A Look at the Book #423

A Look at the Book #423


by Jesse Abel

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #422

A Though for today by Papa “J”

Timing, it is all about timing! The baseball at 95 miles per hour, over the middle of the plate and slightly in, the keen eyes of the batter, the swing and crack, another home run for your favorite team. Games are great and the innocence of fun is trustworthy, but the one who waits on the LORD, knows that His timing is always perfect. Psalm 13:1-6

MORE THOUGHTS

I am reminded of a fictional story I once heard. Let’s see how it goes! A gangster visited the pastor of a church because the gangster’s brother had died. He wanted the church to perform the services and he wanted the pastor to do the eulogy. The gangster also promised the pastor a large sum of money if he would tell the people who came to the funeral service that his brother was a saint. Now both brothers were notorious in the town as ruthless criminals, so the pastor balked at the thought of calling this dead man a saint. The pastor thought some more, the church could us the funds. “Okay”, the pastor said; “I’ll do it if you stand next to me while I give the eulogy”. So when it came time for the eulogy, the pastor began. “The man in the coffin before us today was one of the most ruthless men who ever lived in this community. He was a thief, a murderer, a swindler, he cheated on his wife and family on a regular basis, he also served time in jail for crimes against the state and he was not a very likeable person. Yes he was a ruthless man, despicable on all counts but compared to his brother standing next to me; he was a saint”.

How many of us would want to pat the pastor on the back and say, “Good job you sure killed to birds with one stone there.” Actually the pastor is as guilty as the crook next to him. God does not need the crooks money, nor does the pastor need to lie to the people within earshot. Yet in churches all across this land, what is fiction is deemed trustworthy by men who hide themselves in sheep’s clothing while they willingly fleece God’s flock.

In the epistle of Jude, this half brother of Jesus and brother of James, starts out his epistle with concerns for the gospel which he calls our common salvation. I believe his intent was to write about the mercy that God provided “once” for all. But God reminded Jude of another matter, the problem of apostasy that was running rampant within the churches. What is apostasy? You remember the guy, Jim Jones? It was said about him that in the beginning of his ministry efforts that he was a good preacher, but as time went on, he departed from the truth. Apostasy is real when those who know the truth depart from it. Notice what Jude says this departure is. It is depraved and doomed and he gives examples of; “Cain and Korah” if you read their accounts in Genesis it is hard to see the difference that God sees to call for their condemnation. Greed is apostasy. This then is the weakness of men and women who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. Romans 1:18.

The Spiritual condition of the universal church of God today is weak with famine. Yes there is a need, but it is not a need of money. Our need is to depart from apostasy and return to the Living Word of God. God loves us (Malachi 1:2-5), but our offerings are polluted (Malachi 2:6-15). Our pastors and priests are corrupt (Malachi 2:1-9) These are full of treachery and Infidelity (Malachi 2:10-17) The messenger has come, yet we’ve not changed, we still rob God and the congregation still complains. (Malachi 3:1-18) Jesus is coming again. Are we really ready for His return? (Malachi 4:1-6). Even so come LORD Jesus (Revelation 22:21). Lots of reading today.