Quite often too many of us take our blessings for granted, even sometimes to the point of forgetting their source, the great God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy 1 Tim 6:17. What are some of the things, which people have forgotten; let’s take a look!

Their God and Savior

Isaiah pictures the appalling state of God’s people with these words in Chapter 1 and verse 3, “The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider.” In Judges 8:34 it says, “Thus the children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.” And in Psa 78:41-42 it says, “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power: the day when He redeemed them from the enemy.” As a result they will suffer the consequences of the wicked.

We have a tendency to forget the things we do not use, and this may also be true of the Word of God. If you don’t use it, you lose it as it were. The best way to remember God’s Word is to study it, meditate upon it, and practice it daily. James reminds us in Chapter 1 verse 22-25, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. He goes on to describe what type of person that would be. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Ezra, who was a priest and a scribe, wanted the people to know the word of the Lord, so he read it to them Neh 8:5-10. So impressed were the people that they all wept when they heard the words of the law. You see, many of the Israelites had been in bondage and had not had an opportunity to hear the words of the law. We live in a world filled with so many attractions or should we say detractions that many of God’s people are not taking the time to drink deeply from the fountain of God’s eternal word. The children spend hours and hours each day with the television and other activities and none with God; hence, they are ignorant of His laws. Not having looked into the Great Mirror of the soul, they do not see themselves as they really are and therefore do not realize their need of Him. We must get back to that Book of Books, and as Israel did, weep for our sins. It can keep us from being rebellious to God. Listen to the Psalmist: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” Ps 119:11. It can help us to see ourselves more clearly, for we read in Hebrews…”For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” ,4:12.

God’s Approval In All That We Do

Not many of us have really learned to say, “Thy will be done” in all that we do. James brings this fact to mind when he talks about the business-minded fellow who makes plans to go into a certain city, continue there for a year, buy and sell, and get gain, without first determining whether his endeavor is what God wants him to do in Jas 4:14-16. Even Joshua, one of God’s greatest servants, made the mistake of not asking God’s approval on one occasion. The Gibeonites, having heard of the power of Israel’s God and wanting to escape the conquering power of His people, devised a scheme by which they completely outwitted Joshua and his people. Josh 9:3-13. Verse 15 says, “So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.” Verse 14 gives us the answer to why they were so easily deceived: “Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD.”

In Hebrews is the following commandment: Heb 13:16 “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” To the Galatians Paul wrote: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” Gal 6:10. He also wrote to Titus: “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men” Tit 3:8. It is the failure to do good works that will keep some folks out of heaven, according to Matt 25:44-45. We have studied a number of things which people forget. Many are the scriptures that counteract our tendency to forget by a clear commandment to remember. 

Carlos Aguilar

Three Mistakes In Trying To Influence People For Good
Seventh in a series on personal evangelism

One thing that helps in any endeavor is the willingness to learn from our mistakes. The Lord's work consists of influencing people in God's direction. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" Mt 5:13-16. "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ" Col 1:28. Influence comes down to a matter of communication, whether verbal or non-verbal.

Sometimes we are guilty of neglecting the commonsense principles of influence that people in the world use effectively. Cf. "For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light" Lk 16:8. To be specific, there are three mistakes we often make -- mistakes that could be very instructive if we would learn from them.

Most significant change starts with self. An "inside out" approach to influencing others is best. Yet we neglect to take seriously the Lord's warning about removing the beam in our own eye before we work on the speck in someone else's. Cf. Mt 7:3-5. We are often too busy confessing the other person's sins to do anything about our own. If our own character is not what it ought to be, our words will have little positive effect on others. As Emerson put it, "What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say."

We must model the conduct we wish to encourage in others. "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me, I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak" Ac 20:33-35. "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" 1 Cor 11:1. We must be an example of what believers ought to be. "These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" 1 Tim 4:11,12.

In general, we have to earn the right to be heard by showing ourselves to be genuinely concerned about the other person. Sympathy has to do with feeling what others feel; empathy has to do with understanding the situation of others. "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" Phil 2:1,2. People don't care how much we know until they know how much we care. He has the right to teach who has the heart to care. Understanding needs to go before being understood; it ought to be a higher priority. "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" Phil 2:4.

Too often, we do not really listen to others in order to truly understand them. While we seem to be listening, we are merely planning our reply, our rebuttal. One thing that made Jesus the Master Teacher was His perfect understanding and compassion for His hearers. "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd" Mt 9:36.

Character and compassion are not enough to communicate the truth of the gospel. It takes words. "And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved'" Ac 11:13,14. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" Rom 10:17. "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation" Eph 1:13.

The gospel is of no benefit if it is not made "manifest." Paul asked his brethren to pray for him: "And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" Eph 6:19,20. "Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak" Col 4:3,4. Unfortunately, we are sometimes not as clear as we think we are. We assume the other person will read our mind and get the point without the need to make it explicit, to come right out and say it. In our efforts to communicate the gospel, we must strive to balance courage and consideration. We must be courteous as well as candid. "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" Col 4:6.

Granting the need for tact, however, we must still communicate. We cannot afford to sacrifice clarity for courtesy. We must personally be what we ought to be and we must seek to understand others, but ultimately we must "warn" and "teach." "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ" Col 1:28. If we are to be effective, we are going to have avoid these mistakes and learn to teach in all three of the ways that teaching can be done. The Greeks were correct in their belief that there are three basic forms of teaching.

Ethos (our character -- what we are -- influences others)

Pathos (our understanding and concern influence others).

Logos (our language -- what we say -- influences others).

These three things build upon one another and are related in a natural, organic way. Each thing requires those that precede it. All three of the mistakes above are attempted shortcuts; they are misguided efforts in which we try to have one without the others.

But ultimately these shortcuts prove to be unsuccessful.

Logos is empty without ethos.

Logos is powerless without pathos.

Neither ethos nor pathos are sufficient without logos.

We need to strive for a full, mature ability to influence others for good. "These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" 1 Tim 4:11,12. "Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" 1 Tim 4:15,16.

… how people are so consumed with what others think about them, rather than being concerned what God thinks about them ...