The Devil's Lie

Greetings everyone!

Too many posts I have here in various stages of drafts! So I shall attempt to begin completing and publishing them. I cannot believe how quickly the time has past, and all that I have learned and experienced. It is time to begin reflecting more of that and other things in writing here! It feels to me but a short time since I posted here, though I know its over 3 years as time measures.

So here goes a post I had begun writing years ago and finally completed now.

The Devil's Lie

His first specific and documented lie was when he told the woman that she would not die from eating from the tree from which God said they were forbidden from eating. It was a lie because he contradicted God, saying that they would not die, when God said they would, and the devil was incorrect (Genesis chapter 3). Note that the devil may not have actually lied with his words. What he did was far more tricky and similar in fact to what he still does to us today. The Devil placed a doubt, leading to first disbelief and then disobedience.

His general lie is less specific and is not quoted from a particular verse.

But as we study the scriptures we can figure out lies the devil tells. His general lie is a pattern that we can see. When men disobey God they are believing the devil's lie through their actions. They believe the devil's lie that "they can do what they want," and most often, this is better expressed by "they believe they can do what they want while avoiding God's promised consequences." Essentially they believe the devil's lie that God is lying.

Interestingly, failure to believe in God at all also falls under the category of the lie that "they can do what they want" they think they can do what they want and so they disbelieve God. Believing the devils lie that they can do what they want to is the category of all disobedience of commands and teachings. Adding to and taking away from Scripture is also an example of this. Trying to fit worldly teachings into the scripture is another way of calling God a liar. This is common in churches today by proffessed Christians who somehow have no idea what the Bible teaches, much less what it even says.
 
In fact, all the devils lies come back to this one lie.

In the devils first lie above, the woman and man sinned by believing the devils lie that they can do what they want. At the same time, it could be said that it is unbelief in God, and/or disobedience to God.

Another lie people believe is that they aren't good enough to work for God. But this very belief is also accepting the devil's lie. God commands and teaches many things in the Holy scriptures. He never says that anyone isnt "good enough" to follow him. In fact, no one is "good enough" that's the very reason we need him. Logically it's silly as well. The very idea that someone failing to follow God's teachings in one thing is free from following God's teachings in other things is illogical. This all is a devils lie. We are not saved through obedience to God's teachings, neither are we made more useful for his kingdom by what appear outwardly as acts of obedience. We are saved by Grace through Faith and it is by Faith and him in us that we do all things of value. Granted faith will produce good works (Ephesians 2, James 2, Galatians 2:16). But good works alone are not justification. Dangerously, good works without faith are a stumbling block to justification.

Often I am afraid, it is being too obedient to false ideas of what God is and wants that keeps us from serving him. (Luke 18:9-14)

Always, if you know the good God wants you to do, then do it (James 4:17).

Psalm 50:23

Lessons From Want And Luxury, Their Vanity And Giving And The Gospel

This post is much like a modern example of the book of Ecclesiastes.

I have observed in this life that those who have more material wealth in this world and those who have less are most often neither living a better life or a worse life than the other. Those who have more tend to worry more about what they have. Those who have physical comfort often dull their mind. Those who have luxury have distraction and greater temptations. In no way does the ownership of material goods make one live a better life, as long as their basic needs are met.

That being said it is best, for wisdom’s sake at least, to experience both want and excess – and to choose to live with less even when more could easily be had. It is best to experience all that you can to show as an example to the world that you reject luxury with full knowledge (Isaiah 7:15). It’s best to surround yourself with convenience and temptation – and turn away from its overuse (of convenience) and fleeting satisfaction (of giving into temptation). Why? Because if you can learn to say "no" to temptations everyday when they are before you, then you have no need to fear the avoidance of situations that may tempt you. But this is not meant to misconstrued and used as an excuse for worldly living. 

We should enjoy the money or compensation we receive from labor. It is the gift of God to a man. But we should also be willing to give generously and live without addiction or dependence on anything which God has given to us. To love and enjoy the gifts of God – while willing at a moment’s notice to give them up for the sake of Christ, is the best position and only Christian attitude we should allow ourselves to hold. Anything contrary to such a posture is idolatry.

Our flesh will deceive us sometimes and trick us into believing that we can give anything up at any time for the sake of Christ and his gospel. Let us not deceive ourselves. Sometimes we must sacrifice just to be sure we are of a pure intent. If we put ourselves through the fire we can perhaps spare entering it later on. To clarify, if we test our desires, affections, and beliefs – if we test ourselves we may avoid Hell by removing our own dependence on deceptions we may have falsely, unknowingly, imperceptibly, or subconsciously embraced. Let this message not be misunderstood. I'm not saying that we are saving ourselves from anything. I'm saying that by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us and test us we can be refined and made more fruitful for the sake of Christ and the Good News of his message. (2 Corinthians 13:5, Mark 8:35, Romans 12:2)  

Where do we find balance between giving to others and enjoying what we have been given? I’ve observed that for the most part it is all vanity and makes no difference. In other ways it can be life and death or day and night. In conclusion what matters is our attitude toward God, mankind and ourselves. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) It is best to give to others in a meaningful and purposeful way. Giving to the poor can be synonymous with throwing your money away – it can be foolish and meaningless to help the poor sometimes*. (Matthew 26:6-13)

Money (material value) doesn't necessarily make the gift good, and neither do words without money or sacrifice convey meaning. If your gift to an individual (every gift is eventually a gift to an individual) does not come across as meaningful or directed in the right way you might very well be paying to enlarge Hell itself. 

How you ask? 

*By funding addiction and dependence. Sometimes people seek their own destruction. Sometimes people need pain in this life to prevent Hell in the next. God has many tools and means by which he calls men unto himself. Again, do not misunderstand. I am not saying we in any sense "earn" heaven by suffering now. Nor is it the case that only because of the suffering that our heart is changed to accept Christ. Merely and simply the fact is that God uses different tools and experiences to teach us lessons and direct the chosen unto himself. Those whom God has chosen will receive him, and they will follow him. (John 15:16,19, Ephesians 1:3-19, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

Other times if you relieve their pain you can take them to heaven (by being a witness, and “Saviour” who points them to THE SAVIOUR). Again, let me not be misunderstood. We in ourselves can do no good thing, much less save anyone. But by doing the will of God, it is Him working in us that accomplishes good works yielding fruits for his Kingdom .... Both in the salvation of men and in their edification. 

But never can you afford to destroy your witness by withholding help you can easily or even perhaps not so easily give.

Giving by many should be more carefully done in a way that maximizes meaning and the witnessing of the gospel. For example,,,there are many charities that do not even truly help people...and there are many charities that help people but do not impart a message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us seek to both help the needy....and to change their life for the sake of Christ and the Glory of God.

We must seek the will of the Lord continually (1 Chronicles 16:11) so that we neither flounder our money casting pearls before swine nor miss the opportune time to be a witness as the gracious unselfish Gospel proclaiming giver God desires and requires us to be. 

Amen.

Prayer Power: What Do You Want?

For this post I'll be writing more in a similar style to my original 2010 posts. Id est just sharing experiences and what I learned from them. I'm just basically going to share some of my prayers and how they were answered.

1. While on vacation at the beach for a week last year I prayed that I would not get sunburnt (I usually do at least a little). God answered my prayer by...surprise! Cloudy almost everyday. Even got to experience swimming in the ocean in the rain, something I'd never done before, and it was fun. I wasn't about to let the clouds and rain ruin my vacation.

2. Prayed to loose weight. ....And I did, because I became sick for a whole month...at times I couldn't eat or keep down food. But I lost the weight I wanted to loose and I didn't miss any work so it was all good. Never did find out what was wrong with me, never went to the doctor, but that was about 9 months ago now and I've been healthy since (and still without the extra weight).

3. Prayed for safety while driving. All these years. All these miles. I have no doubt in my mind that the daily prayers for safe travels have kept me safe. At least twice this year and many times more in the last couple I have had many close encounters with ice or deer or falling asleep on the road. Twice recently at night, driving 75 MPH there was a deer directly in front of me on the road..just standing there. I saw it both times and swerved just in time to avoid a collision.

4. The Mimosa tree. At my parents house growing up we always (or at least often) had little mimosa trees that would grow up as "weeds" in the driveway or the garden. I always liked them and their light and touch sensitive leaves and when I moved to my own house I prayed that a mimosa tree would grow up at my house. And...one did...unfortunately at a location considered bad by some. But nevertheless it is there and it is beautiful, right by my porch steps. I've always liked plants.

5. Oh...this one goes back quite awhile. But it is very important. And one of those things I haven't shared for years because I'm not sure how people will take it.

The pastor at the church I usually attended stopped preaching good sermons. Something was wrong. He would rarely preach about anything except the end of the world. Which is fine, because it is certainly getting closer, but all that he would talk about was "the rapture" which was really annoying and unedifying. Annoying because I disagreed with his "theory" of a pretribulation rapture, and unedifying because he never talked about anything else. So I began praying hard for his preaching to improve and for him to really get into the word and preach true and useful lessons like he used to. Then he almost died. He fell down a flight of steps and was discovered sometime later. I believe he had a stroke also. He was in a nursing home for months and had to go through rehabilitation...and we didn't know then if he was going to ever be back. But we prayed much for him. He came back! And since then has preached good messages every Sunday.

So these experiences are being shared primarily for two reasons. First, as a testimony that God answers prayers. Second, as an example of how God does not answer our prayers in the same manner that we necessarily intend, and that in order to answer prayers certain events must take place. God uses people and events to create changes in our life experiences....thus effecting and creating physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual adjustments to each person which bring about the answers to our prayers. For example, when I prayed not to get sunburnt, God didn't just surround me with a magical force field...he sent clouds to block the sun. When God helped me loose weight he sent sickness....so I could not over eat. So when we pray a prayer desiring a change in our life...we must be accepting to the fact that a change requires a change. Fruit does not magically appear on a dead tree. We can't pray to be rich without expecting to work hard. We can't pray to do well on a test without expecting to study. We can't pray for a closer relationship with God without expecting to spend time alone with God in prayer and Bible Study. We can't expect God's power to work in us and through us if we do not have Faith and a willingness to take the time to strengthen our Faith. We can't expect our everyday life to reflect the values taught by God if we do not take the time to study His word and what it is that He teaches and desires us to be. (2 Timothy 2:15) We can't pray for someones life to be changed without expecting some type of major event to happen in their life which brings about that change. We can't pray to avoid a sin without learning to hate that sin. We can't pray for the garden to grow if we refuse to take time to water it. (Matthew 6:6,18, Isaiah 3:10, Luke 8:15)

God let us change the world for your Glory. Amen.