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Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Donald Grey Barnhouse

What Do You Hear?

Donald Grey Barnhouse once wrote: "Some years ago, musicians noted that
errand boys in a certain part of London all whistled out of tune as they
went about their work. It was talked about and someone suggested that it
was because the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune. Something
had gone wrong with the chimes and they were discordant. The boys did not
know there was anything wrong with the peals, and quite unconsciously they
had copied their pitch." *

Barnhouse made this application: "So we tend to copy the people with whom we
associate; we borrow thoughts from the books we read and the programs to
which we listen, almost without knowing it."

The Apostle Paul admonished, "Do not be conformed to this world" (Romans
12:1). "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world" (NIV). The
New Century Version states, "Do not be shaped by this world." Using
Barnhouse's analogy above, the truth of Romans 12:1 could be stated, "Don't
listen to the wrong music because it will make your life out of tune."

Now consider the rest of Romans 12:1 - "Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

The best way to have our minds transformed is by filling them with the Word
of God. The Psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I
might not sin against You!" (Psalm 119:11).

Barnhouse added: "God has given us His Word which is the absolute pitch of
life and living. If we learn to sing by it, we shall easily detect the
false in all of the music of the world." And, we will know what is true!

The Truth is: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans
3:23). We listen to the wrong people, conform to the wrong ideals, make bad
decisions, and we sin against God. We are heading down the wrong road
(Matthew 7:13-14).

The Truth Is: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16
ESV). God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith
and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized into
Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse
from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

The world will lead you astray and ultimately to destruction (Matthew
7:13-14). But God's Word is true and it will lead you to eternal life.

To whom or what are you listening? "Therefore consider carefully how you
listen" (Luke 8:18).

-- David A. Sargent

* From illustrations about worldliness in www.sermonillustrations.com

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