For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
These words from the pen of the apostle Paul stand as a clarion call to all believers to stand firmly in the truth and to demolish every thing that offers itself as a pretense against the truth of God.
Leave it to Satan to empower a little-known author whose modest book sales have thrust him to national prominence. Philip Pullman has written a trilogy of books entitled His Dark Materials. The first of these books has now been made into a major motion picture that is being pushed heavily this Christmas season. The movie is The Golden Compass.
Pullman, a self-proclaimed “agnostic and atheist,” said of his books, “My books are about killing God; trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.”
He has taken what some describe as the “least offensive “ of the three books and produced it as a movie in an effort to indoctrinate children to atheism. They think if parents can see a simple entertaining movie with their children maybe they won’t be offended by the overt anti-Christian message.
Satan works as an angel of light and lures people into his trap. But Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:12 that “we are not unaware of his schemes.” Don’t play with Satan—or you’ll get burned. Knowing the truth of God's Word will prepare you to defend your faith, and a strong defense of the truth of Scripture will protect your family and loved ones. Only through God's Word can we recognize Satan's schemes. Standing on the truth of Scripture points us in the right direction and gives us
A Steadfast Hope!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Gratitude
Diminished expectations lead to ingratitude. Without a doubt, Americans are the most abundantly blessed people on the planet. Yet our expectations often hinder our attitude of gratitude. Though flooded with blessings from the hand of our gracious God, we often expect too little from Him by doubting His promises and are thus blind to the abundance He pours upon us. Our expectations are often misguided, expecting Him to answer our prayers according to our wishes rather than seeking His will and glory. When He attempts to shape us for His glory we complain with callous hearts. Each of these responses is inappropriate among God’s people. We, above all people, should understand the need for a proper appreciation of the bountiful gifts bestowed by our Father.
Many people will express thanks this week for numerous benefits they enjoy. People will tell you they are thankful for their family, their health, their house. And they may even begrudgingly express thanks for their job. But there is a big question to ask when people start expressing thanks: thankful to whom? Who is worthy of our gratitude for all these treasures we hold dear? Are we to credit blind chance, fate, karma, circumstances or coincidence for all our blessings? Many will thank their parents or their spouse, their teacher or their boss, their neighbors and friends. It is a classic characteristic of unregenerate people to demonstrate ingratitude, or to give thanks to some ambiguous or innocuous force for their blessings. Romans 1:21 reminds us clearly that fallen unregenerate sinners are without excuse when they deny the existence of God, and that even though they have abundant evidence of His existence and beneficence, “they neither glorified God nor gave thanks to him.”
Believers, on the other hand, know the One from Whom all blessings flow. We readily acknowledge the providential hand of God as the source of our existence and sustenance. We unashamedly declare that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (Jas. 1:17). Because of our intimate knowledge of Jehovah, the Great I AM, we understand the tremendous privilege that is ours to gather together in thanksgiving before Him.
We find an interesting call to worship in Psalm 107:1-3. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Friends, if you have been delivered today you have reason to rejoice and give thanks. Your wandering is ended, your shackles have been torn asunder, your sickness has been healed and your storms have been stilled. If you are still wandering in sin, pining away in a self-imposed prison, reeling from the rebellion that brings sickness to your soul and sinking in the storms of life there is hope! There is a Savior who listens to the pleas of those whose hearts are humbled and repentant. Isaiah 55:6-7 says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”
This could be the day you could join the chorus of the redeemed! That will give you
A Steadfast Hope!
Many people will express thanks this week for numerous benefits they enjoy. People will tell you they are thankful for their family, their health, their house. And they may even begrudgingly express thanks for their job. But there is a big question to ask when people start expressing thanks: thankful to whom? Who is worthy of our gratitude for all these treasures we hold dear? Are we to credit blind chance, fate, karma, circumstances or coincidence for all our blessings? Many will thank their parents or their spouse, their teacher or their boss, their neighbors and friends. It is a classic characteristic of unregenerate people to demonstrate ingratitude, or to give thanks to some ambiguous or innocuous force for their blessings. Romans 1:21 reminds us clearly that fallen unregenerate sinners are without excuse when they deny the existence of God, and that even though they have abundant evidence of His existence and beneficence, “they neither glorified God nor gave thanks to him.”
Believers, on the other hand, know the One from Whom all blessings flow. We readily acknowledge the providential hand of God as the source of our existence and sustenance. We unashamedly declare that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (Jas. 1:17). Because of our intimate knowledge of Jehovah, the Great I AM, we understand the tremendous privilege that is ours to gather together in thanksgiving before Him.
We find an interesting call to worship in Psalm 107:1-3. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say this— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Friends, if you have been delivered today you have reason to rejoice and give thanks. Your wandering is ended, your shackles have been torn asunder, your sickness has been healed and your storms have been stilled. If you are still wandering in sin, pining away in a self-imposed prison, reeling from the rebellion that brings sickness to your soul and sinking in the storms of life there is hope! There is a Savior who listens to the pleas of those whose hearts are humbled and repentant. Isaiah 55:6-7 says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”
This could be the day you could join the chorus of the redeemed! That will give you
A Steadfast Hope!
Monday, November 12, 2007
A First Time
The old adage says, "There's a first time for everything." Well, here I sit writing my first blog. With a blank page in front of you your mind wanders in search of something notable or meaningful to write. So, this being my first blog, I thought I would include some famous firsts from Scripture. I'll look beyond the obvious: first created thing; first day, first man, first woman, first child born, etc. Instead, let's look at some of the lesser-thought-of but still-significant firsts.
The first sin was pride. Didn't see that won coming, did you?! Satan first sinned in the presence of God by assuming he could usurp Jehovah's authority. He said, "I will ascend to the throne; I will take the place of God." How often people today are beguiled by Satan to follow in his steps of pride. They have no regard for God's authority and sovereignty, and they presume to sit in His place of rule. But such is the folly of following Satan's example. He didn't succeed. His effort to overthrow God failed, and so will everyone else's effort to disregard the Almighty and ignore His right to reign.
The first sacrifice for sin was provided by God Himself. After Adam and Eve sinned God made clothes for them out of animal skins. It wasn't a wardrobe of leaves, but a cloak of skins. This is significant because God sets in place the principle truth for atoning for sin: without blood being shed there can be no forgiveness. So, as He would later in man's history, God provided a sacrifice to cover the sins of mankind. The later Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, is the Perfect Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
If you don't know Christ as your Savior, you are still walking around without a covering for your sin. That sin separates you from God, and unless atonement is made in your life you will be banished from God's presence for eternity. Only those who have been clothed in the righteousness of Christ by faith have any hope of seeing the Father face to face.That's why we preach Christ. Jesus Himself said that as He is lifted up He will draw all men to Himself. Only in Christ do we have
A STEADFAST HOPE
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