MySlaton.com

by Curtis Baker (email)

Having addressed the potential competition that money and physical things can pose to our relationship with God, Jesus now teaches us something that is absolutely fundamental if our lives are not going to be driven by material possessions and the need to secure ourselves.  Jesus teaches us that our trust must be in God to provide for our daily necessities, so that our attention can be given to him and his kingdom first.  If this is not true of us, it is inevitable that we will use evil means of obtaining money for ourselves because we are convinced that if we don’t provide it, no one will.

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Today the church is under a lot of scrutiny. From every side the church is facing voices that are critical of her, and even the present author has from time to time has thrown a jab or two at my own perceptions of her failings. But as we continue on with our study here in the Minor Prophets, our next prophet brings some added balance to that picture. As much as the church may take rightful criticism from time to time, a person must not forget who the church is–it is the people of God himself. God is very jealous for his church, and despite its many failings, it is the witness of God on earth. Therefore, “if judgment begins in the house of God, how much worse for those who do not obey the gospel of God!” (1 Peter 4:17)

This is what the small prophetic book of Obadiah reminds us of. As we move along through our study of the prophets, we will see plenty of voices critical of Israel, God’s covenant people of the Old Testament period. But in the midst of that criticism comes a reminder of who Israel truly is. They are the sons and daughters of God…the people who have made covenant with him. To attack ancient Israel is to attack God himself.

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