Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

Sacrificial Visitor


An old man walks down a Florida beach. The sun sets like an orange ball on the horizon. The waves slap the sand. The smell of saltwater stings the air. The beach is vacant. No sun to entice the sunbathers. Not enough light for the fishermen. So, aside from a few joggers and strollers, the gentleman is alone.

He carries a bucket in his bony hand. A bucket of shrimp. It's not for him. It's not for the fish. It's for the sea gulls.

He walks to an isolated pier cast in gold by the setting sun. He steps out to the end of the pier. The time has come for the weekly ritual.

He stands and waits.

Soon the sky becomes a mass of dancing dots. The evening silence gives way to the screeching of birds. They fill the sky and then cover the moorings. They are on a pilgrimage to meet the old man.

For a half hour or so, the bushy-browed, shoulder-bent gentleman will stand on the pier, surrounded by the birds of the sea, until his bucket is empty.

But even after the food is gone, his feathered friends still linger. They linger as if they're attracted to more than just food. They perch on his hat. They walk on the pier. And they all share a moment together.

The old man on the pier couldn't go a week without saying "thank you."

His name was Eddie Rickenbacker. If you were alive in October 1942, you probably remember the day that he was reported missing at sea.

He had been sent on a mission to deliver a message to Gen. Douglas MacArthur. With a handpicked crew in a B-17 known as the "Flying Fortress," he set off across the South Pacific. Somewhere the crew became lost, the fuel ran out, and the plane went down.

All eight crew members escaped into the life rafts. They battled the weather, the water, the sharks, and the sun. But most of all, they battled the hunger. After eight days, their rations were gone. They ran out of options. It would take a miracle for them to survive.

And a miracle occurred.

After an afternoon devotional service, the men said a prayer and tried to rest. As Rickenbacker was dozing with his hat over his eyes, something landed on his head. He would later say that he knew it was a sea gull. He didn't know how he knew; he just knew. That gull meant food . . . if he could catch it. And he did.

The flesh was eaten. The intestines were used as fish bait. And the crew survived.

What was a sea gull doing hundreds of miles away from land?

Only God knows.

But whatever the reason, Rickenbacker was thankful. As a result, every Friday evening this old captain walked to the pier, his bucket full of shrimp and his heart full of thanks.

We'd be wise to do the same. We've much in common with Rickenbacker. We, too, were saved by a Sacrificial Visitor.

We, too, were rescued by One who journeyed far from only God knows where.

And we, like the captain, have every reason to look into the sky . . . and worship.

 

[beensetfree]

“Pray one for another.”

James 5:16

As an encouragement cheerfully to offer intercessory prayer, remember that such prayer is the sweetest God ever hears, for the prayer of Christ is of this character. In all the incense which our Great High Priest now puts into the golden censer, there is not a single grain for himself. His intercession must be the most acceptable of all supplications — and the more like our prayer is to Christ's, the sweeter it will be; thus while petitions for ourselves will be accepted, our pleadings for others, having in them more of the fruits of the Spirit, more love, more faith, more brotherly kindness, will be, through the precious merits of Jesus, the sweetest oblation that we can offer to God, the very fat of our sacrifice.

Remember, again, that intercessory prayer is exceedingly prevalent. What wonders it has wrought! The Word of God teems with its marvellous deeds. Believer, thou hast a mighty engine in thy hand, use it well, use it constantly, use it with faith, and thou shalt surely be a benefactor to thy brethren. When thou hast the King's ear, speak to him for the suffering members of his body. When thou art favoured to draw very near to his throne, and the King saith to thee, “Ask, and I will give thee what thou wilt,” let thy petitions be, not for thyself alone, but for the many who need his aid.

If thou hast grace at all, and art not an intercessor, that grace must be small as a grain of mustard seed. Thou hast just enough grace to float thy soul clear from the quicksand, but thou hast no deep floods of grace, or else thou wouldst carry in thy joyous bark a weighty cargo of the wants of others, and thou wouldst bring back from thy Lord, for them, rich blessings which but for thee they might not have obtained:

“Oh, let my hands forget their skill,
My tongue be silent, cold, and still,
This bounding heart forget to beat,
If I forget the mercy-seat!”

 

[beensetfree]

Freedom from sin...Walking in the light
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:7-9 NIV

__________________

(Speaking to the woman caught in the act of adultery)

And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."

John 8:11,12 NASB

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For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.

Ephesians 5:8,9 KJV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

If You Haven't Said "I Do"


From the way it's flaunted all over TV, magazines, music, movies, and books, you'd think sex was one of humanity's greatest inventions. The world takes a lot of pride in its sexual knowledge and ingenuity. Society seems to think the biological differences between men and women had no purpose at all until someone got this crazy idea of trying to fit Boy Part A with Girl Part B.

Which makes more sense to you--Adam and Eve accidentally inventing sex after bumping into each other one day in the garden? Or sex being part of the original plan when men and women were created?

In my opinion, it's obvious that sex was part of the original plan?why else would male and female bodies be different, and how else could the human race have survived? In that case, which makes more sense to you--that sex was intended only for reproductive purposes? Or that it had some deeper purpose involving a special relationship of love between two people?

What's more, it's obvious that sex was never intended to be a simple biological function whose sole purpose was to produce more humans. If that were the case, the only reason people would ever have sex would be to create another human being. When's the last time you heard of some guy using this pick--up line:

"Hey, baby, I'm feeling a deep desire to produce another human being, so whaddya say we have sex even though it's blah, boring, and neither one of us really wants to do it"?

Right.

In fact, creating another human life is the one thing many people don't want to do when having sex. Think about it for a minute: what are sexually active teens most afraid of? Pregnancy. Clearly, then, they aren't having sex in order to carry on the human race.

Let's review--

1. Humans did not create sex, God did.

2. Since God created sex, he's the one who understands it the best.

3. Since God understands sex better than anyone, a person who wants to have great sex (and why would anyone want to have rotten sex?) needs to know what God says about sex.

Lucky for us, God isn't keeping the truth about sex a secret. He's one hundred percent willing to give us the inside scoop. Here it is--

Sex was created for one, and only one, situation--marriage. Sex will be all that it can be in one, and only one, situation--marriage.

People who are having sex can be divided into two groups-- those who are married and those who aren't. Some people would like to add a few more groups--those who are almost married, those who think they might get married, those who've discussed getting married, etc. Those labels are just an attempt to blur the lines between two clear alternatives, something we're all really good at. If the lines are blurred, it's easier to make excuses for our decisions.

How many times have you had a conversation like this--

Parent: "Did you take out the garbage?"

You: "No, I forgot. I lost track of time. I was busy doing homework. But I meant to take it out."

Parent: "Oh, well if you meant to take it out, that's good enough for me."

Whatever.

Either you took out the garbage or you didn't.

Either you're married or you're not.

If you are not married, sex is not meant for you.

It's that simple.

Unless my Bible is missing a few pages, I've never read anything about Adam or Eve saying, "Hey God, before committing to this whole man-woman-lifetime-relationship thing, can we have a few weeks to, you know, try things out and see how it goes? I mean, if the sex isn't good, you're going to have to do a little more of your dust magic and create some options for us."

What a nightmare that would have been.

Or how about this scenario--Adam to God: "Hey, thanks for the woman. I'll use her to learn the ropes, you know, get this whole man-woman-sex thing figured out. Then when I'm really experienced, I'll let you know, so you can create someone new and exciting for me."

Please.

Here's another one--Adam to Eve: "I'm interested in hooking up with you now and then. Let's have sex whenever I'm feeling the need. But the rest of the time, I expect you to stay on your side of the garden. And don't be calling me every night just to talk and stuff. I'm not looking for a commitment or anything. If you need to talk, call God."

So much for the sensitive guy.

There are probably a million reasons why God made marriage the dividing line between those who should have sex and those who shouldn't. I'm going to give you two.

First, sex is best in the context of marriage. God's guideline gives you the best.

And second, God's boundary provides the best and protects from the worst.

Clearly, God's way is best. There can be no more blurring of the separating line. It is marriage.

If you haven't said, "I do," you'd better not be doing it.

 

[beensetfree]

Power over our enemies...
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 60:11,12 KJV

________________

"Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'

Deuteronomy 20:3,4 NASB

________________

For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Psalm 27:5,6 KJV

________________

Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither.”

Revelation 11:12

Without considering these words in their prophetical connection, let us regard them as the invitation of our great Forerunner to his sanctified people. In due time there shall be heard “a great voice from heaven” to every believer, saying, “Come up hither.” This should be to the saints the subject of joyful anticipation. Instead of dreading the time when we shall leave this world to go unto the Father, we should be panting for the hour of our emancipation. Our song should be—

“My heart is with him on his throne,
And ill can brook delay;
Each moment listening for the voice,
‘Rise up and come away.’”


We are not called down to the grave, but up to the skies. Our heaven-born spirits should long for their native air. Yet should the celestial summons be the object of patient waiting. Our God knows best when to bid us “Come up thither.” We must not wish to antedate the period of our departure. I know that strong love will make us cry,

“O Lord of Hosts, the waves divide,
And land us all in heaven;”


but patience must have her perfect work. God ordains with accurate wisdom the most fitting time for the redeemed to abide below. Surely, if there could be regrets in heaven, the saints might mourn that they did not live longer here to do more good. Oh, for more sheaves for my Lord's garner! more jewels for his crown! But how, unless there be more work? True, there is the other side of it, that, living so briefly, our sins are the fewer; but oh! when we are fully serving God, and he is giving us to scatter precious seed, and reap a hundredfold, we would even say it is well for us to abide where we are. Whether our Master shall say “go,” or “stay,” let us be equally well pleased so long as he indulges us with his presence.

 

[beensetfree]

Living Supernaturally


Imagine that you are someone who is fascinated by airplanes. You could spend a lifetime studying how planes work. What principles of physics allow those big metal birds to get off the ground? How much power does it take to get them up there? How high can they go? Which plane-builders are the best?

You could know all that stuff about airplanes--without ever knowing how to fly one yourself.

Knowing about planes and knowing how to fly them are two different things. I'm sure that knowing the physics of airplanes would be helpful for flying one, but it doesn't guarantee that you'll be able to land a 747 in the fog, right?

In the same way, knowing about the supernatural world and actually living wisely in it doesn't always go together.

In our emails this month, we've tried to grow in what we know about the supernatural world. We've learned that the Bible is the ultimate source of information about it. We've studied God, angels, Satan, demons, heaven, and hell.

We've talked about ghosts, vampires, talking to the dead, reincarnation, and other ideas that distract people from the truth about the supernatural. We've explored some of the ways people get fooled into believing lies about the world beyond our senses.

But all that "knowing" will be useless if we don't do something with it. Let's spend some time remembering how God tells us to live supernaturally.

1) Fear God, but don't be afraid of him. God is the ultimate supernatural being. He's the source of everything in the universe--whether we can see it or not. He's an invisible spirit, and he can do anything he wants at any time he wants to anyone he wants. It's his show.

For Christians, living supernaturally always starts with respecting God's power above all. Especially in the Old Testament, the Bible calls that attitude of respect for God "fear."

And if you don't respect God's power at least as much as you respect the power of a hurricane or tornado or nuclear bomb, you don't really get it. He's a million times more powerful than any of those things.

Of course, believers in Jesus don't have to be afraid of God--even while we respect his power. Why? Because that awesome supernatural being has adopted us into his own family through Jesus. We're his kids! Romans 8:15 reads, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received a Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' "

Living supernaturally must start with understanding that the ultimate supernatural power is our Father.

2) Don't seek out a conversation with any supernatural being but God (and other humans). Angels fascinate us. We learned they were created by God and have lots of incredible powers. God may have even used angels to answer your prayers.

But the Bible warns us not to worship angels. They're not God. And we're never told to talk to them or to try to communicate with them in any way. The Bible warns that Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and in Galatians 1:8 we are cautioned not to listen to an angel who presents a gospel different from what is revealed in Scripture. Any person or book or movie that suggests we can get power or knowledge through reaching out to angels is lying.

In the same way, God never tells us to look for ways to communicate with ghosts or dead people. In fact, the Bible sternly warns against this. It's not God's plan for his children to gain knowledge by talking to a loved one (or anyone else) who has died.

That rules out using Ouija boards or psychics or any other kind of mediums to "the other side." They are all either frauds or they're harnessing power that's not from God. For believers, that's the wrong way to live supernaturally.

Finally, God doesn't encourage us to chat with Satan or other demons, either. They're specialty is lying. Even if we succeed in communicating with them somehow, we're setting ourselves up to be deceived.

What if you're being demonically oppressed or fear that Satan is influencing your life? Shouldn't you tell him to get lost, like so many Christian teachers suggest? I don't think so. Who is it that frees you from the power of Satan and demons? God does it through the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. So go to God directly and ask him to take care of the enemy.

Why is this such a big deal? Two reasons. One, God wants us to come to him for information and communication with the supernatural world. That's why he provided his Word and why he made it possible for us to talk to him through prayer.

Second, if you can talk to the most powerful supernatural being in the universe and know that he hears you, why would you need to talk to any other being? God is the only direct contact with the supernatural world that we need.

3) Respect the power of Satan and demons, but don't obsess about them. As we studied, God urges us to take Satan's supernatural power seriously. He's a roaming lion out to destroy us. He's a liar out to deceive us. Satan and his army of fallen angels are a serious threat.

Living supernaturally means taking that threat seriously. Put on the spiritual armor of Ephesians 6. Ask for God's protection. Take the time to know God's Word well enough that you're not easy to fool when the enemy tries to trip you up.

Mostly, resist this supernatural enemy by getting closer to God. James 3:7-8 promises that Satan will flee when we get closer to God. If the danger is real, don't be afraid to take drastic measures to protect yourself.

What kind of drastic measures? Daily prayer. Memorizing Scripture. Avoiding books, movies, and music for entertainment that lead your thinking and emotions toward darkness instead of light.

On the other hand, our relationship with God is not just about avoiding the enemy. Yes, Satan can trip us up and slow us down--even lead us away from the truth. But he cannot steal us away from God. He can't change God's love for us, and he can't change what the truth is. We are totally secure in God's hands.

So we don't need to make our everyday lives about Satan or demons. We don't need to assume that every secular book, song, or movie about the supernatural world is from Satan or guaranteed to lead us into darkness. Satan has no authority over Christians. He is not our master.

4) Practice prayerful wisdom. What we need most in a world full of supernatural and spiritual ideas is wisdom--the ability to separate truth from lies. Christians must learn to build strong discernment muscles--or we will get caught by the "thinking traps" that snare so many people.

How can we practice discernment? Listen and understand what is being taught about the supernatural world by friends, teachers, entertainment, or anything else that deals with it. Compare it to what the Bible teaches. Ask God for wisdom, and make some choices. Is this teacher presenting the truth or a clever lie? Should I learn more about this or should I walk away because of where it leads my mind and emotions? Should I challenge what this movie is teaching when talking about it with my friends or should I keep my mouth shut?

Those can be hard choices. But God promises wisdom and discernment to make those tough decisions: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him" (Proverbs 1:5).

5) Live in the Spirit. It might sound creepy, but if you're a Christian you have a foreign Spirit living with you right now. Of course, it's God's Spirit. And as we studied, his Spirit gives you supernatural powers that are out of this world.

Don't ignore that supernatural power; live in it! Use it for good. As that great spiritual leader and web-slinging crime-fighter Peter Parker once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." That's not just true for Spider-Man. Because of the Holy Spirit, you can have supernatural joy, peace, patience, self-control, and love. Don't settle for a life without those things.

You can also supernaturally make a difference in your church and the world by using the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has brought into your life. You can stop being spooked about the supernatural world and start living in it!

6) Live like heaven and hell are real places. As Christians, we claim there is an eternal place of torture and separation from God called hell. And we also say that for those who accept Christ, this life is just a brief moment before an eternity in heaven with God. We say we believe those things.

But how would people who really believed such ideas live supernaturally? Wouldn't they be involved in doing whatever they could to persuade friends and family to escape eternal punishment by trusting in Jesus? Wouldn't they spend a lot less time worrying about things in this life that are not going to matter to us one hundred years from now-like movies, hair, clothes, and all the other stuff we spend so much time thinking about? Wouldn't they be investing in things that will still matter in heaven?

How would you live today if you knew that a huge earthquake were going to destroy your city tomorrow? What would you do to warn people? On the other hand, how would you live if you knew you were going to receive a million dollars next week? How much time would you spend worrying about your current bank balance?

How we live says a lot about what we really believe. Do you believe in the supernatural world? If so, don't be satisfied with simple belief. Don't settle for just knowing about spiritual things. Start flying the plane yourself. Start living supernaturally today!

 

[beensetfree]

Gladness and Joy!
The ransomed of the LORD will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 51:11 NIV

__________________

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:
they shall walk, O LORD,
in the light of thy countenance.

In thy name shall they rejoice all the day:
and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

Psalm 89:15,16 KJV

__________________

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes
the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness
and praise to spring up before all the nations.

Isaiah 61:10,11 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“He shall save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

Many persons, if they are asked what they understand by salvation, will reply, “Being saved from hell and taken to heaven.” This is one result of salvation, but it is not one tithe of what is contained in that boon. It is true our Lord Jesus Christ does redeem all his people from the wrath to come; he saves them from the fearful condemnation which their sins had brought upon them; but his triumph is far more complete than this. He saves his people “from their sins.”

Oh! sweet deliverance from our worst foes. Where Christ works a saving work, he casts Satan from his throne, and will not let him be master any longer. No man is a true Christian if sin reigns in his mortal body. Sin will be in us — it will never be utterly expelled till the spirit enters glory; but it will never have dominion. There will be a striving for dominion — a lusting against the new law and the new spirit which God has implanted — but sin will never get the upper hand so as to be absolute monarch of our nature. Christ will be Master of the heart, and sin must be mortified. The Lion of the tribe of Judah shall prevail, and the dragon shall be cast out.

Professor! is sin subdued in you? If your life is unholy your heart is unchanged, and if your heart is unchanged you are an unsaved person. If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a hatred of sin and a love of holiness, he has done nothing in you of a saving character. The grace which does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves his people, not in their sins, but from them. “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” If not saved from sin, how shall we hope to be counted among his people. Lord, save me now from all evil, and enable me to honour my Saviour.

 

[beensetfree]

Satan - Father Of Lies


If Satan is real?and if he has a purpose in the lives of humans?wouldn't he prefer that most people put him in the same box with mythical monsters like vampires, ghosts, and the wolf man? He'd love us to think we can just forget about him like all the fictional villains who come and go from our TV screens and movie theaters.

For all our scary ideas about the "prince of darkness," the Bible teaches that Satan's greatest weapon is deception. Jesus called him the "father of lies" (John 8:44). As spiritually powerful as he is, he'd much rather confuse you about the truth than make your skin crawl in the darkness.

Exploring what the Bible has to say about the real Satan starts with understanding that he wasn't always evil.

Wise and Beautiful
The Bible only mentions by name three of the millions of angels that exist. One was Gabriel, the herald (or messenger) angel. Another was the archangel Michael, God's warrior. And the final one was Lucifer, the name originally given to perhaps the greatest angel of all?the angel who became Satan.

Our clearest picture of Satan's origin comes from Ezekiel 28:12-19. The chapter begins with Ezekiel's prophesy about the "ruler" of Tyre, a city that was going to be judged by God for rejecting him. That ruler's greatest sin was pride.

Yet at verse 12, the writer shifts focus to the "king of Tyre" and, apparently, begins to describe the fate of a being who was influencing the human ruler of Tyre. They both share the sin of pride, but the supernatural being described in verses 12-19 was not an earthly king. Here's what it says:

"You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared." (28:12-13)

The fact that this being was in the Garden of Eden is one reason many scholars believe the passage refers to Satan. The ruler of Tyre could not have been in Eden, but we know for sure that "the serpent" was there (Genesis 3).

The first thing we notice is that the amazing supernatural creature described here, Satan, started out as a perfect, wise, and beautiful angel of God. Special attention was given to his appearance, and he was dressed in 9 of the 12 gemstones that are often listed as being precious to God. He would have been awesome looking.

It's also important to see that, like all the other angels described in the last chapter, Lucifer was a creation. He existed before humans were created, but he has not always existed. At some point, God made him.

Movie series like Star Wars and Harry Potter and other stories based on the worldview of Eastern religions like to picture the supernatural world as a "force" or energy with two halves. One side is good or positive, and the other side is evil or negative.

That's not what the Bible teaches. Satan is not the "dark side" of God's power. He doesn't exist to balance the goodness of God. He was created as a good being by a good God.

"You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you." (28:14-15)

Satan's job was to be a guardian in the mountain of God. We don't know exactly what that means, but it's clear he had great responsibility. He had access to God. And he did his job flawlessly?until his focus shifted from God to himself.

"Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. "

"So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor." (28:16-17)

Satan's downfall was that he started to look at everything he had going for him, and he decided he didn't need God. Because of his wealth, power, and beauty, he started thinking he was better than the One who made him and gave him great wealth, power, and beauty. God couldn't allow such arrogance to remain in his presence.

"So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more." (28:18-19)

This prophesy about Satan isn't completely fulfilled yet. Obviously, he's still at work in the world?along with many angels who followed him in his rebellion against God and were cast out of heaven with him (Revelation 12:7-9).

For now, it's important that we realize how beautiful and perfect Satan was before his pride took over. He was designed to bring glory to God. Instead, he wanted glory for himself.

Satan's History
Satan, in the form of a serpent, shows up right at the beginning of human history, using his greatest weapon against the brand new humans for the first time. There, in the Garden of Eden, he told his first lie to humans, which Adam and Eve followed into their first sin, for which we all lost paradise and found death (Genesis 3).

From that point on, Satan's mission on earth has been clear. He's here to try to derail God's plan and to "steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). Unlike the popular myth, Satan doesn't yet live in hell, waiting for damned souls to show up for torment. He roams the earth, looking to destroy people's lives (1 Peter 5:8).

Satan and his crew of fallen angels are mentioned in nearly every New Testament book, including the Gospels, where he actively works to interfere in God's plan to save humanity through Jesus. Not only does he tempt Jesus to sin after the Christ has been fasting for 40 days, he also later possesses Judas and uses him to betray Jesus. Again, Satan's plan is foiled, and he is defeated once and for all when Jesus succeeds in his mission.

The rest of the New Testament makes clear that Satan is still at work in the lives of humans. Remember, though, he's not a god. He doesn't have any more powers than an angel has. That means he can't be more than one place at a time and he doesn't know everything.

Against Non-Christians
Those who have rejected Christ or haven't yet trusted in him for salvation are wide open to the attacks of this supernatural enemy of humanity.

Jesus said that the devil "takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved" (Luke 8:12). And Paul wrote that he "has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Maybe you've experienced this with people who just can't seem to see the truth about Jesus. It's like something else is at work in their hearts, keeping them from getting over the obstacles of unbelief.

Against Christians
Satan and his demons are limited in their influence against believers. That's true for a couple of reasons. The first is that Christians are protected by the Holy Spirit, which is given to each of us at the moment of our salvation. Also, Jesus prays to the Father to protect us from the enemy (John 17:15).

However, that doesn't mean these supernatural spirits can't mess with us. They can't steal us from the Father (John 10:29), but they can draw our attention away from the Father and tempt us to sin.

The father of lies loves to tempt Christians to lie, as well (Acts 5:3). He also tempts us to give in to sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 7:5) and uses our anger to get a foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:27). When we give in, he goes running to God to make accusations and tell lies about us (Revelation 12:10). He also seeks to frustrate our attempts to do good things (1 Thessalonians 2:18), and works in the hearts of others to persecute us for following Jesus (Revelation 2:10).

In short, Satan is our enemy. He wants to destroy us. Now. Peter wrote that, "the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8)..

Satan's Future

The devil's fate is sealed forever. Here's what he has to look forward to:
? He will be completely banned from any access to God sometime during the Tribulation (Revelation 12:9)
? He will gather the governments of the world in the great battle of Armageddon against Jesus and his forces?and he will lose. (Revelation 16:13-14)
? He'll be locked away in the abyss at the beginning of the millennium (Revelation 20:2).
? He'll be released for a short time, during which he'll use powerful deception to raise another army against God. Then he'll be utterly defeated and thrown into the lake of fire for all of eternity (Revelation 20:10).


What we need to know now is that we have a real enemy whom we are able to resist despite his immense power. We need to be alert and watchful, constantly depending on God and His truth to defeat the father of lies.

 

[beensetfree]

God Our Father - Faithful, Merciful and True
For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Deuteronomy 4:31 NIV

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God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Numbers 23:19 KJV

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It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 NASB

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No one will be able to stand their ground against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

"Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors.

Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do.

Joshua 1:5-7 NLT

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil [or, the evil one].”

Luke 11:4

What we are taught to seek or shun in prayer, we should equally pursue or avoid in action. Very earnestly, therefore, should we avoid temptation, seeking to walk so guardedly in the path of obedience, that we may never tempt the devil to tempt us. We are not to enter the thicket in search of the lion. Dearly might we pay for such presumption.

This lion may cross our path or leap upon us from the thicket, but we have nothing to do with hunting him. He that meeteth with him, even though he winneth the day, will find it a stern struggle. Let the Christian pray that he may be spared the encounter. Our Saviour, who had experience of what temptation meant, thus earnestly admonished his disciples — “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”

But let us do as we will, we shall be tempted; hence the prayer “deliver us from evil.” God had one Son without sin; but he has no son without temptation. The natural man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards, and the Christian man is born to temptation just as certainly. We must be always on our watch against Satan, because, like a thief, he gives no intimation of his approach. Believers who have had experience of the ways of Satan, know that there are certain seasons when he will most probably make an attack, just as at certain seasons bleak winds may be expected; thus the Christian is put on a double guard by fear of danger, and the danger is averted by preparing to meet it.

Prevention is better than cure: it is better to be so well armed that the devil will not attack you, than to endure the perils of the fight, even though you come off a conqueror. Pray this evening first that you may not be tempted, and next that if temptation be permitted, you may be delivered from the evil one.

 

[beensetfree]

WHO IS JESUS?
IN CHEMISTRY, HE TURNED WATER TO WINE.

IN BIOLOGY , HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE NORMAL CONCEPTION;

IN PHYSICS, HE DISAPPROVED THE LAW OF GRAVITY WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN;

IN ECONOMICS, HE DISAPPROVED THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH TWO FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD;

IN MEDICINE , HE CURED THE SICK AND THE BLIND WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS;

IN HISTORY, HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END;

IN GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THAT HE SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL OUNSELOR, PRINCE OF PEACE;
IN RELIGION, HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM;
SO? WHO IS HE?
HE IS JESUS!
JOIN ME AND LET'S CELEBRATE HIM; HE IS WORTHY!

THE EYES BEHOLDING THIS MESSAGE SHALL NOT BEHOLD EVIL, THE HAND THAT WILL SEND THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYBODY SHALL NOT LABOR IN VAIN, AND THE MOUTH SAYING AMEN TO THIS PRAYER SHALL SMILE FOREVER. REMAIN IN GOD AND SEEK HIS FACE ALWAYS.
AMEN.

IN GOD I'VE FOUND EVERYTHING!

Jesus is The Greatest Man in History
Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
He had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
I feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us!
If you believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son? Send this to all on
your buddy list. If not just ignore it. If you ignore it, just remember that
Jesus said ... "If you deny me before man, I will deny you before my
Father in Heaven.

 

[beensetfree]

Who is Like HIM? Faithful and True!
Truly I have spoken;
truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it,
surely I will do it.

Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded,
Who are far from righteousness.
I bring near My righteousness,
it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.

Isaiah 46:11b-13a NASB

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For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes."

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:19-21 NIV

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Consider how I love thy precepts:
quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

Thy word is true from the beginning:
and every one of thy righteous judgments
endureth for ever.

Psalm 119:159,160 KJV

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Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.”

Isaiah 44:22

Attentively observe the instructive similitude : our sins are like a cloud. As clouds are of many shapes and shades, so are our transgressions. As clouds obscure the light of the sun, and darken the landscape beneath, so do our sins hide from us the light of Jehovah's face, and cause us to sit in the shadow of death. They are earth-born things, and rise from the miry places of our nature; and when so collected that their measure is full, they threaten us with storm and tempest. Alas! that, unlike clouds, our sins yield us no genial showers, but rather threaten to deluge us with a fiery flood of destruction. O ye black clouds of sin, how can it be fair weather with our souls while ye remain?

Let our joyful eye dwell upon the notable act of divine mercy — “blotting out.” God himself appears upon the scene, and in divine benignity, instead of manifesting his anger, reveals his grace: he at once and for ever effectually removes the mischief, not by blowing away the cloud, but by blotting it out from existence once for all. Against the justified man no sin remains, the great transaction of the cross has eternally removed his transgressions from him. On Calvary's summit the great deed, by which the sin of all the chosen was for ever put away, was completely and effectually performed.

Practically let us obey the gracious command , “return unto me.” Why should pardoned sinners live at a distance from their God? If we have been forgiven all our sins, let no legal fear withhold us from the boldest access to our Lord. Let backslidings be bemoaned, but let us not persevere in them. To the greatest possible nearness of communion with the Lord, let us, in the power of the Holy Spirit, strive mightily to return. O Lord, this night restore us!

 

[beensetfree]

The Devil Left His Bags
=======================

You put the devil out, but you let him leave his bags.

Never quite looked at it like this before...

You got out of a bad relationship because it was bad,
but you are still resentful and angry.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You got out of financial debt, but you still can't control
the desire to spend on frivolous things.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You got out of a bad habit or addiction,
but you still long to try it just one more time.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You said, I forgive you, but you can't seem to forget
and have peace with that person.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You told your unequally yoked mate that it was over,
but you still continue to call.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You got out of that horribly oppressive job, but you're still
trying to sabotage the company after you've left.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You cut off the affair with that married man/woman,
but you still lust after him/her.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You broke off your relationship with that hurtful, abusive
person, but you are suspicious and distrusting of every new
person you meet.
You let the devil leave his bags.

You decided to let go of the past hurts from growing up in an
unstable family environment, yet you believe you are unworthy of
love from others, and you refuse to get attached to anyone.
You let the devil leave his bags.

When you put the devil out, please make sure he takes his bags.

 

[beensetfree]

Faithful is He Who called you!
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 9:9,10 NIV

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Nevertheless my lovingkindness will
I not utterly take from him,
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

My covenant will I not break,
nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

Psalm 89:33,34 KJV

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The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!

2 Peter 3:9-12 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Thou hast left thy first love.”

Revelation 2:4

Ever to be remembered is that best and brightest of hours, when first we saw the Lord, lost our burden, received the roll of promise, rejoiced in full salvation, and went on our way in peace. It was spring time in the soul; the winter was past; the mutterings of Sinai's thunders were hushed; the flashings of its lightnings were no more perceived; God was beheld as reconciled; the law threatened no vengeance, justice demanded no punishment.

Then the flowers appeared in our heart; hope, love, peace, and patience sprung from the sod; the hyacinth of repentance, the snowdrop of pure holiness, the crocus of golden faith, the daffodil of early love, all decked the garden of the soul. The time of the singing of birds was come, and we rejoiced with thanksgiving; we magnified the holy name of our forgiving God, and our resolve was, “Lord, I am thine, wholly thine; all I am, and all I have, I would devote to thee. Thou hast bought me with thy blood — let me spend myself and be spent in thy service. In life and in death let me be consecrated to thee.”

How have we kept this resolve? Our espousal love burned with a holy flame of devoutedness to Jesus — is it the same now? Might not Jesus well say to us, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love”? Alas! it is but little we have done for our Master's glory. Our winter has lasted all too long. We are as cold as ice when we should feel a summer's glow and bloom with sacred flowers. We give to God pence when he deserveth pounds, nay, deserveth our heart's blood to be coined in the service of his church and of his truth.

But shall we continue thus? O Lord, after thou hast so richly blessed us, shall we be ungrateful and become indifferent to thy good cause and work? O quicken us that we may return to our first love, and do our first works! Send us a genial spring, O Sun of Righteousness.

 

[beensetfree]

It's Not About You

I've come to realize that the number one reason why people in the body of Christ aren't experiencing the manifestation of their faith is because of a nasty monster called "selfishness." In essence, they believe that "it's all about them." Selfishness is concerned with self-preservation and protection. It literally cuts you off from the blessing of God because it keeps you from allowing Him to be God in your life. Instead, you crown yourself god and trust in your own abilities more than your heavenly Father's. In addition, selfishness causes you to operate from a position of always wanting to take the advantage, rather than give the advantage to someone else. Living a selfish life will stop the anointing of God from working for you.

All sin is selfish. It is impossible to be "in sin" without also being focused on your needs and desires. Think about it. When you do something that goes against the Word of God, you're not thinking about how others will be affected. You certainly aren't thinking about how God feels about your actions, at least not enough to stop engaging in the activity. If you are struggling with an area of sin, selfishness is in operation. That's because all sin is based on the platform of self-exaltation and carnal gratification. From adultery and fornication to gluttony and strife, every work of the flesh has selfishness at its root and is propelled by the spirit of fear.​

Selfishness is the exact opposite of love. The fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. When you allow the works of the flesh-adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness and revellings-to dominate your life, you are subject to the kingdom of darkness. On the other hand, when you stay in the circle of love, you stay in a place of protection from the attacks of the enemy.

The only way to get rid of selfishness in your life is to cultivate the love of God. Jesus said in Matthew 22:34-40: But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Whether your realize it or not, the love laws are God's "general orders" to the body of Christ. Jesus is our commander in chief. He has commanded us to first love the Lord God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength; and secondly, to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we keep these commandments at the forefront of our thinking and purpose to act on them whenever we get the opportunity, selfishness has no choice but to get out of the way!

If you find that your life is being ruled by selfishness, decide right now to take a stand against it knowing that fear is its driving force. Just like faith needs love to operate, fear needs selfishness to exist. The good news is that you have been delivered from the spirit of bondage to fear (Romans 8:15), and you don't have to live a fear-filled, selfish life.

Jesus has come to set you free from fear and selfishness, so you have the liberty to love God and others freely. First John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love ." Just like any endeavor that you are striving toward, so it is with the love of God. By cultivating the fruit of the spirit in your relationships with others, you will become so proficient at the love of God that selfishness will have no room to continue its existence in your life. The saying is true: Practice makes perfect--perfect your love walk today!

 

[beensetfree]

What a faithful God have I!
I will proclaim the name of the LORD.

Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.

A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.

Deuteronomy 32:3,4 NIV

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He will keep you strong to the end,
so that you will be blameless on
the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God, who has called you into fellowship
with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:8,9 NIV

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May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23,24 NIV

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.