Joshua 6:26 (NIV)
26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before
theLord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:
“At the cost of his firstborn son
he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
he will set up its gates.”
he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
he will set up its gates.”
If the man who rebuilt Jericho was cursed, how much more
does the man who works to restore false religion among us deserve the same. In
our fathers' days the gigantic walls of false religion fell by the power of
their faith, the perseverance of their efforts, and the blast of their gospel
trumpets; and now there are some who would like to rebuild those false systems
upon their old foundations.
Lord, we pray, be pleased to thwart these unrighteous
endeavors, and pull down every stone that they build. It should be a serious
business with us to be thoroughly purged of every error that tends to foster
the spirit of falsehood, and when we have made a clean sweep at home we should
seek in every way to oppose its all too rapid spread abroad in the church and
in the world.
This we may accomplish only in secret by fervent prayer and
in public by faithful witness. We must warn with judicious boldness those who
are inclined toward the errors of false religion; we must instruct the young in
gospel truth and tell them of the dark doings of falsehood in earlier times. We
must assist in spreading the light more thoroughly through the land, for false
teachers, like owls, hate daylight.
Are we doing all we can for Jesus and the Gospel? If not,
our negligence plays into the hands of the heretics. What are we doing to
spread the Bible, which is the antidote to falsehood? Are we sending out good,
sound gospel writings? Luther once said, "The devil hates goose
quills," and, no doubt, he has good reason; the writer's pen blessed by
the Holy Spirit has damaged his evil kingdom greatly. If the thousands who read
this short word tonight will do all they can to hinder the rebuilding of this
accursed Jericho, the Lord's glory shall spread quickly among the sons of men.
Thought for today:
Am I giving my all to/for the gospel?
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