PEARLS OF WISDOM I
Hello all,
I have a friend whom is very wise in the Spirit and is always seeking for Truth. She writes some really good commentaries on a wide variety of topics in the Bible. She sends them to me, and there are some that I just have to pass on others.
So, every so often, I will be posting her letters here, under this heading, as her name is Pearl.
What is amazing to me is that when I am posting articles on another web site, I check my in box and she has sent me articles on the very same subject! Oft times they are better than mine, and a great addition to the topic.
HERE IS HER LETTER TODAY….enjoy!
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Hi Patti….
This came into my mind today when searching “Christian websites”. There is much talk about Satan destroying the enemies of Israel (referring to the land in the Middle East); and all kinds of things that are happening “out there” in the world.
THEY ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACES!! They claim to be followers of Jesus Christ (being “religious”), but they do not listen to the truth which God, Himself has told us! Truly, there is GREAT APOSTASY in the Christian “world” of RELIGION. Blame it on ALL OF US…..the Pastors who teach the lies, and the “sheep” who follow the “wolves in sheep’s clothing”.
What is most astounding is that those Christians who bring out the TRUTH are hated by those who follow false doctrines (lies, actually). There are Christian websites which refuse to post anything that speaks against the false doctrines of Dispensationalism. While they deny the truth, they are actually denying Jesus Christ (Who IS the “Truth”). And there are other websites who get rid of those who post the truth, while they totally encourage, and applaud, those who put forth false doctrines.
Most of the time these are battles of the EGO…..and the biggest EGO wins! That is one of the works of Satan.
We should make sincere efforts, through self-study of the Bible in order to learn the TRUTH instead of the “lies of men”. These “men” (Pastors and others) make strong efforts to hide what Jesus told us, that “the kingdom of God” is WITHIN YOU”…Luke 17:21 He (Jesus) told us to NOT look at the outside world to find the things we need to see. Yet, that is what almost all Christian websites put out in their postings……things happening in the outside world. And they TOTALLY IGNORE what we are instructed to do.
We have to FIX OURSELVES before we can ever hope to fix others (see Mt.7:3 and Luke 6:41). Not only is the “kingdom of God” within each one of us; but the “kingdom” of Satan is within us as well. And it comes out of the hearts and minds (within them, also) of evil men.
That is what Paul is trying to tell us in Romans Chapter 7:
Vs. 18-24…”For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth NO GOOD THING: for to will is present with me; but, how to perform that which is good, I FIND NOT. For the good that I would I DO NOT: but the EVIL which I would not, THAT I DO. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of MY MIND, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
Verse 25…”I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the MIND I myself serve the law of God; but with the FLESH the law of sin.”
THAT IS THE BATTLEFIELD IN WHICH WE FIGHT!
Look in the mirror!! There is YOUR ENEMY! It is NOT in Islam, or with Mormons, Satan worshipers, SDAs, or any other RELIGION. It is also in the Christian RELIGION. Christianity is NOT supposed to be a “religion”, but it is presently a very close offshoot of the Roman Catholic “religion”. (Church buildings, pews, Pastors, altars, stained-glass windows, and a “board of directors”, etc…) Our fight is between the “FLESH and the SPIRIT” which is in all of us! That’s “Satan’s dwelling place”…..in the minds of men!
http://www.savioroftheworld.net/satan.htm
Beginning of link article:
Get Behind Me Satan!
MT 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Who could forget these strong words from Jesus to Peter? Was Peter really “Satan”? But where is that evil, red monster with the pitch fork? Where is the ugly beast with piercing eyes, a forked tail and pointy ears? Where in the hell is the fire and brimstone! Well, the truth is that Satan is none of these things. These images have been created in man’s darkened mind and are just MORE lies to deceive us and keep us from the Truth. The truth is simply what Jesus said. PETER WAS SATAN because of the state of his mind. Jesus said you don’t have in MIND the things of God, but the things of man. Satan lives in our darkened minds.
Now this may be hard to swallow, but the Truth always is! Satan is not a man, but a MIND and SPIRIT outside of God’s perfect will. Peter’s CARNAL THINKING, his EGO was the Satan- the adversary of God. The CARNAL MIND of man and all in that “spirit of the world” is SATAN. Satan is not a fallen angel as some have been taught, but more like a spirit of resistance. Because God is Truth, he is false. He is false as darkness is false. Darkness isn’t real, but only a lack of Light. Turn on a Light and the darkness is destroyed as it was never REALLY there! Satan does not have any power over God or God’s will. God is using “Satan” to bring man into Perfection. I know many may disagree, but let’s seek for the truth in this matter of Satan’s true identity.
Of course Satan has many names which will help shine some Light on the one who lives in the darkness of our minds. Satan is also called: the devil, the adversary, the accuser, the evil one, the spirit of the world, prince of this world, ruler of the kingdom of the air, the enemy, and of course the Serpent. Let’s begin in the Beginning when the Serpent arrives on the scene in Paradise.
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An excellent article by Paul Tautges:
20 Ways Satan May Seek to Destroy You
February 13, 2012 by Paul Tautges
He is the serpent, the Great Dragon, Beelzebul, the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the evil one, and the adversary. He is Satan. And-if you are a follower of Jesus Christ-he hates your guts with a passion. Like a roaring lion he is prowling about seeking to destroy you. How can you stand firm and resist the devil so that he will flee from you? First, do not be naive; you must consider his ways.
He may slander God to you in order to cast doubt on God’s goodness and shipwreck your faith (Gen 3:4-5).
He may tempt you to deceive others in order to create, or maintain, the impression of being more spiritual (Acts 5:3; Jn 8:44).
He may corrupt your mind and steer you away from the simplicity of Christ and His gospel (2 Cor 11:3).
He may hinder [cut in on, as in a race] your gospel witness and steal it from unsuspecting hearts (1 Thess 2:18; Matt 13:19).
He may wrestle against you, fighting against your progress in Christ (Eph 6:12).
He may tempt you to commit sexual immorality against your spouse as a result of neglecting the intimacy of the marriage bed (1 Cor 7:5).
He may harass you with some form of fleshly affliction (2 Cor 12:7).
He may blind the spiritual eyes of your unsaved family, friends, and neighbors so that they may not see the glory of Jesus in the gospel (2 Cor 4:4).
He may keep your unsaved acquaintances in bondage to sins that hinder them from coming to God (Gal 4:8).
He may smite you with physical disease (Luke 13:16; Job 2:7).
He may murder you (Ps 106:37; Jn 8:44).
He may sow tares [counterfeit Christians, sons of the evil one] within your assembly of believers in order to deceive and create disunity (Mt 13:38-39; 2 Cor 11:13-15).
He may lead you toward theological compromise by causing you to be friendly to false doctrine and its teachers (1 Tim 4:1-3).
He may persecute you for your godliness (Rev 2:10).
He may tempt you to do evil (Matt 4:1; 1 Thess 3:5).
He is-at this moment-prowling about seeking to capture and destroy you, chiefly through pride (1 Pet 5:6-8).
He will most assuredly slander you before God in heaven (Rev 12:10).
He may ask God for permission to sift you out for concentrated attack and temptation (Luke 22:31).
He may use the power of suggestion to move you away from the will of God (Matt 16:21-23).
He may try to cripple your effectiveness through confusion, discouragement, and despair (2 Cor 4:8-9).
How can you stand firm and resist the devil so that he will flee? The Bible exhorts believers to war against the enemy of faith by not remaining ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor 2:11); by submitting to God (Jas 4:7), being sober and alert and resistant to him (Eph 4:27; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8), and by not speaking lightly of him (Jude 8; 2 Pet 2:10).
5 Defensive Pieces of Armor and 2 Offensive Weapons: We must put on the armor of God, which includes the defensive weapons of truth, righteousness, gospel proclamation, faith, and salvation. We must also employ the offensive weapons of the sword of Scripture and prayer (Eph 6:11-18). These are the only means by which we may firmly stand against the devil. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Eph 6:12).
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When we get up tomorrow morning (and one never knows when today is his last), we may look in the mirror and see the “enemy” reflecting back at us. And each day, we should “die to self” and become more like Christ. Never mind your neighbor (just love him), and take care of what needs to be done within yourself FIRST.
Pearl
TRUTH VERSES RELIGION 