Dear brethren,
Today's readings :
2Chronicles 5-7; Psalm 121; 1 Timothy 4
1Ti 4:1 — 1Ti 4:3 (KJV)
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Again, doesn't this sound familiar? (c.f. the previous devotion on 2Th 2:3,4)
Paul certainly pulled no punches in condemning and giving warning to such false teachers and doctrine.
Notice that he was not warning about some pagan religion but of those who were once in the faith but have departed. This statement both shows that it is possible to come to the true faith and at the same time to fall from it.
We further observe the scathing remarks about these back-sliders -
"giving heed to seducing spirits" From the very beginning, in the garden of Eden, Satan is the master of subterfuge and lies (c.f. Jhn 8:44). What is so despicable is that he throws temptation in our way and seduces and entices us, often using half-truths, to make a wrong move. Yet, it also points to the fact that we can make the decision to give heed or reject.
"doctrines of devils" wow... Do we realise just how serious the matter is? Again, we are not talking about some way off pagan religion but still within the "Christian" faith. And yet, there is no difference - any departure, however small and minor (we are "merely" talking about food and family!), is as bad as the teaching of the devil! There are so many, even today, who will happily wave the flag of Christ, claiming everything to be fine and dandy as long as we all "believe in the same God" and yet whose end is as of the devil and his minions. Don't forget, the devils believe in God too and tremble even! (Jam 2:19)
"speaking lies in hypocrisy" ouch... This means that these individuals are not ignorant. Unlike Paul in his pre-conversion, their conscience is not clean. In fact it is just "seared with a hot iron" - meaning to say, it doesn't even bother them! These are the people who know the truth and yet choose to teach otherwise.
Let us not be complacent. Let us indeed continue to be vigilant of such false teachers and doctrine, because they are still very much active and in large majority today, and will continue to entice with the half-truths and smooth speech. Again and again, we are urged to study the Word and make oursleves impervious to the attacks of the devil and adopt a non-comprimising attitude where doctrine is concerned, lest we too be found as the minions of the devil...
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Perfect hearts
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
1Kings 8; Psalm 30; 1Timothy 3
1 Kings 8:61 (KJV)
Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
Interestingly, the Hebrew word here for "perfect" here is actually "Salem" or whole, complete and also the idea of at peace, where relationships are concerned. It is used to describe the well fashioned stones for the temple as we have read previously in 1Ki 6:7, also in reference to the completion of the temple (2Chr 8:16), fair weights (whole and not tweaked) in Pro 11:1 and wages paid in full (Ruth 2:12).
So again we see this idea of being complete. Complete of what? Of the single mindedness in seeking after God, no matter what. It does not mean we can do what we want as long as our hearts are "sincere". It does not mean we will be sinless in our lives. What it does mean is that we will continue to bench mark against God standards and be humble enough to make changes to make right with God, if and when we stray.
Using the analogy of fair weights or say the modern day weighing machine. In order to get a consistent and reliable reading, the scale needs to be calibrated and accurate. At times we may get an incorrect reading but it could be due to the scale not being placed on a stable surface or that the object is not placed properly on the scale. That can be easily discovered by visual inspection and multiple readings and discarding the anamolies. But if the scale itself is faulty, then there is absolutely no way to be confident of its reading.
Such is the hearts of man. If our hearts are perfect, even though at times we may misuse it, we could still be corrected back on track. But the incomplete, wavering heart will never produce a consistent action (c.f. Jam 1:6-8; Eph 4:14).
And how do we obtain and maintain such a heart? It begins and ends with continual study and obedience to God's Word. Just as the scale must be calibrated to the standard measure, our hearts can only be perfect if it is attuned to the perfect standard of God's Word.
Let us all strive after a perfect heart, as what was described of David, as a people "after his (God's) own heart" (1Sa 13:14), and continue to abide in His Word, that we may be found pleasing before Him and finally be received up in glory!
Today's readings:
1Kings 8; Psalm 30; 1Timothy 3
1 Kings 8:61 (KJV)
Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
Interestingly, the Hebrew word here for "perfect" here is actually "Salem" or whole, complete and also the idea of at peace, where relationships are concerned. It is used to describe the well fashioned stones for the temple as we have read previously in 1Ki 6:7, also in reference to the completion of the temple (2Chr 8:16), fair weights (whole and not tweaked) in Pro 11:1 and wages paid in full (Ruth 2:12).
So again we see this idea of being complete. Complete of what? Of the single mindedness in seeking after God, no matter what. It does not mean we can do what we want as long as our hearts are "sincere". It does not mean we will be sinless in our lives. What it does mean is that we will continue to bench mark against God standards and be humble enough to make changes to make right with God, if and when we stray.
Using the analogy of fair weights or say the modern day weighing machine. In order to get a consistent and reliable reading, the scale needs to be calibrated and accurate. At times we may get an incorrect reading but it could be due to the scale not being placed on a stable surface or that the object is not placed properly on the scale. That can be easily discovered by visual inspection and multiple readings and discarding the anamolies. But if the scale itself is faulty, then there is absolutely no way to be confident of its reading.
Such is the hearts of man. If our hearts are perfect, even though at times we may misuse it, we could still be corrected back on track. But the incomplete, wavering heart will never produce a consistent action (c.f. Jam 1:6-8; Eph 4:14).
And how do we obtain and maintain such a heart? It begins and ends with continual study and obedience to God's Word. Just as the scale must be calibrated to the standard measure, our hearts can only be perfect if it is attuned to the perfect standard of God's Word.
Let us all strive after a perfect heart, as what was described of David, as a people "after his (God's) own heart" (1Sa 13:14), and continue to abide in His Word, that we may be found pleasing before Him and finally be received up in glory!
Friday, June 21, 2019
Yet Count Him Not As An Enemy
Dear brethren,
Today's readings:
1Kings 5; 2Chronicles 2; 2 Thessalonians 3
2Th 3:14 — 2Th 3:15 (KJV)
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
This is one of those passages that doesn't get applied enough! And what is even more regrettable is the frequent failure to apply, in conjuction, v. 15.
The word "ashamed" is really better rendered in the original sense of to "turn about", in other words to bring about change. Thus this method of "isolation" is for the purpose to encourage repentance of the individual. The message sent is that we cannot be as before, while the transgressing party has not turned back. It cannot be "business as usual".
But this isolation does not mean cutting of contact! On the contrary, we are to "admonish" and not as to anyone but as a brother.
The key to it all in fact, is this contact. How well do we know our fellow brethren? How frequent is our interaction with one another? How much do we mean to one another? Because if we do not put in the effort, when we are together, how will it work in our effort to isolate? The isolation is probably welcome! And this responsibility lies on EACH AND EVERYONE of us! It is not just the responsibility of the elders, teachers and other mature members, but everyone has to make the effort to connect with brethren. We all know it takes effort for relationships to work, and it can be as simple as a causal text message. But it has to start somewhere and continue to grow. And I cannot begin to describe how powerful it is especially when it comes from the young in faith.
So let us continue to be pro-active, to build our bonds one with another, to develop the strong safety net for one another, that if we should fall, none of us should fall through the cracks but bounce back into the fold.
Today's readings:
1Kings 5; 2Chronicles 2; 2 Thessalonians 3
2Th 3:14 — 2Th 3:15 (KJV)
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
This is one of those passages that doesn't get applied enough! And what is even more regrettable is the frequent failure to apply, in conjuction, v. 15.
The word "ashamed" is really better rendered in the original sense of to "turn about", in other words to bring about change. Thus this method of "isolation" is for the purpose to encourage repentance of the individual. The message sent is that we cannot be as before, while the transgressing party has not turned back. It cannot be "business as usual".
But this isolation does not mean cutting of contact! On the contrary, we are to "admonish" and not as to anyone but as a brother.
The key to it all in fact, is this contact. How well do we know our fellow brethren? How frequent is our interaction with one another? How much do we mean to one another? Because if we do not put in the effort, when we are together, how will it work in our effort to isolate? The isolation is probably welcome! And this responsibility lies on EACH AND EVERYONE of us! It is not just the responsibility of the elders, teachers and other mature members, but everyone has to make the effort to connect with brethren. We all know it takes effort for relationships to work, and it can be as simple as a causal text message. But it has to start somewhere and continue to grow. And I cannot begin to describe how powerful it is especially when it comes from the young in faith.
So let us continue to be pro-active, to build our bonds one with another, to develop the strong safety net for one another, that if we should fall, none of us should fall through the cracks but bounce back into the fold.
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