3/18 Through the Bible in Devotions

Genesis 48 Hold Fast!

“And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him:” (v.17)

Tradition had already been broken! Jacob was younger than Esau, yet he received the blessing. Joseph was the younger of the 10, but he was the one who became a blessing to the entire family. God is showing us that mans traditions have no weight with Him, and He is sovereign, God’s ways are not our ways. Though Joseph was steeped in the teachings and ways of the Egyptians, he still held to the traditions of Israel. Joseph was quite a man.

Today, it seems as if the church makes the man instead of the man making the church. Few seem to stand on their own convictions, but are steeped in traditions of men, and change with the tide of the church. It is time that we stood on our own convictions, knowing first of all what they are! Too many men today do not know what they believe, nor why they believe it, but follow the traditions of the church and pastor. I am saying that we need to hold to sound doctrine, from the Word of God, no matter what others say, or where you happen to go. What place has tradition in the churches today? Unfortunately, it has a prominent place, even more than the Bible has in some cases. Set your own standards, and stick to them instead of being a pawn of man, or even of the church. We ought to follow our pastors, as the men that God has called to lead us, but we need our own convictions and standards, lest when hard times come, we fall into the clutches of Satan. Let’s be sure that the church follows the Bible, instead of tradition, then we can follow the church.

The “tradition of the first-born” was actually a part of the law to them, a strength for them, so that they would stand firm for that which God ordained, and it did not change according to environment or persecution, much unlike the church today. But what is the church if it is not made up of believers? It is up to us to live what we believe, and not up to the church to make us to do so!