Critics Beware (Dwight L. Moody)

Critics Beware (Quote #1)Dwight L MoodyLove will rebuke evil, but will not rejoice in it.

Critics Beware (Quote #2)Dwight L MoodyLove will be impatient of sin, but patient with the sinner.

Critics Beware (Quote #3)Dwight L MoodyTo form the habit of finding fault constantly, is very damaging to spiritual life; it is about the lowest and meanest position that a man can take.

Critics Beware (Quote #4)Dwight L. MoodyI never saw a man who was aiming to do the best work, but there could have been some improvement; I never did anything in my life, I never addressed an audience, that I didn’t think I could have done better. and I have often upbraided myself that I had not done better; but to sit down and find fault with other people when we are doing nothing ourselves, not lifting our hands to save some one, is all wrong, and is the opposite of holy, patient, divine love.

Critics Beware (Quote #5)Dwight L. MoodyLove is forbearance; and what we want is to get this spirit of criticism and fault finding out of the Church and out of our hearts; and let each one of us live as if we had to answer for ourselves, and not for the community, at the last day.

Critics Beware (Quote #6)Dwight L. MoodyIf we are living according to the 13th chapter of Corinthians, we will not be all the time finding fault with other people. "Love suffereth long, and is kind." Love forgets itself, and don’t dwell upon itself. The woman who came to Christ with that alabaster box, I venture to say, never thought of herself. Little did she know what an act she was performing. It was just her love for the Master.She forgot the surroundings, she forgot everything else that was there; she broke that box and poured the ointment upon Him, and filled the house with its odor. The act, as a memorial, has come down these 1800 years. It is right here - the perfume of that box is in the world today. That ointment was worth $40 or $50; no small sum of those days for a poor woman. Judas sold the Son of God for about $15 or $20. But what this woman gave to Christ was everything that she had, and she became so occupied with Jesus Christ that she didn’t think what people were going to say. So when we act with a single eye for the glory of our lord, not finding fault with everything about us, but doing what we can in the power of this love, then will our deeds for God speak, and the world will acknowledge that we have been with Jesus, and that this glorious love has been shed abroad in our hearts.

Thanks Pastor Robert,That's one of the things the Lord is cutting out of my heart (i.e. a critical spirit). To be quite honest, I couldn't even see it until a couple of months ago.This is one of the primary things that keeps others from becoming Christians.Great quotes. May the ax be laid to the root of this sin.

Love will rebuke evil, but will not rejoice in it.It is easy to point accusing fingers when we discuss doctrinal issues. Like what Bro. Ron B. wrote in another thread (couldn't find it), doctrines are used to expose errors but not as weapons against others. This, I believe, is the dividing line whether we do it in the right spirit or not.I recall a well-known minister (hundreds of his preachings are posted here in SI) who said that he didn't want to minister to other pastors and christian workers until God fill his heart with mercy and love for them. One other example comes to mind, too. When Saul who is a type of a deeply backslidden minister died, David wept for him. I believe, David remembered how it was to be the object of an accusing finger declaring: You are the man! He learned his lesson well.

Critics Beware (Quote #7)Dwight L. Moody Love is forbearance; and what we want is to get this spirit of criticism and fault finding out of the Church and out of our hearts; and let each one of us live as if we had to answer for ourselves, and not for the community, at the last day.

Critics Beware (Final Quote)Dwight L. Moody If we don’t love the Church of God, I am afraid it won’t do us much good; if we don’t love the blessed Bible, it will not do us much good. What we want, then, is to have love for Christ, to have love for His Word, and to have love for the Church of God, and when we have love, and are living in that spirit, we will not be in the spirit of finding fault and working mischief.

Yes, thank you Robert for this series of quotes.That's one of the things the Lord is cutting out of my heart (i.e. a critical spirit). Me too! My own mother was a very critical person and still has a very critical spirit. Unfortunately it has passed on to me. I find myself rebuking myself and wishing i had held my tongue or asking for the renewing of my mind in this area.When you are gifted with discernment it makes it even harder. You have the ability to see what is wrong. But I have found that it can't stop there. I can't just see what is wrong and complain about it. I must see past that, pray for that person and situation and more importantly look to see if I am guilty of the same sin somewhere in my heart.When you have a critical spirit it is very hard on your family. I find myself knitpicking with things that really don't matter in the end. It is wise to choose your battles. If you're going to lovingly point something out, may we be spotless in that area ourselves and may it be of Kingdom value.In His love, Chanin

There are lots of good sermons here on Sermonindex and felt it would please the Lord to bring them up as I can in little bite size pieces so that we can reflect on it and then go to another one. It also helps to maintain the focus of the site towards renewal and revival. When you have a critical spirit it is very hard on your family. I find myself knitpicking with things that really don't matter in the end. It is wise to choose your battles. If you're going to lovingly point something out, may we be spotless in that area ourselves and may it be of Kingdom valueThis is a good point. It makes me think about the whole beam and speck in the eye passage. The analogy is very good that the Lord uses because it is so painful to get something out of our eye. We should think of it like that when we seek to get something out. this is going to be like getting something out of the persons eyeball- I need to be very very gentle; move very very slow and deliberate, and no quick and jerking movements. OUCH!God Bless,-Robert