Oh, reader, if you are a child of God, I beg you to have your mind set on heavenly things. Have you unsaved loved ones? Then will you dawdle and idle and neglect your opportunities to win them? Until Jesus comes and takes us away, leaving behind in this ruined world your dear ones who are unprepared to go? Will you occupy yourself with business or pleasure or the ordinary routine of living when you might win souls for that glad time, souls that would go with us and miss the horrors of the tribulation, and be received with us into the Father's presence? In Jesus' name, I beg you, let us win the souls of those about us, for "night cometh when no man can work." Our opportunities for soul winning may be, yea almost certainly will be, soon over. - John R. Rice [World-wide War and the Bible, pg. 120]
You wonder whether you may have committed the unpardonable sin. No, you have not. First, the unpardonable sin is the sin of a lost person, one who has never accepted Christ, one who has never been saved. One whose sins are forgiven cannot commit the unforgiveable sin. Second, the fact that you are burdened and concerned and want God's blessing is proof that you have not committed the unpardonable sin. One who had committed the unpardonable sin would have no conviction, no burden, and would not want God and salvation. The unpardonable sin is a sin of rejecting Christ, after great enlightenment. Anyone who is trouble about it and trying to be right with God has not committed the unpardonable sin.
― John R. Rice, Dr. Rice, Here Are More Questions
The rich man in Hell looked with the deepest concern upon the affairs of the earth and said, "I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment." He knew that his brethren had not repented. Abraham in Heaven knew more about it than the rich man did and said, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." How strange that both Heaven and Hell look on with such intense concern for the conversion of the wicked here on earth while we who have an opportunity to warn them do so little about it!
― John R. Rice, Bible Facts About Heaven
Fretting is a sin. Worry is a wicked sin of unbelief. I know it is a very popular sin; it is a very respectable sin, but in God's sight it may be worse than getting drunk because the great sin of worry means unbelief and lack of faith, which is the base and core of all sin. A Christian ought to pray and have his worry settled forever so he can have peace of heart. ― John R. Rice [Why Pray?, pg. 15]
Oh, there are too
many withered-leaf Christians [Ps. 1:1-3], too many sourpuss Christians, too
many horse-faced Christians, too many down-in-the-dumps Christians. You ought
to say, "I don't have to fret. I can be happy and good. God is going to
take care of me." Listen to Romans 8:28: ". . .all things work
together for good to them. . .who are called according to his purpose." If
you belong to God you can pray for everything. God is going to work it out for
my good, He said. And a Christian ought to have green leaves, a smiling face, a
happy heart, a song in his heart. ― John R. Rice [Why Pray?, pg. 16]
A Christian can be happy and content all the time. What are you going to do about it? Pray through. The Scripture said, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." That is the answer. Do you mean I can take things to God in prayer and stay there and beg God until I can thank Him and have contentment and go my way happy with assurance? That is right. And a Christian need never be bowed down with a burden where he cannot be happy. A Christian can be happy all the time, content all the time, unworried all the time. ― John R. Rice [Why Pray?, pg. 16-17]
If you want peace of mind, take it to God. Beg Him until your heart can thank Him, until you claim it and go away happy and content. You can be happy all the time. "With thanksgiving." And the "peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Keep you? Yes, a garrison of angels around the city to keep out everything wrong and hurtful, and the sweet angels of God guarding your own spirit so you can always be happy, with no fret, no worry at all, because you have taken everything to God in prayer and have peace about it. ― John R. Rice [Why Pray?, pg. 18]
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