Daily devotion – offended?
In today’s world, there seems to be a never-ending stream of people’s protests and their being offended by something that for many years had not previously caused an issue. Yet we live in a world that is not offended by immorality, abortion, or depravity.
The word offended means – resentful or annoyed, typically as a result of a perceived insult.
Mat 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
In a world of chaos, how is it that people are more offended about the name of Jesus Christ, about His Church, than any other religion?
I have never experienced such a turn against all that is Christian as strongly as is happening now. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians the reason in the background to this increased intolerance of all that is Christian.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
People today have pleasure in living in sin. This is why they have no tolerance to the things of God. Salt, Light do not mix with impurity and darkness. As the days grow closer to the coming of Christ for His Church, we will see a continued wedge growing between the Church and the world.
As the world credits itself with wisdom in this trend of the ‘being offended mentality’, God sees their behaviour in a far different manner.
Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.
It so reminds me of the story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes”.
God calls you to be courageous in Him as He said unto Joshua as he was taking over from Moses – Jos 1:7 “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.