• The stirrings of anger or impatience which, worst of all, you call nervousness or holy indignation; a touchy, sensitive spirit; a disposition to resent and retaliate when disapproved of or contradicted; a desire to throw sharp, heated remarks at another? Psalm 37:8; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Luke 21:19; James 1:19.

• Self-will; a stubborn, unteachable spirit; an arguing, talkative spirit; harsh, sarcastic expressions; an unyielding, headstrong disposition; a driving, commanding spirit; a disposition to criticize and pick flaws when set aside and unnoticed; a peevish, fretful spirit; a disposition that loves to be coaxed and humored? Deuteronomy 1:43; Malachi 2:2; James 3:17; 2 Peter 2:10.

• Carnal fear; a man-fearing spirit; a shrinking from reproach and duty; reasoning around your cross; a shrinking from doing your whole duty to those of wealth or position; a fearfulness that someone will offend and drive some prominent person away; a compromising spirit? 1 Samuel 15:24; Proverbs 29:25; Galatians 2:12; 1 John 4:18.

• A jealous disposition; a secret envy shut up in your heart; an unpleasant sensation in view of the great prosperity and success of another; a disposition to speak of the faults and failings, rather than the gifts and virtues of those more talented and appreciated than yourself? Genesis 26:12-16; 1 Samuel 18:8-9; Proverbs 6:34; 14:30; Matthew 21:15; Romans 12:9-10.

• A dishonest, deceitful disposition; the evading and covering of the truth; the covering up of your real faults; leaving a better impression of yourself than is strictly true; a false humility; exaggeration; straining the truth? Psalm 15:2-3; Isaiah 29:13; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 23:28; Luke 22:48; Acts 5:2-3; 1 Timothy 4:2.

• Unbelief; a spirit of discouragement in times of pressure and opposition; lack of quietness and confidence in God; lack of faith and trust in God; a disposition to worry and complain in the midst of pain, poverty, or at the dispensations of Divine Providence; an over-anxious feeling whether everything will come out all right? Isaiah 7:9; Luke 12:28-30; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:6; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Peter 5:7.

• Formality and deadness; lack of concern for lost souls; dryness and indifference; lack of power with God? Matthew 15:14; 2 Timothy 3:5; Revelation 2:4; 3:1.

• Selfishness; love of ease; love of money? Amos 6:1-6; Luke 12:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:10-11.

These are some of the traits which generally indicate a carnal heart. By prayer, hold your heart open to the searchlight of God until you see the very insides thereof. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). The Holy Ghost will enable you, by confession and faith, to bring your self-life to the death. Do not patch over, but go to the very bottom and clean out all the dross. It alone will pay.

Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord!
Oh, to be lost in Thee!
Oh, that it might be no more I,
But Christ that lives in me!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

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A father had two sons. The younger son said, “Give me my share of the money.” He took it and went far away from home. He and his friends wasted the money, having a good time. Soon it was all spent. Then his friends left him alone.

A man gave him work feeding pigs, but he did not have anything to eat. He was so hungry!

He thought, “My father’s servants have much to eat. I will go home, and I will say to my father, ‘I have sinned. I can no longer be like a son. May I work for you as a servant?’” and the younger son started for home.

The father was watching and waiting for his son. How he missed him! When he saw his son coming, he ran and hugged him and kissed him!

The son said, “Father, I have sinned. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Just let me be one of your hired servants.”

But the father had already forgiven him. He told his servants, “Put a coat and shoes on him. Kill a calf, and we will have a happy dinner together. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” From Luke 15:11-24.

This story shows how Jesus loves all sinners. The Bible says, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10).

The Bible tells us another story about how much God loves everyone.

One day a man walked down a lonely road. He met robbers in the way. They jumped on him and hurt him. They took his clothes and his money. Then they ran away. The man was badly hurt. He could not get up.

A priest came down the road and saw the man who was hurt, but he did not help him. He hurried by on the other side of the road.

A Levite came down the road. He also saw the man who was hurt and stopped to look at him, but he did not help him either. He walked by on the other side, too.

A Samaritan came riding down the road on his donkey. When he saw the man who was hurt, he stopped to see if he could help him. He washed his cuts with oil and wrapped them up. He put the man on his donkey and took him to the nearest inn.

In the morning the good Samaritan said to the innkeeper, “Take care of the man until he is well. Here is money to pay you. If it is not enough, I will pay you more when I come again.” Found in Luke 10:30-35.

Jesus wants us to be loving and kind to those who are in need. When the love of Jesus lives in our hearts, we will do nothing because we are proud or selfish. But in humility, we will think more of others than we do of ourselves. We will not look only to our own interests, but will try to think and understand how others feel, too. The Bible says, “By love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).

We are to love our enemies and forgive those who treat us wrongly. We are never to return evil for evil.

When we have the love of Jesus in our hearts, we will be kind to our friends, obedient to our parents, and happy to tell other boys and girls what the Lord has done for us.

Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cruel cross for our sins. Now we should love Him so much that we give our hearts and lives to Him.

“We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

God Is the Loving Father

By Mabel Niedermeyer and George F. Root

1. God is the loving Father
Of children everywhere;
No matter where their homes are,
They live within His care.

2. He loves all those in far lands
Whom I may never see;
He also loves the children
Who live next door to me.

CHORUS

I’m glad God is the Father
Of children everywhere,
And that we all may love Him
And talk with Him in pray’r.

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Jesus wanted us to understand the great love that his Father has for you and me. He told this story that explained the love of his Father. You can read this in the Bible in St. Luke 15:11-24.

A certain man had two sons. He thought all was going well. One day one of the sons rebelled and came to him and said, “I don’t like this home, I want my own way, and I am leaving. Give me my share of the inheritance.” The father was very sad, but he gave him the money and let him go. He wondered if he would ever see his son again.

The son went far away and enjoyed himself with his money and his friends. He carelessly wasted his money in selfish living. He thought he was having a very good time until suddenly his money ran out and his friends left him. He was all alone and needy. Now what should he do?

He went to a farmer and the farmer sent him to feed the pigs. He was not given enough to eat. He was so hungry he would have eaten the pigs’ food. He started to think of all the bad things he had done and how he had mistreated his father. He became more and more miserable.

One day he remembered how loving his father had been and how well he had been provided for when he was still at home. Even his father’s servants had plenty to eat.

He thought, “Could I go back to my father after all I have done to him? Will he still love me? I am not worthy to be his son. I am willing to be just a servant if only he will take me in.”

Immediately he got to his feet and started for his father’s house. He would see if his father would forgive him.

The father had been longing for his son ever since he left. He often wondered, “Will he ever come back?” Then one day he saw someone coming in the distance. Could that be his son? When he saw that it was, he ran to him with outstretched arms.

“Father,” the son said, “I have sinned against you. I’m not worthy to be your son.”

But his father said, “Bring the best clothes for him and prepare a feast. My son was lost but now he is found.”

We are all like this son; we have all strayed from God, our Father. We have wasted the opportunities and many good things He has given us. We have lived selfishly and rebelled against Him. Today our heavenly Father invites us to come to Jesus. He is waiting for us with outstretched arms.

Jesus showed us his love by giving his life as a sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the whole world. He suffered pain and rejection as He allowed wicked men to nail Him to a cross. By the power of God He rose from the dead and lives forever.

Come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sin. When He sees you are sorry for the wrongs you have done, He will forgive you and wash away all your sin with his blood that He shed. It will be a wonderful experience! You will become a new person. Life will take on new meaning. Jesus will replace your guilt and fear with joy and happiness. He will be your Savior.

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