LOAD YOUR CLOUD!(2).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*LOAD YOUR CLOUD! (2)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Jude 1: 11-12

*Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.*

*These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;*

*Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

As there are clouds that empty themselves on earth, so are clouds without water/rain.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

The bible uses the cloud in two instances.

First, the state of the cloud when it is dark and full of rain ready to empty itself upon the earth, Eccl 11:3.

Second is the state of a rainless dark cloud.

We discussed the first yesterday.

Today, we will look at the second

Solomon uses the illustration of *"......the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth...."* in Eccl 11:3, to illustrate the certainty of our actions, whether good or bad.

If you load it righteously, you will receive showers of blessing. If you do not load it, it will be a cloud without rain, a rainless dark cloud.

A *".....cloud without rain......"* or rainless dark cloud is a cloud that only promises rain but brings no rain.

We find this in the natural. Such clouds there give us hope of rain and may even darken the sky, but often deliver no rainwater.

As it happens in the natural for the cloud to darken yet without rain so it is in the spiritual.

There are those whom the bible refers to as *".....clouds ......without water,..."*.

These are those who are not faithful to their promises to God or are ungrateful to Him.

They are full of vigour, energy, to serve but deliver nothing to God.

They are a source of disappointment and spiritual void to God and others.

They provide no lasting benefit or spiritual fruit. 

While there are those who load their clouds with fulfilled promises and gratitude to God, they load their clouds with empty/false promises in expectation of God's blessings but when they get the blessing they lack the spiritual nourishment.

Their false promises or promises they fail to fulfill are like false gifts: gifts promised but never given.

Prov 25:14 says *Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.*

Titus calls them names after the notorious Cain and greedy Balaam.

Titus says *".......they feast themselves without fear....."* meaning they feed themselves to the detriment of others. As long as they are filled, it does not matter if any other is hungry.

While the land/soil receives nourishment from the loaded cloud that brings rain, the land/soil that expects rain from the cloud without rain will remain parched, awaiting rain.

Load your cloud and be a blessing to God, the land, and His people.

Are you loading your cloud?

*Remorse corner.*

Solomon and Titus used the illustration of the cloud without rain to state examples of uselessness and lack of fruit.

*Call to Word action.*

Solomon and Titus used the illustration of the cloud without rain to state examples of disappointment and voidness.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Solomon and Titus used this to illustrate

emptiness and futility of these individuals, who provide no present or future/lasting benefit.

*Prayer.*

Lord, help me. Do not let me be a cloud without rain, in Jesus name.

Good morning all, and be blessed as you go today.

God bless you.

Shalom.