News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

There Is A Spiritual Warfare Going On!

CALLED TO WARFARE
By: Charles Stanley


Many Christians don't realize that they are in a battle. We have an Enemy who opposes us in every way--his purpose is to prevent us from becoming who God wants us to be and achieving what He'd have us do. The Devil frustrates our plans, confuses our minds, and brings feelings of anxiety and despair. But he doesn't stop there; he also stirs up disunity in our relationships and churches.

There are several things that Christians should understand about this combat:

The battle is real, even if we can't see it. The difficulty, pain, and discouragement Satan causes are genuine. His temptations are not imaginary; they overwhelm and lure us away from the Lord.

The battle is spiritual. Our struggle is not with one another but with invisible forces of wickedness. Although the conflict is waged in the spiritual realm, it impacts every part of us--our mind, will, emotions, desires, and even our bodies.

The battle is tough. The Adversary fights dirty, and the encounter is "up close and personal." Our confrontation with the forces of evil is like spiritual hand-to-hand combat and flesh-to-flesh wrestling. He has a host of demonic beings who work unceasingly, even when we sleep. As long as we are on earth, the war will continue.
---
Although the Enemy is strong, there isn't reason to fear--he's no match for Christ, who lives within us. We've been entrusted with Jesus' divine power over the Evil One. However, we can access the Son's authority only by submitting to His lordship and walking in obedience to His Spirit. -

READ/ EPHESIANS 6:10-18 (VS.17)BE SURE TO TAKE UP THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD. READ YOUR BIBLE DAILY!

Preparation For Spiritual Warfare ~
By: Charles Stanley

READ/EPHESIANS 6:10-13 --

Believers are caught in a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, but the Lord has provided everything we need to stand firm against the forces of evil. Why, then, do Christians fail so often and give in to temptation and sin? I think there are a number of reasons.

We are unaware of the battle. Even if we know about spiritual warfare, during everyday life, it's easy to forget an invisible war is raging around us. Our inattention makes us prime candidates for an attack.

We are ignorant about the Enemy. Satan is free to bombard us with one scheme after another when we don't recognize his tactics or understand his goals.

We are untrained for warfare. Believers are soldiers whether they want to be or not. God's Word is the training manual that gives instruction for discerning deception, resisting temptation, standing firm in faith, and walking in integrity.

We allow Satan a foothold. The primary battleground for Christians is the mind. If we begin to listen to the Tempter and consider the benefits of his suggestions, he will gain a foothold into our thoughts, feelings, and desires. Left unchecked, the foothold will become a stronghold, and we'll soon find ourselves mired in sin.
----
The time to prepare for warfare is now. You cannot afford to be complacent and unaware of your Enemy, or you will quickly become his victim. Begin filling your mind with God's Word, and obediently listen to the Spirit's inner warnings. That's the way to experience the joy of victory in Christ.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advancing Through Adversity
Pastor Charles Stanley

EPHESIANS 3:14-21
One noteworthy trait of the apostle Paul was his determination to advance through adversity. There are many people who get stuck in life's hard spots. They are either too scared or too bitter to move through the hardship.

Instead, these folks wait for the Lord to remove the trial, but He doesn't always work that way.

How a person responds to hardship reveals his or her true character. Hard times are when God's people most need to match actions to words. It's easy to say, "I trust God" or "My Lord is faithful," particularly when life is good. But unless we recognize that He is sovereign even in adversity, the same lips will complain and seek pity. Believers who trust in the Lord's faithfulness and supremacy will steadfastly focus on Him and thereby keep their anxiety and doubt subdued.

In order to conquer adversity, we must begin moving through it. It is essential for a suffering believer to surrender to God's will. We may not know what His purpose is. We certainly won't like the pain, and we'll definitely want the situation to change--fast. But giving the Lord free rein allows Him to mature our faith, conform us to the likeness of His Son, and fulfill His unique plan for our lives.

Surrendering does not seem like a way to advance anywhere. But in reality, we're just handing over the controls to God and saying, "You guide me where You want me to go." Doing so requires a lot of trust. We serve a Lord who is worthy of our faith and confidence.

--The Sword of the Spirit
Ephesians 6:10-18

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6:10-11) -

Collecting dust in my parent's attic is a purple karate trophy. I won it competing in my first tournament when I was twelve. There I was, all geared up, sporting a light pink uniform, ponytail bobbing up and down. My opponent thought he had nothing to worry about, considering he was two years older and one belt highter than me. I didn't stand a chance! But as the final whistle blew, it happened: he dropped his guard just as I threw a punch, and much to my dismay, I knocked him out!

I can only imagine what David felt when he defeated Goliath with a little stone. David's confidence in the Power, Presence, and Promises of his God gave him courage to face a giant. Every day we come up against giants. Left to ourselves, we wouldn't stand a chance. But we have an Almighty Captain, the Lord Jesus, who is with us always and through Him, we are more than conquerors!

Put on His full armor and raise high your weapon of defense: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God!
---
"Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, but the King's own army none can overthrow....we are on the Lord's side.." (Frances Havergal, 1877)

Haven Today Ministries~~

--Resisting the Devil --
Matthew 4:1-11

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15)

THE Bible likens the devil to a "roaring lion looking for someone to devour"(1 Peter 5:8). He is the great deceiver who cunningly hunts his prey. He lies in wait looking for opportunities to steal, kill, and destroy.

1 Peter 5 goes on to say that if we resist the devil and stand firm in the faith, the God of all grace will restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast. But how do we resist this roaring lion? By looking to Christ.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He met Satan's twisted words and empty claims with the Holy Word; "It is written.." Satan skewed Scripture in a futile attempt to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus refuted him with Truth. It is imperative that we be students of God's Word so we can recognize when Scripture is used out of context or misinterpreted.

We cannot depend on our own strength to resist Satan's enticements; we will surely succumb. Our only hope is to lean on the same omnipotent power of God's Word that our great High Priest used.
-- --
"I write to you...because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one." (1 John 2:14)

Haven Today Ministries ~~

TROUBLE

1 Peter 4:12-19
---
Beloved, do not think
it strange concerning
the fiery trial which
is to try you.
--1 Peter 4:12 -
---
DOES it surprise you that trouble is a part of life? Probably not. We all know trouble close-up and personal--bad health, empty bank account, blighted love, grief, loss of job, and the list goes on.

It shouldn't surprise us, therefore, that God permits the added trials of being ridiculed and hated because we follow Christ (1 Peter 4:12). But trouble, whether it is common to man or unique to Christians, can reveal to us the moral fiber of our soul.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I wouldn't pass it around. I wouldn't be doing anyone a favor. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it...Meet it as a friend, for you'll see a lot of it and you had better be on speaking terms with it."

Let's not think it strange when trouble comes, for God is using it to test the stamina of our souls. The best way to handle trouble is to commit our "souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator" (v.19).

The troubles that we face each day
Reveal how much we need the Lord;
They test our faith and strength of will
And help us then to trust God's Word -
----
Great triumphs are born out of great troubles.

ODB/DDH

Teachers and Soldiers
January 4, 2011

"And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (2 Timothy 2:26) -
--
We are in a great battle for the minds of young people today. The battlefield may be the classroom, or the home, or the church, or the family television, or any place else where teaching--good or bad--takes place.

It is significant that one of the greatest verses on teaching, and one of the greatest on soldiering, occur together. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:2-3). Thus it seems clear that a faithful teacher is a good soldier in the battle of Jesus Christ against the devil for the minds of those we are trying to teach.

The battle is not to be fought with bullets, however, or even with ballots, but with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). Furthermore, our battlefield strategy is not to strike down our enemy with a sharpened tongue or to bludgeon him with a superior intellect. "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man" (Colossians 4:6). Our text for the day gives us reason to continue, for it promises that those whose minds have been ensnared by the devil may yet be recovered. The words just preceding this verse describe our tactics: "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth" (2 Timothy 2:24-25).
--
Not even Satan can stand before the mighty sword of the Spirit, wielded by an apt soldier-teacher.

ICR/HMM

Everlasting God By: Chris Tomlin

You're the defender of the weak

You comfort us in need

You lift us up on wings of eagles....

What!! Rejoice in
Trials and Tribulations?

--"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
JAMES/ Chapter 1:2

"Rejoice to the extent
that you partake of
Christ's sufferings.
--1 Peter 4:13 --
----
MY family and I live in an apartment, so our "flower garden" consists of what we can grow in indoor pots. For a long time our plants would not flower despite watering and fertilizing. Then we discovered that the soil had to be raked and turned over if the plants were to bloom. Now our potted plants are a pure joy to look at with their healthy leaves and blooming flowers.

Sometimes we need a little raking and turning in our own lives to make us bloom. Writing to the harassed believers in his day, "Peter said, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Like the soil in our potted plants, these Christians were having their lives "turned over." God's purpose in doing that was to allow their faith to result in praise and glory to Him at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1:7).

God wants to loosen the things that can choke our lives and that prevent us from radiating joy. To do this, He sometimes has to allow pain and trouble--trials that help stir up the soil of our lives. If this is what you are experiencing today, rejoice. Surrender to His touch and acquire a joy and fruitfulness you never imagined possible.
--
Turning the soil and pulling the weeds
Helps garden flowers to grow,
And if we're to see growth in our lives
Trials and testings we'll know.
-----
Those who bless God in their trials
will be blessed by God through their trials.

ODB/CPH

-Operation Desert Storm ~

During Operation Desert Storm, the Iraqi war machine was overwhelmed by the Coalition Forces' ability to strike strategic targets with never-seen-before accuracy. Unknown to the Iraqis, the Allied Supreme Command had dropped Special Operations Forces (SOF) deep behind enemy lines. These men provided bombing coordinate for military targets and firsthand reports on the effectiveness of subsequent bombing missions.

To avoid unintended targets, pinpoint bombing was often required. A soldier from an SOF unit standing on the ground would request an aircraft high overhead to drop a laser-guided missile. Using a handheld laser, the soldier would point at the target. The missile would hone in on the soldier's target for the hit.

In much the same way, the prayers of Christians focus the attention of the Spiritual Powers on high. ~

--Steve Schertzinger

--SUIT UP !

Ephesians 6:13-21
---
Take up the whole
armor of God, that
you may be able to
withstand in the evil
day, and having done
all, to stand.
---Ephesians 6:13 -
--
WHEN I played American football as a kid, one thing that took some getting used to was all the equipment we had to wear. Running effectively in a helmet, shoulder pads, and a variety of other protective items can feel awkward and clumsy at first. But over time the protective gear becomes like a familiar friend that provides welcome protection against serious injury. When a football player suits up, he knows that his equipment is designed to protect him in battle against a dangerous opponent.

As followers of Christ, we also face a dangerous foe--a spiritual enemy who seeks our downfall and destruction. Fortunately, our Lord has provided us with protection, and He challenges us to 'suit up' for spiritual battle.

In Ephesians 6:13, we read, "Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Paul then describes our armor--helmet, breastplate, shield, sword, belt, and shoes. These pieces of spiritual equipment are effective only if we put them on and use them. Faithfulness in the Word (v.17), in prayer (v.18), and in witness (vv.19-20) are ciritical to making our armor feel like a part of us. So suit up! The battle is on!

Be not weary, Christian warrior,
Buckle on thine armor tight;
Be ye strong and face the battle
In the power of His might. ~~
----
God's armor is tailor-made for you,
but you must put it on.

ODB/BC
[In case you wonder if I literally 'put this armor on'. YES! Every day in my prayer time I begin by putting on the spiritual armor of God. Also, the above scripture does NOT mention any protection for the back. However,it is mentioned in Isaiah 58:8 NASB "...the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard." I also verbally put that on, in Jesus Name.]

Our Way of Escape
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." Psalm 63:1
-----
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. I have been to Palestine and seen stones that looked amazingly like little loaves of bread. I can just see the devil looking on the ground, knowing that Jesus had been fasting for 40 days, and saying, "Well, look here. Just turn this into bread!"

Now, there's nothing wrong with eating bread. In fact, Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread. Yet Jesus had been led into the wilderness to fast and pray and seek the face of God. The devil was trying to put the bread above the will of God, saying "Pamper your flesh." But what he was really saying was, "Commit spiritual suicide." Jesus refused.

ACTION POINT:
Jesus overcame the flesh, and you can, too. He overcame by the Word of God. Take this verse and make every effort to commit it to your memory this week:
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it."

When Tempted, You Have a Choice
Devotional thought from the messages of Adrian Rogers

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." Psalm 63:1 -
--
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know why the devil couldn't get to Jesus in the midst of a 40-day fast when He was starving? He was already satisfied. You see, Jesus didn't have an itch that the devil could scratch.

Temptation really comes down to this: A temptation is an inducement by the devil to satisfy a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way. That's all there is to it. Take a God-given desire and satisfy it in a God-forbidden way. The devil says, "Hey you've got a need, and I can satisfy it."

When tempted, you are given a choice. Do you get that need satisfied by the devil, or by the Lord? You see, the devil is a pervert. He has no raw material. All he can do is take what God has created and pervert it.

ACTION POINT:
Do you want to overcome temptation? Find out the legitimate way to satisfy that desire, and then you will not need the illegitimate way.

--Take Me Out of the Dark
--Lead me, Lord...

'Take me out of the dark, I don't want to be there...

No, No, No...I want to live for you.

All through my life, lead me Lord.'

There Is A Spiritual Warfare Going On!

Genesis 15:1 tells us:
Do not be afraid...I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.

God is our shield and our reward.

--JUST AS I AM /Brian Doreksen
--
(very graphic of our Lord's betrayal and arrest, and crucifixion.)

Just as I am without one plea

But that thy blood was shed for me...

And that thou bidst me come to thee,

Oh Lamb of God, I Come, I come....



If you do not recognize this story from the Bible, I highly recommend you read MARK Chapters 14,15,16 --
Jesus before His Accusers, Peter's denail of knowing Jesus, three times, as the Lord told him earlier he would do, Jesus before Pilate, and Jesus mocked, and the crucifixion.

--KEEP ME
FROM WRATH ~

Psalm 37:8-11
---
"Cease from anger,
and forsake wrath."
--Psalm 37:8 -
---
I have a friend whose note cards are imprinted with a picture of Rodin's 'The Thinker', the famous sculpture depicting a man in sober reflection. Below the picture is this inscription: "Life is not fair."

Indeed, it is not! And any theory that insists that this life is fair is illusory and deceptive.

Despite the overwhelming unfairness of life, however, David in Psalm 37 prays that he will not retaliate but will instead rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him to bring justice to the earth in due time (vs.7). "For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth" (v.9).

Our wrath tends to be vindictive and punitive. God's wrath is untainted by self-interest and tempered by mercy. His wrath can even be His relentless love that brings our antagonists to repentance and faith. We must not then avenge ourselves, "for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord...Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:19,21).

This must begin in the heart, the wellspring from which the issues of our lives flow. May we cease from anger, forsake wrath, and wait patiently for the Lord.

Lord, help me not retaliate
When someone wants to pick a fight;
Instead, give me the strength and faith
To show Your love and do what's right.
----
Revenge restrained is a victory gained.

ODB/DR

--How To Protect Your Family from the Enemy -

"Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake invain."
-- Psalm 127:1 --

Several years ago, a gentleman walked up to me at church and told me about a lady he had met on an airplane. And he noticed that this lady next to him bowed her head as the plane was taking off and offered a prayer.

So he turned to her and said, "Are you a Christian? I noticed that you were praying." She answered, "No, I'm not a
Christian. I'm a Satanist!"

And he said, "Well, what do Satanists pray about?" She
replied, "We pray, for one thing, for the demise of the
family."

That is Satan's attack! Satan's grand plan is to dethrone God, to deface mankind, and to destroy the home. But God knew this before Satan even came into being. So he promises you and me that if he is the center of our home, he'll protect us from the evil one. But if God is not the center of your home, then you and your family are powerless against the devil.

When it comes to your family, remember that Satan would love to
destroy it. But take comfort that families who seek shelter in
God's loving arms will be safe!
--
ONE OF SATAN'S KEY TACTICS IS TO DESTROY THE FAMILY. SO MAKE GOD THE CENTER OF YOUR HOME AND YOU'LL BE PROTECTED FROM HIS ATTACK.~

--Power Point

--Stand Strong in the face of persecution
By: Jack Graham

"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and
utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account."
-- Matthew 5:11 -

All around the world, many of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are waking up not knowing if they'll die for their faith today. And when they lay their heads down tonight, they'll thank God that they made it through one more day of living under intense persecution.

You know, I sometimes find myself wondering what would happen if persecution like that broke out against Christians here in the U.S.

I wonder if churches would be packed with faithful believers who risk their lives to simply worship, or if they would be emptied as the convenience of 'safe worship' is taken away.

But as I read the Bible, one thing is clear: Christ never promises his faithful people an easy road of faith. And if you live for Jesus Christ and stand for him, you will likely suffer, to some extent, for what you believe.

We are so blessed here in this part of the world to have the freedoms we do. But at some point, it's very possible God will have you suffer for your faith. And if God's path for your life leads to suffering, persecution, or even death, he knows what he's doing and he knows where he's leading you.

It's been said many times that the will of God will never lead
us where the grace of God cannot keep us. So when persecution or suffering comes in your life, trust fully in God's grace that your victory has already been won in Christ!

STAND STRONG IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION KNOWING THAT THE VICTORY IS YOURS IN CHRIST.--

--Overcoming Satan's Evil Schemes, in Christ Jesus!

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.
-- Ephesians 6:12--

There are many people today, even some in the church, who doubt Satan exists. They look at the devil as some kind of medieval superstition that's equivalent with monsters or the bogeyman. But the fact that Jesus believed and taught that there is a devil should be all the information we need to know that the devil is real.

Now, I have no doubt the devil loves it when people deny his
existence. His greatest strategy is to pull the cloak of darkness over his activity because if you don't recognize him, you can't do battle with him!

Here in today's passage, the apostle Paul tells us that Satan
has a kingdom and rulers in that kingdom. Now, the kingdom of Satan is all around us. It's the world's system that's
diametrically opposed to Christ.

Jesus called the devil the prince of this world. So while Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of the world, he's given Satan dominion over the world in its fallen state until he comes back to defeat the devil and rule forever.

But in the meantime, God has given you all the tools you need to do battle against Satan's kingdom-against the rulers,
authorities, and the cosmic powers who rule in it. But to adequately do battle, you must rely on God's Spirit inside of you who gives you the strength to resist Satan and have victory in Christ!

OVERCOME SATAN'S SCHEMES BY LIVING LIFE IN THE SPIRIT AND
YOU'LL HAVE YOUR VICTORY IN CHRIST!-

-The Heartbreaking
Reality of Hell ~~
By: Franklin Graham
---
My father has said, "Some teach 'universalism'-- that eventually everybody will be saved and the God of love will never send anyone to hell. They believe the words eternal or everlasting do not actually mean forever.

This is what pastor and author Rob Bell and many others are teaching. Bell, in fact, has invoked my father's name in recent interviews talking about a new book he has written reflecting his own doubts about the existence of hell.

However, my father has pointed out, "the same word which speaks of eternal banishment from God is also used for the eternity of Heaven." The Bible speaks more about hell than about Heaven.

Why would God's Word put such an emphasis on hell? Because God sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. Those who acknowledge and repent of their sin will receive forgiveness and eternal salvation and the hope of Heaven forever.

God does not want anyone to perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16), but He does not force His salvation on anyone. He gives men and women the choice of accepting what He offers--His everlasting forgiveness and eternal love.

Some claim that evangelical Christians take pride in the fact that they are going to Heaven, and those who believe differently are bound for hell. The redeemed of Christ have no claim apart from the Word of the Living God.

Before He ascended into Heaven, Christ said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned " (Mark 16:15-16, NKJ). The Bible says that God wants all people to be saved, but the Bible also warns, "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15 NKJV).

This is why believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must preach the whole Gospel. Christ did die for "all," but not "all" will receive the grace and free gift that He offers.
---
Christians are to be obedient and tell others about salvation in Christ. Then we are to leave the results to God.

-On Eschewing Evil
By: Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it” (I Peter 3:10,11).
--
The venerable English word “eschew” is not used much these days, perhaps because there is not much evil that people eschew any more. Nevertheless, a wonderful formula is couched in this terminology in our text. If anyone desires to “see good days,” then he should “eschew evil,” even in his speech, and instead “do good.”

The Greek word translated “eschew” here is ekklineo, meaning “incline away from.” That is, instead of having an attitude that “inclines toward” evil, as the world does, the Christian’s inclination must be its polar opposite.

The word is used only two other times in the New Testament. “Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17). We are not only to eschew evil words and deeds, but also evil men who teach things contrary to God’s word. The other occurrence refers to what ungodly men eschew. “They are all gone out of the way . . . there is none that doeth good” (Romans 3:12). Here ekklineo is translated “gone out of the way.” The ungodly eschew doing good; those who would love real life and see good days must do good and eschew evil.

That such an attitude honors and pleases God is especially evident from His thrice-repeated testimony concerning the patriarch Job, a man that “feared God and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1,8; 2:3), “a perfect and an upright man.” Job saw some bad days, of course, but there were far more good days of great blessing until he finally died “full of days” (Job 42:17). Like Job, let us eschew—shun, avoid, run away from—evil in any form.
-- HMM

-THROW THE
BOOK AT HIM!

Matthew 4:1-11
---
Then Jesus was led
up by the Spirit into
the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil.
--Matthew 4:1
--
Things were off to a great start for Jesus at the beginning of His ministry. In Matthew 3, He was baptized and heard the affirming words of His Father, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (v.17). But then things took a turn for the worse.

What happened next--Jesus' temptation in the wilderness--was not a mere coincidence. The Holy Spirit led Him into this face-off between the powers of heaven and hell. Thankfully, Jesus' victory in the face of temptation provides an example when we find ourselves in the wilderness of Satan's seductions.

Notice that the tempter caught Jesus at a time when He was tired and hungry. Satan uses the same tactic with us. Waiting for those vulnerable moments, he lures us with the bait of suggestions that offer quick relief and opportunities for self-advancement. When facing such challenges, it's imporant to follow Jesus' example--throw "the Book" at Satan! Jesus responded to temptation by quoting Scripture: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4; see Deut. 8:3). The Bible is full of verses about greed, lying, and other sins. If we tuck them away in our memory, we can use them when under attack. It's our best chance for success!

If we never faced the tempter
With his sharp and fiery sting,
We would never know the victory
That our trust in God can bring.
---
When Satan strikes,
strike back with the Word of God!-
ODB/JS

-TIME FOR
THE ARMOR

Ephesians 6:10-18
--
Take...the sword
of the Spirit, which
is the Word of God.
--Ephesians 6:17
---
I discovered rather quickly that a young boy quoting Scripture in a children's program at church didn't know much about the Bible. He was quoting Ephesians 6:17 from our study on spiritual armor: "Take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

When he tried quoting the reference, he said, "I didn't think I needed to memorize the numbers, since that's just the time of day." That's what he thought the numbers meant since it was close to 6:17 p.m. at the time! I smiled, opened my Bible, and showed him that the numbers refer to the chapter and verse.

While knowing the Bible reference is helpful, hiding God's Word in our hearts is what is truly important (Ps. 119:11). Memorizing Scripture allows us to have it in mind so we can ward off Satan's attacks (Eph. 6:10-18). For instance, when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Christ withstood him by quoting the Scriptures (Matt. 4:1-11). Likewise, when we are tempted to disobey God, we can recall what we've learned and choose to obey. We can also share the teachings of the Word with others to encourage them to trust Him too.

No matter what time of day it is, we should always take the spiritual armor of the Word of God with us. ~~
---
No evil can penetrate the armor of God.

ODB/AC

Excerpt from Zion's Fire/The Islamic Revolution
Muslims Vs. Christians ~

Of all the sudden changes sweeping the planet, developments in the Mideast are the most intriguing. In the space of less than two months the entire Islamic region erupted in rebellion and violence. Where will it all end? Is this alleged movement toward democracy genuine, as the media would have us believe? Or, is a hidden hand orchestrating events with a diabolical purpose in mind?

Here are some things to watch for in the days ahead as events continue to unfold. Take special note of (a) how the uprisings are affecting Christians in the region; (b) whether hostility toward Israel and the Jews will increase; and (c) in what ways these developments will advance the cause of the "new world order."

MUSLIMS VS. CHRISTIANS -

In early March, another 13 people were wounded and 140 killed in fighting that broke out in Egypt as a result of a church being burned down by Muslims. Surprisingly, this massacre gained some international attention as CNN briefly covered the story. In every case involving conflict between Arab Muslims and Christians that I am aware of, Muslims have been the instigators and primary aggressors.

Evangelist Franklin Graham, who has been involved in ministry work throughtout northern Africa and has firsthand insight regarding the goals and atrocities of Islam, directly warned Americans in March 18th interview with Newsmax:

'The Muslim Brotherhood is very strong and active here in our country...We have these people advising our military and State Department. We've brought in Muslims to tell us how to make policy toward Muslim countries. It's like a farmer asking a fox, "How do I protect my hen house?'

When asked whether President Barack Obama was doing enough to protect Christians at home and abroad, Graham responded.

'No. If anything it's the opposite. Muslims are protected more in this country than Christians...The president has made many statements but he doesn't back them up. We have to do more to protect the Christians in the Muslim world. Their lives are in danger.'

Graham went on to note,

Under [Egypt's Hosni] Mubarak and [Jordan's] King Hussein and other moderate leaders, Christians had been protected...Eleven million Christians live in Egypt and I fear for them, because if the Muslim Brotherhood comes to power, you're going to see a great exodus of Christians. Same thing in Tunisia and Lebanon. I fear for the church because the Muslim Brotherhood is going to be a very terrible thing.'

--(from article: 'Is This the Beginning of Sorrows?')

-Fighting Life's Spiritual Battles ~~

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.
(Ephesians 6:12)-

Some of the most inspiring things I see today are the videos of our soldiers over in the Middle East. Just watching the pressure they face from the extreme heat and the sacrifice they pay, I'm so glad they're protecting our freedoms. I've also met area soldiers and have seen the toll their absence takes on their families as they kiss their kids and their wives goodbye and march off under the orders of their Commander-in-Chief.

It just goes with the territory of being a soldier to endure the hardship, heartache, and heartbreak of sacrificing yourself for the sake of others. And as a soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ, you and I are called to do the same. Our Commander-in-Chief has said, "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow after me"
(Matthew 16:24).

You and I are in a war today. It's a life-and-death struggle
with eternal consequences. Our Savior, Jesus, bled to death and
sacrificed himself for this war. And he calls us to follow him!

So as you live the Christian life, remember that God has called you to fight a war. And as you live your life on mission for Christ, you can fight this war with the confidence that your Commander knows your sacrifice and will bring you to ultimate victory!

FIGHT THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE OF LIFE WITH SACRIFICE AND THE FULL
CONFIDENCE THAT JESUS WILL BRING YOU TO ULTIMATE VICTORY!

--Jack Graham

-It's Half Past Late

-BIBLE MEDITATION:
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:6-

-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The word sober has become a one-definition word these days--to be free from alcohol. But in Bible times, the word sober meant to be serious-minded about the things of God.

It's half past late and Satan knows it. Now you need to know it, too. Do you think that the closer we get to Christ's return, Satan is just going to roll over and play dead? Absolutely not.

Revelation 12:12 says that Satan is going to come in "great wrath" because he knows there is but little time left. You are going to see all of the artillery of hell let loose upon the believer as Christ readies for His return.

-ACTION POINT:
It's time to wake up, time is passing; look up, Jesus is coming; and sober up, Satan is working.

"Lift up your eyes, your redemption draweth nigh."

--Adrian Rogers

-His Doom Is Sure

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44)

The third verse of "A Might Fortress Is Our God" focuses on Satan's end. God has willed triumph through His truth.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear; for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim--We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

When Satan was cast from heaven, fully a third of the angels fell with him (Revelation 12:4), such that a "legion" of them could inhabit one individual (Mark 5:9). But God has other plans for His children. He desires "to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). He desires us to "resist the devil" (James 4:7), and not "give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27).

He also has plans for Satan, including "everlasting chains under darkness" (Jude 6), and "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Just one word and Satan will be "cast into the lake of fire and . . . tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).

Jesus, anticipating His execution, spoke of it triumphantly. This had been His Father's will all along. "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:31-32), and now the battle is His.
--JDM

We are fighting a 'Spiritual War', NOW!

Living on the offensive against the evil one ~

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
-1 John 4:4

I love the story of "Shug" Jordan, who was the football
coach at Auburn years ago. He and a recruiter were talking to some young ball players and the recruiter said, "There's a
certain kind of athlete that when you knock him down on the field, he stays down. Well, we don't want him, do we, Coach?"

And Coach Jordan said, "Nope."

Then the recruiter said, "But there's another kind of
athlete that when you knock him down, he gets back up. But you knock him down again, he stays down. We don't him either, do we, Coach?"

Coach Jordan said, "No, we don't want him either."

Then he said, "But there's another athlete that when you
knock him down, he gets up. You knock him down again, he gets up again. You knock him down, he gets up! That's the guy we want, isn't it, Coach?"

Coach Jordan said, "No, we don't want him either!"

So the recruiter said, "Well, who on earth do we want?"

Jordan replied, "We want the guy who's knocking everybody
down[b]!"[/b]

In life's spiritual battle, you're much more than just a
punching bag for Satan. You have the power of Christ in you to live in full victory over the evil one. So live on the
offensive against the enemy by declaring God's power in your life each day!

GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE POWER TO LIVE IN VICTORY OVER SATAN. SO LIVE ON THE OFFENSIVE BY DECLARING GOD'S SPIRUTAL POWER IN YOUR LIFE EVERY DAY!-

--Jack Graham ~

Our True Enemy

BIBLE MEDITATION:
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12-
-
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
So many times we have a falling out with someone, and we want to argue with that person rather than attacking the devil that caused the ruckus in the first place. Would to God that we would have the insight to see that our battle is not with flesh and blood even in a global sense, but our battle is
with Satan. If we don't see that, we are going to lose the war.

Now, I'm not saying that our nation shouldn't be prepared and ready, but we cannot shoot down an idea with a bullet. The only thing that will kill an idea or philosophy is a better idea--the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

-ACTION POINT:
Take this truth with you today:
Martin Luther wrote, "And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure. One little word shall fell him."

--Adrian Rogers

That Is So True!

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12-

Just A Big Coincidence?

Lucifer Publishing know known as Lucis Trust?
That sounds pretty Biblical of what the Bible says is coming in the last days.

Lucis Trust One World Religion 2009 Part 1/2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViVI7cMZoD8&feature=related

What is the Lucis or Lucifer Trust?

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Illuminati/lucifer_trust.htm

The Antichrist Maitreya's Commercial On CNN _ History Channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViVI7cMZoD8&feature=related

-Rules for War
Conflict & Opposition

Deuteronomy 20:1-10
--
"Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic. For the Lord..is the ONE WHO GOES WITH YOU..." (Deuteronomy 20:3-4)

The heading in my Bible for Deuteronomy 20 is "Rules for War." It brings to mind a friend, a Major in the USMC, showing me the battle strategy he followed during the Vietnam War. He said that while he lost men in battle, more would have been lost if they hadn't followed the plan set before them. Embedded within them were the rules they learned in training and later applied to combat.

Isn't that a good analogy for our spiritual battles, too? We face times of conflict and opposition. We feel outnumbered, helpless. As God reminded the Israelites of His presence, He also assures us that He is with us through all our conflicts and dangers. That's why He sent His Son right here to walk among us--to show us firsthand that "the Lord is the one who goes with us."

Jesus Himself used the Word of God to oppose Satan and his evil tactics (Matthew 4:1-11), shouldn't we consider doing the same? Apply the trustworthy Word--much more than a book of rules--to battle with the enemy. No need to be fainthearted.
---
When you feel the lack of hope, renew yourself in God's promise of strength and presence.

--Haven Today

-Stand Ye Still

"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem . . . to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you." (2 Chronicles 20:17)

The Ammorites and Moabites and Edomites had organized "a great multitude" seeking to destroy Judah under King Jehoshaphat. But the king and his people came together to "seek the LORD" in prayer for deliverance, and God answered. "The Spirit of the LORD" spoke through Jahaziel, assuring them that "the battle is not yours, but God's" (see 2 Chronicles 20:2, 4,14-15).

Then the Lord sent what may have seemed a strange instruction. "Stand ye still," He said. Just watch God do it! And He did. All their enemies were constrained by the Lord to fight and destroy each other, without the Israelites having to fight at all. Similarly, at the Red Sea when everything looked hopeless, "Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13). So they did, and all Pharaoh's armies were overthrown in the midst of the sea.

In Isaiah's day, when Israel was tempted to call on pagan Egypt for help against pagan Assyria, God said concerning Israel's armies, "Their strength is to sit still" (Isaiah 30:7). As the ship was being buffeted in the storm, and the sailors in panic were about to flee in the lifeboat, Paul said, "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved" (Acts 27:31). So they stayed, and God spared every man.

There are times for action, of course, but the principle is this. When we have done all we can, and the situation seems hopeless, this is the time to sit still and trust God to work it out in His own good way.

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Got any rivers you think are uncrossable? God specializes in things thought impossible!
--HMM

-Fear of Global Calamity
By: Max Lucado

“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24: 4-8 NIV)

Things are going to get bad, really bad, before they get better. And when conditions worsen, “See to it that you are not alarmed” (v. 6 NIV). Jesus chose a stout term for alarmed that he used on no other occasion. It means “to wail, to cry aloud,” as if Jesus counseled the disciples, “Don’t freak out when bad stuff happens.”

Jesus equipped his followers with farsighted courage. He listed the typhoons of life and then pointed them “to the end.” Trust in ultimate victory gives ultimate courage. Author Jim Collins makes reference to this outlook in his book 'Good to Great'. Collins tells the story of Admiral James Stockdale, who was a prisoner of war for eight years during the Vietnam War. After Stockdale’s release Collins asked him how in the world he survived eight years in a prisoner-of-war camp.

He replied, “I never lost faith in the end of the story. I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”

Collins then asked, “Who didn’t make it out?” Admiral Stockdale replied, “Oh, that’s easy. The
optimists. . . . they were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’ And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’ And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.”

Real courage embraces the twin realities of current difficulty and ultimate triumph. Yes, life stinks. But it won’t forever. As one of my friends likes to say, “Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.”

Though the church is winnowed down like Gideon’s army, though God’s earth is buffeted by climate changes and bloodied by misfortune, though creation itself seems stranded on the Arctic seas, don’t overreact. “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes” (Ps. 37:7 NLT).
________________________________
From Fearless
(Thomas Nelson, 2009) Max Lucado

-Bad News-Good News
-John 16:16-33

"'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.'"
--(John 16:33)

These well-known words of Jesus present the "bad news" and the "good news" one right after the other. There is no escaping that it is a world of chaos and hurt we live in. But there is also no escaping the encouraging, triumphant words that Jesus has overcome this world and its trouble.

Jesus spoke to His disciples of life's hardship's, assuring them that He was with them and would carry them through. They were to take courage; they were not alone. A colleague in ministry called and said, "I have so many people waiting for help; my answering machine is on overload. I can't get to them all!" God's servants often carry such a heavy load. These are the burdens Jesus urged us to cast on Him.

When things are going well, do you assume bad times are just around the corner? You may not be far from wrong. But take heart! And take the good news of Jesus Christ for your wearied soul. There is no amount of evil that He has not overcome. Cast your every agony on Him.

-Nothing in our lives is beyond the reach of His love, His grace, and His care.

--Haven Today

- 911-HELP! ~~
Nahum 1:1-13

"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."
(Nahum 1:7)

IF you grew up during the years of the "cold war," you know the sobering fear of a nuclear exchange with other nations. That threat still exists along with other horrible realities of evil that could destroy our world. Nahum writes about God's judgment upon such evil and also that God has established boundaries and rules for living. When man violates those rules, there will be judgment. God reminds us that ultimately justice will be served; He will settle all accounts.

Tucked within these words of warning are words of hope. When the outlook is bleak, Nahum reminds us that God is good, He is a refuge, and He cares. Putting our trust in Him gives us hope.

I sat with a despondent police officer. It was discovered that while on duty he had taken the bullets out of his weapon, hoping a criminal might take his life instead. Over many months of coffee and talking, one evening I just said, "There is nowhere else to go but to God."-
And he did! Our Helper and Rescuer is right at hand.
--
How thankful we are to know that God has given us time to turn to Him.~~

--Haven Today

Allowing God to Hold You Accountable ~~
By: Jack Graham

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."
Colossians 3:15

I love baseball. For me, there's nothing better on a nice summer afternoon than catching a game at the ballpark. Now, there are several roles that must be filled on the baseball field for the game to run properly. Sure, you have your players and your coaches, but one of the most important people in the contest is the umpire.

An umpire keeps the peace in a ball game. An umpire makes sure that the teams are playing by the rules. And when someone steps out of the confines of the rules, the umpire is the one who holds them accountable through penalties and outs.

Now, in today's passage, the word rule carries the sense of "umpire." That is, "... let the peace of Christ
umpire your hearts...." You see, when you're walking in the will of God, the peace of God lives in you. But the moment you
step out of bounds, the peace of God says, "You're out!"

There's no peace when you're outside of the will of God.
There's only hurt and pain. And when you feel that hurt and
pain, that's God holding you accountable for stepping out of
bounds.

If you want to know God's peace, walk in His will. And if you
step out of His will, allow Him to hold you accountable so that you can be fully restored!

BE OPEN TO GOD'S ACCOUNTABILITY IN YOUR LIFE BY WALKING IN HIS WILL AND KEEPING HIS PEACE IN YOUR HEARTS.
-----
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us." 1 JOHN 1:9-10

-The Ruler Is Cast Out
-JOHN 12:27-32

When Christ was hanging on the cross, Satan was celebrating. He thought he'd won a strategic battle against God. But instead, the Enemy was defeated decisively.

However, we don't always feel as if Satan has been conquered. That's because we still struggle against the principalities and powers in this world. You see, the Enemy was not annihilated at the cross—that will happen later (Rev. 20:2, 10). For now, he continues to reign over those who are without Christ. Yet his power over believers was broken at Calvary. As Christians, we are not of this world, but rather, we're part of God's kingdom (John 17:16). Therefore, the Lord has sole control of our destiny.

But remember that Satan is a deceiver. He wants people to believe he reigns supreme on earth—and to be disheartened when they look around at the havoc he wreaks. Indeed, Jesus does call him "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31). But don't miss the rest of the verse, which says the ruler "will be cast out."

The Devil cannot make believers sin. He can tempt and taunt but is powerless to force disobedience (Rom. 6:14). Moreover, Satan cannot condemn Christ's followers (Rom. 8:1). He'll incite guilt in your heart if you let him, but that doesn't change the fact that you are a saved, beloved, and heaven-bound child of God.

When Jesus was here, Satan gave it his best shot to destroy God's plan and power on earth. He failed miserably. The Enemy was defeated when the Lord humbly paid the price for mankind's sin debt—past, present, and future—and rose in triumph over death. Believers share in the victory. JESUS IS LORD!

--In Touch

-FATHER OF LIES

John 8:37-47
---
When [the devil]
speaks a lie, he
speaks from his own
resources, for he is a
liar and the father of
it.--John 8:44 -
~~~~~
Satan's sway over mankind began when he turned the minds of Adam and Eve against God. In order to pull it off, he had to lie to them about God--and they had to fall for it. In that defining moment, he lied to them about God's goodness, God's Word, and God's intentions (Gen. 3:1-6).

Satan is still up to his old tricks. Jesus said that when the devil "speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar" (John 8:44). It should not be surprising, then, that when trouble interrupts our lives, the father of lies whispers in our ears and suddenly we are questioning God's goodness. When we are told to follow His commands, we wonder if His Word is really true in the first place.

When Jesus tells us things like, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth" (Matt. 6:19), Satan tells us that the good life is about piling up things here, causing us to doubt God's good intentions.

Our problem is that we, like Adam and Eve, believe Satan's lies. And when we do, our loyalty to God is compromised. Then our enemy slithers off to his next assignment, leaving us alone to face our regrets and the realization that his lies have seduced us away from our truest Friend.
Who have you been listening to lately?
---
The power of Satan is no match
for the power of God's Word.

ODB/JS

-Winning in Warfare
-1 TIMOTHY 1:18

After September 11, 2001, our country declared war against terrorism. Initially, this effort monopolized headlines and kept many of us glued to the television. Ten years later, there is far less publicity about the struggle, but we are far from experiencing international peace.

These are trying, uncertain times—and not just on a global scale. As believers, we face warfare constantly, wrestling with sin and its consequences. Continually at a crossroads, we are faced with a decision: Will we follow Jesus or let the pressures of life turn our loyalty elsewhere?

In any war—whether renewed tensions in the Middle East or our own spiritual battle—there are several actions essential for victory. Today, we will focus on the first tactic: knowing our Enemy and the way he operates. In his desire to draw us away from the Lord, the Devil attempts to bring doubt, sin, guilt, and destruction to our lives. He deceives, divides, and destroys.

Christians must stay alert with regard to the Enemy. When we are reading the Word, praying, and spending time with other believers, good protection is in place. By memorizing Scripture, we have truth in our hearts to shield us against deception. In addition, we can tell Satan to flee in the name of Christ (Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17).

Are you in a vulnerable position where the Adversary has easy access? Make sure your life is firm upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Unless you purposefully stay close to Him, the Devil will draw you away from God. Be like a branch that stays attached to the vine so that victory is yours.

--In Touch

-The King's Battle is Spiritual
-Ephesians 6:10-18

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
--(Ephesians 6:12, KJV) -

The devil was so real for Martin Luther that he threw his inkwell at him. The ink stain can still be seen on the wall of his study!

We need to know that our struggles against sin and wickedness are a battle against demonic forces. "The battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicles 20:15). If we think the struggle is solely our responsibility, we may become introspective and despairing.

Knowing that the battle is spiritual is a challenge to harness God's power in our lives through prayer. Put on the armor of God. As the foot soldiers of the King, trust Him and do the next thing. Paul urges us to behave like men (1 Corinthians 16:13), reminding us that God works in us to will and to act...Someone else once said, "Pray as if it is all God's responsibility, and act as if it is up to you alone."

David, facing Goliath, was strengthened knowing that "You came against me with sword and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty" (1 Samuel 17:45).
---
We look forward to that last day when, "The strife is o'er, the battle done;
Now is the Victor's triumph won." (author unknown, 1695)

--Haven Today

-Don't Mess with the Bible!!

Be disturbed! Be very disturbed!! There is an all-out war against Christianity. Read about the latest outrageous move, and this time it is targeted against God's Holy Word.

From Atlas Shrugs:

New Bible Versions REMOVE ‘Father’ and ‘Son Of God’ Because It Offends Muslims

"Mainline Christian organizations are changing their holy scripture to avoid offending Muslims. Not only does this violate their scripture, but it also defeats the purpose of their mission--to share the Gospel. If mainline Christian organizations fear Muslims so much that they have to edit what they believe to be the Word of God, how far can they be from submission? Where are the righteous, the outraged, the proud?

It is Islamic authorities who should be excising the quran and hadith of the ideology that calls for jihad, genocide, subjugation and oppression of women, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and all non-Muslims. It is the ummah who should be calling for sharia bans. Instead, the Christians are bastardizing their scripture? The Muslims refer to Christians in their daily prayers as 'those who are led astray' (Muslims curse Christians and Jews multiple times in daily prayers). This madness validates their contempt and supremacism:


'Concerned Christian missionaries, Bible translators, pastors, and national church leaders have come together with a public petition to stop these organizations. They claim a public petition is their last recourse because meetings with these organizations’ leaders, staff resignations over this issue and criticism and appeals from native national Christians concerned about the translations “have failed to persuade these agencies to retain “Father” and “Son” in the text of all their translations.”

Biblical Missiology, a ministry of Boulder, Colorado-based Horizon International, is sponsoring the petition. The main issues of this controversy surround new Arabic and Turkish translations. Here are three examples native speakers give:

First, Wycliffe and SIL have produced Stories of the Prophets, an Arabic Bible that uses an Arabic equivalent of “Lord” instead of “Father” and “Messiah” instead of “Son.”

Second, Frontiers and SIL have produced Meaning of the Gospel of Christ , an Arabic translation which removes “Father” in reference to God and replaces it with “Allah,” and removes or redefines “Son.”

For example, the verse which Christians use to justify going all over the world to make disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) reads, “Cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit” instead of “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Rev. Bassam Madany, an Arab American who runs Middle East Resources, terms these organization’s efforts as “a western imperialistic attempt that’s inspired by cultural anthropology, and not by biblical theology.” (more here)


Report: American Bible translators bowdlerize scriptures to avoid offending Muslims: no "Father" and "Son" Jihadwatch

'If this is true, for the parties they are trying not to offend, anything short of Islam -- of professing that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is his messenger -- would be "offensive." This is not making Christianity more palatable. It is de-Christianizing it. It is manufacturing yet another Christian heresy.

Indeed, for many denominations, the validity of baptism depends on the words used: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." No euphemisms, no nicknames: for example, trial balloons aiming to portray a more gender-neutral God have already been burst: the use of "Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier" in baptism has been rejected by the Catholic Church, if not others.

Those who truly believe they are winning souls for Christ would not risk the validity of baptism, and those who are genuinely convinced that they possess the truth will not apologize or worry it is offensive.

As a technical matter, one wonders how the translators handle the words: "Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son" (1 John 2:22). And "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:33).
One last bit of holy writ: "You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward." - James Thurber

"'Father' and 'Son' Ousted from the Trinity in New Bible Translations," by Hussein Hajj Wario for the Yahoo! Contributor Network, January 27 (thanks to CGW):

A controversy is brewing over three reputable Christian organizations, which are based in North America, whose efforts have ousted the words "Father" and "Son" from new Bibles. Wycliffe Bible Translators, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Frontiers are under fire for "producing Bibles that remove "Father," "Son" and "Son of God" because these terms are offensive to Muslims." Concerned Christian missionaries, Bible translators, pastors, and national church leaders have come together with a public petition to stop these organizations. They claim a public petition is their last recourse because meetings with these organizations' leaders, staff resignations over this issue and criticism and appeals from native national Christians concerned about the translations "have failed to persuade these agencies to retain "Father" and "Son" in the text of all their translations."'

Clearly, they fail to appreciate the far-reaching ramifications that Christians not only may dare, but are commanded to call on the Creator of the Universe as 'Father.' That fundamentally re-wires one's relationship with God and describes a unique intimacy and bond of love that ought not be squandered to score short-term points.


'Biblical Missiology, a ministry of Boulder, Colorado-based Horizon International, is sponsoring the petition.

The main issues of this controversy surround new Arabic and Turkish translations. Here are three examples native speakers give:

First, Wycliffe and SIL have produced Stories of the Prophets, an Arabic Bible that uses an Arabic equivalent of "Lord" instead of "Father" and "Messiah" instead of "Son."

Second, Frontiers and SIL have produced Meaning of the Gospel of Christ , an Arabic translation which removes "Father" in reference to God and replaces it with "Allah," and removes or redefines "Son." For example, the verse which Christians use to justify going all over the world to make disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) reads, "Cleanse them by water in the name of Allah, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit" instead of "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Rev. Bassam Madany, an Arab American who runs Middle East Resources, terms these organization's efforts as "a western imperialistic attempt that's inspired by cultural anthropology, and not by biblical theology."

Third, Frontiers and SIL have produced a new Turkish translation of the Gospel of Matthew that uses Turkish equivalents of "guardian" for "Father" and "representative" or "proxy" for "Son." To Turkish church leader Rev. Fikret Böcek, "This translation is 'an all-American idea' with absolutely no respect for the 'sacredness' of Scripture, or even of the growing Turkish church."

SIL has issued a public response stating "all personnel subscribe to a statement of faith which affirms the Trinity, Christ's deity, and the inspiration of Scripture." However, in the same statement, which is similar to Wycliffe's, it claims "word-for-word translation of these titles would communicate an incorrect meaning (i.e. that God had physical, sexual relationships with Mary) [sic]," thus justifying substituting "Father" and "Son" in new translations. Calls and emails to Wycliffe and SIL to clarify their positions were not returned. Frontiers responded to calls with articles that critics have already dismissed as skirting omissions of "Father" and "Son" in new Bible translations.'

The point about sexual connotations is baloney. Many of these countries have, or once had indigenous Christian populations with scriptures in indigenous languages where this was not a problem. If they're coming up with something untoward, they need better translators."

Posted by Debra Moore / Exposing Liberal Lies

-THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST
-By: David Wilkerson
-[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Our Savior exists as a man right now in glory. He is a living person—with flesh, bone, hair, eyes—even though He is God. Although we are here on earth, His Spirit dwells within us: “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’”
--(Galatians 4:6).

Yet, there is another spirit at work in the world—the
antichrist spirit. Just as surely as Christ has given us His Spirit, there is an antichrist spirit in the world, preparing hearts for the coming of the Man of Sin!

"And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world" (1 John 4:3). John is saying, "You have heard about the coming of the Antichrist. It has been preached and taught, and you expect
his arrival. But, beloved, wake up, because the spirit of antichrist is already at work!"

Understand, the Antichrist will not suddenly appear on the scene and overwhelm humankind. Rather, his spirit is mysteriously at work now, setting up his kingdom in cold, compromising hearts. When he finally appears, he will be
publicly revealed to a world already prepared for him, to hearts his spirit already possesses!

Right now we see a growing antichrist sentiment, but soon this will turn into a flowing stream and, eventually, a vast ocean. The antichrist spirit is invading the hearts of many apostate Christians even now. "But how?" you ask. "Why would
certain Christians ever turn to the Antichrist?" It is because they are like-minded with him.

John writes: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. . . . Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour" (1 John 2:15-18).

John is warning us that those who still love the things of this world have opened themselves to the spirit of antichrist. He is saying, "You know these are the last days because so many are full of the covetous, antichrist spirit!"

-THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S
-By: David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

No matter what kind of trouble you are in, you simply cannot extricate yourself from it in your own power.

In order to understand how God delivers us from afflictions, we must study how He delivered Israel from their bondage. The Bible says: "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they are written for our admonition”.
-- 1 Corinthians 10:11).

Everything that happened to Israel—their bondage, trials, and deliverance out of Egypt—are testimonies and examples to us today. The Lord told Moses, "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them . . .” (Exodus 3:7-8).

God’s Word clearly says here, "I know their sorrows." Beloved, if that does not give you comfort in your affliction, nothing will. The Lord is saying, "I know what you're going through, but this is not your battle. The devil, is too much for you, so I have come down to deliver you!"

"I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your
God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore" (Exodus 6:6-8).

Try all you want to deliver yourself—dream, scheme and manipulate—but in the end, God says, "This is My work!"

When David came against the giant, he said:"Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).

David did not take matters into his own hands and say, "I’m going to bite the bullet and do this in my own strength." No! He knew this was the Lord’s battle.
---
"Cast all your fears on the Lord and He will deliver you."

A Grave and Growing Threat ~
-By: Franklin Graham/ Decision

The Obama Administration recently set off a firestorm of controversy over an unprecedented expansion of government power. Under a new healthcare mandate, faith-based organizations are required to provide insurance that covers certain services--even if those services violate their deeply held religious beliefs.

This attack on religion comes on the heels of a relentless assault on the biblical definition of marriage. In February, activist judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco overturned California's ban on same-sex marriage. Within days, the Washington state legislature made Washington the seventh state to legalize marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

What's really going on here?

I believe we are facing the greatest threat to religious liberty in our lifetime. These events are just some of the most recent signs of the growing war on people of faith, especially Christians who believe that the Bible is God's Word and that Jesus Christ alone is Lord.

My good friend Chuck Colson had this to say: "Our founding fathers--even those who weren't Christians--believed, as I do, that without freedom of religion and freedom of conscience, all of our other freedoms aren't worth the paper they are written on. If government can dictate what we may or may not believe, or how we may or may not live out our beliefs, then we are no longer a free people."

The time may be fast approaching when Christians have to face the very real prospect of civil disobedience--when we will have to choose whether to obey God or government. Whatever lies ahead, we must remember that God's Word supersedes man's law.

When the early disciples were forbidden to preach in the Name of Jesus by the Jewish authorities, they boldly said: "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20)

Even after they were imprisoned, beaten and threatened, they refused to obey that edict and declared, "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29)

Pray for our country. Pray for our leaders. Pray for godly men and women in places of authority who will not be afraid to boldly stand for the truth of Scripture. The need is urgent, the hour is late, but "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16)NIV ~~

-ENEMY
DECEPTIONS

-John 8:42-47
---
As the serpent
deceived Eve by
his craftiness, so
your minds may be
corrupted from the
simplicity that is
in Christ.-
--2 Cor. 11:3
--
Written in the sixth-century BC by Chinese general Sun Tzu, The Art of War has been a guide for military thinking for centuries. But it has also been used by men and women in a wide variety of other arenas, including leadership, management, business, politics, and sports. What Sun Tzu wrote about military warfare can help followers of Christ to understand the tactics of our spiritual enemy: "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near."

Likewise, the spiritual warfare that Satan wages against us is also based on deceit. In fact, the very first sin was the result of the enemy's deception. Notice what Paul said: "I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 cor. 11:3).

Our Lord warns us that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), ever seeking to deceieve us. What is our defense? To saturate our hearts in the truth of God's Word. Only God's inspired truth can protect us against the deceptions of the enemy.
---
-God's truth is the best protection against Satan's lies.
--ODB/BC

-Exposing False Teachers
-Read | 2 Peter 2:1-3

Recognizing a danger for the believers of his day, Peter penned this warning: "There will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies" (2 Pet. 2:1). His words are as true today as they were in the first century.

Spotting false teachers can be difficult, and many people are swayed by their lies. Matthew called them ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt. 7:15). How, then, can we detect deceptive teaching?

First, become familiar with biblical truth, and be vigilant. On the surface, false teaching may seem to align with Scripture, but underneath lies a faulty agenda.

Second, listen for any denial of truth, such as someone who claims to believe in God but argues that the creation story is myth. It is dangerous to pick and choose which parts of the Bible can be taken literally.

Third, notice teachings that promote sensuality. False teachers interpret the Bible in a permissive way: they often make allowances for immorality, misrepresent grace, and justify sin as gratifying "natural desires." Why do they guide others this way? Some may not realize their mistake. Others are driven by power and greed: if a leader can stir a crowd emotionally, the offering plate will likely be full and the church will probably grow--both for the wrong reasons.

Don't be led astray by false doctrine. The wise will guard themselves by feasting daily on God's Word. Then they can compare teachings to Scripture and scrutinize them for the three signs of falsehood listed above. The truth is able to set us free, but lies entangle and lead to much bondage.

--In Touch

-RECOGNIZE
THE ENEMY -

1 Peter 5:5-11
---
The devil walks
about like a roaring
lion, seeking whom
he may devour.
--1 Peter 5:8 -
---
One morning, I watched a rabbit nibble grass in my backyard. He had brown flecked fur and a cotton-puff tail. Suddenly, a hawk sliced through the air as fast and precise as lightning. With talons outstretched, he snatched for his prey. But the rabbit recognized the approaching danger and sped to safety, just inches ahead of the hawk.

Like the rabbit that spotted its predator and scurried away, we as Christians need to be watchful so that we can evade our enemy. "The devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Satan wants to devour us by winning us over to his ways; he does this by toying with the truth (John 8:44) and trying to deceive us (Gen. 3:1).

The devil's schemes reflect his dishonest nature, and his tricks are meant to catch us off guard. In response, Christians should be alert and clear-headed (1 Peter 5:8). Living in this state of active readiness helps us discern false teaching (1 John 4:1-3; 2John 1:7-11) and overcome temptation (Matt. 26:41).

Today, watch out for your spiritual predator. What kind of lies is he whispering? How is he tempting you? Resist him, and he will flee (James 4:7).
---
The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.
--ODB/JBS

-Overcoming the World
-Isaiah 54:11-17

"No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,' declares the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17)

While this passaage refers to the coming time when our Lord returns, it also is practical now. I know these words of Isaiah meant much to my doctor and friend whose son in the military was in a war-zone. My friend prayed this verse constantly, asking God to keep any enemy or weapon from touching his son. To be an overcomer implies that one first is or has experienced being under attack in some way. Hardly anyone would not fit that description. Ideally, we'd all emerge from the "battle zone" unwavering in our faith and still joyful in Christ. I've seen many a trial-worn believer come through times of suffering. If it weren't for the fact that our Overcomer, Jesus, endured every hardship and evil of this world for us, it would indeed be hard to carry on.

Satan's goal is to squeeze us into the world's mold. God's goal is for us to follow Him and battle the world's wickedness, living "self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:12).

Celebrate your faith in our ultimate Overcomer, Christ Jesus!
---
Jesus tells us to be courageous in our struggles, for He has already won victory and peace for us.
--Haven Today/ WE HAVE OVERCOME!
<http://youtu.be/dLrV6arvpyM>

-WAKE-UP
-CALL!

1 Peter 5:1-9
---
Be sober, be vigilant;
because the devil
walks about like a
roaring lion, seeking
whom he may
devour. --1 Peter 5:8
-----
ONE early autumn morning as I drove to work in the dark, I was startled by a flash of brown in my headlights followed by the sound of something hitting the front of my car. I had clipped a deer at 70 miles per hour! It was only a glancing glow, and no damage was done to my car (or the deer, as far as I could tell), but it really shook me up. I had been in my usual "autopilot mode" for the familiar drive to the office, but the shock of the incident certainly got my attention. I was now fully alert and trying to calm a racing heartbeat. It was a most unpleasant wake-up call.

The apostle Peter offers us a different kind of wake-up call--one that while unpleasant is necessary. He alerts us to a spiritual battle we are engaged in with our enemy. Peter warns, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). This is a call to wake up, see the danger, and be ready for his attack!

Only when we are aware of the danger that faces us every day will be consciously seek the help we need. And only if we are on the alert will we lean on the strength of our Lord, who is greater than our spiritual enemy.
----
-The Christian life is a battleground. Stay alert! Pray daily!

--ODB/BC

-How to Protect Yourself from Spiritual Destruction!

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
----Ephesians 4:26-27

I knew a man named Newt who lived in a small town in Oklahoma. Newt owned a drugstore in town and he was also an avid hunter. So one day, Newt bought a new hunting dog that wasn’t quite trained yet. He took the dog out on a cold, icy morning for a duck hunt with friends. They got to the pond where they were going to hunt, but were disappointed to find the pond was frozen over.

Newt had an idea. He had some dynamite in the back of his truck. So he lit it and threw it out on the ice to break it up. The only problem was that his brand new dog went out there on the ice, grabbed that stick of dynamite in his mouth, and started coming back towards them. They took cover, but the dog jumped in the truck with the stick of dynamite and blew it all to smithereens!

Just like that dog, the enemy has no regard for your well-being. All he does is introduce destruction into your life when you face areas of spiritual dynamite that can cause you harm.

So before you step into a potentially spiritually harmful situation, be aware of his tactics and keep him at a distance. Protect yourself from destruction by keeping that dog away from the spiritual dynamite in your life.

-DON’T LET THE ENEMY TAG ALONG IN SPIRITUALLY HARMFUL SITUATIONS. KEEP HIM AWAY BY WALKING IN THE SPIRIT AND YOU’LL AVOID SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION IN YOUR LIFE.
--Power Point/JG

--Satan Will Work Miracles

"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, ..."
---(Revelation 16:14)

The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation. The only safety for you is to search for the truth as for hid treasures. Dig for the truth as you would for treasures in the earth, and present the Word of God, the Bible, before your heavenly Father, and say, "Enlighten me; teach me what is truth."

And when His Holy Spirit shall come into your hearts, to impress the truth into your souls, you will not let it go easily. You have gained such an experience in searching the Scriptures that every point is established. And it is important that you continually search the Scriptures. You should store the mind with the Word of God; for you may be separated and placed where you will not have the privilege of meeting with the children of God. Then you will want the treasures of God's Word hidden in your hearts, and when opposition comes around you, you will need to bring everything to the Scriptures.

Remember, "God's Word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish all that He plans." Call on the Name of Jesus when the enemy attacks. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Holy Spirit will lift up a standard against him."
---JESUS IS LORD!

-WHAT TO DO WHEN THE ENEMY ATTACKS!
"…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…"
---Hebrews 12:1-2

When my boys were playing little league baseball years ago, one of the things we had to teach them was to run, not watch the ball, when they got a hit. Because when they would get a hit, they would sometimes just stand there, watch the ball, and watch the fielder throw them out at first.

But we finally taught them to hit the ball and run like the wind without worrying about what the fielders were doing. “But Dad,” one of them asked, “how will I know if it’s okay to go to second?” “Well,” I told him, “you have to trust your first and third base coaches to tell you what to do.”

Many believers live their lives focusing on the opposition… playing defense in life rather than offense. But God wants us to run to win! And when the devil comes up against us and accuses and condemns us, we focus on Christ and trust Him to tell us what to do!

Our victory is in Christ. And if we run the race focused on His leading and direction, we’ll never be overcome by the enemy no matter how hard he schemes against us. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He’ll never lead you astray and will always protect you from any of the enemy’s attacks!

-FOCUS ON CHRIST, NOT THE ENEMY’S SCHEMES, AND YOU’LL BE VICTORIOUS EVERY TIME!
--Jack Graham

-THE STORM IS GATHERING!
Immediately, We Will Be On Shore!

-BIBLE MEDITATION:
"But He saith unto them, 'It is I; be not afraid.' Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went." John 6:20-21

"They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.... These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:2, 33

-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Andrew Murray said, "God is willing to assume full responsibility for the life totally yielded to Him." Jesus said, "Be of good cheer. In this world you'll have tribulation. But I've overcome the world." In this world we encounter tribulation, and it's growing more, not less, intense. Where is Jesus? Jesus has overcome the world. That's what He's telling you and me. The spiritual barometer is falling, and all of us who can read the signs of the times know a storm is gathering. The Bible tells us that. But soon our Lord, who has been on the mountain of His glory praying for us, is going to rise from His throne. And then, walking on the water will be child's play. He'll come stepping on the clouds. He'll come in His glory. And those of us who are here on the sea of time will immediately be on the shores of eternity just like that when He comes. Won't that be a day?

-ACTION POINT:
It happened when they received Him into the boat. Have you received Him? Have you trusted Him? "Call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus and be saved." Jesus is calling you, please do not turn Him away. He is coming soon.
--Adrian Rogers

--THE LANGUAGE OF THE LIAR!
--By: Max Lucado

I was living in Brazil. It had been an especially frustrating day getting my car fixed. As I drove off, two devils perched on my shoulders. They spoke the language of the Liar. One was anger; the other self-pity! I rolled down my window when I reached a traffic stop. I saw a boy, probably nine years old. Shirtless. Barefooted.

“What’s your name?” I asked. “Jose,” he answered. Two other orphans with him were naked except for ragged gym shorts.

“Have you collected much money today?” I asked. He opened a dirty hand full of coins. Enough perhaps for a soft drink. As I pulled out the equivalent of a dollar his eyes brightened and he ran to tell his friends!

God sent Jose to me that day with this message: “Max, you cry over spilled champagne. You bellyache over frills, not the basics.” Jose gave me a lot for my dollar… he gave me a lesson on gratitude.

-- Six Hours One Friday/ML

--Defeated Foe
--
-BIBLE MEDITATION:
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He Who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
-- 1 John 4:4

-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Praise God, Satan is a defeated foe! Satan's back has already been broken at the cross. When Jesus Christ prepared to go to that cross in anticipation, He said, "Now is the prince of this world cast out" (John 12:31).

"Is cast out." Satan has already been defeated, not will be defeated. Oh, we as Christians need to learn that! The devil hopes you never learn that "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). The devil hopes you'll never learn that his power has been stripped from him and that Jesus said, "I give you authority over all of the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19).
-ACTION POINT:
Satan is a defeated foe; and when you pray, you do not pray for the victory, you pray from the victory.

--Adrian Rogers

--Shut the Devil's Mouth

-BIBLE MEDITATION:
"When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." John 11:4-

-DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil's charge against Job was that Job didn't really love God--that the only reason Job served God was that God had bribed him. God said, "To prove He loves me, Satan, you can take anything from him but his life." Job continued to serve the Lord and said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..." (Job 13:15). Isn't that great?

God often gets the glory through our trials. There are servants of God today, special people who've been chosen of God to shut the devil's mouth by saying, "Though I do not have physical health or a lot of this world's goods, I love my God. Jesus is enough for me and Jesus is all I need."

Sometimes sickness may glorify God. Andrew Murray, a dear old saint, wrote:
"In times of trouble the trusting child of God may say, 'First He brought me here, it is by His will that I'm in this great place. Next, He will keep me here in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. Then He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends for me to learn and working in the grace He means to bestow. And in His good time He can bring me out again. How and when--He knows.'"

-ACTION POINT:
So many people have an "if" faith: "Lord, if you do this..." But what you need is a "though" faith. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." And that shuts the mouth of the devil!

--Adrian Rogers
[We do not argue with Satan. We say, "Get thee behind me, Satan." or "The Lord rebuke you, Satan." The Lord said, "Vengence is Mine, I will repay."]

--God's Wrath Against Mankind / Romans 1:18-32

[Vs. 18]= The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

(v.20) For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are with excuse.

(v.24) Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. (selected verses)~
------
--Teaching in Parables -
--(Bible Universe)

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie,and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
(Romans 1:25)

In His teaching from nature, Christ was speaking of the things which His own hands had made, and which had qualities and powers that He Himself had imparted. In their original perfection all created things were an expression of the thought of God. To Adam and Eve in their Eden home nature was full of the knowledge of God, teeming with divine instruction. Wisdom spoke to the eye and was received into the heart; for they communed with God in His created works. As soon as the holy pair transgressed the law of the Most High, the brightness from the face of God departed from the face of nature. The earth is now marred and defiled by sin. Yet even in its blighted state much that is beautiful remains. God's object lessons are not obliterated; rightly understood, nature speaks of her Creator.

In the days of Christ these lessons had been lost sight of. Men had well-nigh ceased to discern God in His works. The sinfulness of humanity had cast a pall over the fair face of creation; and instead of manifesting God, His works became a barrier that concealed Him.
Men "worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator." Thus the heathen "became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:25, 21. So in Israel, man's teaching had been put in the place of God's. Not only the things of nature, but the sacrificial service and the Scriptures themselves--all given to reveal God--were so perverted that they became the means of concealing Him. ~~~
-------
[Are we not seeing this very thing today? Please let us repent for America and ask the Lord God for forgiveness and restoration to His ways, and not mans' ways.
God bless America. In God We Trust! Thank you.~]

--Coming Like the Flood

"So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19)

The great enemy of our souls "the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Yet he can also be "transformed into an angel of light," and so can "his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
He and his ministers are perhaps most dangerous when most deceptive, quoting Scripture and spiritual sentiments in a superficial show of piety, yet distorting the "Scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16), and we must use the sword of the Spirit against them.

Then there are those times when, angered that their deceptions (sometimes even their own self-deceptions) are not persuading the true people of God to compromise their stand for God's truth and His great salvation, they resort to great pressure and overt opposition—even persecution—seeking to silence their testimony. The enemy comes in like a great flood, and the waves seem about to engulf us, and we cry with the psalmist: "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul" (Psalm 124:2-4).

But God is on our side, as long as we are on His side and hold fast to His clearly revealed Word. Before the demonic flood can overwhelm us, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up His standard (or, more literally, "put him to flight"), and God will prevail once again, for "the foundation of God standeth sure" (2 Timothy 2:19), and "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
--ICR/HMM

--GOD CALLING!


---FEAR IS EVIL~

"--Have no fear. Fear is evil and "Perfect Love casts out fear." There is no room for fear in the heart in which I dwell. Fear destroys Hope. It cannot exist where Love is, or where Faith is.

Fear is the curse of the world. Man is afraid--afraid of poverty, afraid of loneliness, afraid of unemployment, afraid of sickness.

Many, many are man's fears. Nation is afraid of nation. Fear, fear, fear, everywhere. Fight fear as you would a plague. Turn it out of your lives and home. Fight it singly. Fight it together. Never inspire fear. It is an evil ally. Fear of punishment, fear of blame.

No work that employs this enemy of Mine is work for Me. Banish it! There must be another and better way.

Ask Me, and I will show it to you. "Perfect love casts our all fear. Call on Me and I will show you the things you do not know." ~~

----From: God Calling

--Satan Plots, but God Prevails

“Then entered Satan into Judas. . . . And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.”
---- (Luke 22:3-4)

God promised from the beginning that there would be an ongoing war between the serpent’s brood and the seed of the woman, with the latter ultimately prevailing (Genesis 3:15).

The first 2,000 years of biblical history recorded one attack by Satan after another. After Adam and Eve fell, their son Cain, a child of the devil (1 John 3:10-12), murdered the righteous Abel (Genesis 4). Though God provided another seed, Seth (Genesis 4:25-26), from whom came righteous Noah (Genesis 5), this action didn’t prevent the entire world from plunging into corruption (Genesis 6:1-7). Not long after the judgment of the Flood, the whole world rebelled again at Babel, requiring another judgment of God (Genesis 11:1-9).

The next 2,000 years recorded even more conflicts with Satan. Though God promised Abram and his seed the land of Canaan forever (Genesis 12–13), Abram often stumbled. God miraculously brought his descendants into Canaan many years later, but their recurrent wickedness culminated in their captivity at the hands of pagan nations (2 Kings 17, 24).

Conflict with Satan continued into the New Testament. In our text above, Satan actively sought to put Christ on the cross . . . and it worked. For a moment, it may have appeared as if Satan—not the righteous seed of the woman—would have the final say. Yet Christ’s death was not Satan’s victory; it was Satan’s deathblow! Christ didn’t stay in the grave; He rose again! His death and resurrection defeated the devil (Hebrews 2:14) once and for all.

In trying to destroy the righteous Seed of the woman (Christ), Satan actually sealed his own fate. God used the evil machinations of the devil to accomplish His eternal purposes in a way finite man could have never conceived.

Hallelujah! What a wonderful Savior!- OUR GOD REIGNS HERE!

--ICR/NTJ
<http://youtu.be/dedoSXylNcMv>
---------------

------[September 11, 2013]

-A Response to Threat

“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor the arrow that flieth by day.” (Psalm 91:4-5)

Today we remember the unprovoked attack on America by Muslim terrorists. Despite attempts to make the country more secure, the threat remains scarcely abated. What should the Christian’s response be? In our text above, we see we have no cause for fear. The physical danger may be real, but our Lord promises protection in tender words likened to a mother bird’s care for her young. Our ultimate deliverance is guaranteed by His sure promises. Trust in His power and truth sustains us as surely as would a shield and buckler.

Our hope cannot ultimately rest in mere military might. God does not promise temporal safety to all, for there have been millions who have succumbed to undeserved violence. Our last hope is of a different order, firmly grounded in “the LORD, which is my refuge” (v. 9). He responds to our trust and worship with the promise “with long [better translated as ‘eternal’] life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (v. 16). Much more interested in our response to troubles than in our deliverance, He desires us to believe and serve Him, all the while trusting Him, even in perilous times.

A New Testament application of this principle can be found in 1 Peter 3:14: “If ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.” The remedy? “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

The Lord Jesus Christ is Himself our example and inspiration. “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). Fixing our eyes upon Him, we have no cause for fear.

--ICR/JDM

--How You Can Prepare for Any Crisis~

-"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
---Galatians 6:2

-Many years ago in the Midwest, a young boy wandered off from his house and into a huge wheat field. It was getting late and the temperature was dropping, so the parents began to search frantically for the little boy. Finally after a few hours of looking, they called the police.

The word got out, and all the people from miles around came together to look for that little boy. After a few hours of that, they got the idea to join hands and comb the field in one big line. And in one far corner of the field where no one had looked, they found the boy’s lifeless body. It was so tragic. The father, being interviewed by the local newspaper a few days later, was quoted as saying, “If we’d only joined hands sooner, perhaps we could’ve saved my son.”

The tragic truth is that many people today are suffering and dying on their own because they haven’t joined hands with other people in the faith. They’re running around frantically trying to solve their own problems and it hasn’t occurred to them that they need other people to help!

Don’t try to do life alone. There are no ‘Lone Rangers’ of the Christian faith. Walk hand-in-hand with other people in community and you’ll be equipped to take on any crisis that comes your way.

DON’T TRY TO LIVE LIFE ALONE. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GODLY MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL BE THERE FOR YOU WHEN HARD TIMES HIT!
--PP/JG

--There is a Spiritual Warfare Going On, and It Will Continue Until Christ Returns for His Bride, (church/people)

---Not to Decide Is to Decide

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” - Deuteronomy 30:19

-Years ago I was witnessing to a young lady in Florida. I asked her if she had received Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She became teary-eyed and said, “I just don’t seem…no…I can’t do it today..” I asked her, “Don’t you realize that if you don’t receive Him, that you’re going to deny Him?” She said, “Oh, I wouldn’t deny Him for anything.” I said, “But there’s no middle ground.” And yet she refused.

I said, “Before you go, would you shake hands with me?” And she said, “Well, certainly.” And so I said, “If you’ll take Christ as your Savior, take my right hand. If you’ll take hell and refuse Christ, take my left hand.” She refused to take either of my hands.

Every person has a 'choice'. There is no neutral ground. You are either crowning Jesus as Lord of your life or you are not. Which is it my friend?

--Adrian Rogers =/ I CHOOSE JESUS! /Moriah Peters
<http://youtu.be/fVfuoB0ManI>

----SATAN'S STRATEGY~~

----(Please Read/ Luke 22:31-62)

All of us make tracks through the valley of failure. The question is, How are you going to respond? Plenty of people give up and exchange a vibrant kingdom-serving life for a defeated existence. But failure need not be an end. It's a chance for a new beginning living in Christ's strength.

Peter had a life-altering failure. Jesus warned that Satan had asked permission to "sift" the disciple like wheat (Luke 22:31)--vigorous shaking is required to separate wheat kernels from debris. The Enemy wanted to shake Peter's faith hard in hopes that he'd fall away from Jesus like chaff.

Peter fervently believed the promise he'd made to Jesus: "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not" (Mark 14:29). But Satan knows a few things about the power of fear. What's more, he realized that the disciple would be wounded by his own disloyalty. A man with tattered pride can't help but question his usefulness.

When Satan sifts believers, his goal is to damage our faith so much that we're useless to God. He wants us shelved far from the action of the Lord's kingdom. Therefore, he goes for our strengths--the areas where we believe ourselves to be invincible, or at least very well protected. And when the Devil succeeds, we are disappointed and demoralized. But we don't have to stay that way.

If we are willing, God can use failure to do spiritual housecleaning. Peter laid down his pride and instead put on the Holy Spirit's courage. Thereafter, he risked humiliation, persecution, and death to proclaim the gospel.. Failure was the catalyst that brought forth greater faith and true servanthood.

--IN TOUCH
[---Some quotes regarding the enemy of our soul:

--"The Devil often transforms himself into an angel to tempt men, some for their instruction, some for their ruin."
--Augustine of Hippo

"The deceit, the lie of the Devil consists of this, that he wishes to make man believe that he can live without God's Word."
--Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"The existence of the Devil is so clearly taught in the Bible that to doubt it is to doubt the Bible itself.."
--Archibald G. Brown

"The Devil can counterfeit all the saving operations and graces of the Spirit of God."
--Jonathan Edwards

"The Enemy will not see you vanish into God's company without an effort to reclaim you."
--C. S. Lewis

"For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel.."
--Martin Luther

"That there is a Devil is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil."
--Cotton Mather

"The more God uses us, the more Satan will attempt to harass us."
--Dr. Charles F. Stanley

"The Devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still."
--A. W. Tozer

"The Devil does not tempt unbelievers and sinners who are already his own."
--Thomas à Kempis~~~]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Beloved ones,
We already know that Jesus has given us the VICTORY! He died a cruel and brutal death on the Cross to overcome the devil. He is alive right now at the right hand of Father God interceding for us. Death has been swallowed up in VICTORY. We are Overcomers, through Christ's death. He paid out sin-debt, with His spotless blood. Jesus never sinned! Now we must spread His Word to a lost and dying world. "Be ye always ready for no one knows the day or hour the Son of God will return." --(Matthew 24:42) "And they overcame him, (satan), by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death." --(Revelation 12:11) ~~ "Overcome" / Jeremy Camp~
~~~~~~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8AB0vUU038>
---------

---ALWAYS REMEMBER, SATAN IS REAL AND ALIVE TODAY!!

---Peter had a life-altering failure. Jesus warned that Satan had asked permission to "sift" the disciple like wheat (Luke 22:31), referring to the vigorous shaking required to separate wheat kernels from debris. The enemy wanted to shake Peter's faith hard in hopes that he'd fall away from Jesus like chaff.

Peter believed the promise he'd made to Jesus: "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not" (Mark 14:29) But Satan knows a few things about the power of failure. He realized that the disciple would be wounded by disloyalty. A man with tattered pride can't help but question his usefulness.

When Satan sifts believers, his goal is to damage our faith so much that we're useless to the Lord. He wants us shelved far from the action of God's kingdom. Therefore, he goes for our strengths--the areas where we believe ourselves to be invincible, or at least very well protected. And when the devil succeeds, we are disappointed and demoralized. But we don't have to stay that way.

As over-comers through the blood of Jesus, paid on the Cross, we claim our victory in Christ Jesus, our Savior, Lord, Redeemer and King above all kings.

If we are willing, God can use our failure to do spiritual housecleaning. Peter laid down his pride and instead put on the Holy Spirit's courage. Thereafter, he risked humiliation, persecution, and death to proclaim the Gospel.

Always remember, 'Jesus is always as close as the mention of His Name.'
He said, "Call on Me and I will show you things you do not know. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End." He will soon return for us, His Church (believers).

"Be ye always ready for no one knows the day or hour the Son of Man will return."-(Matthew 24:42)
--IN TOUCH~~ / 'He's As Close as the Mention of His Name'--By: Janet Paschal ~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-631Gz-E96c>
-----------

---Many Are Called / Few Are Chosen ~~

---[Read Matthew 25:14-30] --

---Buried Talents ~~

---For myself as a single young man, a sense of purpose in life has been more of an ideal than a reality. I was raised by a godly home, by loving parents, in a healthy church setting. So why should I wonder about God's purpose in my life.

I do not claim to understand why there are so many older singles in today's churches, but I do see huge amounts of talent being buried in the pursuit of wealth, entertainment or social standing. I too face these issues in my own life

Today's key verse says that we are God's handwork created to do good works. Am I burying my ability to write children's stories, devotional l articles, or books to help fellow believers? Do you have a knack for connecting with people through listening to their problems, but you find easier to slip away from struggling ones than to listen sympathetically? Are you a skilled carpenter who would make a fine crew leader for a disaster relief effort, but you can't bear giving up $60,000 a year?

Young lady, could you be a counselor for troubles young girls, but it is easier to say no than to accept the responsibility? Such opportunities do not require us to completely forsake our families and friends. Surely we can afford giving some our time to further God's kingdom. May we hear God's call for action not just in youth but in every stage of life.

--We all have talents. Let's exercise our talents for the Lord, even when it means leaving our comfort zone. ~~-
--BSW/LM~