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Showing posts with the label devil

Guard Your Eyes and Ears

Ever wonder why tv shows, movies, music, video games, etc. are often rated for audiences labeled "Adult" or "Mature"? It is because they contain content such as nudity, foul language, sexual lust, and/or violence. Why would these things be appropriate for even an adult to watch? Of course, there is the kind of "adult" content which IS appropriate only for adults, for example, certain educational discussion and learning pertaining to the wonderful gift of sex for married couples (although children CAN and SHOULD learn some introductory details about this from parents and NOT from other kids at school). For adult Christians, it is usually safe to say that if what you're watching or listening to is not appropriate for the family as a whole, than it is not safe for you either. The psalmist says, "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes" (Ps. 101:3). Throughout the Bible, God warns His people many times about protecting their hearts through pr...

Jesus, Our Intercessor

"If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LOD, who will intercede for him?" - 1 Samuel 2:25 It is a kind of tragedy when those put in charge to lead God's people are but frauds and wolves. In this passage, the context reveals that Eli is both the high priest and judge in Israel while his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas were brought into the priesthood by birth. Because Eli was advanced in years (1 Sam. 2:22), he likely left it up to his sons to inspect the service of the tabernacle and they took advantage of the absence of their father to profane the offerings of the LORD ( vv. 13-17). Nonetheless, his absence did not prevent him from hearing that his sons were having sexual relationships with the women who served at the tabernacle (v. 22). To top it off, verse 12 says that his sons were "worthless" or "corrupt" and did not know God; the Hebrew phrase literally means "sons of Belial", connot...

LGBTQI+ & The Rainbow

Something I was thinking about recently: The LGBTQI+ community celebrates their pride with a rainbow flag. The Bible says that the rainbow is a symbol of God's promise that He will never destroy mankind again by flood (Gen. 9:12-17). Perhaps more significant, however, is that it indirectly points to a future promise that God will destroy mankind by fire (2 Pet. 3:7), just as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for their sexual immorality (Gen. 19:23-25). The rainbow flag that the LGBTQI+ community waves above their heads is, in a way, them celebrating their own destruction. It reminds me of the passage in Revelation where the unrepentant cry out for the mountains and rocks to fall upon them, in an attempt to hide from the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ (Rev. 6:15-17); they would rather perish in their sins than repent. The truth of the matter is this: 1. The LGBTQI+ community are sinners and haters of the one true God, just like every other sinner (Rom. 1:30; 3:10-11,...

Cheap Grace

About two weeks after the Lord saved me from my sins, my pastor confronted me one day and said,"You know, now that you're a Christian, you better clean up that mouth of yours." I was immediately convicted by this; by the grace of God, I was finished using foul language a few weeks afterward. This was one of my first tastes of the pure life that God desires for me to live. I see, however, many who profess to be Christians and still strongly sound the bell of worldliness. The Holy Spirit, of course, works at different speeds when it comes to sanctifying people, but there still is evidence...if indeed the Spirit does reside within a person. These people are not new to the faith, but rather proclaim to have a faith in Christ without any transformation. Such people have "cheapened" grace by simply wanting to escape the fires of hell and nothing more. Does God just save people to save them with also allowing them to live their lives as the world leads them?...

Friday the 13th

Everyone, at least those who are very familiar with Western culture, are aware of the various beliefs and ideas that flow around "Friday the 13th." For most, it is seen to be the unluckiest day of the year. For those who are born-again in Christ, however, what is there to be unlucky about? Perhaps a better question is, "What does 'luck' have to do with anything at all?" It is perhaps merely out of ignorance that many Christians still hold on to a notion of "luck," but what it really comes down to is an issue of idolatry. Along with other forms of idolatry such as astrology (Deut. 4:19), sorcery and divination (2 Kings 21:6; Is. 2:6), those who practice that which is detestable in the sight of the Lord will not enter the kingdom of God (Rev. 21:27). When you attribute a positive or negative occurrence to "luck," God is immediately robbed of the glory due to Him. Stop. Nowhere in the Bible can it be found that something happened becau...

Staying Afloat

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." -Mark 9:42 Shortly after I cried out to God to save me from my sins and became a Christian, a former in-law of mine heard of my new faith and she promptly made her thoughts known to me that I was brainwashed and that it was not as real as I perceived it to be. As an infant in Christ, however, my reckless and zealous response was less than gentle by replying, "What!? You don't know me!" Was that response arrogant? Probably, although the sinful tone contained truth, especially since Christ recently made me into a new creation and began to transform my very reason for living. I've witnessed men who professed faith in Christ get enticed and lured away by attractive and seductive women, causing them to sin and having the joy of salvation sapped right out from them. In my forme...

Crashing the Pride Party

Isaiah 14:12-14 “How you are fallen from heaven,      O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground,      you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart,      ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God      I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly      in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;      I will make myself like the Most High.'" Pride. If there is a "king" among the different kinds of sin, perhaps this would be it. Indeed, Isaiah directly speaks regarding the evil king of Babylon but he also alludes to the prideful spirit of Satan himself. The sin that caused God to cast Satan out of heaven is the same sin that causes us to believe that we have no need of God. To the mind of natural man, it is detrimental to think that he is dependent upon someone...