In state and church too many decisions are reached by compromise – steam-rollered by a consensus of rubber stamps and yes-men. It is fast becoming the unpardonable sin to be a lone dissenter on any issue. The big idea is to present a united front at any cost. A prominent churchman has reminded us that this can be a sinister device, smothering all opposition and excluding passion for rightness and reform. Under the pretext of a solid front to enemies without, we are told to overlook al deserters and traitors within our own ranks, since this causes division. Unification, unanimity, and uniformity are the order of the hour, and woe unto any Micaiah who disagrees with four hundred false prophets bidding Ahab and Jehoshaphat go up against Ramoth-gilead! This will, of course, in time produce a monolithic world state and world church with the mark of the beast and plenty of trouble for any who do not wear his brand. This is the advance program of Antichrist.
Author: Vance Havner
Devotion of the Day
Showcase and Shelves
A friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.
Luke 11:6
Many a Christian, many a church, has everything in the showcase and nothing on the shelves. The customers come in, but everything is in the window. We have nothing ins stock, no spiritual reserves, no Divine supplies, no bread from heaven.
“Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is an householder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new an old” (Mt. 13:52). Change it to “storekeeper” and the lesson is the same. But what is we have no treasure, no goods on hand?
True, we are dispensers, not depositories, and we are to relay the bread from God to men, fresh bread, not stale. But there must be a deposit if we are to dispense. We should have a stock of Scripture, of experience, of grace, treasure in earthen vessels that we may have to give to him that needeth.
Pity the church with everything in the show window and showcase, where the hungry come and find but a shell, nothing in stock!