James {1:13} Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of
God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth
he any man: {1:14} But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
Heb. {11:32} And what shall I
more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and
[of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David
also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets: {11:33} Who
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, {11:34}
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in
fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {11:35}
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others
were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might
obtain a better resurrection: {11:36} And others had trial of
[cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds
and imprisonment: {11:37} They were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword:
they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented; {11:38} (Of whom the world
was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in]
mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. {11:39}
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
received not the promise: {11:40} God having provided
some better thing for us, that they without us should not be
made perfect.
Heb. {4:15} For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without
sin.
***
Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. Some argue of course He was without sin, He was God's Son so He had extra power to keep from sinning. I beg to differ. To be tempted like we are He had to feel the temptation, He had to resist the temptation. True, He didn't have the sinful nature- He wasn't born into sin like we are, He didn't inherit sin, but He was tempted like we are and the same amazing miracle that created Jesus inside Mary, a miracle we cannot fathom and in no way could create ourselves also enabled Jesus to live a unique life as One who was tempted like we are. The Bible says so. The Bible doesn't say Jesus was tempted as Adam and Eve were. It could say that, it really could, but it doesn't. Jesus was in all points tempted like we are yet without sin; that's what the Bible says. Not just tempted like we are, but tempted in ALL points like we are. We know what it is like to be tempted don't we? We know what it means to deny ourselves something because we know it's wrong, and we also know what it means to fall to temptation, to give into it and not resist it, not fight it. Often we've embraced sin in our lives to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, you know, to have fun and do as we please.
Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. He resisted temptation, He didn't have to. He felt the pull, the want, the desire and yet he resisted. Satan went after Him full out, He didn't leave Him alone, didn't stop trying to get Jesus to fall into His web of sin.
Those who have faith aren't promised a good life. We are promised the opposite. We are promise deprivation, tormenting, affliction, those are the things we are promised, not happiness, a life of ease, a worry free existence, a pain free life. We are going to be attacked by Satan full out and in many ways, in lots of disguises. If Satan can't get us one way he'll try another, and another, and yes-- another. He won't give up and the only way we can defeat Him is through faith. Not faith in our own ability to do anything at all, but faith in Jesus Christ our Righteousness, our Savior. Faith in Jesus will defeat Satan and Jesus prays for us, prays that our faith won't fail, that it will be strong. In turn when we are strengthened by the love of our Savior we need to help our fellow followers of Christ because all around us and them Satan works without ceasing.
Few of us have trouble believing that Jesus is real, but many of us have trouble making Satan real. It's easier to believe in a good Shepherd watching over us, taking care of us, but harder to name Satan as the one who causes the misery in our lives. You have a bad day where everything seems to go wrong and you tell someone that Satan was really working overtime with you that day and they'll get that squinting look in their eyes that says they think you're a little off your rocker. Sure say you're having a bad day, but don't mention who might be behind it because well...we all have bad days and surely Satan isn't behind all things bad. He's not behind the waking up late and missing the bus, he's not behind the ruined dress that some how became torn in the dryer, he has nothing to do with your spilling that coffee on your trousers... those are just things that happen end of story. To say that Satan caused those things means he's a living enitity that actually controls various things, manipulating them and that just won't do- it's like having poltergiests about and that's just creepy. So, lets say it's true that Satan doesn't do those things, that they just happen. Satan influences our reactions to things that happen will you agree to that? No? So Satan doesn't nothing at all, he's not real? But Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan was surely influencing Him- tempting Him to change a rock into bread and such. Isn't that real? Jesus was tempted in all points like we are; Satan was there tempting Jesus to change a rock into bread so it stands to reason that Satan really tempts us and really puts obstacles in our way that make our lives miserable and then some.
Naming Satan as our enemy is a good thing because we recognize Christ's ability to defeat Satan. Christ DID defeat Him and we through Christ can too. But as long as we refuse to acknowledge the reality we live in we allow Satan to work without being seen, we allow Him to control so much of our lives. If you live knowing that Satan is in control of you and what you do by your choice and it doesn't bother you- pray. Pray that your heart will be pricked by the Holy Spirit, that you'll gain understanding and feel the desire to repent. Do you love this world you live in? Has it given you all you've ever wanted? Is this life pain free? Worry free? No, it's not and it's not for all of us. Even the richest, most beautiful, the luckiest person alive has heartache and pain. Is this life here and now truly the way you want it to be for you and in the end do you want to be as if you've never been? Do you want to never have existed? We only know existing because we are, and we can imagine not being because of those we've lost to death's sleep and are no longer with us. Their existence in our lives is over, but we live with the hope that it's not a permanent loss. There is a permanent loss for us, for them, and yet there doesn't have to be. This world is not our end, or rather it doesn't have to be our end as long as we cling to Jesus and accept His sacrifice for us.
Life now might be horrific in many ways, or maybe it's not so bad, but regardless of our existence now Satan is fighting for us and Jesus died for us. We choose.
Pray now like never before because Satan is working harder than ever before to tear down any faith you may have.
May God bless us and keep us, may our faith grow shielding us from the fiery darts of Satan as the evil one seeks to destroy that faith.
By the grace and mercy our our Righteous Lord and Savior now and forever, in Jesus.
Amen.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Our sufficency is of God.
2 John {1:4} I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children
walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from
the Father. {1:5} And now I beseech thee, lady, not as
though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that
which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
{1:6} And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have
heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
From the beginning the commandment was to love one another. How could it be otherwise? God is love. When man fell into sin it was into a world that knew only love and now it would know the opposite of love, it would know hatred. The commandment to love is a command to live. People try to make it so God is harsh and restrictive, but He's love and all He asks is out of love. Loving one another is so important. Loving one another is what it's all about. Love. Putting others before ourselves. Putting God before ourselves. We walk in love.
1 John {4:11} Beloved, if God so
loved us, we ought also to love one another. {4:12} No man
hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. {4:13}
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.
No man has seen God at any time.
No man has seen God.
God dwells in us... if we love one another. God's love is perfected in us.
We know we dwell in God and God in us because God's given us his Spirit.
With the Holy Spirit in us, living in us, we know that God's love is in us and we can love with God's love. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit will help us to love with God's love. Nothing is of ourselves.
2 Cor. {3:4} And such trust have we through Christ to Godward:
{3:5} Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think
any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God
Our sufficency is of God.
We are NOT sufficient of ourselves.
May the Lord bless us and keep us, may the Holy Spirit dwell in us so that we may love one another with the only true and powerful love that is God's, all through the love of Christ, by His grace and His mercy now and forever.
Amen.
walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from
the Father. {1:5} And now I beseech thee, lady, not as
though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that
which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
{1:6} And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have
heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
From the beginning the commandment was to love one another. How could it be otherwise? God is love. When man fell into sin it was into a world that knew only love and now it would know the opposite of love, it would know hatred. The commandment to love is a command to live. People try to make it so God is harsh and restrictive, but He's love and all He asks is out of love. Loving one another is so important. Loving one another is what it's all about. Love. Putting others before ourselves. Putting God before ourselves. We walk in love.
1 John {4:11} Beloved, if God so
loved us, we ought also to love one another. {4:12} No man
hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. {4:13}
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.
No man has seen God at any time.
No man has seen God.
God dwells in us... if we love one another. God's love is perfected in us.
We know we dwell in God and God in us because God's given us his Spirit.
With the Holy Spirit in us, living in us, we know that God's love is in us and we can love with God's love. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit will help us to love with God's love. Nothing is of ourselves.
2 Cor. {3:4} And such trust have we through Christ to Godward:
{3:5} Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think
any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God
Our sufficency is of God.
We are NOT sufficient of ourselves.
May the Lord bless us and keep us, may the Holy Spirit dwell in us so that we may love one another with the only true and powerful love that is God's, all through the love of Christ, by His grace and His mercy now and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
WAKE UP! You're either hot or cold, good or evil!
Rev.
{20:7} And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison
{20:8} And shall go out to deceive
the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth
Satan deceives NATIONS!
Why do you think that he can't deceive you?
Rev. {3:9} Behold,
I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they
are Jews, and are not, but do lie
The Synagogue of Satan. A congregation of Satan. What does that tell us? What? Satan worshippers. They are real. Any who would not worship God worships Satan, there is NO middle ground. You can try to find a middle ground, you can even label it your own ground because you think you are not going to follow either God or Satan, but it won't change the facts. There are only two sides and no more. There is only good and evil and no more. Liars are of the synagogue of Satan. You don't claim to belong to any synagogue let alone a synagogue of Satan and yet there are only two synagogues and there is no sitting outside between them, there is no between. We live in a world where there are many shades of gray, there are many sides to choose from, there are circumstances which give varying perceptions. We seldom have to choose between two things and only two things, having multiple choices is a way of life for us. We like having choices the more the better because that means we have an opportunity to decide among a lot of things and find something to suit our needs. We love finding things to suit our needs. But having just two choices narrows things down and we have to pick one or the other without any alternatives. There are only two choices in life that lead to our eternal life and the decision is one we make all the time. We have Satan on one hand that will stop at nothing at all to get us to choose His side, even unwittingly. He has counterfiets of the true way set up all along the path to His synagogue and many, many are going to be fooled thinking they are following Christ's way when in fact they aren't. Christ doesn't use trickery, He doesn't try to fool us. He tells us how hard things are going to be for us, but He tells us that in Him we can be saved. He's done the hardest work of all, and we have to cling to Him.
Satan is real.
Satan will deceive nations. Satan has a synagogue. Satan tempted Jesus, Satan tempted humans to sin. Don't make the mistake of thinking he's not after you. When you sit back and relax thinking you're above being tempted, Satan likes that too.
WAKE UP! You're either hot or cold, good or evil, lukewarm is just as bad as being evil because there is no middle ground.
May God bless us and keep us, helping us now and always to be on His side, to choose good over evil, right over wrong, life over death, God over Satan.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
{20:7} And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison
{20:8} And shall go out to deceive
the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth
Satan deceives NATIONS!
Why do you think that he can't deceive you?
Rev. {3:9} Behold,
I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they
are Jews, and are not, but do lie
The Synagogue of Satan. A congregation of Satan. What does that tell us? What? Satan worshippers. They are real. Any who would not worship God worships Satan, there is NO middle ground. You can try to find a middle ground, you can even label it your own ground because you think you are not going to follow either God or Satan, but it won't change the facts. There are only two sides and no more. There is only good and evil and no more. Liars are of the synagogue of Satan. You don't claim to belong to any synagogue let alone a synagogue of Satan and yet there are only two synagogues and there is no sitting outside between them, there is no between. We live in a world where there are many shades of gray, there are many sides to choose from, there are circumstances which give varying perceptions. We seldom have to choose between two things and only two things, having multiple choices is a way of life for us. We like having choices the more the better because that means we have an opportunity to decide among a lot of things and find something to suit our needs. We love finding things to suit our needs. But having just two choices narrows things down and we have to pick one or the other without any alternatives. There are only two choices in life that lead to our eternal life and the decision is one we make all the time. We have Satan on one hand that will stop at nothing at all to get us to choose His side, even unwittingly. He has counterfiets of the true way set up all along the path to His synagogue and many, many are going to be fooled thinking they are following Christ's way when in fact they aren't. Christ doesn't use trickery, He doesn't try to fool us. He tells us how hard things are going to be for us, but He tells us that in Him we can be saved. He's done the hardest work of all, and we have to cling to Him.
Satan is real.
Satan will deceive nations. Satan has a synagogue. Satan tempted Jesus, Satan tempted humans to sin. Don't make the mistake of thinking he's not after you. When you sit back and relax thinking you're above being tempted, Satan likes that too.
WAKE UP! You're either hot or cold, good or evil, lukewarm is just as bad as being evil because there is no middle ground.
May God bless us and keep us, helping us now and always to be on His side, to choose good over evil, right over wrong, life over death, God over Satan.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Names Written in Heaven
Luke
{10:17} And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
{10:18} And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
{10:19} Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
*
The disciples knew how real devils were-- they were thrilled that the devils would listen to them through the name of Jesus. Devils, evil spirits, Satan, they are all subject unto Jesus and Jesus only. Only one that is with Jesus can cast out devils. Jesus told them that He saw Satan as lightening falling from heaven. He witnessed Satan being cast out of heaven. Amazing! He is so real and we need to believe in the reality of Satan, of evil. If we dismiss the reality of Satan we are dismissing Christ Himself! People have to wake up! WAKE UP! He's real! He's not some fabrication of someone's overactive and warped imagination.
You are Christ's or you are Satan's, there is no middle ground. You can't hold onto Satan and Christ. You can be caught up by Satan and as soon as you cry out to Christ he will save you from Satan, and it's a choice you'll need to make often because Satan will not stop trying to get you back. He never stops. He'll plot and plan, he'll even step aside and let you glory in Christ in fact the seemingly happier you in Christ the better. Having your life all caught up in Christ serves Satan's plans when he sits back and plots to attack you and steal you back. The higher you are the harder you'll fall and the harder you fall the more wounded you'll be and the more wounded you are the longer it will take you to heal- that's if you ever recover because Satan glories in being able to wound mortally. The longer he can keep you down and keep you from the healing source the happier he is, if he can keep you away from full surrender to the Healer then you're counted as his and he glories in stealing you from Christ's love.
This is REAL!
I want to scream it, I want to shout it, SATAN IS REAL!
Satan is real and he's either working in you or Christ is, that middle ground doesn't exist.
James
{4:7} Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Resist the devil.
RESIST the DEVIL!
John
{11:9} Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
{11:10} But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Do you stumble? We have to walk in the light, we have to have light, the light of Christ in us. We have to draw nigh to God and He'll draw nigh to us. God's not going to force Himself on us. God's not going to push the darkness out of those unwilling to let go of the darkness inside themselves. There has to be a willingness, a surrender, and acceptance.
None of that means a person will be perfect, or that the desire to do evil things will disappear instantly.
The initial surrender and the first Christian walk can be so glorious and as a soldier in Christ's army the battles you face seem very surmountable with Christ at our sides, we feel all but invincible, our walk with Christ is secure and nothing will tear us apart from our Lord and Savior. It's amazing and beautiful if that walk continues on that way but more often than not there will come a time when you are suddenly ripped from that secure place and nothing seems as it was. The hope, the love you felt seems to have disappeared. You even feel God has abandoned you to Satan as the assaults become overpowering. You fall over and over into temptation and the more you fall the more wretched you feel and the further and further out to the sea of sin you go until the safety shore of Christ is out of sight completely and there you are left at sea to flounder- to sink or swim. So maybe you sink but Christ never stops throwing out lifelines even to the deepest part of the sea. Satan will do all he can to keep your eyes focused on the deep, dark sea surrounding you so that every time you might glimpse a lifeline you turn your back on it because you're not ready to swim out of Satan's sea.
Yes, I'm using metaphors but Satan is so real! REAL! And you know what? YOU'll NEVER DEFEAT HIM, but guess what? CHRIST DID! Cling to Christ, cling to Him and find victory.
Christ Himself told the disciples not to rejoice in defeating devils, but rejoice in what??
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
We aren't to rejoice because we defeat any devils but rejoice because our names are written in heaven. The victory is in Jesus! Our rejoicing is in Jesus.
Every victory can be thought of in two ways- Rejoicing over those you've defeated, or rejoicing rather that you won. They are different. Think about it... if you focus on the fact you beat your opponents your happiness is based on their pain, their loss, their defeat. If you focus on the fact you won for the sake of winning without glorying and rejoicing in those you've defeated how much better is it? There are poor sports - those who take defeat badly, and there are poor winners - those who focus on beating their opponents and do not win graciously at all. A true winner is one who wins and shares the victory with all.
Christ didn't want His disciples rejoicing in beating Satan, but in the fact they won eternal life. Rejoicing in Christ!
Victory in Christ!
Hope in Christ!
Faith- the substance of things hoped for- the evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11:1
Keep hope in Christ alive.
By His mercy and grace, in His everlasting love.
Amen.
{10:17} And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
{10:18} And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
{10:19} Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
*
The disciples knew how real devils were-- they were thrilled that the devils would listen to them through the name of Jesus. Devils, evil spirits, Satan, they are all subject unto Jesus and Jesus only. Only one that is with Jesus can cast out devils. Jesus told them that He saw Satan as lightening falling from heaven. He witnessed Satan being cast out of heaven. Amazing! He is so real and we need to believe in the reality of Satan, of evil. If we dismiss the reality of Satan we are dismissing Christ Himself! People have to wake up! WAKE UP! He's real! He's not some fabrication of someone's overactive and warped imagination.
You are Christ's or you are Satan's, there is no middle ground. You can't hold onto Satan and Christ. You can be caught up by Satan and as soon as you cry out to Christ he will save you from Satan, and it's a choice you'll need to make often because Satan will not stop trying to get you back. He never stops. He'll plot and plan, he'll even step aside and let you glory in Christ in fact the seemingly happier you in Christ the better. Having your life all caught up in Christ serves Satan's plans when he sits back and plots to attack you and steal you back. The higher you are the harder you'll fall and the harder you fall the more wounded you'll be and the more wounded you are the longer it will take you to heal- that's if you ever recover because Satan glories in being able to wound mortally. The longer he can keep you down and keep you from the healing source the happier he is, if he can keep you away from full surrender to the Healer then you're counted as his and he glories in stealing you from Christ's love.
This is REAL!
I want to scream it, I want to shout it, SATAN IS REAL!
Satan is real and he's either working in you or Christ is, that middle ground doesn't exist.
James
{4:7} Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Resist the devil.
RESIST the DEVIL!
John
{11:9} Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
{11:10} But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Do you stumble? We have to walk in the light, we have to have light, the light of Christ in us. We have to draw nigh to God and He'll draw nigh to us. God's not going to force Himself on us. God's not going to push the darkness out of those unwilling to let go of the darkness inside themselves. There has to be a willingness, a surrender, and acceptance.
None of that means a person will be perfect, or that the desire to do evil things will disappear instantly.
The initial surrender and the first Christian walk can be so glorious and as a soldier in Christ's army the battles you face seem very surmountable with Christ at our sides, we feel all but invincible, our walk with Christ is secure and nothing will tear us apart from our Lord and Savior. It's amazing and beautiful if that walk continues on that way but more often than not there will come a time when you are suddenly ripped from that secure place and nothing seems as it was. The hope, the love you felt seems to have disappeared. You even feel God has abandoned you to Satan as the assaults become overpowering. You fall over and over into temptation and the more you fall the more wretched you feel and the further and further out to the sea of sin you go until the safety shore of Christ is out of sight completely and there you are left at sea to flounder- to sink or swim. So maybe you sink but Christ never stops throwing out lifelines even to the deepest part of the sea. Satan will do all he can to keep your eyes focused on the deep, dark sea surrounding you so that every time you might glimpse a lifeline you turn your back on it because you're not ready to swim out of Satan's sea.
Yes, I'm using metaphors but Satan is so real! REAL! And you know what? YOU'll NEVER DEFEAT HIM, but guess what? CHRIST DID! Cling to Christ, cling to Him and find victory.
Christ Himself told the disciples not to rejoice in defeating devils, but rejoice in what??
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
We aren't to rejoice because we defeat any devils but rejoice because our names are written in heaven. The victory is in Jesus! Our rejoicing is in Jesus.
Every victory can be thought of in two ways- Rejoicing over those you've defeated, or rejoicing rather that you won. They are different. Think about it... if you focus on the fact you beat your opponents your happiness is based on their pain, their loss, their defeat. If you focus on the fact you won for the sake of winning without glorying and rejoicing in those you've defeated how much better is it? There are poor sports - those who take defeat badly, and there are poor winners - those who focus on beating their opponents and do not win graciously at all. A true winner is one who wins and shares the victory with all.
Christ didn't want His disciples rejoicing in beating Satan, but in the fact they won eternal life. Rejoicing in Christ!
Victory in Christ!
Hope in Christ!
Faith- the substance of things hoped for- the evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11:1
Keep hope in Christ alive.
By His mercy and grace, in His everlasting love.
Amen.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Satan is Real
We have a very real enemy, very real and it's not the IRS or the obnoxious jerk trying to make your life miserable it's Satan. He's real, very real and we need to recognize where he is in our lives because he's tricky and he'd have us blame God, or blame others, or blame the weather and anything else but him for things that go wrong and upset us. If he can keep our thoughts anywhere but on him he's thrilled. He's devious, he works through deception and doesn't want to be brought into the light, into the open to be seen for what he is and how he works.
It's easy to tell someone that the devil was in that one- meaning someone who is let's say a serial killer, and people will nod and agree. But try to tell them that the devil is working in them and their lives in less blatent ways and they'll scoff at you. Satan only works through 'BAD' people they'll tell you and claim their goodness in the next breath. They're wrong. Satan works through any and all He can. It's pretty obvious when you read some of the following Bible verses. Jesus even calls Peter, Satan. A disciple, one of His apostles He calls Satan. Why? To make a point. Satan can be in any of us if we allow. Satan's ways can be enacted by us all and Satan's ways are many.
Satan is real. He's not some fictional character for books and movies, he's not some imaginary being we've created to blame things on, he's not only concerned with so-called 'bad' people. He's as real as you and I are real. He's as real as Jesus is real. We have to bring him out into the light in our own lives. He has to be revealed in our lives so we can- through our Lord and Savior- find victory over him and his deceptive ways. Recognizing the reality of Satan is important because we need desperately not to cling to life and its bad aspects blaming God, blaming situations, blaming our fellow human beings, we need to place the blame where it truly belongs. How can we truly love our enemies unless we can put the blame for their hateful actions where they belong? If we are told to love those that hate us it's all but impossible unless we realize that they are being controlled by Satan and whether willingly or not, they aren't acting of their own accord. They might say they are, but that's what Satan loves. He loves using people and getting them to take the blame. He loves using them and controlling them so they don't even know they are being used and controlled. We who are Christ's need to recognize the devil working in others and only by doing so can we take pity upon them and love them. Because how could you love someone that killed another you loved? How could you ever love someone that tortured a child? How could you ever love someone that betrays you completely? You'd look at them and the hatred inside yourself would grow and grow because all you'd see is their hurting the others you love, or hurting you. And if all you see is that hatred, detesting that person how can you love them- how could you love your enemy?
You might want to protest and say they have to pay for what they done and if I love them I'm excusing what they've done, I'm letting them get away with their evil by not reminding them of it daily by hating them, despising them, by being loathed to look at them. It's not our duty to remind them, it's not our duty to condemn them. We have a duty to Jesus and Jesus alone. Jesus tells us to love those who hurt us and to truly love our enemies, our attackers, our abusers we have to realize they are under the control of Satan and Satan would use them to fill us with hatred and not only have our abusers under their control but have us as well.
We can't let Satan hide working his insidious ways in our lives. We have to be able and willing to recognize that he's alive and well and seeking to devour all he can before his end comes-- and it will come.
*******
Job
{1:6} Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
{1:7} And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
{1:8} And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
{1:9} Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
{1:10} Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
{1:11} But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
{1:12} And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Job
{2:1} Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
{2:2} And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
{2:3} And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
{2:4} And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
{2:5} But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
{2:6} And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he [is] in thine hand; but save his life.
{2:7} So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
{2:8} And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes
Psalms
{109:1} Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
{109:2} For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
{109:3} They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought
against me without a cause.
{109:4} For my love they are my adversaries: but I [give myself unto] prayer.
{109:5} And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
{109:6} Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
{109:7} When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
{109:8} Let his days be few; [and] let another take his office.
{109:9} Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
{109:10} Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek [their bread] also out of their desolate places.
{109:11} Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
{109:12} Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
{109:13} Let his posterity be cut off; [and] in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
{109:14} Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
{109:15} Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
{109:16} Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in
heart.
{109:17} As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
{109:18} As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his
bones.
{109:19} Let it be unto him as the garment [which] covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
{109:20} [Let] this [be] the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
{109:21} But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy [is] good, deliver thou me.
{109:22} For I [am] poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
{109:23} I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
{109:24} My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
{109:25} I became also a reproach unto them: [when] they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
{109:26} Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:
{109:27} That they may know that this [is] thy hand; [that] thou, LORD, hast done it.
{109:28} Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
{109:29} Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
{109:30} I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
{109:31} For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save [him] from those that condemn his soul.
Zechariah
{3:1} And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. {3:2} And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: [is] not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
{3:3} Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
{3:4} And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
{3:5} And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
{3:6} And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,
{3:7} Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
{3:8} Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they [are] men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
{3:9} For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone [shall be] seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
{3:10} In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
Matthew
{4:1} Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
{4:2} And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
{4:3} And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
{4:4} But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
{4:5} Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
{4:6} And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
{4:7} Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
{4:8} Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
{4:9} And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
{4:10} Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
{4:11} Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Matthew
{12:22} Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
{12:23} And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
{12:24} But when the Pharisees heard [it,] they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. {12:25} And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
{12:26} And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
{12:27} And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges.
{12:28} But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
{12:29} Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
{12:30} He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Matthew
{16:21} From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
{16:22} Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
{16:23} But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that
be of God, but those that be of men.
Mark
{1:13} And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Mark
{3:22} And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. {3:23} And he called them [unto him,] and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
{3:24} And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
{3:25} And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
{3:26} And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
{3:27} No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
{3:28} Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: {3:29} But he that shall blaspheme againstthe Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
{3:30} Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Mark
{4:1} And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
{4:2} And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
{4:3} Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
{4:4} And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
{4:5} And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
{4:6} But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
{4:7} And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
{4:8} And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty,
and some an hundred.
{4:9} And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
{4:10} And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
{4:11} And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these [things] are done in parables:
{4:12} That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.
{4:13} And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
{4:14} The sower soweth the word.
{4:15} And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
{4:16} And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
{4:17} And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
{4:18} And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
{4:19} And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
{4:20} And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive [it,] and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark
{8:27} And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
{8:28} And they answered, John the Baptist: but some [say,] Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
{8:29} And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
{8:30} And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
{8:31} And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
{8:32} And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
{8:33} But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
{8:34} And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
{8:35} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
{8:36} For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
{8:37} Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
{8:38} Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Luke
{4:1} And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
{4:2} Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
{4:3} And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
{4:4} And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
{4:5} And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
{4:6} And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
{4:7} If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
{4:8} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
{4:9} And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence:
{4:10} For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
{4:11} And in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
{4:12} And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
{4:13} And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
{4:14} And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
{4:15} And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
It's easy to tell someone that the devil was in that one- meaning someone who is let's say a serial killer, and people will nod and agree. But try to tell them that the devil is working in them and their lives in less blatent ways and they'll scoff at you. Satan only works through 'BAD' people they'll tell you and claim their goodness in the next breath. They're wrong. Satan works through any and all He can. It's pretty obvious when you read some of the following Bible verses. Jesus even calls Peter, Satan. A disciple, one of His apostles He calls Satan. Why? To make a point. Satan can be in any of us if we allow. Satan's ways can be enacted by us all and Satan's ways are many.
Satan is real. He's not some fictional character for books and movies, he's not some imaginary being we've created to blame things on, he's not only concerned with so-called 'bad' people. He's as real as you and I are real. He's as real as Jesus is real. We have to bring him out into the light in our own lives. He has to be revealed in our lives so we can- through our Lord and Savior- find victory over him and his deceptive ways. Recognizing the reality of Satan is important because we need desperately not to cling to life and its bad aspects blaming God, blaming situations, blaming our fellow human beings, we need to place the blame where it truly belongs. How can we truly love our enemies unless we can put the blame for their hateful actions where they belong? If we are told to love those that hate us it's all but impossible unless we realize that they are being controlled by Satan and whether willingly or not, they aren't acting of their own accord. They might say they are, but that's what Satan loves. He loves using people and getting them to take the blame. He loves using them and controlling them so they don't even know they are being used and controlled. We who are Christ's need to recognize the devil working in others and only by doing so can we take pity upon them and love them. Because how could you love someone that killed another you loved? How could you ever love someone that tortured a child? How could you ever love someone that betrays you completely? You'd look at them and the hatred inside yourself would grow and grow because all you'd see is their hurting the others you love, or hurting you. And if all you see is that hatred, detesting that person how can you love them- how could you love your enemy?
You might want to protest and say they have to pay for what they done and if I love them I'm excusing what they've done, I'm letting them get away with their evil by not reminding them of it daily by hating them, despising them, by being loathed to look at them. It's not our duty to remind them, it's not our duty to condemn them. We have a duty to Jesus and Jesus alone. Jesus tells us to love those who hurt us and to truly love our enemies, our attackers, our abusers we have to realize they are under the control of Satan and Satan would use them to fill us with hatred and not only have our abusers under their control but have us as well.
We can't let Satan hide working his insidious ways in our lives. We have to be able and willing to recognize that he's alive and well and seeking to devour all he can before his end comes-- and it will come.
*******
Job
{1:6} Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
{1:7} And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
{1:8} And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
{1:9} Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
{1:10} Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
{1:11} But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
{1:12} And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Job
{2:1} Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
{2:2} And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
{2:3} And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
{2:4} And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
{2:5} But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
{2:6} And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he [is] in thine hand; but save his life.
{2:7} So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
{2:8} And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes
Psalms
{109:1} Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
{109:2} For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
{109:3} They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought
against me without a cause.
{109:4} For my love they are my adversaries: but I [give myself unto] prayer.
{109:5} And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
{109:6} Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
{109:7} When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
{109:8} Let his days be few; [and] let another take his office.
{109:9} Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
{109:10} Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek [their bread] also out of their desolate places.
{109:11} Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
{109:12} Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
{109:13} Let his posterity be cut off; [and] in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
{109:14} Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
{109:15} Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
{109:16} Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in
heart.
{109:17} As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
{109:18} As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his
bones.
{109:19} Let it be unto him as the garment [which] covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
{109:20} [Let] this [be] the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
{109:21} But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy [is] good, deliver thou me.
{109:22} For I [am] poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
{109:23} I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
{109:24} My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
{109:25} I became also a reproach unto them: [when] they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
{109:26} Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:
{109:27} That they may know that this [is] thy hand; [that] thou, LORD, hast done it.
{109:28} Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
{109:29} Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
{109:30} I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
{109:31} For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save [him] from those that condemn his soul.
Zechariah
{3:1} And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. {3:2} And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: [is] not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
{3:3} Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
{3:4} And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
{3:5} And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
{3:6} And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,
{3:7} Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.
{3:8} Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they [are] men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
{3:9} For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone [shall be] seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
{3:10} In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
Matthew
{4:1} Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
{4:2} And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
{4:3} And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
{4:4} But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
{4:5} Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
{4:6} And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
{4:7} Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
{4:8} Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
{4:9} And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
{4:10} Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
{4:11} Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Matthew
{12:22} Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
{12:23} And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
{12:24} But when the Pharisees heard [it,] they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. {12:25} And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
{12:26} And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
{12:27} And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges.
{12:28} But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
{12:29} Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
{12:30} He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
Matthew
{16:21} From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
{16:22} Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
{16:23} But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that
be of God, but those that be of men.
Mark
{1:13} And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Mark
{3:22} And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. {3:23} And he called them [unto him,] and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
{3:24} And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
{3:25} And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
{3:26} And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
{3:27} No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
{3:28} Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: {3:29} But he that shall blaspheme againstthe Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
{3:30} Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Mark
{4:1} And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
{4:2} And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
{4:3} Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
{4:4} And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
{4:5} And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
{4:6} But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
{4:7} And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
{4:8} And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty,
and some an hundred.
{4:9} And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
{4:10} And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
{4:11} And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these [things] are done in parables:
{4:12} That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.
{4:13} And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
{4:14} The sower soweth the word.
{4:15} And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
{4:16} And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
{4:17} And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
{4:18} And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
{4:19} And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
{4:20} And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive [it,] and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark
{8:27} And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
{8:28} And they answered, John the Baptist: but some [say,] Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
{8:29} And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
{8:30} And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
{8:31} And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
{8:32} And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
{8:33} But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
{8:34} And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
{8:35} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
{8:36} For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
{8:37} Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
{8:38} Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Luke
{4:1} And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
{4:2} Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
{4:3} And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
{4:4} And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
{4:5} And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
{4:6} And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
{4:7} If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
{4:8} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
{4:9} And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence:
{4:10} For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
{4:11} And in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
{4:12} And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
{4:13} And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
{4:14} And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
{4:15} And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
We never deserve forgiveness
Luke
{6:27} But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you
{6:28} Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
{6:29} And unto him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not [to take thy] coat also.
{6:30} Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask [them] not again.
{6:31} And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
{6:32} For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
{6:33} And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
{6:34} And if ye lend [to them] of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
{6:35} But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil.
{6:36} Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
{6:37} Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven
{6:38} Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Love your enemies.
What if your enemy is someone you already love? Seriously. Does that sound contradictory? It's been proven that people you know and love hurt you more than strangers do. We don't want to believe that could be true. We trust the ones we love. Love and trust often go hand in hand don't they? How can you truly love someone and not trust them? As soon as the element of distrust creeps in it taints the love doesn't it? Instead of an 'I love you', it becomes an 'I love you but...' And as soon as that but emerges it changes the love doesn't it?
Love your enemies. What was Christ asking us to do by asking us to do good to them that hate us, bless them that curse us, pray for those who despitefully use us? What was He asking? The impossible? So much inside us rises up in rebellion, in revenge, in anger, in hatred when we are set upon by enemies, especially enemies you thought were your most cherished loved ones already. The sense of betrayal coupled with abuse is so raw, so intense.
So what was Christ asking for, the impossible? Yes. Yes, I said yes. Because it is impossible for the natural man in us to do that. So if Christ was asking us to do the impossible and we know that Christ wouldn't really ask us to do anything impossible, what was the purpose of His asking us to do all that to despicable creatures that are somehow below the standard of humanity we like to think should exist?
Christ was asking us to rely on Him. To rely on Christ in us to do these things.
Col.{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Gal. {3:26} For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
{3:27} For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Christ in us, putting on Christ.
Col.
{3:1} If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
{3:2} Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
{3:3} For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
{3:4} When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory
Risen with Christ.
We are dead and our live is hid with Christ in God.
Of ourselves we can do nothing.
John {15:5} I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing
Abide in Christ.
Jesus knew when He told us to love our enemies that it would be impossible for us to do so without Him in our lives. The natural man inside each of us wars against the love of Jesus in favor of the sinful things that we have come to know as our natural tendencies. Paul knew this just as we do.
Romans
{7:24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Jesus Christ our Lord alone can save us from ourselves. It is only through Him that we can truly face the worst of our enemies even if they are an enemy of the worst kind, a beloved trusted family member, and turn the other cheek. Love our enemies, impossible for us, but not for Christ in us.
Satan wins a victory over us if we allow his wily well laid schemes to bear fruit and rip us from the grasp of our Lord. Don't think that Satan doesn't scheme and have patience to do so, he does. The evil in Him is satisfied to lay traps down for us and glory in our falling into them and then using those captured in the traps as bait for future trapping. Yes, he sows his own seeds of discord and sits back to watch them take root and shoot up, grow and flourish until they try and bear fruit to our destruction. Only Christ saves us from that trap, from that wicked plant that would crush the life from us, the eternal life.
Don't be afraid to name names and point at Satan and declare him for what he is, a liar, an evil angel bent on destruction of all that is good in humanity.
When we truly realize we're fighting against principalities and wickedness in high places and not just our fellow man, we can know that the battle we're in is fierce. We fight against an unseen enemy using any means possible to fuel our destruction. So while our enemy might appear to be our fellow man, we need to recognize the truth-- our enemy is using our fellow man and yes, even our loved ones. Satan will stop at nothing to take us, to 'sift us as wheat'. Christ has prayed for us, for our faith to remain and in Him we have to place all our hope, all our trust. Such hope, such trust will allow us to truly love our enemies because we see beyond the here and now and glimpse into eternity when we do so. We lay hold of a future filled with love in Christ and we condemn the evil that would destroy us here and now and take eternity from us with bitterness and hatred.
Yes, we can do the impossible with Christ and with Christ alone through faith in Him.
May God bless us and keep us in Him now and forever. May our faith be renewed through each and every assault on it, may it serve to only make us stronger in our love for Christ and the hope of His love eternally.
Christ wasn't saying let the wicked escape punishment, Christ was saying there is a bigger picture- a much bigger picture where love rules and if your enemies can find that love in Christ because you reveal your own love of Christ then all glory and praise to God! Christ was saying if your enemy never finds their way to Christ but continuously and everlastingly abuses you that their reward for their wickedness is in His hands. We need to trust in Christ. If we love our enemies we are allowing Christ to reveal His love through us.
Someone once said to me they didn't deserve my forgiveness, and I said to them, that's the whole point-- we never deserve forgiveness. Christ died for us who don't deserve to be forgiven and isn't that the whole point?
Love.
Christ's love.
By His love, by His mercy and grace now and forever.
Amen.
{6:27} But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you
{6:28} Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
{6:29} And unto him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not [to take thy] coat also.
{6:30} Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask [them] not again.
{6:31} And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
{6:32} For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
{6:33} And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
{6:34} And if ye lend [to them] of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
{6:35} But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil.
{6:36} Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
{6:37} Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven
{6:38} Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Love your enemies.
What if your enemy is someone you already love? Seriously. Does that sound contradictory? It's been proven that people you know and love hurt you more than strangers do. We don't want to believe that could be true. We trust the ones we love. Love and trust often go hand in hand don't they? How can you truly love someone and not trust them? As soon as the element of distrust creeps in it taints the love doesn't it? Instead of an 'I love you', it becomes an 'I love you but...' And as soon as that but emerges it changes the love doesn't it?
Love your enemies. What was Christ asking us to do by asking us to do good to them that hate us, bless them that curse us, pray for those who despitefully use us? What was He asking? The impossible? So much inside us rises up in rebellion, in revenge, in anger, in hatred when we are set upon by enemies, especially enemies you thought were your most cherished loved ones already. The sense of betrayal coupled with abuse is so raw, so intense.
So what was Christ asking for, the impossible? Yes. Yes, I said yes. Because it is impossible for the natural man in us to do that. So if Christ was asking us to do the impossible and we know that Christ wouldn't really ask us to do anything impossible, what was the purpose of His asking us to do all that to despicable creatures that are somehow below the standard of humanity we like to think should exist?
Christ was asking us to rely on Him. To rely on Christ in us to do these things.
Col.{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Gal. {3:26} For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
{3:27} For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Christ in us, putting on Christ.
Col.
{3:1} If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
{3:2} Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
{3:3} For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
{3:4} When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory
Risen with Christ.
We are dead and our live is hid with Christ in God.
Of ourselves we can do nothing.
John {15:5} I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing
Abide in Christ.
Jesus knew when He told us to love our enemies that it would be impossible for us to do so without Him in our lives. The natural man inside each of us wars against the love of Jesus in favor of the sinful things that we have come to know as our natural tendencies. Paul knew this just as we do.
Romans
{7:24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Jesus Christ our Lord alone can save us from ourselves. It is only through Him that we can truly face the worst of our enemies even if they are an enemy of the worst kind, a beloved trusted family member, and turn the other cheek. Love our enemies, impossible for us, but not for Christ in us.
Satan wins a victory over us if we allow his wily well laid schemes to bear fruit and rip us from the grasp of our Lord. Don't think that Satan doesn't scheme and have patience to do so, he does. The evil in Him is satisfied to lay traps down for us and glory in our falling into them and then using those captured in the traps as bait for future trapping. Yes, he sows his own seeds of discord and sits back to watch them take root and shoot up, grow and flourish until they try and bear fruit to our destruction. Only Christ saves us from that trap, from that wicked plant that would crush the life from us, the eternal life.
Don't be afraid to name names and point at Satan and declare him for what he is, a liar, an evil angel bent on destruction of all that is good in humanity.
When we truly realize we're fighting against principalities and wickedness in high places and not just our fellow man, we can know that the battle we're in is fierce. We fight against an unseen enemy using any means possible to fuel our destruction. So while our enemy might appear to be our fellow man, we need to recognize the truth-- our enemy is using our fellow man and yes, even our loved ones. Satan will stop at nothing to take us, to 'sift us as wheat'. Christ has prayed for us, for our faith to remain and in Him we have to place all our hope, all our trust. Such hope, such trust will allow us to truly love our enemies because we see beyond the here and now and glimpse into eternity when we do so. We lay hold of a future filled with love in Christ and we condemn the evil that would destroy us here and now and take eternity from us with bitterness and hatred.
Yes, we can do the impossible with Christ and with Christ alone through faith in Him.
May God bless us and keep us in Him now and forever. May our faith be renewed through each and every assault on it, may it serve to only make us stronger in our love for Christ and the hope of His love eternally.
Christ wasn't saying let the wicked escape punishment, Christ was saying there is a bigger picture- a much bigger picture where love rules and if your enemies can find that love in Christ because you reveal your own love of Christ then all glory and praise to God! Christ was saying if your enemy never finds their way to Christ but continuously and everlastingly abuses you that their reward for their wickedness is in His hands. We need to trust in Christ. If we love our enemies we are allowing Christ to reveal His love through us.
Someone once said to me they didn't deserve my forgiveness, and I said to them, that's the whole point-- we never deserve forgiveness. Christ died for us who don't deserve to be forgiven and isn't that the whole point?
Love.
Christ's love.
By His love, by His mercy and grace now and forever.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
In Christ Alone I Place My Trust
Psalms
{130:1} Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
{130:2} Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice
of my supplications.
{130:3} If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall
stand?
{130:4} But [there is] forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be
feared.
{130:5} I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I
hope.
{130:6} My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than they that watch for
the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning.
{130:7} Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD [there is]
mercy, and with him [is] plenteous redemption.
I wait fot the Lord, my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope.
Waiting for the Lord. Hoping in His word.
Matthew {28:20} Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
Waiting for the Lord-
Jesus is with us always.
So if Jesus is with us alway, what are we waiting for? We're waiting for the new world promised by Jesus. The world without sin, without pain, without heartache.
Hebrews {9:28} So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second
time without sin unto salvation
Christ died bearing our sins, not a single sin of His own, but taking on all of our sins. He will come again and without any of our sins, bringing salvation to us that look for Him. We are looking for Him with hope. We are waiting for Him, hoping in the word that He's given us.
If we had this world with all its sin and pain to only look forward to then there is no hope at all. The only true hope lies with Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior who died to save us for eternity with Him. Are we worthy? No, we're never worthy and we never can be worthy. The worth that deserves salvation is Christ's alone.
There is a song...
'In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope is Christ alone'
It's so true. Our hope is Christ alone. We can't have hope in ourselves because we'll fail ourselves, it's inevitable. Our hope has to be in Christ who alone will not fail us, Christ who has the victory already for us. He's our source of strength, our source of hope and when we fail to be as He'd have us be, we need to trust in Him to help us and anything we lack He will supply.
'Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us'
Help us to forgive Lord.
Help us to forgive.
Ps. {7:1} O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust
Ps. {11:1} In the LORD put I my trust
Ps. {16:1} Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Ps. {25:20} O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I
put my trust in thee.
Ps. {31:1} In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed:
deliver me in thy righteousness.
{31:2} Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong
rock, for an house of defence to save me.
{31:3} For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s
sake lead me, and guide me.
{31:4} Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for
thou [art] my strength.
{31:5} Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O
LORD God of truth.
{31:6} I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the
LORD.
{31:7} I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast
considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
{31:8} And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast
set my feet in a large room.
{31:9} Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is
consumed with grief, [yea,] my soul and my belly.
{31:10} For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my
strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are
consumed.
{31:11} I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among
my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see
me without fled from me.
{31:12} I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken
vessel.
{31:13} For I have heard the slander of many: fear [was] on every side:
while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take
away my life.
{31:14} But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou [art] my God.
{31:15} My times [are] in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine
enemies, and from them that persecute me.
{31:16} Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy
mercies’ sake.
{31:17} Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let
the wicked be ashamed, [and] let them be silent in the grave.
King James Bible Psalms Page 331
{31:18} Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous
things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
{31:19} [Oh] how great [is] thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for
them that fear thee; [which] thou hast wrought for them that
trust in thee before the sons of men!
{31:20} Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the
pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from
the strife of tongues.
{31:21} Blessed [be] the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous
kindness in a strong city.
{31:22} For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes:
nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I
cried unto thee.
{31:23} O love the LORD, all ye his saints: [for] the LORD preserveth
the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
{31:24} Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye
that hope in the LORD.
Ps. {56:3} What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
{56:4} In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I
will not fear what flesh can do unto me
Ps. {56:11} In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can
do unto me.
Ps. {71:1} In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to
confusion.
{71:2} Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline
thine ear unto me, and save me.
{71:3} Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually
resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou [art] my
rock and my fortress.
{71:4} Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the
hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
{71:5} For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my
youth.
{71:6} By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that
took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise [shall be]
continually of thee.
Ps. {73:28} But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my
trust in the Lord GOD
Ps. {141:8} But mine eyes [are] unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my
trust; leave not my soul destitute.
{141:9} Keep me from the snares [which] they have laid for me, and the
gins of the workers of iniquity.
{141:10} Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal
escape.
Heb. {2:13} And again, I will
put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children
which God hath given me. {2:14} Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
{2:15} And deliver them who through fear of death were all
their lifetime subject to bondage. {2:16} For verily he took
not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the
seed of Abraham. {2:17} Wherefore in all things it behoved
him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
{2:18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,
he is able to succour them that are tempted
{130:1} Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
{130:2} Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice
of my supplications.
{130:3} If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall
stand?
{130:4} But [there is] forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be
feared.
{130:5} I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I
hope.
{130:6} My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than they that watch for
the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning.
{130:7} Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD [there is]
mercy, and with him [is] plenteous redemption.
I wait fot the Lord, my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope.
Waiting for the Lord. Hoping in His word.
Matthew {28:20} Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
Waiting for the Lord-
Jesus is with us always.
So if Jesus is with us alway, what are we waiting for? We're waiting for the new world promised by Jesus. The world without sin, without pain, without heartache.
Hebrews {9:28} So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second
time without sin unto salvation
Christ died bearing our sins, not a single sin of His own, but taking on all of our sins. He will come again and without any of our sins, bringing salvation to us that look for Him. We are looking for Him with hope. We are waiting for Him, hoping in the word that He's given us.
If we had this world with all its sin and pain to only look forward to then there is no hope at all. The only true hope lies with Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior who died to save us for eternity with Him. Are we worthy? No, we're never worthy and we never can be worthy. The worth that deserves salvation is Christ's alone.
There is a song...
'In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope is Christ alone'
It's so true. Our hope is Christ alone. We can't have hope in ourselves because we'll fail ourselves, it's inevitable. Our hope has to be in Christ who alone will not fail us, Christ who has the victory already for us. He's our source of strength, our source of hope and when we fail to be as He'd have us be, we need to trust in Him to help us and anything we lack He will supply.
'Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us'
Help us to forgive Lord.
Help us to forgive.
Ps. {7:1} O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust
Ps. {11:1} In the LORD put I my trust
Ps. {16:1} Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Ps. {25:20} O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I
put my trust in thee.
Ps. {31:1} In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed:
deliver me in thy righteousness.
{31:2} Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong
rock, for an house of defence to save me.
{31:3} For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s
sake lead me, and guide me.
{31:4} Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for
thou [art] my strength.
{31:5} Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O
LORD God of truth.
{31:6} I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the
LORD.
{31:7} I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast
considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
{31:8} And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast
set my feet in a large room.
{31:9} Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is
consumed with grief, [yea,] my soul and my belly.
{31:10} For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my
strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are
consumed.
{31:11} I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among
my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see
me without fled from me.
{31:12} I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken
vessel.
{31:13} For I have heard the slander of many: fear [was] on every side:
while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take
away my life.
{31:14} But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou [art] my God.
{31:15} My times [are] in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine
enemies, and from them that persecute me.
{31:16} Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy
mercies’ sake.
{31:17} Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let
the wicked be ashamed, [and] let them be silent in the grave.
King James Bible Psalms Page 331
{31:18} Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous
things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
{31:19} [Oh] how great [is] thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for
them that fear thee; [which] thou hast wrought for them that
trust in thee before the sons of men!
{31:20} Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the
pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from
the strife of tongues.
{31:21} Blessed [be] the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous
kindness in a strong city.
{31:22} For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes:
nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I
cried unto thee.
{31:23} O love the LORD, all ye his saints: [for] the LORD preserveth
the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
{31:24} Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye
that hope in the LORD.
Ps. {56:3} What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
{56:4} In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I
will not fear what flesh can do unto me
Ps. {56:11} In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can
do unto me.
Ps. {71:1} In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to
confusion.
{71:2} Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline
thine ear unto me, and save me.
{71:3} Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually
resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou [art] my
rock and my fortress.
{71:4} Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the
hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
{71:5} For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my
youth.
{71:6} By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that
took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise [shall be]
continually of thee.
Ps. {73:28} But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my
trust in the Lord GOD
Ps. {141:8} But mine eyes [are] unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my
trust; leave not my soul destitute.
{141:9} Keep me from the snares [which] they have laid for me, and the
gins of the workers of iniquity.
{141:10} Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal
escape.
Heb. {2:13} And again, I will
put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children
which God hath given me. {2:14} Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
{2:15} And deliver them who through fear of death were all
their lifetime subject to bondage. {2:16} For verily he took
not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the
seed of Abraham. {2:17} Wherefore in all things it behoved
him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
{2:18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,
he is able to succour them that are tempted
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