We are people of Extremes…Let's stay in the straight and narrow!

2^nd Timothy 3:16,17 tells us, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The phrase “throughly furnished” in the Greek means: to be complete, to be finished, to furnish perfectly. I don’t know about you, but I would like for this to be my experience in Christ. However, unless we learn to regulate our lives by the Word of God, we have the natural human tendency to run from one extreme to the other. And this is as Satan would have it. Inspiration tells us, “When the enemy sees that the Lord is blessing His people, and preparing them to discern his delusions, he will work with his masterly power to bring in fanaticism on one hand and cold formalism on the other, that he may gather in a harvest of souls. Now is the time to watch unceasingly. Watch for the first step of advance that Satan may make among us.”[i]

Did you catch that? He will bring in fanaticism on one side, and cold formalism on the other! But the startling fact is that “cold formalism” can be just as dangerous as wild fanaticism. While cold formalism prides itself on not getting caught up in the delusions of this new age, it is just as deadly to our spiritual success for,  it will keep us from recognizing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when it comes. 

So my challenge and question for all of us on today's Morning Sonshine is this; are we walking the straight and narrow, in the middle of the road, or has Satan succeeded in getting us into one of the ditches on either side????? 

The only way we can stay in the middle of the road is if we follow closely behind Christ. Let's turn to Him again, asking Him to help us keep our center in Him! 

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[i] The Review and Herald, January 24, 1893