 Oftentimes a carnal Christian is troubled by outside matters. Persons or affairs or things in the world around readily invade his inward man and disturb the peace in his spirit. Topics: Carnality |
| Carnal Christians crave works; yet amid many labors they are unable to maintain calm in their spirit. They cannot fulfill God's orders quietly as can the spiritual believers... their hearts are governed by outward matters. Being "distracted with much serving" (Luke 10:40) is the characteristic of the work of any soulish believer. They have not yet entered the rest of God. Topics: Carnality, Service, Rest |
| It varies with different personalities. Some will keep quiet. They have not yet attained freedom from natural shyness and fear. They may sit next to those talkative believers and criticize them in heart, but their silence does not make them any less soulish. Because they are not rooted in God and have not therefore learned how to be hidden in Him, carnal people long to be seen. They experience unspeakable joy whenever recognized and respected. Topics: Carnality, Hypocrisy, Criticism |
| Because the carnal are greatly talented - active in thought, rich in emotion - they readily arouse people's interest and stir the latter's hearts. Consequently, soulish Christians usually possess magnetic personalities. They can quickly win the acclamation of the common people. Yet the fact remains that they actually are lacking in spiritual power. They do not contain the living flow of the power of the Holy Spirit. Topics: Carnality, Hypocrisy |
| Emotion is what believers mistake most for spirituality. Carnal Christians whose tendency is emotional in character habitually crave sensation in their lives. They desire to sense the presence of God in their hearts or their sensory organs; they yearn to feel a love-fire burning. They want to feel elated, to be uplifted in spiritual life, to be prosperous in work. True, spiritual believers sometimes do have such sensations, yet their progress and joy are not contingent upon these. The soulish are quite different in this respect: with such sensations, they can serve the Lord; without them, they can scarcely move a step. Topics: Carnality, Ignorance, Hypocrisy |
| If you would test the character of anything, you only need to enquire whether that thing leads you to God or away from God. Topics: Character |
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| Before a saint arrives at the stage of spirituality he is sure to be dwelling in a mixed condition. Not content with a quietude in his spirit, he will seek a joyous feeling. Topics: Character, Joy |
| All the energies generated in the soul including talent, gift, knowledge and wisdom, cannot enable believers to bear spiritual fruit. Topics: Character |
| Before the self is touched God's children live by very changeable stimulations and sensations. That is why they exhibit a wavy up-and-down existence. Topics: Character |
| Everything therefore which is capable of impairing spiritual consciousness must be denied. We must shun wild laughter, bitter crying, and every other extreme outburst of physical emotion. The body should be kept in perfect calm. Never allow anything to hinder us from understanding the small still throb of the spirit. Topics: Character, Holy Spirit, Bitterness |
| Before one can display a quiet mouth he must first possess a quiet spirit, for out of the abundance of the spirit does the mouth speak. Topics: Character |
| Only when mind and emotion are subject to the spirit's rule can he disregard or restrain differences in though and feeling and so be one in the spirit with all children of God. Topics: Character |
