Smiting, Slander, Strife
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” Psalms 133:1-3
Christ’s body should relish, edify, exhort, admonish, teach, and to nurture one another as much as is possible. The opposite would be to rail on another member of Jesus’ body. Railing is listed 9 times as a sin in the Bible.
Beating and betrayal instead of unity clearly reveals who are the wheat and who are the tares among us (Luke 12:45).
May God bless us to afford to others the same grace we personally need in working out our own salvation with fear and trembling before our God (Philippians 2:12-13).
Do you truly love God’s people? To the degree you love God, you love His people. Prayerfully read, repent, and relish 1 Corinthians 12-13 this week.
Recently, I was abruptly attacked by a man I have tried to help and fed God’s Word to for a few years now. I was always there for him. He used to come to our home fellowship. When others shunned him, I was there for him. When he kept backsliding, I was there to tell him the truth and pray for him. I never attacked him but dealt with compassion towards him. It seemed that the LORD had me to be patient with his sinful living, seeking to help him by giving him God’s Word and praying for him. Yet, last night, perhaps because he had been drinking alcohol, he found something small to nit-pick and attack me with. He didn’t come to me in gentleness to just make something known that I may have overlooked. No, he shot with both barrels up front about something that wasn’t very important. So, I gave him the following passage and he kept attacking, so cut him off (Titus 3:9-11).
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5
One of the signs of an apostate heart and/or generation is being merciless or “unmerciful.” (Romans 1:31)
We are not fit to condemn. When we do usurp that mantle, only evil can result.
“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20
You see, there’s only One qualified to judge and that One is God, not us.
“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” James 4:11-12
Who, Who, Who?
“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:33-34
As I reflect upon the problem this guy had concerning something small he thought I was compromising about, I think of just how simple it would have been to hear his concern and do something about it. Actually, I would have been glad to be corrected and sharpened if only he had approached with concern and not condemnation. The approach is important. We must walk with God’s wisdom which is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:17-18)
The main reason I share these things is:
1) Just as Jesus predicted, the love of many is waxing cold before our very eyes and God’s love is the key fruit that proves we are still in Christ or not (Matt. 24:10-13; 1 John 4:7-8). Without love we are nothing (1 Cor. 13). Some are now smiting or railing on the servants of the LORD which proves they have fallen away and are no longer saved (Matt. 24:48-51).
2) If you have a question about another believer, DO NOT attack them! If you do, YOU are the sinful one who needs to get right with God and your lack of concern and care (love) prove it. We are to be restoring agents, not attack agents. Like the sons of thunder, we do not know what spirit we are of (Lk. 9:49-56). If we don’t yet understand and walk in God’s restorative love, perhaps we don’t yet have a clue as to who Jesus is and why HE came (Lk. 9:56; John 3:17). If this is our hardened, depraved state, we have forgotten what manner of man we once were. – “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:9)
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual (mature), RESTORE such an onein the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3For if a man think himself to be something (pride), when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” Galatians 6:1-3
What did the LORD mean to communicate to you when He said this?
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure (perhaps) will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26
In fact, the LORD told us that He is coming soon and that we are not ready to meet Him if we are grudging against one another:
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” James 5:7-9
As we treat His people, so are we treating Him, literally. Jesus taught:
“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:40-41
To mistreat one of His children, is to mistreat Jesus. Those who have done or do such without repenting, are as sure for the lake of fire as if they were already there!
The utter necessity of love and walking in love must be declared without ceasing.
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8
Love is an essential. Anyone who does not possess and is not possessed by its fruits, does not know the One who “is love” and is hell bound as sure as your eyes are reading these words.
If we truly serve Christ, we shall, like Paul had an Alexander and many “false brethren,” also endure our betraying Judas’. God is able to comfort and bring us through and teach us His wisdom. We can “count it all joy!” (James 1:2-4)
Sign up for free email devotional HERE… The Moments with My Master email devotional is sent out for the edification of the body of Christ.
Abiding
5 Loaves, 2 Fishes, and 12 Baskets Left Over [podcast]
“And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.” Galatians 2:9-10
Did Jesus come as a celebrity or servant? Read Philippians 2 each morning this week.
“Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” Matthew 5:42
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.” Luke 6:30
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. 11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?” Proverbs 24:12
FEEDING THE POOR IN SPIRIT AND STOMACH: Because you care, you prayed, you gave….. Cenovio, a homeless man, was treated to the hearing of our LORD’s bless-ed Gospel message, a delicious hot meal, hot coffee, fresh water, and a JESUS tract. It was a super blessed time with this man. Thank God and you!
Would you like to pause and pray for Cenovio? | Mission Mexico
Of Jesus feeding the multitudes, one source notes:
“Jesus fed a large crowd on at least two occasions, most notably feeding 5,000 men plus women and children with five loaves and two fish, and later feeding 4,000 men plus women and children with seven loaves and a few fish. The miracles occurred when Jesus had compassion on the hungry crowds who had been following him, and the food multiplied supernaturally, leaving 12 baskets of leftovers in the first instance and seven in the second.”


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Abiding
10 Truths to Behold in Isaiah 41:10 [podcast]
“Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not
cast thee away. 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen
thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:9-10
There are 10 truths to behold in Isaiah 41:10:
• “Thou art my servant”
• “I have chosen thee”
• “and not cast thee away”
• “Fear thou not”
• “I am with thee”
• “be not dismayed”
• “for I am thy God”
• “I will strengthen thee”
• “I will help thee”
• “I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”
The soul that prospers is that one who clings to, trusts in and
relies upon Christ alone, day by day, walking ever nearer to
the soon coming Savior. He is with us and promises to “never
leave thee, nor forsake thee”—that is, for those who abide
with Christ (Hebrews 13:5).
1 Peter 1
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Prayer: Dear LORD, thank You for helping me today, and
continuing the good work of salvation You began in me the
moment You saved me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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