Welcome!
Passage: Exodus 32 (NIV 84) Rev 5 (NIV 84)
Today: The “golden calf” or the “slain lamb”?
7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ (Ex 32, NIV 84)-emphasis added
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Rev 5: 6, 9-10, NIV 84)-emphasis added
A “golden calf” or a “slain lamb”; whom will you choose?
Most will choose the “golden calf”, over the “slain lamb” , as we can see today
What is this “golden calf”? which is the “slain lamb”?
The golden calf is the new “god”, created by our leaders/preachers, after the manner of what most people want (not after what God wants!)
The golden calf represents a christian life without sufferings and sacrifice; it is the life of the “easy christianity”, where we just sing and make merry for ouselves, no witnessing to others, no suffering. This is how most of our churches are today- “a form of godliness, no power!”
Now let us take a look at the “lamb that was slain on the cross”, and those who worship that lamb
Few days back, I read this incident about a boy under 12, who was martyred in a certain country, in a very horrible way-just because of his faith in Christ.
At the same time, I also heard of another incident, in another country, where a church council meeting became violent to the point of some physical (?) exercise!
Can God take both these people to the same heaven?
I am sure, He can’t!
We have a great need for evangelization within the church, because we have a high number of people who need to be born again, in our (pentecostal) churches
We are still after mansions and million dollar churches, whereas many people in other parts of the world have no place to live or worship
Those christians under persecution live in fear because they don’t know when someone will just force-in, and do whatever they want!
They don’t have many things that you and I have, but they have what we don’t have: the Joy of the Holy Spirit in the midst of all these sufferings and poverty; the peace that passeth all understanding
While we pray that God will open ways so that we can buy that million dollar home and that hundred thousand car, someone else is praying, “Lord Jesus, come soon”
Have a blessed day!
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we have gone a long way away from you, that we have no time for you, or for the suffering and persecuted. Many in our churches don’t know you, even though they are active in church. Open our eyes Lord; Amen
God will be called “unjust”, if He lets sinners and saints in the same heaven!