Tags: Charles Spurgeon, The Soul Winner,
Pharisees, David A. Noebel, Understanding the Times, Apostle Paul
Whatever
Makes Me Feel Better
It was an absolutely perfect summer day,
uniquely suited for a young boy casually reclining under the shade of a majestic oak tree.
With pencil in his ear and paper in his hand the juvenile carefully contemplated his
promising future.
"Whatcha doin," the lad's
longtime and loyal friend questioned as he serendipitously meandered up.
"Getting rich," was the astute
reply.
"Really?"
"Yep. I'm writing a self-help book.
There's a huge market for this stuff."
Now the little boy had his friend's
undivided attention as he began to expound on the words of wisdom that had just ushered
from his ecstatic mouth. "First, you convince people there's something wrong with
them. That's easy because advertising has already conditioned people to feel insecure
about their weight, looks, social status, sex appeal, and so on."
The attentive tiger is now engrossed in
perplexity as Calvin continues with his perceptive insights. "Next, you convince them
that the problem is not their fault and that they're victims of larger forces. That's
easy, because it's what people believe anyway. Nobody wants to be responsible for his own
situation. Finally, you convince them that with your expert advice and encouragement, they
can conquer their problem and be happy."
Hobbes is amazed as he stands up with
his paws resting on his sides to proclaim, "Ingenious. What problem will you help
people solve?"
"Their addiction to self-help
books," was the instant reply. "My book is called 'Shut Up and Stop Whining: How
to do Something With Your Life Besides Think About Yourself.'"
The captivated tiger then scratched his
head in disbelief to advise, "You should probably wait for the advance before you buy
anything."
Oblivious to the comment Calvin
continued, "The trouble is. . .if my program works, I won't be able to write a
sequel."
* * *
Certainly, most of the nation chuckled
upon reading this adventure of the mischievous Calvin and Hobbes on the Sunday it was
printed in their local newspapers. I did as well! Tears of laughter rolled down my eyes as
the wisdom behind the words of this little boy began to register in my head.
Yet those same tears became droplets of
sorrow, as I began to realize how true was the message of this boy, Calvin. It so
accurately describes the self-centered, humanistic society that we now abide in -- a
self-absorbed culture that has lost so much of what it once had.
Have you seen the books Calvin was
describing on the bookshelves throughout you city? Look at the titles prominently
displayed as you enter your favorite store and you will find promises of everything --
from more wealth, to guaranteed success, inner peace and freedom. All of this is so easily
attained if you will just buy the copy that is being exhibited so prominently before your
eyes.
The great Baptist evangelist of the late
nineteenth century, Charles Spurgeon, was quite aware of the espousers of every new idea
in his own day. Talking of the empty sermons that belched out of the pulpits of England,
he wrote in The Soul Winner, "When they select a text, they never explain its
true meaning; but they go round about to find out something that the Holy Ghost never
intended to convey by it, and when they get hold of one of their 'new thoughts' -- oh,
dear! what a fuss they make over it! Here is a man who has found a stale herring! What a
treat! It is so odoriferous! Now we shall hear of this stale herring for the next six
months, when somebody else will find another one. What a shout they set up! 'Glory! Glory!
Glory! Here is a new thought!' A new book comes out about it, and all these great men go
sniffing round to prove what deep thinkers and what wonderful men they are. God will not
bless that kind of wisdom."
Masses of people today are clamoring to
the racks to pick up the latest bit of insight or exciting novel ideas that will surely
give to them the dynamics of life that they are certain they are missing out on. Give them
a message that will make them feel better about themselves, with the assurance that they
are in actuality OK and not responsible for the mess they are in, and they will with ease
lay down their hard-earned cash to read the words of peace and safety.
Everybody wants to feel better about
themselves! With a new way of looking at things they certainly can attain the
"self-improvement" that will help them to better cope in a world saturated with
pressures to measure up to specific standards.
To be relieved of their guilt concerning
their failures is considered a blessing. It really doesn't matter how this is
accomplished. . . .Just so it is. Tell them how they can look at themselves to see a more
acceptable picture in the mirror. They do not want to face their own depravity.
"Encouragement" is what they crave.
As you might have already guessed, this
is not a "feel good" discourse. As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite!
Does that concern you? Are you wondering if you made a mistake in even going this far?
Allowing one's self to probe his own
inadequacy in this way might bring out negative emotions, and nobody cares to do that.
Most prefer to comfort themselves with the speculation that there are "different ways
of looking at things." It is not a popular thing today to assert that somebody is
wrong.
Yet, this is exactly what I am proposing
to do! The message is, that there is a right, and there is a wrong. . . .and guess what?
The book has already been purchased!
You might be thinking that you should
have looked a little farther than the titles in the table of contents before plopping down
your last dime for literature such as this. If you continue, you will only be subjected to
a message that was specifically intended to make you feel uncomfortable with the gray
areas in your life. What a bummer!
The world we live in is a very busy
place. Who has the time to change one's way of thinking? Besides, we take enough hits from
our bosses, business associates, neighbors, parents, and who knows who else, to spend our
leisure time subjecting ourselves to more challenges. Just give us a movie to look at for
a while to help us escape the madness.
Well, have I got good news for you! It's
not as if you've laid down you hard-earned cash for a dog DVD rental that has to go back
to the store by tomorrow evening. In that case you might have invested a whole night with
friends over popcorn, while you all gaze in perplexity wondering whether the next scene is
suitable for viewing by your kids. You endure the monotonous adventure anyway, only to
question if the defilement you bought into was worth the bother of a wearisome plot that
went nowhere but to take two blasphemous mouths into an adulterous bedroom.
A book on the other hand is an
investment of a lifetime. You can read it at your own pace and put it down as you like.
Tomorrow it shall be waiting for you right where you left your bookmark. It will do this
for as long as you wish, quietly obeying the brush of your fingertips and the glance of
your eye until you have labored to the last page. Take a lifetime as you wish. Digest each
word if it pleases you, or skim through at a rapid pace if you cannot wait. The book will
follow your command.
Take Your Time
Calvin is found standing on the sidewalk
with his arch-enemy, the dreaded Suzie. As the young boy stares on in wonderment, the
little girl exalts, "I love my school books. Just think! Pretty soon we'll have to
read all of this! . .I like to read ahead and see what we're going to learn next. It's so
exciting to know stuff"
Now hugging her close friend,
"Having a book is like having a good friend with you."
Now Calvin is going to assert his
profundity into the situation. While vigorously thumbing the pages of his book, he
advances, "If you flip the pages of my book, an animated T. Rex drives the Batmobile
and explodes!"
"Sometimes," Suzie complains
to herself, "I think books are the only friends worth having."
* * *
So my advice to you in contemplating the
following pages is to take in as much as you can at a time. I can assure you that you will
be reading a lot of candid comments regarding the condition of the American believer who
has been corrupted by the world that surrounds him. That is what black and white is all
about! You tell it as it is.
A lot of people today label such talk as
that of Pharisees; legalistic, unloving, and filled with hate. The Word of God proclaims
it as truth. Most of the time the truth is very difficult to hear. . . . So take your
time.
It is my intention to provide you with
information that will help to abet the severe predicament that has engulfed our nation and
the Church, that has become so much part of the world's unbelief system. This book will
spend a considerable amount of time to assure you that there is indeed a severe problem
going on. It will not profess that we are all OK because we are not. It will show you how
our drift from the pure message of Christ has occurred and why we have become who we are.
It will recommend solutions, but they
will not be novel or unique. I hope this doesn't discourage you, but there really aren't
any new solutions to reveal! It has already been proclaimed in thousands of years of
Biblical and Western history, a study that has always been available to us all in the
dusty shelves of our libraries. From the beginning of time the truth has been made known
to us. It is only left for us to accept the obvious.
David A. Noebel wrote in Understanding
the Times, "Christianity and history have always been allies. Leopold Von Ranke's
observation that history convinces more people than philosophy is certainly confirmed by
the Christian response to this discipline. The Bible contains a great deal more history
than philosophy. Christianity is rooted in history and without its historical roots there
would be no Christian world view."
The Apostle Paul supported this view: I
would not have you to be ignorant of (history) (I Cor 10:1f).
Most importantly, God has disclosed it
to us in his Holy Word. If our society was filled with individuals who were committed to
acknowledging this as God's truth in our lives, there would be little need for you to
continue reading beyond this paragraph. However, in-and-out of the Body of Christ, this
has not been the case.
The liberal's call has grabbed the heart
of even the most devote Christians of our age. It is an old problem that has plagued the
heart of mankind since his fall. It is my intention to witness the Holy Spirit direct your
mind to the black-and-white truths of the Word through the pages of these books. If that
occurs, there will be no need of a sequel.
About the Author
Click Here to purchase the E-book edition for only 99 cents!
 
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WIGTUNE HOME
About the Author
Don Wigton
is a graduate of the prestigious music department at CSULB where he studied under Frank
Pooler, lyricist of Merry Christmas Darling, and sang in Pooler’s world renown
University Choir alongside Karen and Richard Carpenter. During this time Don was also the
lead composer of the band, Clovis Putney, that won the celebrated Hollywood Battle of the
Bands. After giving his life to God, Don began attending Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa to
study under some of the most prominent early Maranatha! musicians. Subsequently he toured
the Western United States with Jedidiah in association with Myrrh Records.
Eventually
Don served as a pastor at Calvary Chapel Bakersfield to witness thousands of salvations
through that ministry. As the music/concert director, Don worked for seven years with most
major Christian artist of that time while producing evangelical concerts attended by
thousands of young people seeking after God. Don’s Calvary Chapel Praise Choir
released the album Let All Who Hath Breath Praise the Lord on the Maranatha! label.
The next
years of Don’s life were spent as the praise leader of First Baptist Church in Bakersfield
during a time of unprecedented church renewal. Don teamed with the leadership to
successfully meld the old with the new through a period of tremendous church growth.
During this exciting time, Don’s praise team, Selah, produced the CD Stop and
Think About It.
Today Don is
the leading force behind Wigtune Company. This
webbased project located at www.praisesong.net has provided several million downloads of
Don’s music and hymn arrangements to tens of thousands of Christian organizations
throughout the world. More music can be found at Don's Southern
Cross Band website at www.socrossband.com.
The book Holy
Wars represents Don’s most recent effort to bless the church with biblical
instruction and direction in praise and worship. This heartfelt volume is an offering not
only to God’s people, but also to God Himself.
Connect With Don Online
Facebook - Southern Cross
Band
Facebook - Wigtune Company
Wigtune Blog
Smashwords |
was formed as a service to the body of Christ to encourage scriptural
worship. To accomplish this goal Wigtune Company offers free contemporary Christian praise
and worship music, contemporary Christian rock and hymn mp3 and chart material along with
a free on-line worship study book for personal devotions, Bible study groups, Sunday
schools, pastors, music ministers and ministry training. In order to bridge the gap
between the old and the new the worship study book gives solid theological and
historical support to the use of traditional Christian hymn-singing in conjunction with
praise chorus singing. 
Vision Statement 
Wigtune Story 
Check out this powerful Southern Cross song! 
