Welcome!
Today: Satan’s schemes: persecution/pleasure!
Passage: 1 Cor 6
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Cor 6, NIV 84) –emphasis added
Whatever God created/instituted, satan tries to destroy
Satan will try his best to pull it down anyway he can
God created man and satan had his eyes on them. He had his eyes on the “weaker vessel” and got the family to where he wanted. Then he got Cain (the child) and killed the true worshiper Abel. Satan is continuing the work of “killing” true worship wherever we give him a chance
Because the people yielded to satan, sin abounded. God had to come and sent judgment through flood. Satan was not the looser. The people who sinned, lost.
God wept. But God is a God of justice, just as he is a God of love!
When people sin and die in their sins, God weeps over it. Satan doesn’t care.
We are God’s products and God’s purchase. God had to purchase His own!
Today, satan is fighting tooth and nail against everything God’s
In the East, satan mostly uses persecution; in the west, pleasures/materialism, apostasy, liberal teachings and different philosophies like humanism and so on..
If we fail to identify the schemes of the devil, we will be the looser!
There is much prayer (followed by action) needed for ourselves, our children/spouse, church, community and the city. God put us here for a reason
Jesus knew that the devil will fight against the church. The true church belongs to Jesus. When the word of God is preached without dilution or adulteration, and people are encouraged to live according to the word, it will be built by God.
If anyone tries to make the church his/her own, Jesus will not take it back by force. Same principle works with us/our body. Jesus keep knocking at the door
The reason why Jesus said “I will build my church” is because He alone can do it right. When someone else builds it, they will build it according to their taste and will not look anything like the master Architect’s design. Jesus will have a tough time identifying such churches!
It is not the committee or even the Pastor that builds it. All can do their part, but God alone can build it. We need to just follow the directions
We need to pray, more than ever before. The devil is so mad at God’s property
A single father (his wife died few years back) was telling me the other day:
“Pray for your children and encourage them”
Have a blessed day!
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you so very much for all that you are doing. Help me to let go things I should, and take responsibility for those I should. Thanks for your work in me, my family, our church, community and the City we live in. Amen
“When we pray and act right, satan cannot prey on us anymore”