When Satan Uses Scripture

 Every morning when I wake up I turn on my audio Bible to feed my spirit. Yesterday morning I randomly chose the book of Luke. I settled back on my pillow, turned up the volume, and listened intently. When I had reached the fourth Chapter there were certain words that rang out with such familiarity. Satan was quoting words to Jesus that I immediately recognized as words elsewhere in the Bible. Wait!!  Was Satan quoting scripture of the Lord to the Lord? Where had I heard those words before? I knew right away! It was Psalm 91. Here is what I noticed. Luke Chapter 4, verses 9,10,11 speaks of the time the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. In his 3rd attempt to get Jesus to sin, Satan brought Jesus to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, 'He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee. And in their hands, they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.'" Now listen to Psalm 91, "For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone." At this point, I had to stop my audio Bible. I said to myself, 'Satan is quoting scripture from Psalm 91! He's quoting the Word of God to Jesus!"  I know this because Psalm 91 is my favorite prayer and I have it memorized. Why would Satan quote scripture to God? But he is evil. How can he know the Word of God?

From the beginning of his ministry (Matthew 4:1–11) to the end (Luke 22:3), Jesus was in conflict with the powers of darkness. And it is the clear teaching of the apostles, Peter (1 Peter 5:8), James (James 4:7), John (1 John 2:13; 3:8; 5:18), and Paul (1 Thessalonians 3:5) that Satan is against the church and must be resisted by faith and the Word of God. We do well to know Satan's tactics. For example, I know how well Satan knows the Bible and how he loves to quote Scripture in order to destroy faith. Satan does not always try to ruin faith by saying, “The Bible isn’t true.” He often tries to destroy our faith by affirming some passage and using it to lead us into disobedience. All Christians obtain life from God’s Holy Word. We die without it. As Christians, we will not let it be taken from us. We will go to jail rather than stop reading it. So what does Satan do? His aim is to destroy our faith. The word of God alone keeps faith alive. The Bible says Faith comes or is built BY HEARING the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Believers cleave to it and Satan cannot tear it away. So Satan studies it. How else could he quote Psalm 91:11–12 to Jesus? He studies it. And he studies how to distort it and pervert it by plausible misinterpretations. And, they must be plausible. He is not so happy when his sub-demons put absurd misinterpretations into our heads because they are far too easily discerned and corrected.

What makes Satan happy is when he can get Christians to believe that Proverbs 15:6 justifies the accumulation of wealth in a world of hunger; that 2 Thessalonians 3:10 abolishes charity; that Romans 9:16 makes evangelism superfluous; that 1 Timothy 2:4 means God is not sovereign in conversion; that John 10:28 means a “Christian” can do whatever he wants and still be saved; and hat Hebrews 6:4–6 means there is no security and assurance for God’s elect. Is it a sobering thought that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)? Yes! And indeed it is. What did Jesus say when Satan quoted Scripture? He said: “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7). LOOK AT THAT CLOSELY ONE MORE TIME. Jesus quoted Scripture against Satan’s use of Scripture! Jesus knows the Bible better than Satan. What is the ramification for us? Think about it! We cannot believe everyone who can quote you a text. That would include famous TV evangelists and pastors. History is strewn with cults who twisted the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). Not every pastor and not every wealthy TV evangelist speaks the unadulterated truth. Oftentimes their message is laden with misinterpretations or just enough deception to tickle your ears and turn you toward a direction that's misguided! Read through the Bible and ask yourself continually how this part fits with that part and that with this. It is when the pieces start to fit together that we are most secure from distortion.

I suggest that each of us fast and pray that God will open our eyes to see true and wonderful things in His word (Psalm 119:18). Obey what you do understand and you will understand more. Don't believe every spirit but try the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4:1). Satan is so so cunning. He catches the wise in their own craftiness (Job5:13) The serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so even your minds may also be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). We should no longer be children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, or in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting (Ephesians 4:14). The Bible predicted a time coming in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 when people would not endure sound doctrine. Instead, having itchy years desire to hear only what they wanted to hear (throwing out the rest) and lean toward teachers and pastors who would suit their own desires. By so doing, they would turn away from the truth in God's Word to fables and myths! I'm afraid that time is now. As we approach the end times, we must continually guard against deception, especially since some of Satan's ministers are able to convincingly perform miracles. We are warned to cling to the faith once delivered, guarding against destructive heresies.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

The Breath Of Life

 

One summer when I was at our local park with my dogs, I ran across a small doe that had been shot and killed by what appeared as a high powered rifle. It was a horrific kill. The shooter missed the area of the heart which hunters know is the most humane way to take a deer down because it's fast, precise, and usually causes the animal no suffering. Not so with the doe. The location where the killer's bullet entered, the visual damage and carnage I saw, plus her hollow eyes spoke to my spirit and told me of the suffering, confusion, and fear this animal experienced before she died alone in an open field. Staring at her lifeless, ravaged, body, my lips began to quiver as a tear rolled off my chin to the ground. For what reason was she slaughtered and left to suffer a senseless death? I began to ponder, did she have a spirit, and if so, where did it go? Have you ever wondered those things about the animals God created for us, including your own pet cat, dog, rabbit, hamster, lizard, etc?  Well, I have.  Today I want to talk about the "spirit of life" as mentioned in the Bible and hopefully help give you a sense of what it means.

 

The climax of God's creative work, His best and most extraordinary work of all, was the creation of man ... you and me. We are a result of His breath, "The Spirit of Life."  Genesis 2:7 "The LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul". God did two things in creating mankind.  First He FORMED him from the dust of the ground, and, second, He BREATHED HIS OWN BREATH into the nostrils of Adam.  This distinguished man from all other creatures God had made.  This one scripture contains three significant facts about man's creation:

First, God and God alone created man. The man did not evolve from other creatures. 

Secondly, impersonal forces did not form man. All the cells, DNA, atoms, molecules, hydrogen, protons, neutrons, or electrons did not create man!  These are only the substances that makeup man's physical body.  The LORD God 'formed' man. The LORD God created the substances, and then He used those substances to create man.  The Hebrew word for 'formed' in my Concordance is yatsar, which means "to mold, shape, or form." It brings to mind the image of a potter who has the intelligence and the power to form his creation. God is the Master Potter (Isaiah 64:8) who had the image of man within His mind and who possessed the power and the intelligence to bring that image to life! God had both the omniscience (all-knowing) and the omnipotence (all-power) to do exactly what He wanted. 

Third, God breathed His own breath (SPIRIT) of life into man.  Man is more than "dust" or physical substance.  Man has a spirit. Adam's body had just been formed by God from the dust of the earth -- a lifeless human body lying on the ground.  Then God leaned over and "breathed" His own "breath of life"/Spirit into the man's nostrils and man became a LIVING SOUL Genesis 2:7 KJV.  The word soul in Hebrew is nephesh, meaning "an animated, breathing, conscious, and living being." Man did not become a "living soul" UNTIL God breathed life into him.  As a physical, animated, rational, spiritual being, man is unique among all the living things on earth.  

There are several things that make humans unique that mirror the Father. I'll list a few of them:

A.Nothing  else on earth laughs! We laugh at blunder, jokes, silly faces, etc. 

B. Nothing else on earth can imagine an idea then invent or create that idea. We have created automobiles, space stations, skyscrapers, dams, medicines. 

C. Nothing else on earth knows spiritual/moral right from spiritual/moral wrong.  We do because it is innate within us. 

D. Nothing else knows God exists and has made everything around us.  We do because we pray, worship, and thank Him though we have never seen Him. And no other creation communes with the God of the universe.  We do, as many talk to Him on a daily basis asking for favors, asking for advice, pleading for help, telling Him how their day was, etc.  All mankind seeks God in one way or another. Our spirits long to commune with our Creator.  Some call it a higher power. 

It's obvious then, having the ability to create something from nothing, to know and commune with God, to have joy and laughter, to know what's right, and to steer away from wrong exudes the qualities that God Himself breathed into us.

 

 

So, what is the breath of God?  It is the life and power of God, given to man to animate him.  The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach, which means "wind, breath, air, spirit." The life of God lives on and on.  The immaterial part of man was designed to live eternally because it is the life of God.  IT CANNOT DIE!  It goes on eternally in heaven or eternally in hell. Many believe when we die, that's it; life is over.  Oh no! The spirit of LIFE cannot end as the body does, because that life is the life God breathed into mankind. What about the doe I saw in the park or any other animal? Do our pets live after physical death? I can share what scripture reveals. Animals are called "living creatures" in Genesis and if you also recall, there are "living creatures" in heaven recorded in Revelation.  Listen to these words directly from God: "Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, with your descendants after you; and with every 'living CREATURE' (soul/nephesh) that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of ALL that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth"(Genesis 9: 9-10).  God's covenant was even with the animals! Animals may not have a fallen spirit that needs redemption as man does (because man fell from grace spiritually) but animals do have a soul - they breathe, and they have life- they are animated and capable of relationships. Animals have personalities and emotions that we experience including love/caring, jealousy, obedience, protectiveness, rebellion, insecurity, contentment, affection, loyalty, playfulness, independence, dependence, selfishness, sharing, etc.  Look at your own dog or cat! Amazing, isn't it? Look up Luke 12:6 and Matthew 10:29 and see what God says about something seemingly as insignificant as birds! Even sparrows are not forgotten by God.  Animals are important to God!  Had they not been, He would not have asked Noah to save them as they too were needed to replenish the earth!  Since man is made in the image of God, and since man can love an animal as much we love our fellow humans, such a bond is worthy of eternity in my opinion.  Why would God allow us to create love bonds with our pets and never have an option to see them again? 

 

Finally thoughts.  Part of being made in God's image is that Adam had the capacity, as do we, to make free choices. It's called free will. Animals don't have the capacity to know right from wrong. They simply have instinct. Animals cannot commit sin. Although Adam was given a righteous nature originally, Adam made an evil choice to rebel against His Creator.  In so doing, Adam marred the image of God within himself, and he passed that damaged likeness on to all his descendants (Romans 5:12).  Today, we still bear the image of God (James 3:9), but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically we show the effects of sin. Not so with animals. Animals are innocent of sin.  Staring into the hollow, empty eyes of that doe whose soul no longer gave it animation, crushed my spirit. It was such an overwhelming feeling of sorrow that an innocent animal God had also created, died at the hands of a ruthless human also created by the hand of God. "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life" Job 33:4.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Jesting

I was reading Ephesians and came upon the word "jesting." Do you know what it means? Is it sinful? According to Paul, it is not something followers of Christ should be doing. So I was curious if I am guilty. Here are the verses pertaining to jesting, “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye, therefore, partakers with them” (Ephesians 5:3-7).

I have to admit I had never stopped to think about the word jesting until the other day. After all, I know what fornication, all uncleanness, foolishness, and covetousness mean in the biblical verse, but I have always skipped over the word 'jesting' because I didn't think it applied to me. After all, I'm not guilty of those other things, so I've always assumed I must not be guilty of jesting either. I was about to unconsciously skip over the word again when my spirit spoke out within my mind, "Wait! Jesting. What is jesting?" So I looked into it. I learned some things that I would like to share with you because the Bible says that it (jesting) should not be named once among the saints. Because of the context in which Paul wrote Ephesians 5:4, we must conclude it resides within a discussion of ABSTINENCE from sexual temptations, jesting being one of those. What do I mean? Let me first define each word Paul addresses:

1. Fornication refers to any consummate sexual act outside of the marriage bond.

2. Uncleanness refers to acts which are less than fornication, but still sexual in nature.

3. Covetousness in this context refers to thoughts and lusts regarding uncleanness and fornication.

Remember, the very first thing forbidden to covet in the Ten Commandments is one’s neighbor’s wife (Exodus 20:17). Covetousness can, therefore, have reference to sexual desire as well as the desire for physical things and this context bears that out. Subsequent to the Bible text in question we have a repetition of the same warnings regarding fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness. Those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom and cannot be a part of God’s kingdom. They are as things which do not become saints Paul says! Those who practice such things merit the wrath of God. Those who practice such things are partakers with the children of disobedience. The Christian is admonished in the Bible not to be part of this type of mentality. Unfortunately, I have been guilty of jesting without realizing it was referred to in scripture. I think the Lord pointed this out to me because it has been completely overlooked by the saints of the Church and He wants to correct this error because such things do not represent children of God. Jesting is basically a double-meaning where something seemingly innocent is said, but it really has a second meaning that is sexual in nature. One meaning is usually shocking or risqué in its sexual suggestiveness. Another way or word of understanding jesting as described in Ephesians 5 is INNUEND0. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase can be understood in two ways. Ephesians also points out another kind of speech as well. The ESV Bible translates this verse as follows: “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” What Christian reading this blog is still telling or listening to dirty jokes or sending the opposite sex flirtatious, unclean innuendos? 

What about the words filthiness or foolish talk? The word “filthiness” is a translation of a word that some scholars say is limited to speech. This is the only place where this word is found in the New Testament and it is within the context of speech. It has as part of its base the same stem that makes up the Greek word that we translate “shameful” and given the context, the shame would be in association with unlawful promiscuity. It is also rarely used in classical Greek as well and when it is, has reference to things that are lascivious in nature. Lasciviousness is wickedness, lewdness, and lustfulness. There is lasciviousness all around us. It’s all over the Internet, especially pornography web sites. It’s in magazines, movies, song lyrics, social media sites, etc. We hear about it even in schools and our workplace. Bad parents are letting their children indulge in lascivious behavior and immodest dressing. It is a sin that comes from the heart and before our eyes, we are starting to see it corrupt Christianity. It is excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures, worldliness, dressing sensually, sexual immorality and all who practice these things will not enter Heaven. We are seeing these things creep into Christianity because of false teachers and false believers. People who profess Jesus as Lord are turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. People think they can be saved and live like the devil. Wrong! Even the demons believe! Scripture makes it clear you will know them by their fruits. We are not to be like the world, we are to be different. We are to seek holiness. We are not to dress in a way that causes others to stumble. We are to be imitators of God, not culture. That includes refraining from sexual jokes.

The phrase “foolish talk” is a translation of one Greek word and is a fairly straightforward and literal translation. In this context, foolish talk would be anything that might embroil one in a situation where one would be tempted to commit some kind of sexual sin... obscene stories, coarse jokes, silly, vile remarks, etc. This word also is only used this one time in the New Testament of the Bible and its context would seem to define for us what it is referring to. In today’s world, we are seemingly bombarded endlessly with such nasty speech but Christians are falling into that trap as well.  Unfortunately, it comes to us from our work environment, from the places where we socialize, from our own television sets during popular sitcoms–there seems to be no end to the number of ways that men and women today can joke regarding things that are best left discussed in the privacy of the bedroom of a husband and wife. As Christians let's resolve to rid our minds of such thoughts and should we have such thoughts to never let them pass through our lips. And if we have been guilty of speaking in such a way in the past, let us strive to do better in this regard. Let us be careful in not posting questionable jokes or cartoons that would cause the world to doubt our professed Christianity. Let me add, in contrast to this type of base humor, there is nothing wrong with humor that is instructive and decent in nature. This passage does not deal with all kinds of humor, only with the kinds that involve matters of sexual promiscuity. For a Christian to tell a perfectly innocent joke to another Christian is often fun and can be instructive if the joke has a certain point that is being made regarding a particular kind of behavior. In closing, as Paul instructs the Church, do not allow jesting to be once named among you, as becometh saints. This was the message given to me when I read Ephesians 5.

Until He comes,

-Pat-