FAITH CAPSULE: The wicked ones are mouthful of the word of God, but mindful of self.

Jeremiah 12
 
Wicked is defined as evil by nature and in practice, highly offensive or obnoxious. Wickedness is an ungodly sin. It is what provoked the hand of God to destroy man from the face of earth during the time of Noah. Genesis 6:5 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Deuterenomy28:15) Just as it was then, so it is today.
Today, wickedness knows no bounds. It reigns outside the church, and it reigns inside the church. Within a group of believers, if there is a request for who should be considered as wicked, so many would refuse. As a self-proclaimed Christian or born again believer, have you ever considered or seen yourself as one who dwells in wickedness? Jeremiah pinpointed who and what qualifies one as wicked. Jeremiah complained why the way of the wicked prospers. In Jeremiah12:2, “He brought before God by saying to God, ‘You have planted them, yes they have taken root; they grow, yes they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” In his question, there is a clear indication that the wicked are those that speak the word of God but do not carry it in their mind. They are mouthful of the word of God, but mindful of self. This is extensively deceiving because they grow and prosper, and nothing is written over their forehead that identifies them as wicked. Clearly, the wicked are those that could be highly conversant in speaking the word of God while the word of God is absent or far from the mind.
Jesus referred to them as hypocrites when he was debating the Scribes and the Pharisees. Matthew 15:7-9, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”Do you consider yourself as a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a pretender. A hypocrite is one whose walk and talk do not match. A hypocrite is also a person that acts it but does not practice it. If what you possess is not what you profess, you have failed in doing what you say, and you are a son of the wicked; in vain you worship Him.
There is a need to serve God in deed and in truth. One cannot serve in deed and in truth, and be living in wickedness.
 
Prayer for today: Ask against the spirit that comes into man’s life to become a wicked one.