Topic: Defraud Not [DCLM Daily Manna 5 April 2019 Daily Devotional]
Text: Amos 8:1-10 (KJV)
Key Verse: “Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit” (Amos 8:5).
MESSAGE:
A story was told of a pastor in London who, after his Sunday message, got on a trolley on Monday morning to go back to his studies downtown. He paid his fare and the trolley driver gave him more than his change. The pastor held the change, counting it several times. He wrestled with himself all the way. And finally he came to a stop, walked to the trolley driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change, you made a mistake”. The driver said, “no it was no mistake. You see, I was in your church last night when you spoke on honesty and I thought I will put you to test”. The merchants in today’s passage took delight in defrauding the poor in the land, using unjust balances to sell at high cost to the people. Consequently, their doom was spelt out through God’s servant.
Our present society has become so morally bankrupt that many seem to have developed strong aversion, not only to God’s law, but also to public rules and regulations. People defraud one another almost in every sphere of endeavour; they deceive, tell lies, falsify receipts, fake examination results, forge signatures, make use of unjust balances, inflate prices of goods and practice all kinds of corruption just to make extra income.
Although, this trend may be publicly and socially accepted, God’s word remains unchanged. The Scripture says, “just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have…Thou shall not have in thy bag divers weights…For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously are abomination unto the LORD thy God… That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter…” (Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:6). We must ensure we maintain our integrity and refuse to conform or compromise our faith.
Thought For The Day: Shun evil and turn away from dishonesty and unjust gains.
The Bible In One Year: John 13-15
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
