Wiles of the devil

In the travels my husband and I have had throughout Africa we have been made keenly aware of the powers of the evil one. We have run into those who are witches or those who were, but have been set free by the gospel of Christ. In our western culture we Christians give lip service to the fact that the devil is real but I don't think we realize how much havoc he can place in the lives of believers.

Ephesians 6: 11,12 says "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Another word for wiles is schemes of the devil. This is what it means - a trick stratagem intended to ensnare or deceive. Peter 5: 8 tells us "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

The devil is not omnipresent. We know he cannot be in all places at one time. He does have demons that are in various places to do his work for him. His work is to keep those who do not know the Living God from knowing Him and to keep those who do in as much turmoil and chaos as he can so that they will be powerless to further the kingdom of heaven, which is our calling as believers in Christ.

Think about it. You can be sure that when you commit to serving the Lord in some capacity there will be trials that come up to threaten your commitment. When you are going through trials, whether they are direct persecution because of our faith in Christ, financial matters, chronic illness of a spouse, Christian relationships that are badly broken, loved ones dying of cancer, marital issues that seem beyond reconciliation etc. how do you respond? Many times when going through these things we think God has left us or has not heard our prayer of deliverance. We began to wonder if all this Christianity "stuff" is real. What we should be doing is realizing that many times we are up against the wiles of the devil to pull us down. We must keep in mind that God is sovereign. I cannot explain God's plans and purposes but I do know that how we handle these things is key to fighting against the wiles of the devil who would want us to give up and give in to despair instead of seeking God's face and direction even in the middle of the worst circumstances.

One of his favorite schemes is to keep us from remembering that he is real and that he is just waiting for the chance to devour us. We need to put on the whole armor of God to stand up against the evil one. We need to resist him and his schemes. We need to talk to him and cast him out in the name of Jesus Christ. Stand firm on the word of God, fight the devil and he will flee from you.

Find comfort from these words in 1 John 4: 4 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

P.S. Our daughter-in-law has a family member that is dying of Leukemia. My husband and I will leave in the morning for Richmond, Va. Please pray for the Morgan/Strittmatter family.
I will not be posting for about a week.

Fault Finder or Restorer?

My unmarried daughter is pregnant. I found out my son is gay. My pastor is having an affair. My husband is addicted to pornography. I am having an affair. All of these people may not be believers but many are.

What is our response when we are given this kind of information? Outwardly we act sad and say "Oh my, I will be praying for you." Inwardly we may be finding fault with the bearer of this news. In fact we begin to find fault with who they are and what they could have done or shouldn't have done that would help this situation. Our thoughts are not about restoration.

We live in a broken, fallen world. Even believers are susceptible to these kinds of temptations. Paul is speaking to Christians when he writes to the Corinthians warning them about sin in their church. In I Corinthians 10: 12 he warns them "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

Galatians 6: 1-5 speaks of our restoring a person who is overtaken in a trespass in a spirit of gentleness, considering ourselves lest we be tempted. We are called to bear one another's burdens. For most of us, myself included, our goal is not so much to restore an erring brother or sister in love, but to judge and condemn them. Let me be quick to say, we are not to overlook these things or just try to shuffle them under the rug. There is church discipline to be done in some cases that are without repentance (Matthew 18: 15-20). However, it is bringing the erring brother or sister to restoration with Christ and the church that should come first. If we are intent on doing this out of love for one another, it would avoid unkind gossip that often comes from news like this.

One of the reasons many people will not share this kind of burden with us is because they are afraid we will find fault with them or their loved one caught in the sin. We need to create a safe environment for others to share these burdens - an environment that is eager to restore, not find fault. Remember, temptation comes to all of us.

"Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ."

A Glimpse of Heaven

My husband and my daughter share the excitement of being in heaven one day. I must be honest. I do not share their enthusiasm about being in heaven. Kenny Chesney has a song titled "Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to go now."

I believe many of us in Christ are not excited about heaven because we are not quite sure what it will be like. We know we will be with the Lord as He tells us in Matthew 14 that He is preparing a place for us and He will come again to receive us and that where He is we will be also. Yet for some of us it still does not generate the joy and excitement about heaven that many feel.

When my husband and I participated in a missions conference in Georgia, We stayed with some long time friends that are more like family than friends. On Saturday evening their son and his lovely wife prepared an exquisite meal for us and others who were visiting. There were about 8 of us sitting around the table enjoying one another, enjoying the Lord and giving testimony of His goodness to us in many areas of our lives. Richard and his wife, Katy, were busy preparing each course with perfection and serving us in love. They topped the meal off with a homemade cream puff with a chocolate swirl and a cappuccino, caffe latte or expresso tailor made for each person. After the meal we all continued for hours to enjoy one another as we spoke of the things of the Lord.

When my husband and I went into our room for the night we both said "The time together and the delicious food was such a blessing and a glimpse of what heaven will be like." The next morning it was reported to me that Richard had said the same thing to someone else.

I read in Revelation 21 about the new heaven and the new earth. We are told God will dwell with His people and He will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain. All things will be new. I got to thinking about Jesus' words in Matthew of the Lord preparing a place for us and His dwelling with us. I can believe that in the new heaven and new earth we will be eating and feasting on the most wonderful delicacies we could imagine and we will be doing it in His presence and the presence of other believers - people we have loved here on earth.

That meal was a very small glimpse of what heaven will be like and I praise the Lord for that glimpse.

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." I Corinthians 2:9

My Soul Melts from Heaviness

There are some circumstances in my life that cause me to worry and stress over them from time to time. Yesterday and today I have found myself focusing on those situations. In fact, I woke up with a heavy heart today and said to the Lord "My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word." Perhaps your soul is heavy today.

There are are a lot of books written today to help us manage worry and stress. We know this problem leads to various illnesses. Some folks seem to manage these things well. If we are honest, many of us would admit to allowing worry and stress to wear us down. Henry Ward Beecher said "It is not work that kills men. It is worry. Work is healthy...Worry rusts upon the blade."

The Lord has an antidote for this problem found in Philippians 4: 6,7. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

We know the verse, in fact I have it memorized so why do I find myself worrying? Because I don't apply what it says. I don't take everything to the Lord in prayer as soon as the worry button is pushed and certainly not with thanksgiving. Even yesterday as I worried over circumstances I neglected this command from the Lord. I just didn't do it and it rolled over today into a morning that has zapped my strength and joy.

Let's be doers of the word, not hearers. Take your worry and stress even now to Him. Take everything to Him. The peace of God will guard your heart and your mind. Then let us move on to verse 8 in that passage. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - mediate on these things."

Life is loaded with difficult situations. Worry will never change them. Let us pay to our heavenly Father who then gives us His peace.

Heavenly Father, enable us to place all our worries and fears upon you. Thank you for your peace and for guarding our hearts from these things. Lord let us think upon you for You are praiseworthy.

P.S. My husband and I are going out of town. I will not post until November 18, 2009. May the Lord richly bless you.

I Won the Jackpot!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to win a $23,000,000 lottery jackpot? I have and if you're honest you have too. We speculate how it would change our lives or how much better life would be with so much money. We may even get to the point of thinking about various ways we would spend it, even to include giving it to ministries and worthy causes.

The Israelites were being placed into a position to have a lot of material possessions. Take the time to read Deuteronomy 8 for the background. They went from being slaves in Egypt to wondering the wilderness for 40 years. The Lord fed them and took care of them. The Lord was bringing them to a land of brooks of water, fountains and springs, wheat and barley, fig tees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey. They would have plenty. They would be able to build beautiful homes to live in and would have herds and flocks and silver and gold in abundance. Yet the Lord had to warn them. To paraphrase these words He said that they were to be careful that in receiving all these material blessings they would not forget Him. It gets even worse. Not only does He warn them not to forget Him and keep His commandments but also warns them about being proud and "lifted up" thinking that it was their own power and might that had gained them this wealth.

God knows us well. He knows that we are much more dependent on Him when we do not have the abundance of things. Think of the economy today. Unfortunately many people are out of work and are financially hurting. I believe we could say people pray and seek Him much more in these kinds of circumstances. When our lives are difficult whether it be financial, marital problems, rebellious children etc. we have a tendency to look to Him and depend much more on Him. When these things are alleviated by His hand and grace we may forgot where it came from and we do not seek Him as we did.

If you are so blessed by the abundance of material possessions remember the Lord your God to serve Him and keep His commandments. It is by his hand that you have them. If you are struggling to put food on your table don't lose heart. The righteous are not forsaken nor do their descendants beg for bread. (Psalm 37:25)

"And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 8:18)

Hope in God's Mercy

The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. (Psalm 145: 17-21) Do you believe this?

Some who read this may say "Yes, I believe it although it is not always my experience." Others may say "I thought I did at one time but now I am not so sure."

My answer is the first. There are many times I read scriptures that speak of the Lord answering our prayers and giving us the desires of our heart and at least for today those things have not been seen in some particular areas I look for them. God does not lie. He is truth. Therefore we have to believe His promises to us in scripture. If we don't then we would say He is a liar.

Again, it is our experience that causes us to doubt. We know we walk by faith and not by sight. (II Corinthians 5:7) However that is difficult to do - for you and me. When we have been praying for friends and loved ones to know Him and as of yet it hasn't happened we can and do become discouraged and find ourselves wondering what verses like this mean.

Psalm 147: 11 says "The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy." What is hope? "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

Write Psalm 145: 17-21 on a 3x5 card. Keep it before you. Study these verses. Cross reference them and mediate on them. Remind yourself constantly that the Lord takes pleasure in you. That is, those who hope in His mercy.

Oh No, I'm Lost

A couple of years ago I dropped my husband off at the airport, got on the main road, drove for a few miles, and realized it was not the direction I needed to go. I was lost. I drove around for a short time and then decided I wasn't going to be like some people who never ask for directions. I was on a toll road and as I came to the ticket booth I asked the woman directions for the turnpike heading south. It wasn't long before I was in familiar territory.

I started thinking about many people going through life looking for the right direction. They are looking for meaning to life in various religions, philosophies and relationships. Many seek and search to find the right way and find themselves more lost and confused.

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Jesus gives directions that will keep us from losing our way. It is through Him. There is no other way we can come to the Heavenly Father, find true meaning in life, forgiveness of sin and eternal life except through Jesus Christ.

This past Friday I wrote a post about our responsibility to share the gospel with the lost using I Thessalonians 5. This past weekend our church had their annual mission's conference. The speakers not only talked of our responsibility to spread the gospel abroad but also right here in our own neighborhoods. One speaker said she didn't know any non-Christians and decided to join a garden club to be a witness to those who are lost. I was convicted. I have forgotten those who are lost. Sometimes it is easier to support foreign missions than to be a missionary in our own neighborhood.

If you share my struggle, we can pray together that the Lord will indeed open our eyes to those who are lost and give them directions for finding true meaning in life.

That's Not Fair!

Remember when you were in elementary school and the teacher would step out of the room giving this warning - "If I come back and find anyone out of their seat or talking the whole class will have to write sentences. " Sure enough there was always that "class clown" that would would ruin it for everyone. We would say it wasn't fair that we should suffer because of this person's disobedience.

There was another incident similar to this in the Garden of Eden. The Lord told Adam and Eve that they could eat of every tree in the garden but not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He said "for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." You know the story. Eve ate, shared with her husband and consequences had to be paid. Because of Adam's sin we all payed the consequences. We all faced death even though we were not physically there. I had someone tell me one time they didn't think it was fair that all men should suffer because of Adam's disobedience. In fact, this person said " I wouldn't have done it if I was there."

What is hard for us to understand is that the elementary teacher made very clear the consequences of disobedience. It was her or his classroom to make the rules and instructions. It was up to us to obey them.

The Garden of Eden and all that is in the world was created by Him for His own purpose. Romans 9 tells us He is the potter and we are the clay. Who are we to reply against God?
He was the one to set the rules and boundaries for His creation. From this very beginning we see that man is bent on disobedience to the Lord. For those who would say "it isn't fair" the Lord's instructions was very clear as to what Adam and Eve could partake of.

Romans 5 speaks of death in Adam and life in Christ. Verse 12 "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." Verse 18 "Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life."

I think when we can truly grasp our disobedience and sin we can better grasp the perfect, Holy God who emptied Himself to become sin for us. It wasn't fair that Christ should suffer for us but He did and He did because of God's mercy to us who deserved His wrath but received His mercy.

Let us not be guilty of thinking it isn't fair that all should suffer for one. Let us rejoice that One suffered for all.