TODAY'S DEVOTIONAL
Today's Devotional
Friday, September 2, 2006
Who would have guessed that so much trouble could have come from the church in the small town of Thyatira? If that tiny target couldn't escape the aim of Satan's arrows, who can? The truth is, if sin and the tolerance of that sin can invade the church in Thyatira, it can invade your church and your life as well. Consider the four lessons we can learn from Thyatira.
First, big problems can occur in small, obscure places. Don't be surprised. Christians are sometimes shocked when they uncover the sin that takes place in their church families. Sometimes they shift into "denial mode" and turn the other way, hoping the problem will take care of itself. We shouldn't be shocked or dismayed when we encounter sin. Instead, we should always be watchful and alert.
Second, timely words can encourage demoralized people, so don't be hesitant! In Christ's fierce rebuke of both Jezebel & Company and the Toleration Party, He didn't forget the Faithful, the remnant that had remained steadfast in their beliefs and actions. Next to Laodicea, Christ's rebuke of Thyatira was the second longest of the seven messages—but His encouragement and promises to the Faithful were the longest of all. According to Christ's model, it is always appropriate to offer encouragement, even in the midst of correction.
Third, wrong teaching can come from gifted people. Don't be misled. Jezebel of Thyatira was clearly gifted, perhaps even wealthy and influential. Maybe choosing to exercise discipline against her would have meant losing not only Jezebel but all her followers, reducing the already small church to a tiny flock. Today, we must be on the alert for teachers who, by their winsome personalities or worldly positions, can easily cause whopping problems.
Finally, deceptive actions can injure innocent people, so don't be naive. While the Toleration Party and Jezebel & Company claimed to be Christians, their actions sent a mixed message. They combined wrong teaching, impropriety, and deception with a smattering of truth. They misled the naive—perhaps new believers or novices in the faith. Today, with the current wave of toleration in our culture, those who claim to be Christians can send a similar conflicting message to those who lack discernment. By our silence in the face of sin, we may unintentionally deceive younger believers. We must speak a language and live a lifestyle that sends a consistently clear and distinct message not only to the world but also to the church.
Friday, September 2, 2006
Who would have guessed that so much trouble could have come from the church in the small town of Thyatira? If that tiny target couldn't escape the aim of Satan's arrows, who can? The truth is, if sin and the tolerance of that sin can invade the church in Thyatira, it can invade your church and your life as well. Consider the four lessons we can learn from Thyatira.
First, big problems can occur in small, obscure places. Don't be surprised. Christians are sometimes shocked when they uncover the sin that takes place in their church families. Sometimes they shift into "denial mode" and turn the other way, hoping the problem will take care of itself. We shouldn't be shocked or dismayed when we encounter sin. Instead, we should always be watchful and alert.
Second, timely words can encourage demoralized people, so don't be hesitant! In Christ's fierce rebuke of both Jezebel & Company and the Toleration Party, He didn't forget the Faithful, the remnant that had remained steadfast in their beliefs and actions. Next to Laodicea, Christ's rebuke of Thyatira was the second longest of the seven messages—but His encouragement and promises to the Faithful were the longest of all. According to Christ's model, it is always appropriate to offer encouragement, even in the midst of correction.
Third, wrong teaching can come from gifted people. Don't be misled. Jezebel of Thyatira was clearly gifted, perhaps even wealthy and influential. Maybe choosing to exercise discipline against her would have meant losing not only Jezebel but all her followers, reducing the already small church to a tiny flock. Today, we must be on the alert for teachers who, by their winsome personalities or worldly positions, can easily cause whopping problems.
Finally, deceptive actions can injure innocent people, so don't be naive. While the Toleration Party and Jezebel & Company claimed to be Christians, their actions sent a mixed message. They combined wrong teaching, impropriety, and deception with a smattering of truth. They misled the naive—perhaps new believers or novices in the faith. Today, with the current wave of toleration in our culture, those who claim to be Christians can send a similar conflicting message to those who lack discernment. By our silence in the face of sin, we may unintentionally deceive younger believers. We must speak a language and live a lifestyle that sends a consistently clear and distinct message not only to the world but also to the church.
Taken from the Bible Companion Revelation—Unveiling the End, Act 1, from the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll (Plano, Texas: IFL Publishing House, 2006), 79–80.
posted by PANSOL UMC at 1:04 PM
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