzzling at first sight –
“Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.” (Jos. 5:14) In
other words, I am not for you, the children of Israel, neither am I for your enemies,
the people of Canaan. How are we to understand such an answer?
Firstly, we must know the identity of the man with the drawn sword. It is most
revealing that he received the worship rendered to him by Joshua. Good angels
will never receive the worship of man, but will direct them to worship the one
living and true God. One example can be seen in Revelation 22:8-9. After
receiving the revelation, the Apostle John fell down to worship at the feet of the
angel who showed him the revelation. The angel responded immediately, saying,
“See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the
prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”
Hence, this man with the drawn sword is no man nor angel. He is none other than
the pre-incarnate Christ. Being in the presence of God, Joshua cannot help but to
fall down and worship in holy adoration.
Since this man is Christ Himself, why then did Christ say that He is not for the
children of Israel? Did God not promise Joshua that He will be with Him just as
He was with Moses (Jos. 1:5)? Why did the LORD reply, “Nay”?
The answer is as follows – The Lord is not at the disposal of man, nor does He
work at the behest of man whereby we can “strongarm” Him to do our will. God is
sovereign, and will act as He desires and wills. Man must do His will and not the
other way round. Thus, we ought to pray, “Thy will be done, and let my will be in
submission to Thine.” We must never pray to fulfil our own lusts (for such prayers
are an abomination to the Lord), but pray for grace to do all that the Lord demands.
Alas, how often we see men asking the Lord for guidance, but when God’s
answer comes, they are not satisfied with His answer and choose to go the other
way. When we do so, we are treating God no differently than a glorified “Santa
Claus”. Such men will only heap sorrow upon sorrow upon themselves. On the
other hand, the one who submits to the Lord’s direction will be richly blessed.
Will you submit to God’s will for your life?
Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew