Tid Bits of Wisdom

TID BITS of WISDOM from the

WONDERFUL WORD
1801 Old Hickory Trail
From the Wonderful Word Publishers

DeSoto, Texas 75115

Publishers, Inc.
October & November 2018 Vol. 12, 11-12

THREE POSSIBILITIES FOR

AFFLICTIONS!
John 9:1-7
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents,
that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works
of God should be made manifest in him.
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when
no man can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and
he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation,
Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Jesus and His disciples passed by a man that was blind and they
asked Jesus, “Who did sin?” It is because of sin, that decay, brokenness
and heartaches are in the world. Our first thought is usually, “Who did
sin.” There are three different reasons given in these verses for the man’s
blindness. Number one, did he sin? Number two, did his parents sin?
Number three, “Was it that the works of God should be made manifest in
him.” Who did sin is a fair question that we should always ask when we
find ourselves with an affliction.
DeSoto, Texas 75115

Non-Profit Organ.
U.S. Postage

Question one, am I being punished because of my sin? This man

Permit 697

was blind from birth; he hadn’t had an opportunity to sin. So, it could not
be him. If you seek the Lord and He does not reveal the sin that might
have been the cause, then go on. It isn’t because of your sin. If the Lord
(Continued on page 2)

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 (Continued from page one) (Continued from page 9)
The Living Christ
THREE POSSIBILITIES FOR truth and your mind will be convinced. Faith is not a sign of credulity: it is a test of moral
AFFLICTIONS! condition. To find the living Christ is not a question of sight, but of surrender. “It is
not the direction of your look; it is the dedication of your life.” If you are willing to do
points out any sin or iniquity in your life, then repent and turn from it and ask God his will you shall know. Test Christ upon his own terms. Begin eve now. “The word is
for mercy. He is a merciful God! nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
Question two, is this because of my parents sin? The Old Testament heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the
speaks of the iniquities (not sins) of the fathers. heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Deut 5:9-10
If we knew the cares and trials,
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy
Knew the effort all in vain,
CIRCUMSTANCES
God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto
the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
And the bitter disappointment,
Understood the loss and gain -
DO NOT
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my command-
ments.
Would the grim, eternal roughness MAKE OR BReAK
Seem - I wonder - just the same?
Num 14:18
Should we help where now we hinder, YOU,
Should we pity where we blame?
The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, THEY REVEAL
and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
Ah! we judge each other harshly
children unto the third and fourth generation. Knowing not life’s hidden force;
YOU!
Knowing not the fount of action THE WONDERFUL WORD
These verses are so often misread or misunderstood. I’ve heard many Is less turbid at its source; &
people quote these verses saying, “The iniquity & sins of the fathers and the Seeing not amid the evil Tid Bit’s of Wisdom
-Psalms 68:11-
mothers.” It doesn’t say sins or mothers! Iniquities are carried through the seed, All the golden grains of good; Founded December, 1966
not the womb. It says the iniquity (perversities) of the fathers that hate God are And we’d love each other better, If we only WONDERFUL WORD Magazine, now
carried to the third and fourth generation. The fathers that love God are given understood. Tid Bits of Wisdom, is the official voice of
WONDERFUL WORD PUBLISHERS, a
mercy to thousands of them that love Him. There is nothing that says we have non-profit, religious organization, endeav-
to sin the sins of the fathers. It says we may endure hardships because of their Could we but draw back the curtains oring to publish Gospel Literature in the
That surround each other’s lives, Spanish Language for world-wid distribu-
lives. We may have perverted thinking because of our upbringing, but that is no
See the naked heart and spirit, tion, through Bible believing Missionaries at
excuse to sin. We can purge iniquities out of our lives by mercy and truth. There Know what spur the action gives, no cost to them. It is published as the Lord
is always a way of escape. We must confess and forsake the iniquities of our fa- Often we should find it better,
enables. It is dedicated to Missionary activ-
ity on the fields already white unto harvest,
thers. If that is your reason for afflictions, you can change things by filling your Purer than we judge we should, and contending for the verbally inspired
life with mercy and truth. We should love each other better Word, exalthing the LIVING WORD.
Prov 16:6-7 If we only understood. SPANISH TRACTS
Wonderful Word Publishers
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart P.O., Box 315
from evil. Could we judge all deeds by motives, Powell, Tenn 37849
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace See the good and bad within, CMCIMINO@yahoo.com
with him. Often we should love the sinner
‘TID BITS OF WISDOM’
All the while we loathe the sin; Bro. Jerry & Gloria Brewster
Question three, is my affliction given to manifest the work of God? What Could we know the powers working 1801 Old Hickory Trail
if it is neither of the first two reasons? What if your affliction came because God To o’erthrow integrity, DeSoto, Texas 75115
We should judge each other’s errors E-mail TidBitsWWW@aol.com
wanted to use your life to manifest His mighty works? Does that mean that if you Website: tidbitswww.com
are blind God will give you sight? I don’t know how God will use your affliction, With more patient charity.
2 11
 TID BITS OF WISDOM
MONTHLY REPORT
Where has this year gone? The older I get the less time a year
seems to have in it. We are coming upon Thanksgiving once again and we
need to STOP and say, “Thank you” to our wonderful Lord and Savior.
You who have responded to the needs of this paper and to our per-
sonal needs have refreshed our hearts and we are forever grateful. We
have some who have increased support and others who have joined with us
and we appreciate it greatly. By the time we count our expenses for paper,
equipment and postage, our little paper costs about $3.50 each. Every oth-
er month we send to 2,200 people. The December/January paper will start
our 13th year. We are an arm of the Wonderful Word Publishers, which
was started by Bro. Dick and Rose Cimino. Mrs. Connie Cimino took the
job of getting the tracts to the ministers after her husband, David Cimino
went home to be with the Lord. Mrs. Connie has actually increased the
amount of tracts going out each year. This paper is put out to keep the tract
ministry before the people and to share “Tid Bits of Wisdom” with our
people. One of our supporters began supporting Wonderful Word many
years ago and added support for this paper from the very start. Their gift
is in the mail every month at the same time without fail. They will never
know what their faithfulness means to us. They probably feel their gift is
small, but it has accomplished much because of their faithfulness. Bro.
Roloff had many ladies who supported his work one dollar a month. He
called them his “darling dollar” supporters. They were the ones who made
it possible for him to preach the Word over many stations. No gift is to
small.
Bro. Joe West is with the Lord. Please remember to pray for his
but He may open your eyes or show His mighty power through your blindness. If
you seek Him, He will manifest His works through your life. Paul said, “God’s
grace is sufficient and in our weakness His strength is shown.” If we seek God,
He will always do that which is best for our lives and His glory.
2 Cor 12:7-10
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revela-
tions, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect
in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecu-
tions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Can we, like Paul, say that we take pleasure in these things he men-
tioned? I hate the thought of any of these things coming my way, BUT should
the Lord allow it, I want to be like Paul and take pleasure in being used for God’s
glory.
If you have found yourself in sin, confess it, forsake it and walk in the
cleanness of forgiveness, which God offers to us all. If your parents were not
godly and lived against the things of God, then walk in truth and mercy and purge
the old things out of your life. If God has chosen you to shew forth His wonder-
ful works, trust Him, rejoice in Him and wait until you can see the good in His
work.
2 Chron 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself
strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
“I am the true “I am the bread
vine” of life”

wife, Doris. They have given their lives to serving God’s people. God’s
John 15:1-5
The Seven John 4:35-48

people must not forget Mrs. Doris now.

We do not take a salary from Tid Bits of Wisdom. Anything you send “I am the way, “I Am” “I am the light

Statements
the truth and the
of the world”
with Tid Bits of Wisdom’s name goes straight to Tid Bits of Wisdom. The paper life” John 8:12;9:5
John 14:6
will be 12 years old this December and many who started with us have died or
become unable to give. Many have been faithful all these years. Pray and ask of Jesus
God if He wants you to join us with a monthly support. We are grateful for our “I am the resur- “I am the good
faithful. rection and the
“I am the gate”
shepherd”
John 10:11-14
life”
All donations to Tid Bits of Wisdom are tax deductable. 1801 Old John 10:7

Hickory Trail, DeSoto, TX, 75115. Phone 214-293-5252

10 3
 resurrection of Christ. This monument is more realistic than a moving picture, more en-
during than marble. While waters flow and converts follow Christ it will bear its eloquent
F testimony.
E
M Undoubtedly the resurrection is the fundamental doctrine of Christianity. I be-
lieve the first chapter of Genesis, but my salvation is not conditioned upon the interpreta-
A tion of that chapter. I can ask the evolutionist questions which he cannot answer. The
L evolutionist can ask me questions which I cannot answer. When he asked when the cell
from which each of us came, became a spiritual being I am silent except as to guesses
E about the sub-conscious self. So, as I do not hazard my soul upon that chapter, I do not
By doom the soul of him who reads it in the light of a science which I do not understand.
INSPIRATIONS Gloria Brewster
With the fact of the resurrection of Christ it is different. Here we are on solid
ground. I am ready to stake my salvation upon that fact and my ability to prove the fact
One thing I know, that, by legal evidence. When proven, all Bible difficulties sink into insignificance. It is the
greatest miracle and includes the lesser. We have and hold then a supernatural religion.
Whereas I was blind, We should be able to walk in Christian fellowship with those who so hold.

Now I see.
John 9:25
I read this verse and it brought back sweet memories of God’s mercy to
my life many years ago.
In the middle 70’s, I decided I wanted to wear contact lens. They were
made of glass in those days and were very hard to put in and take out. You wore
them 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening; increasing the
time every day until you were wearing them 6 hours or more. Well, I was tearing
my eyes up taking them in and out. I later went to an eye doctor who said he had
his mother (who was bedfast) wearing them all day. I decided I would try that.
Bad idea! I put them in my eyes one morning and left them until 10:00 that night.
When I took them out, my eyelids shut and I could not open them without pulling
them up with my fingers. This brought great pain and I had no sight. Tears rolled
down my checks. I learned the next day that I had deep abrasions in both eyes.
At the time this happened, I had a ten year old son, an eight year old son
and three foster daughters, who were 17, 18, and 21. Jerry had a job where he
traveled 90 percent of the time and of course, he was out of town when this took
place.
The pain was awful! As soon as morning came, my 21 year old daughter
drove me to the eye doctor. The doctor was an atheist. He had told me earlier he
didn’t believe in God. He was very compassionate to my situation. He deadened
my eyes and I was able to open my eyelids. I couldn’t see a thing. It was totally
dark. I could hear the doctor walking in circles saying, “It’s bad Gloria, it’s very
4 9
Making this doctrine crucial is not hazardous, as I have shown. Neither is it
arbitrary. Paul did it for us (I Cor. 15:12-19). Furthermore, the very nature of the case,
the logic of the situation, necessitates crucially. Christ must win the victory over the great
and last enemy of man - death. Our hope in life and death centers in his victory. Blessed
be God, Christ robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory and made the grave
the portal to a palace whose beauties are ineffable and whose joys are eternal. His victory
was my victory because I have linked my destiny with him through faith. Happy should
we be that this vital doctrine is established “by many infallible proofs.”
Does a Christian who is not living the risen life read these lines? The living
Christ should give vitality to your experience, vigor to your endeavor. His livingness
should be your atmosphere. You are his “living epistles.” He said : “Because I live, ye
shall live also.” He was alive in Paul. Let him so live in you that those who never read
or weigh the written arguments may be convinced by your life. To borrow Drummond’s
phrase: “The best apologetic for Christianity is a Christian.”
Does a sorely tried servant of the Lord, who sometimes is faint and discouraged
read these lines? Christ is with you all the way, strengthening, inspiring, reenforcing.
You have inexhaustible resources in him. There is a heartening and gladdening for you:
“He ever liveth to make intercession for us.”
Does a bereaved heart who has lost a dear one read these lines? Those who die
in the Lord are not lost. They are with the Lord. Dry your tears, burnish your hope and
exclaim: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead.”
Does one read these lines who is not a Christian? Let your heart respond to the
(Continued on page 11)
the least probable. It is more probable that Jesus rose from the dead than that witnesses of
such characters these should deceive. Pliny records that among the practices of the early
Christians was this: they bound themselves by an oath not to bear false witness. Deacon
Daniel McCarthy was beloved as the best man in his church. A comrade, an Episcopalian,
who had known him from boyhood, remarked: “If Dan McCarthy told me a thing was so
and an angel from heaven told me differently I would say: ‘Angel, I do not believe you
are lying, but you are mistaken.’” The witnesses to the resurrection were every one as
trustworthy as this noble deacon.
Again, the conduct of the witnesses is impressive, aye, convincing. They lost all
earthly good for the testimony they bore. To their own hurt they swore that they had seen
Christ alive after his passion. You will search the pages of history in vain for an instance
of high-souled people perpetrating a fraud which, instead of bringing them gain, would
inevitably work their worldly ruin.
Once more, the testimony of those witnesses, while contrary to their own predi-
lections, was in harmony with Christ’s predictions. Often during his ministry he spoke of
his death and almost, if not quite, always foretold his resurrection in the same connection.
He never thought of death as the end. “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise
it up again.”
3. The monumental witnesses. Once in every week every one sees a monu-
ment to the resurrection of Christ - the Lord’s day. The change from the seventh to the
first day was not made by explicit command. It is inexplicable unless Christ rose from the
dead. On the first day he arose and appeared: (1) To Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-18).
(2) To the women returning from the tomb (Matt. 28:8;10). (3) To Peter in the afternoon
(Luke 24:34; I Cor. 15:5). (4) To the Emmaus disciples toward evening (Luke 24:13;31).
(5) To the eapostles except Thomas (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-24).
Here are five appearances on the first day. He does not appear again until the
next first day. Then he appears to the apostles, Thomas being present (John 20:24-29).
Pentecost occurred on the first day. He also appeared to John on Patmos on the first day
which had come to be designated “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 2:10).
The first day superseded the seventh as the day of worship and rest. On that day
the disciples were accustomed to observe the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7). On that day
they were toprovide their offerings for the Lord (I Cor. 16:2). There was some authority
as binding as Jehovah’s command to keep the seventh day which wrought the change to
the first day. That authority was the example of Christ. The Sabbath was a monument
to creation - to God’s resting when his work was ended. The Lord’s Day is a monument
to redemption - to Christ’s triumph over the grave. Oh, day of joy and light!
Another monument is baptism. Christ prefigured his experience in his baptism.
He prophesied in figure that he would die, be buried, and rise again. The apostle argues
“that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life.” Yes, whenever one folds his hands across his bosom and
is buried in baptism and raised from the liquid grave he, by that act, preaches the
8 5
bad.” I said, “I know, doctor.” When you can’t see anything but darkness, you
know you are in trouble. He replied, “NO! You don’t know. I said it is VERY
BAD.” I replied, “But doctor, you don’t know my God.” My God will meet my
needs. He has the power to restore my sight or He will lead me through the rest
of my life. I can’t undo what has happened, but God will take care of me. He
really thought I had lost my mind. He said the deadening would be wearing off
in about 2 hours and I would be back in pain and there was nothing he could do
until the next day. They could only be deadened once every 24 hours. He said
the eyes heal fast and if they were going to heal, he would know the next morning
when he checked me, and if not, he would prepare me for surgery. Then he said,
“You may be blind for the rest of your life and you need to prepare yourself for
that.” I said, “Yes doctor, I know.”
On the way home I tried to guess where we were by the turns in the road.
I sat down at the piano when I got home to see if I could play without eyes. I
play a lot by ear! The hard part was trying to put jelly on a piece of toast. I was
preparing myself. After we left the doctor, I had one sharp pain and then no
more. At that point, I had no fear at all. I listened to the voices of my sons and
realized I wouldn’t be able to see the changes in them as they grew up. Still, I
was confident that God would meet my every need. Later, I went to the beauty
shop because I couldn’t see how to do my hair. When they sat me under the hair
dryer, (we used to do that) I reached for my Bible and realized I couldn’t see it. I
panicked for the first time. I had just finished a study on “light” and I was about
to start my study on “darkness”. Boy, was I studying darkness! I was addicted
to my Bible I couldn’t imagine not being able to read it. I don’t comprehend from
listening like I do when reading. I cried, “Lord, I can’t live without your word.
If you will give my sight back, I will keep your Word before me the rest of my
life.”
The next morning, I went back to the doctor. He deadened my eyes and
I could see a shadow. The doctor was walking around in circles saying, “I don’t
understand. You are going to come out smelling like a rose.” Your eyes are al-
ready healing.” Three days later God, in His mercy, restored my physical sight.
Once before He had opened my eyes and that was why His Word was so impor-
tant to me. The night I was saved, the first thing I noticed was I could see things
I had never seen. A tree had always just been a tree, but after salvation it was a
beautiful thing with green leaves, limbs and all the details that I had never noticed
before. I will forever thank the Lord for my physical eyesight, but my spiritual
eyesight changed my entire life. We serve a merciful God. Will He heal your
eyes? I don’t know, but I do know He can, and I do know He will do what is best
for your life! Matt 11:4-5
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the
dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

THE LIVING CHRIST
(Taken from a book called “Seeing The Best” by George W. McDaniel, in the
year 1923)
Acts 1:3
He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs.
The Christian faith rests upon an empty tomb. We are not saved by the words
of Christ, though from his lips proceeded words of truth and grace; though he spake as
never man spake. Neither are we saved by the miracles of Christ, though we confess
with Nicodemus: “We know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do
these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” Nor are we saved by the life of
Christ, though he went about doing good and his seamless garment was never soiled by
sin. We are not saved by even the death of Christ, though he died for a higher truth than
did Socrates and claimed an unique merit for his passion.
We are saved by the resurrection of Christ. That validated his words, works,
life, and death. “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” “Who was delivered for our offenses, and
was raised again for our justification.” Our salvation hinges upon Christ’s resurrection.
This is the cardinal fact of our holy religion. Paul staked everything upon this fact. If
Christ be not risen our preaching and faith are vain; we are yet in our sins, - in the taint,
guilt, and thraldom of sins; our dear ones who died in the Lord are perished; we are the
most miserable of men for we are in terrible darkness. Such was Paul’s alternative.
Our faith is not less secure because founded upon an empty tomb. That tomb is
the rock-hewn tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The foundation of Christianity is as stable
as the granite hills in which that sepulcher was carved.
Jesus showed himself alive. That was the great discovery of the disciples after
Calvary. He “was dead and is alive,” Rev. 2:8. The proofs of the resurrection are suf-
ficient to convince any inquiring mind, Consider them.
1. The empty tomb. The women found the tomb empty. What became of the
body of Jesus in that short time? Either the Jews had it, or his disciples stole it, or he arose
from the grave. If the Jews had it they could have silenced the disciples by presenting the
dead body. How could the disciples have gotten the body when it was securely sealed and
guarded by Roman soldiers? What did the disciples want with that body? They were not
trying to prove the resurrection: they had to be convinced themselves. “Ah,” says a critic,
“the women found the wrong tomb.” This impugns the intelligence of those women.
They knew before their visit precisely where the tomb was. The account of the burial of
Jesus says the women beheld the tomb and how his body was laid (Luke 23:55).
Women do not quickly forget the place where their beloved are buried. Years
afterwards they can go in a large cemetery among many graves directly to the spot where
the body of a dear one was committed to the earth. Every presumption is against an
6
error by the women, or a theft by the disciples. The most reasonable and satisfactory
explanation of the empty tomb is the risen Lord.
2. The personal witnesses. The evidence of the witnesses to the resurrection
is found in certain books of the New Testament. These books were accepted by the
Christians as original and authoritative before the end of the first century. We may be
sure: (a) that they would not have been accepted unless they agreed with what was known
of Christ by those who had heard the apostles preach; and (b) that they would not have
been accepted without the sanction of the apostles. So, we have an accurate record of the
evidence.
These witnesses were numerous Above five hundred at one time saw the risen
Lord. A majority of them were living when their experience was appealed to. Paul names
some of the witnesses and they were known to those addressed by him. This was only
twenty-three years after the events related. During those intervening years the resurrec-
tion had been preached daily by eyewitnesses.
The appearances of Christ were under such a variety of circumstances as to
prevent mistake. He appeared to witnesses singly, in company, in small groups, in larger
groups: some saw him several times, - Peter at least six times, - and had extended inter-
views with him. Simon Greenleaf is the highest authority upon the laws of evidence. He
examined the testimony of the evangelists according to the rules of evidence as admin-
istered in courts of justice and found it trustworthy and convincing. His book is com-
mended to any unsettled or doubting mind.
The case is stronger by virtue of the state of mind of the witnesses. They were
not trying to prove a case. They do not argue. They simply tell what they saw and did and
leave us to draw our own conclusions. They were convinced against their predilections.
The women came to anoint the body, not to proclaim the resurrection. Mary thought the
gardener had removed the body. The apostles disbelieved the report of the women; the
Emmaus disciples had abandoned hope and were slow to believe the testimony of their
own eyes and ears; the ten at first supposed that they had seen a spirit and were convinced
only when he showed them his hands and feet; Thomas refused to believe the ten until the
Lord’s proffered test evoked his faith. Unbelief, not credulity, was the credulity, was the
disciples’ besetting sin. Jesus chided them for their doubt. After the resurrection, as dur-
ing his ministry, his difficulty with them was to inspire faith. The risen Christ succeeded
where his earthly ministry failed.
The character of the witnesses adds weight to their testimony. Here are level-
headed fishermen, - matter-of-fact men’ a scholarly rabbi, trained to examine evidence
and bent on blotting out superstition, - meeting the living Christ on the road and hence-
forth living for him. Truly this converted scholar was right when he said if Christ be not
risen “we are found false witnesses of God. “ There is not a possibility that so many
witnesses, under so many circumstances, testifying to the same facts could have been
innocently mistaken. Subject those witnesses to the severest cross-examination and you
come to this: either Jesus rose from the dead or the witnesses lied. But you could not get
the life of the disciples from either a lie or a liar. Hume’s theory was always to reject
7