Spiritual Nuggets
For 04-19-2009
156. The Biblical woes are interesting to study. They are sometimes cited in direct contrast to the ones blessed. Here is an example:
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets. (Luke 6:26)
NOTE: The very thing that many seek after—having all men speak well of them—is the exact thing that Christians should never seek after or endanger themselves thereby, according to the Lord Jesus. Especially when preachers pursue such they compromise God’s truth and soften its message for the sake of the favor of the audience. That leads to false doctrine and the destruction of SOULS. In contrast, we are commanded to teach the message of the Bible, even when it is not popular and may even upset the hearers. That is how the Lord did it.
Did you notice in Luke 6:26 that the false prophets tend to be well liked? That proves one’s popularity doesn’t mean he is sound.
157. We live in a world of religious deception. There are many false prophets, many false Christs, many false teachers, etc. Just on the basis of such, we must cautiously proceed and not just gullibly accept everything we are taught. In other words, we should test everyone and everything to guard against deception. The criterion of truth for such a test is the Bible, especially the New Testament. Hence, all Christians must spend the time directly in the Bible for themselves or they are asking to be deceived. There is no substitute for this. This is very serious and the stakes couldn’t be higher. We are dealing with eternity and the SOULS of people are on the line, yet very few really know the message of salvation.
158. Are you a man of truth? Listen to what Jesus said about such a person:
He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. (John 7:18)
The determining factor to know if one is a man of truth or not is: Is that person working for the honor of Jesus or himself? The motive reveals the answer.
159. Joseph spoke the following to his own brothers who sold him into Egyptian slavery:
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Gen 50:20)
Even though it was clear to Joseph that his own brothers wanted him harmed, he still spoke kindly:
So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Gen 50:21)
OBSERVATIONS: (a) Sometimes what appears to be a major calamity from hateful people could be God moving you to a different location and position for blessing and the sake of many. (b) Joseph was a prime example of a forgiving person. In Gen. 50:21 he could have easily had his brothers killed, but instead showed them kindness and love.
160. There should be no question that in the past there were some very tall people who walked the earth. The descendants of Anak were called the Anakites. They were a giant-like people:
They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Num 13:22)
It is possible there were only three Anakites:
From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai—descendants of Anak. (Josh 15:14)
There were also others who were as tall as the Anakites:
(The Emites used to live there—a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakites. Like the Anakites, they too were considered Rephaites, but the Moabites called them Emites. (Deut. 2:10,11)
The following gives crucial information about how tall those people were. Og was the last of the Rephaites. He slept on an iron bed that was over 13 feet long and 6 feet wide:
(Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed was made of iron and was more than thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.) (Deut. 3:11)
Perhaps Og was about 12.5 feet tall, slightly shorter than his bed. Imagine living around people who were that tall. It was people who had faith in God that conquered such giant-like people.
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