The
Devotional
Comment:
Do we understand what gladness and simplicity of heart is?
This statement is found in Acts 2:46; at the least three thousand men plus
their wives and some of the children understood what “gladness and simplicity
of heart” meant on and shortly after the Day of Pentecost. Also we must KNOW
that these men and women continued in this “joy of soul” daily.
Now
today, this moment; I believe that most of the
sanctified (saved) through the Blood of Christ do not know what it means to
have this joy of heart/soul today, especially for us in the United States of
America. Of course this is of my own thinking, it is not something we commonly
hear from our nations’ pulpits, but we are a national congregation of loveless and sinful people. We do not know if we love the LORD even if we say we
do. We do not love one another as commanded even though we act as if we do. I believe
that many churches today are simply business minded and have lost their LOVE for
God, love that was found in churches when our nation was founded.
Devotional:
Today in America, not tomorrow or last week the Church of
Jesus Christ lacks the LOVE of God. Also the Church of Jesus Christ compromises
the TRUTH of God’s Word with the lies of Satan and the world. Again the Church
of Jesus Christ is CORRUPTED with sexual immoral conduct. The church of Jesus
Christ in many neighborhoods is DEAD, alive with religion but dead to faith.
And if this were not enough the Church of Jesus Christ is not ALIVE with the
Holy Spirit and does not live ‘sanctified’ nor understand the ‘joy of soul’
found in the early church recorded in Acts 2.
In Revelation 2 and 3 where you can read in detail the
condition of churches throughout the world and time, you might notice that even
in the critical Eye of Jesus, not all is bad. There is the FAITHFUL church
where the Door of Truth is never shut. Those in this church have a little strength.
What is this strength? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
Galatians 5:22-23a. Still these churches are not perfect before the LORD. I
take this to mean that there is no perfect church since we have lost the spiritual
vitality of continuing daily with one accord.
The thought in some minds this morning as you read may be
that Jesse is too critical, it would be better for us if I were; but I left out
one of the seven churches in Revelation in order that I might be more critical
for some, but for those who hear what the Spirit of God has already said to
each of the seven churches, what I say is not critical at all but comforting,
notice! There is a day, maybe today and yes it is already today. The PERSECUTED
church of Jesus Christ.
Jesus says to the angel of the church in Smyrna write. These
things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: “I know
your works, tribulation and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the
blasphemy of those who say they are Jews {religious} and are not, but are a
congregation of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to
suffer. Indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you
may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second
death. Revelation 2:8-11.
Now I said all of that to say THIS! While the leadership of
churches will face a stricter judgment in the teaching of TRUTH we should not be
complacent about this. Individually we have the RESPONSIBILITY before Our
Father to live as HIS Redeemed children, or if you prefer, as Bondservants of
Jesus Christ who is the Messiah of God. This is not Sunday school or some
traditional folklore. God will cleanse His church and only the FAITHFUL will
escape the second death.
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