“Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ‘I will give it all to You,’ he said, ‘if you will kneel down and worship me.’” (Matthew 4:8-9 NLT) We often read Scripture so quickly we miss important words.Continue reading “Who or What Do You Worship?”
Tag Archives: Satan
Stand Up to Your Bullies!
“In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.” (1Continue reading “Stand Up to Your Bullies!”
Life’s Last Turn
“Look, I am coming soon, bringing My reward with Me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:12-13) It’s about an 18-hour drive to visit my daughter, and though we break it up into two daysContinue reading “Life’s Last Turn”
Gladiator or Spectator?
“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” (Philippians 1:21 NLT) Being a Jesus follower isn’t only important in teaching us how to live, it’s vital in preparing us to die. We may never be put in a literal arena to face an opponent, but unless and until we understandContinue reading “Gladiator or Spectator?”
Is God Angry With You?
“Then the Lord became angry with Moses. ‘All right,’ He Said. ‘What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you…’” (Exodus 4:14 NLT) This is a rather delicate subject, and I don’t want toContinue reading “Is God Angry With You?”
What’s the Lie Behind Your Unbelief?
“’Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully.’” (Mark 12:14a NLT) You can know something is true without following Jesus, but you can’t follow Jesus without knowing Truth. The Pharisee’s had insight into the fact that Jesus taught what wasContinue reading “What’s the Lie Behind Your Unbelief?”
The “Gospel” of Satan
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10a NLT) Comfort and a false sense of security are two of Satan’s most effective weapons. He played his hand when he was tempting Jesus. “Then the devil took Him (Jesus) up and revealed to Him all the kingdoms of the world in aContinue reading “The “Gospel” of Satan”
When Satan Attacks
“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:16 NLT) Recently I had the privilege and honor of being among the ones who spoke at my mentor’s Celebration of Life. While the message the Lord gave me came quickly, I struggled forContinue reading “When Satan Attacks”
The Two Faces of Pride
“Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26b NLT) Pride isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it depends on the object of our pride. In 1 Samuel 17, from which the above verse is taken, David is exhibiting pride, but his intention isn’tContinue reading “The Two Faces of Pride”
Defining Our Wants
“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NLT) In some ways I believe we tend to “water down” the things Jesus says to us in His Word. We too often want to “spiritualize” verses like the one above until weContinue reading “Defining Our Wants”