BELLYING UP
Tuesday, June 07, 2016
Matthew 4:1-4
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an
hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God,
command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Corn Flakes,
coffee, pharmaceuticals, and newspaper are normal breakfast routine for this
old man.
Reading that the
Swiss people by a margin of 76.9% voted down the proposal for life income
caught my attention and set me to again segueing: Would the USA voters turn
down $2560 guaranteed income per month for life, those below age 18 receiving
about $630? à Remembering
something on-point in God’s Word . . . something about “slow bellies” [KJV]. Found
it! Titus [ESV] chapter 1: “… an overseer, as God's steward, must be above
reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or
greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright,
holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so
that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke
those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty
talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be
silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain
what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said,
"Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This
testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the
faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who
turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled
and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences
are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They
are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.“ à Remembered my ancestors
calling individuals “A lazy no-good-for-nothing Cretan living only to satisfy
their own appetites!” à
Hmmm…. Scripture passage also tells me that Prosperity Theology is not new. It
was taught by some in the early church. à
When was the last time that I heard this Scripture, slow-bellied, slothful,
living a bon appétit egocentric uncharitable life preached on? Don’t know about
you, but for me it’s been at least 30 years or more. à Why so?
EBB4
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