Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Friday February 2, 2007

I often catch a little flack from readers of my snail mail paper, "Larry Lilly's Journal" more from some of the readers of this Letter, and certainly from my preaching here at Terre Haute and around the country. This usually involves my pronouncements from the Word of some truth with which the reader/listener disagrees. I admit to being in harmony with a statement about the late Dr. John R. Rice of whom it was said, "He does not have a 'humble' opinion about anything, his mind is absolutely made up." I have no idea as to whether the good Doctor was correct in his well formed, thorough opinions or not, but I am convinced of my own.

Over the last forty five years of preaching, and writing I have received more objections to the mere mention of money and our responsibility to God to be wise in the accumulation of it and also the very prayerfully wise use of it, than any other Bible truth. I suppose teaching on the Deity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, even the Second Coming, does not cause such inner vibrations as the thought of reaching into the old wallet and being honest with Jesus. At one time during a stewardship campaign one sincere ninny asked if there was someway I could conduct the series without mentioning money.

It is pretty certain that Jesus faced the same problems as He taught more about money and our attitude concerning money than other subjects. According to the scriptures we fallen children of Adam, love the stuff and Paul assures us that while money itself is not evil, but rather the love of it is the root of ALL evil. Scary when you think about it.

Yet, in spite of criticism, even ostracism, I truck right along and attempt to teach men and women that at least part of the reason for most trouble is a misconception of the purpose of material blessing, a thinking that mere money will solve my problems with my family, my rotten attitude and if I had more of the stuff, my wife would understand the need I have for the little lady across town. Yep, I am still in agreement with the premise taught firmly by Jesus, "Where your treasure is there will be your heart also."

Augustine, the immoral man who became an outstanding Christian while he raised his illegitimate son in Hippo, Africa stated the truth that teachers of God's word must have courage when he wrote:

"He who conceals a useful truth is equally guilty with the propagator of an injurious falsehood."

I recently received a scathing note from a 'whispering' preacher, whispering meaning he would never startle the Saints with any anxiety causing doctrine, scolding me for upsetting him with my biblical harangue from 'outdated' scripture on the subject of Sodomy among other things and thus causing deep emotional pain. He was also upset by the biblical insistence that a man is responsible for supporting his family. He stated that he had both kinds of these men in his ministry and they were good givers!

I hadn't thought about the necessity for defending actions based on the level of giving. My mother was always saying, "Oh, Larry, when will you learn?"

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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