For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Christmas is coming soon. Let us remember what it is truly about, the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us strive to not be caught up in the commercialism which is what this season is about for many in our society today.
If we allow our pride to drive our behavior we will be humiliated, but if we humbly admit our limitations others will honour us for what we do accomplish.
Let us model ourselves after the psalmist. Rather than be proud and aloof, let us be humble and caring. The psalmist said that he would not worry about matters too great or awesome for him to grasp. When we come across matters which we have trouble understanding, rather than fret over them and allow them to undermine our faith, let us set them aside and focus on those things which we can understand. This does not mean that we accept the interpretations of those who claim to understand such matters. It just means that we reserve judgement on such matters until the Holy Spirit gives us an answer we do understand. Let us trust the Lord and put our hope in Him.
Now John delivers the message for the church in Philadelphia. God has opened a door for them that no one can close. Despite their weakness they have obeyed God’s commands and refused to deny Him. There is an important message for all of us here, we do not need to be strong, we just need to persevere, to remain faithful in the face of opposition. We are not called on to defeat our opponents, nor to win the arguments. We are called on to remain faithful in the face of opposition and persecution.
John has a message for one last church, the one in Laodicea. He tells them that they are neither hot, nor cold. They are confident that their material wealth provides them with all that they need. Their problem is that the things they, and we, truly need cannot be purchased with material goods. Until we recognize that our wealth is of no value to God, nor will it bring eternal salvation, we are spiritually poor. Let us give all of our material wealth in order to gain what God has to offer, if that is what it takes. No matter how much wealth we have, we cannot buy God’s favor. But sometimes we need to give away all of our material goods in order to accept it.
If we go over the message to the churches, they really fall into three categories: two that are remaining faithful, two that are allowing sexual sin to creep in, and three that have become indifferent. In other words there are two traps the church can fall into. It can become enticed by sexual sin and other forms of debauchery. Or, it can become distracted and lose its enthusiasm for doing the Lord’s work (or perhaps, never actually have any enthusiasm for serving God). The latter seems to be the greater danger, but that does not mean we can drop our guard against the former. The two churches which were not condemned for a failing both appear to have been facing suffering, perhaps even persecution (or were about to do so). So, which type of church do we belong to? One faithfully facing opposition and persecution? One dealing with those endorsing sexual sin? Or one which has become indifferent to doing God’s work?
Amos proclaims that God will bring judgement against Israel for those who follow the forms of religion, but as soon as they are able return to cheating the poor and robbing from the helpless. In particular he condemns them for using false measurements and inaccurate scales. This is not just about those who use false measure, but about all who use misleading advertising to get others to buy what they are selling. God will bring judgement on any society which is dominated by those who mislead others into spending their money in ways which are foolish.