Praying Pint

 

 

Romans 5:16     On the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

A good magician is a master of distraction. He distracts the audience from what he’s really doing by pointing their attention in another direction. In a way, Satan was the original magician. He distracted Adam and Eve from God’s blessings and pointed their attention toward the one restriction God gave them.

Satan said to Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). No, God had said, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (2:16–17). But Satan caused Eve to doubt God’s Word by twisting what He had said. Then Satan caused Eve to doubt God’s character. “You surely will not die!” he said. “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (3:4–5). In other words, “God is trying to withhold something good from you.” Satan successfully convinced Eve, and she and Adam ate from the forbidden tree.

In Romans 5:12, we find the result of Adam and Eve’s sin: “Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Everybody has inherited the sin virus, and physical death is the proof. Do only mature adults die? No, even babies die. All of humanity dies because all of humanity has inherited the sin virus. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we’re sinners. When God says yes, our first instinct is to say no. We have inherited Adam’s guilt–and every time we rebel against God, we confirm Adam’s choice as our own.

If you think it’s unfair that everybody is held accountable for one person’s sin, Paul had an answer in Romans 5. He said, in essence, “The only thing more unfair than everybody being held guilty for one man’s sin is one innocent man being held guilty for everybody’s sin.” Paul wrote, “If by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (v. 17). It may seem unfair that we suffer the consequences of one man’s sin. But it’s even more unfair that God offers us forgiveness because of one man’s righteousness. That’s the free gift of God–for those who receive it. (Jeffress)

 

 

Jas 1:21  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Prior to his encounter with Jesus Christ, no one would have mistaken Saul of Tarsus, who became the apostle Paul, for a meek or humble person. His focus in life was his personal advancement as a Pharisee in Judaism (Philippians 3:4-6). He was not teachable; his heart and mind were closed to the Gospel.

Nicodemus was also a Pharisee, a “ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1), but he had a teachable heart. He met with Jesus at night to try to understand who Jesus was. He was not too proud to ask questions and consider that perhaps his understanding was limited. In fact, he accompanied Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus after the crucifixion (John 19:38-42). One of the marks of humility (meekness) is a teachable spirit, a willingness to learn from God and from others who know Him well. The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (Psalm 119:18).

A good way to practice meekness before the Lord is to pray that prayer when you open God’s Word. Ask Him to show you more of Himself and how to conform your life to His will. (Jeremiah)

Meekness is having a teachable spirit.

 

James 4:7    Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Matthew 4:3-11          And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple  and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”  Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

 Ephesians 4:27     and give no opportunity to the devil.

 Ephesians 6:11-12    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

 Revelation 12:9     And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world

How can we have spiritual victory over demons? Let me give two suggestions from the Bible.

First, be alert to Satan’s attacks. A lot of Christians walk around in a spiritual stupor, not aware that they are in Satan’s crosshairs. But those who are not alert to the attacks of Satan and his demons become spiritual roadkill. That’s why 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Be alert to his attacks.

Second, be aware of God’s provision. We don’t have to feel paranoid about Satan and his demons. God has made provision for us to have victory over Satan and his forces. We would love to think there is a prayer or ritual that will remove Satan’s power over our lives forever. That’s why many people are attracted to the idea of exorcism. However, in the Bible, the gift of exorcism is attached to Jesus and the apostles. There’s no passage indicating that Christians as a whole are supposed to engage in exorcism. Any verses suggesting otherwise do not appear in the earliest manuscripts, so we would be wise not to base our actions on them.

Our responsibility is not exorcising demons from other people or ourselves; it is exercising the spiritual power God has already given to us in order to resist Satan and his demons.

James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Submitting your life to God and resisting the devil are related. Any area of your life that has not been submitted to God is open to Satan’s influence. To neutralize demonic forces, diminish their real estate in your life. Submit to God in your moral life, your family life, your work life, and your finances. The more of your life you submit to God, the less of a foothold Satan will have.

An acquaintance once told me, “For so many years of my Christian life, I was trying to live according to my plan and my agenda, and it was like swimming upstream. Everything was so hard. But then I discovered the secret of submitting to God and His will. It has not eliminated my problems, but it sure has made life easier.” Submitting to God’s will for your life is the only way to emerge victorious in this cosmic battle. (Jeremiah)

 

 

Matthew 16:23    [Jesus] turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Is it possible for Christians to be demon-possessed? Non-Christians are demon-possessed–or, more accurately, possessed by Satan. The Bible teaches that we are born into this world as Satan’s prisoners. It is only when we trust in Christ as Savior that God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and places us in the kingdom of His Son, Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13). When we become children of God, He seals us with the Holy Spirit, marking us as His possession (Ephesians 1:13). Believers can’t be owned by Satan because we are owned by God. And God is very stingy about His possessions–He doesn’t share them with anyone. So if by possessed you mean owned, then it’s impossible for Christians to be possessed by demons.

But it is possible for Christians to be influenced by demons. Let me give you two examples from Scripture. In Matthew 16, Jesus outlined God’s plan for Him to the disciples: He must go to Jerusalem, suffer at the hands of the religious leaders, be crucified, and be raised on the third day. Peter said, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You” (v. 22). Jesus responded fast and furiously. He said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (v. 23). That’s pretty harsh! Was Jesus saying Peter was satanically possessed? No, but Peter was being influenced by Satan. By putting his own interests above God’s interests, Peter was being a mouthpiece for Satan.

We see the same thing in Acts 5. Ananias and Sapphira lied about the amount of money they were giving to the church. So Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?” (v. 3). Ananias and Sapphira were believers. But in that moment of weakness, they were not being controlled by the Holy Spirit; they were being controlled by Satan. That’s why Paul said in Ephesians 5:18, “Be filled with the Spirit.” The word translated as “filled” means controlled.

If you’re a Christian, you cannot be owned by Satan, but you can be influenced by him. There is no such thing as a spiritual vacuum–any part of your life that you haven’t surrendered to God and His will is open to Satan’s control. (Jeffress)

 

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Php 1:15-17  Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

Acts 20:19    Serving the Lord with all humility.

Billy Graham said, “In Heaven there will be many believers who never received any acknowledgement while on earth, yet they faithfully prayed and humbly served Christ. I believe their crowns may sparkle with more jewels than the philanthropist who endowed the church and whose name is engraved on the plaque in the narthex.”¹

When we realize we are spiritually poor, we’re able to come to Christ in a spirit of humility and receive the riches of His grace. That disposition of heart leads to effective service. Some people serve Christ to impress others, and they “preach Christ even from envy and strife” (Philippians 1:15). But those who are humble of heart are able to serve the Lord in a way He truly blesses. Peter said, “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5).

Are you poor in spirit? One of the ways you can tell is by evaluating your daily service for Christ. Let’s all rededicate ourselves to serving the Lord with all humility. (Jeremiah)

May our gratitude find expression in our prayers and our service for others, and in our commitment to live wholly for Christ.

 

 

What is truth?” This was the question that Pontius Pilate asked Jesus in John 18:38. It’s such a pivotal, eternity-altering question that I have this page marked in my Bible so I can find it immediately.

Many believe that truth is relative—truth for you is not necessarily truth for me. For instance, if I believe the world is flat, that’s my truth. Questioning my truth would be considered intolerant and would infringe on my rights, at least according to today’s accepted norms. (By the way, I do believe the earth is round!)

However, the Bible has a lot to say about truth which directly contradicts much of what the world believes about the matter.

First, truth is not an idea or an opinion, but a Person.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6, ESV). All truth comes from God, because He personifies truth. As we delve into His Word and are attentive to the Holy Spirit, we can and should know The Truth.

Second, the truth won’t always be popular. Remember Jesus was the embodiment of truth and they hated and murdered Him. The truth can be offensive because it tells us what’s wrong with us.

Imagine going to the doctor and being told you have cancer. You may not like it—you can disagree and get angry—but it’s the truth, and ignoring it can lead to death.

In Galatians 4, Paul addresses the church in Galatia, to whom he had ministered previously. He confronts them with the fact that—though they claim to know God—they are embracing worldliness. He then says, “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16, ESV).

Paul was willing to stand up when he saw believers compromising, even if it brought conflict with those he considered friends.

Finally, why is it important to proclaim the truth as set forth in the Bible? Because the truth will set you free.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31-32, ESV). Jesus goes on to say that those who are in sin are slaves to sin, but those who find hope in Him are released from that bondage. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36, ESV).

What is Truth? Truth is Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Truth is the Word of God, the Bible. Truth may not be popular, especially in our world today, but Truth will set you free … and not just for today, but for eternity! (Graham)

 

Dan 11:32  He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

1Ti 1:3-11  As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,  in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Jhn 17:3  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Job 19:25  For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

 

What are the benefits of keeping our gaze continually focused on God? I can think of at least three. First, the more we study Him the more we will want to become like Him. The most natural thing in the world when there is a good relationship between parents and their children is for that child to want to become like them. That is the way it is also with God our Father. The more we discover of His love, His holiness, His purity, His trustworthiness, His strength, His patience, the more we want to emulate Him. Second, the more we study God the better we will know ourselves. When Isaiah stepped into the Temple and had a vision of God, he also saw the truth about himself. Things that were hidden deep within him came to light in the presence of the Eternal. Third, the more we study Him the clearer will be our perspective on the world. When you see that God is in charge then you won’t panic every time you open the newspaper. You can only know God, of course, through Christ, and because You have Him, instead of saying, “Look what the world has come to,” you will be able to say: “Look what has come to the world.” The people who know their God will firmly resist the Adversary, says Daniel. The Amplified Bible puts it well: “– the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits.” I can do no more than to say – there you have it in a nutshell. The more you know God the stronger you will be.

My Father and my God, now I set my course for the wide seas. With Your truth as my compass, and Your Word as my chart, I set sail on this great adventure – to know You better. I can count on You but can I count on me? With Christ’s help I can. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. (Hughes)

 

Psa 15:1    O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

Psalms 23:6      Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 Psalms 27:4     One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

 Psalms 61:4      Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

 Psalms 84:4      Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!

 Psalms 92:13     They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.

 Mat 22:37-40  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

 John 3:3-5   Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Mat 23:27  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

 Luke 11:44      Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

 Acts 23:3    Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”

 Psalms 58:1-2    Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?  No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.

 Micah 3:8-11    But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.  Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight,  who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity.  Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”

The psalmist poses two heartfelt questions in this verse: “Who may abide? And “Who may dwell?” These are questions that every believer should ask of God. The words “abide” and “dwell” are similar in meaning in the Hebrew language, and when applied to the believer, they become a permanent state of mind. According to the whole psalm, the reality of who enjoys this intimate, ongoing fellowship is determined by their character lived out daily.

The Bible tells us that our access to God’s throne in heaven has been thrown wide open because of His grace. But we must never forget that with grace comes a responsibility: “…love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” And “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

The believer who consistently seeks out and enjoys God’s presence will begin manifesting His character toward others—mercy, patience, longsuffering, faithfulness, gentleness, and kindness. Their words and lifestyle will not contradict one another because to live otherwise is hypocritical and runs the risk of becoming cold and pharisaical, “beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). The Pharisees were clinically religious, yet their lives were duplicitous. And Jesus condemned them for it.

There is no better, safer, or more expansive place to dwell than with the Lord.  May you and I be counted among the “who”—those saturated with love for God, as revealed in the love for others. (Gibbs)

 

Psa 127:2  It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Psa 4:8  In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

1Co 15:34  Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

My aim is to awaken some from the rut. I know it is impossible to awaken everybody, but I hope to awaken some. I use the word awaken here advisedly and carefully because the Bible contains significant teaching gathered around the word sleep. There is first of all natural sleep. “He grants sleep to those he loves” (Psalms 127:2). “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalms 4:8). . . . I am thinking of moral sleep and spiritual sleep. Moral sleep is suggested in First Corinthians 15:34, “Awake to righteousness and sin not” (KJV). There is such a thing as moral sleep. It is entirely possible to be displeasing God and grieving the Holy Spirit by being asleep morally; that is, by permitting what should not be allowed. Most people do not want to hear this. They want something added to what they have. They do not want to be told that they are permitting something that should not be allowed. In other words, they are doing what they should not be doing. But you ask, “Is it true of Christians” Do you believe that many Christians are doing this”” I have no hesitation in saying that all the symptoms in the church today point to Christians doing things they should not be doing and failing to do what they should be doing. That is the positive and the negative—sins of commission, sins of omission. To be unaware of these sins is to be morally asleep. (Tozer)

 

Rev 12:7-8  Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

War always will rage between the two great sovereignties until one or other be crushed. Peace between good and evil is an impossibility; the very pretence of it would, in fact, be the triumph of the powers of darkness. Michael will always fight; his holy soul is vexed with sin, and will not endure it. Jesus will always be the dragon’s foe, and that not in a quiet sense, but actively, vigorously, with full determination to exterminate evil. All his servants, whether angels in heaven or messengers on earth, will and must fight; they are born to be warriors-at the cross they enter into covenant never to make truce with evil; they are a warlike company, firm in defence and fierce in attack. The duty of every soldier in the army of the Lord is daily, with all his heart, and soul, and strength, to fight against the dragon.

The dragon and his angels will not decline the affray; they are incessant in their onslaughts, sparing no weapon, fair or foul. We are foolish to expect to serve God without opposition: the more zealous we are, the more sure are we to be assailed by the myrmidons of hell. The church may become slothful, but not so her great antagonist; his restless spirit never suffers the war to pause; he hates the woman’s seed, and would fain devour the church if he could. The servants of Satan partake much of the old dragon’s energy, and are usually an active race. War rages all around, and to dream of peace is dangerous and futile.

Glory be to God, we know the end of the war. The great dragon shall be cast out and for ever destroyed, while Jesus and they who are with him shall receive the crown. Let us sharpen our swords to-night, and pray the Holy Spirit to nerve our arms for the conflict. Never battle so important, never crown so glorious. Every man to his post, ye warriors of the cross, and may the Lord tread Satan under your feet shortly! (Spurgeon)