Thought for October 25

 History: 

  • 1621: Governor Bradford forbids sports on Christmas Day [Plymouth]
  • 1854: Charge of the Light Brigade
  • 1938: Archbishop of Dubuque calls "Swing Music" the primrose path to hell
  • 1941: 16, 000 Jews massacred in Odessa
  • 1955: First microwave oven sold
  • 1960: First electric wrist watch sold
  • 1962: John Steinbeck wins Nobel for Literature
  • 1978: Movie "Halloween" premiers
  • 1986: Bill Buckner misses the grounder and Yankees win Game 6
  • 2021: Elon Musk makes $25 billion in one day
  • Born: George Bizet, Pablo Picasso, Jack Kent Cooke, Minnie Pearl, Klaus Barbie [Nazi butcher], Tony Franciosa, Marion Ross [Happy Days], Bobby Knight, James Carville, Dave Cowans, Mike Eruzione [Miracle on Ice], Katy Perry,Xander Schauffele, 
  • Died: Geoffrey Chaucer, Bat Masterson, Roger Miller, Vincent Price, Bobby Riggs, Payne Stewart, Richard Harris, 

Thought:
The church at Pergamum had a difficult place to serve--where Satan's throne is. The first city to erect a temple to worship Caesar was also the home of many other temples to various gods. There, the society was filled with immorality and sexual sins. This church held to the Name despite the society in which it lived, but there was a problem. 

This church faced the threat of the sword of Rome without wavering, but now compromise was entering the church. Notice the reference to Balaam and Balak. Balak called Balaam to curse the army of Israel, but every time he tried, a blessing came out. Balak could not defeat the Israelites by sword or by curse, but Balaam had another idea---intermarry with the Israelites and compromise would defeat them. 

Now in Pergamum, the church had resisted a direct assault, but Satan is subtle--sexual immorality, food sacrificed to idols [violations of the Jerusalem Council rules for Gentile converts]. Allowing Nicolaitans to influence the church--we really don't know exactly who they were.  

What does this say to us today---beware of compromise. Beware of teachings and preachings that sound good but are not Biblical. Beware of people who have a "better" idea. Be careful not to adopt the ways of the world. Don't adopt secular festivals and holidays to reach out to the lost--the Way is different. Do not lose your saltiness, distinction, difference. We are in the place where Satan dwells, but we are aliens here. 

I pray for our church and for all those that profess Christ--beware, Satan is subtle. He will lead me to compromise for the sake of getting along or not to be different. And look at what Jesus said--the fight is with the sword of His mouth--the Word is sharper than a two-edged sword. So we fight compromise with the truth of the word and we judge every teaching and every preaching and every program by the Word of Truth.

Blessings
Larry

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