“Of all men, God
strikes with greatest speed the one who gilds over worldly and wicked business
with holy pretensions.
Some individuals
make a lot of noise about their religion, but secretly have their hearts set on
earthly goals. They pretend to be heaven-bound, but their hearts are full of
hypocrisy. Such deceivers are like the eagle who, when he soars highest, has
his eye fixed on some carnal prey on the ground.
Hypocrites have
always been and ever will be a part of the crowd thronging into the church and
mingling with the true saints of God. Their speech is pure, their service
admirable; but their hearts are lined with deceit. Worst of all, they fool even
themselves. The world may mistakenly call them saints, but Christ knows they
are devils. What did He say about the master hypocrite, Judas? "Have I not
chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil John 6:70.
Truly, of all
devils, none is as bad as the professing devil-- the preaching, praying devil.
God has repeatedly shown His severe displeasure when His so-called people have
prostituted sacred things to worldly ends. Of all men, God strikes with the
greatest speed the one who gilds over worldly and wicked business with holy
pretensions. God has made a solemn promise: "I will set my face against
that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from
the midst of my people, and ye shall know that I am the Lord" Ezekiel
14:8.
Among thieves,
there is often a scout who searches out where the booty is to be had. He is the
brains behind every illicit operation, but he never risks his own neck by
actually committing a crime. The devil uses this same tactic by watching how a
Christian walks, where he goes, whose company he enjoys. Then he decides the
best way to rob him of his grace. When the plan is set, he sends someone else
to carry it out. Thus he sent Job's wife to tempt him; he sent Potiphar's wife
to entice Joseph.”
We must guard our own hearts and humbly seek God in all we do. By so
doing we can avoid this snare of the wick one and become an overcomer. This is
the life honors God and His Kingdom.
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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