What I Have Seen, Heard and Understood

What I Have Seen, Heard and Understood

1. That people who try with all their might to be fishers of men have the same effect on them as a scarecrow has on birds.

2. That God puts out all light before He kindles His own.

3. That faithful souls are easier to stumble over than to knock over.

4. That everyone who thinks that he knows something is still reveling in ignorance.

5. That God’s revelation puts an end to all quarrelling.

6. That it is possible to put soulish strength into a “spiritual” message, to the torment of the hearers.

7. That a soul who fears the reproach of Christ can never become a co-worker of God.

8. That God is faithful in the most minute details, to the nth degree.

9. That true servants of God are the people by whom you can most safely and speedily have your rough edges knocked off.

10. That a person is capable of nothing outside his own calling.

11. That imagined strength is not the power of God, and that genuine weakness is stronger.

12. That a person’s best works are a hindrance when the leading of the Spirit is missing.

13. That Christ has died for all, but only a few die with Him.

14. That those who sin daily fail to take up their cross daily.

15. That the more responsibility a person has, the more careful he must be with his words.

16. That in every situation, there is abundant opportunity to humble yourself.

17. That the servant of the Lord who is unpretentious is closer to Him who is in secret and who sees in secret than the person who strives to be seen.

18. That God is quick to set aside everyone who is quick to promote himself.

19. That it is the Lord who metes out authority.

20. That Jannes and Jambres are still seeking to influence the church today by emulation and counterfeiting.

21. That when a person can’t find his own way through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, his vision is dim, his hearing is dull and he is apathetic.

22. That God usually makes most use of the people who are most warned against.

23. That you cannot write or speak just because you want to.

24. That you should not say everything you know.

25. That God works more powerfully in secret than in the open.

26. That truth springs out of the earth, and that the stumbling stone in Zion lies in the lower parts of the earth.

27. That everyone who preaches the Word is limited by his own personal light.

28. That hell begins when the full light of day is cast on all sin that is hidden in darkness.

29. That everything will be turned upside down on the day when hidden righteousness receives the scepter.

30. That all people who don’t repent and turn to God are more stupid than animals.

31. That pious flesh is an abomination, and a broken and contrite spirit is a delight.

32. That usually the fear of man and a fear of losing honor cause people to resist the truth, in direct opposition to their inner convictions.

33. That preachers can be like lions at the podium but like dumb dogs when you speak to them face to face.

34. That Jesus lives in simplicity and in reproach, and that many who preach about Him live in grandeur and honor.

35. That almost all preachers of the Word are proud, and they stumble at the rock of offense that is right at their feet.

36. That habitual sin, which has slowly permeated the flesh, also requires days and years to conquer completely.

37. That the preaching of the cross over all flesh leads to liberty, but that the preaching of liberty leads to the bondage of sin.

38. That the lust for money and an empty wallet go hand in hand.

39. That every person by his life engraves an indelible image of himself into time.

40. That all the goodness of God is stored up in His treasure chamber for those who are meek and humble of heart.

41. That the sprouts of corruption can contaminate even the healthiest of seeds.

42. That all righteous worldly laws offer complete liberty to the righteous.

43. That everything which happens is a consequence of what has gone on before.

44. That most people within the church of God live more under the letter of what is preached than under its spirit.

45. That fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, is intimate freedom in the Spirit, but when this is preached, it is expressed as thousands of holy commandments, which unenlightened transgressors perceive as bondage.

46. That it is healthy and profitable for a person to slave under holy commandments until these become his holy nature—and freedom.

47. That a person can be a servant of God when he serves according to the light he has received, but the moment he begins to make judgments about things that his eye has not seen, his ear has not heard and his understanding has not comprehended, he becomes a servant of Satan.

48. That real servants of God become ruthless against sin, gentle toward sinners, longsuffering before judgment and resolute in its implementation.

49. That sinners can be undermined by the convicting power of God, that the righteous can be undermined by sinful lusts—sinners to salvation and the righteous to their fall.

50. That arrogant preachers are the worst kind of actors.

51. That God-fearing ministers of the Word are the most useful people on earth, and that ungodly preachers of the Word are the plague of Christianity.

52. That now and then everyone should reevaluate his own godliness.

53. That it takes practice to recognize the excellent people who live a hidden life.

54. That a new convert can be praised to the skies to his detriment.

55. That hungry souls receive stones instead of bread.

56. That preachers can be bound more tightly to their wages than to their ministry.

57. That preachers mercilessly forsake the newly converted as an ostrich forsakes her egg.

58. That two dissimilar natures work together better than two that are alike.

59. That God’s people are addicted to worldly greatness.

60. That peace at home can disrupt the peace of Christ, and the peace of Christ can disrupt peace in the home.

61. That every person establishes for themselves the judgment by which they themselves shall be judged.

62. That joy will be turned to sorrow and sorrow turned to joy.

63. That pride hastens to meet its destruction.

64. That there are large assemblies that bear little fruit.

65. That thousands can be as one and one as a thousand.

66. That most priests are priests for the old man, and they make their living from him.

67. That spiritual gold is as hidden as natural gold, and both are only found by those who consciously dig for it.

68. That you must be prepared to be disappointed if you confer with a hen-pecked husband.

69. That people who wanted to be alone with their God are surrounded by people, but those who wanted to win the masses wind up alone.

70. That a loud cry of “Hallelujah” can resonate from any depth all the way up to the surface and above it.

71. That lesser people can bless the greater without even knowing it.

72. That religious assemblies have been fined in worldly courts.

73. That it is not always the marriage that is without difficulty that gives the greatest spiritual benefit.

74. That when God’s people and prohibitionists pull together in the same yoke, it looks worse than when an ox and a donkey draw together.

75. That the surest way to become puffed up and spiritually ignorant is to constantly hear the Word of God without doing it.

76. That rats and worms and creeping creatures are lurking wherever there is profit to be gained.

77. That the income tax system should not only require the taxpayer to write down his income and net worth honestly, but that the government authorities ought to offer the taxpayer that same insurance regarding their use of the entrusted funds.

78. That ungodly people cannot be trusted even when they swear by their own honor and conscience.

79. That the greater the light, the greater is the pain and certainty that God’s kingdom is not of this world.

80. That one God-fearing man can bring fear to an entire religious assembly.

81. That it is easy to be a leader of ignorant souls, but it is difficult to help those who are enlightened.

82. That neither Jesus nor His disciples would be tolerated today even if many positive things were spoken about them.

83. That the old nature does not look good on a Christian, but it looks great on the cross.

84. That a Christian with a pipe in his mouth does not live a crucified Christian life.

85. That a righteous man is hated because he sees, hears and understands.

86. That theological schools are superfluous for a person who is enlightened and led by the Holy Spirit.

87. That a learned man must become like the unlearned before he can receive the kingdom of God.

88. That true Christianity is not sniveling cowardice, but a life without fear and without guile.

89. That one finds wisdom behind the rod of chastisement.

90. That usually the practical righteousness of professing Christians fails utterly when it is tested.

91. That simplicity and subtlety can trap a roaring lion.

92. That choral groups sing nonsense to their own honor, and that nonmusical people sing songs of Zion to God’s praise.

93. That people fight to be the leader when there is none.

94. That in direct contradiction to God’s Word, people marry those who are divorced, and thereby sanction adultery.

95. That the clergy must go further down if they want to find the people for whom they are actually employed to be priests.

96. That Jesus reaches everyone because He goes down to everyone.

97. That all class distinctions cease on the accursed tree—that is, they are crucified with Christ.

98. That the old man with all his learning and training is worthless in God’s service.

99. That everyone who teaches God’s Word ought to be able to say, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

100. That when a person’s mind is in the flesh, he is fleshly, when it is in the soul, he is soulish, and when it is in the Spirit, he is spiritual.

101. That many years can’t make us wise in God
Unless we let the Spirit’s chastening rod
Instruct and guide us in each thing we do.
It keeps us on the path that’s good and true.

That many youth have perished on their way
Before they reached the noontime of their day,
Because their homes have lacked the guiding light
That points unto the pathway that is right.

That many men by their corrupted lives
Have filled their households with deceit and strife.
Their lives poured forth a flood of sin and shame.
Descendants were polluted with the same.

That none lives to himself on earth, not one—
That all things that take place beneath the sun
Depend on our “right now” for how they’ll go.
This brings forth heaven or distress and woe.

That Satan’s active in the picture here,
That Jesus Christ is close at hand, it’s clear,
Where judgment’s wrought for everything we do—
And both of them are waiting there for you.

Don’t say, “I’m not responsible for this,”
Or you will be a fool and go amiss;
And as a fool your children, too, will be
Fair game for Satan’s nets and trickery.

If any in your family turn from sin,
And they obtain God’s righteousness within,
Their memory of you will painful be.
Yes, things could go this way for you and me.

And now one hundred one is hereby done.
These thoughts should be recited for each one
Who in the game of life sets out to win
And would to life eternal enter in.