In German legend, he is Mephistopheles. The Quran calls him Iblis. Shakespear’s “King Lear” designated him the Prince of Darkness. The Pharisees referred to him as Beelzebub. Christians know him as the Adversary (Satan) and the Accuser (Devil), the enemy of all mankind. Not many like to discuss this being. Some even contend that he doesn’t exist. In this article, I would like to study about the one John calls the Dragon, Rev. 20:2, and his dealings with mankind.
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It’s a crazy world in which we live. I will tell you a secret though; it always has been. Solomon wrote, “The thing that has been is what will be, and that which is done is that which will be done; and there is no new thing sunder the sun.” (Ecc. 1:9)
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Let’s be serious here. An honest Christian is not comfortable talking about sex. Embarrassment is the common reaction to even the mention of the word. There are, of course, plenty of subjects that are uncomfortable subjects, but this one is a doozy.
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Most, if not all, watch television. A 2015 study shows that the average American household contains 2.3 televisions. (I wonder how big a .3 tv is, too.) We spend a great deal of our leisure time watching movies, shows, YouTube videos, the list is endless. (I don’t know about other moms, but I put on shows such as Andy Griffith while I’m cleaning house. It has to be something I’ve already seen, or I will get distracted and stand with my cleaning gloves on and a washcloth in my hand while staring at the screen.) It’s a form of entertainment just about every American knows and in which we participate, and it can be addictive. “Binge watching” is a thing.
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If one were to look at the statistics, it is a truth that women are more prone to worry and anxiety than men. Psychological studies show that this can be attributed to several factors; each gender’s social differences, hormones, size and strength, even sense of morality. It is agreed throughout the medical community that women, due to their worry, are better at staying alive than men - however, we are also more commonly diagnosed with anxiety disorders than men. The Holy Spirit commanded through the apostle Paul that we “be anxious in nothing”, Phil. 4:6. If we as women are both physically and psychologically disposed to worry, how can we keep this command? Let’s find out what God’s word has to say about the matter. If anyone can answer this question, it is our Creator.
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I stood on my front porch one evening during a thunderstorm and watched bolts of lightning, one after the other, strike at random. Just as I decided to go back inside, a bolt struck so close to my house that it nearly knocked me back, blinding me with light. I immediately thought to myself, “It’s a miracle that didn’t hit something!!!” I didn’t think anything of it until I saw a video on Facebook of a bolt of lightning striking a tree and causing it to explode. The tree stood by itself in an open field. I thought, “It’s a miracle that bolt of lightning hit the only tree in that field!” That’s when I decided to put Google to the test and see if I could learn something about lightning. As it turned out, everything I saw was absolutely natural and explainable by natural laws. That led to my investigation into miracles.
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A great number of people seek this joy. Unfortunately, only few find it…
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What God leaves unsaid speaks volumes.
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The Power of Words (Lk. 22:24-34)
1. Before and After
-Talking Before Thinking
-Words of Wisdom
2. Wrong and Right
- 3 wrong: idle, irate, ignorant
- 3 right: Wise Words, Softly Spoken, For Edification
3. Break or Build
-The Power of Words
-Wreckingball Words
-Structural Speaking
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I can never get enough Bible study. I am always dissatisfied with not knowing as much as I would like, not being able to recall information any time the questions are asked or the subject is discussed, or just being ignorant because I haven’t learned the information yet. I understand that I don’t have as much time and experience under my belt yet as do my elder brothers and sisters in Christ, but my aim is to be as wise in scripture as those who have gone on before me when I myself am elder, if the Good Lord wills me a long life.
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I got up this morning and went through my usual routine: wake up the child, get dressed and ready, ask why the child isn’t dressed and ready yet, drink my gallon of coffee, take the small one to school, return home, get to work. As my day went - washing the dishes and the laundry, walking the dog, taking the items I had cleaned out of the closet to the appropriate places, cooking and eating lunch, cleaning the living room, mowing the lawn, making sure I’m drinking enough water,…
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In order to come to an understanding of what constitutes an unhealthy home, we must first define a healthy one. God describes the tools needed to establish a healthy home in Ephesians chapters 5-6; how husband and wife should behave toward one another, how children should behave toward parents, and how parents should behave toward children. In Jeremiah chapter 35, Jeremiah tells us of a family known as the Rechabites. God contrasts the disobedience of Judah to the obedience of the sons of Jonadab. Jonadab had taught his sons how to respect authority and be obedient, whether it be toward him or God. God commends Jonadab and his sons, concluding that his household will always have a man that will stand before God. Positive peer pressure. Abraham was given the same commendation (Gen. 18:19). We see in this a healthy home.
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When I was a child, my family and I often went to visit my grandparents in Knoxville. Since it wasn’t very far from the Smokies, and since my grandfather loved to hike, we spent many summer days on a trail or picnicking in the park with the family. I and my brother and sister or cousins would usually stop every few feet on the trails to investigate whatever had caught our attention; a flower, a rock, a reptile, a mud puddle that needed disturbing. We often frustrated the adults that were trying to get to the feature at the end of the trail. Pictures were taken of the group with a waterfall or a scenic overlook as the background. Very rare are the pictures of the small things the children thought just as fascinating. For most of those small things, all I have are memories. The photographs of the feature at the end of the trail serve to remind me of those times that meant something very different to me then than it does now.
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We as the fallible humans that have been made in the image of God often have conflicting ideas concerning forgiveness. Our sinful nature would have us to hold grudges and forgive but never forget. Scripture teaches, however, that we can control that sinful nature and bring it under subjection to the law of Christ (Romans 7-8). The words of forgiveness Jesus spoke while in agony on the cross are the words that ring in the life of a faithful Christian that would forgive the way God forgives. What does scripture say about how God forgives? Let’s see.
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I hadn’t seen a sign of life for miles. It was a desolate road trip home; the kind that makes you wonder if you screamed for your life, would there be anyone near enough to hear you? Then I saw it -- a light in the distance. As I got nearer, it was a fueling station with, I hoped, a bathroom.
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This is a basic Bible study that can be used as a starting point to share with our friends and neighbors as to why we believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and His church is the body of the saved.
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From the first book of the Bible to the last book, God’s Word is concerned about the lives of His creation - not only the spiritual life and one’s relationship to God, but also the physical life and one’s relation to his fellow man (Genesis 1:26,27). Moses wrote to the Israelites in Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” Again, in the law, God instructs man not to “shed innocent blood” (Deuteronomy 19:10). Jesus’ teachings and example stress the importance of life (Luke 9:56). When our Lord walked the streets of Palestine, He ministered to the lame, blind, downtrodden, and social outcasts, of whom the world thought it best if they had never been born. He showed that these individuals were human, created in His image. So it follows that Christ’s disciples, the people making up His church, would strive in all ways to live and teach as the Master does. Thus, on issues such as abortion, our hearts should break when we think of the millions of innocent lives that have been extinguished in the name of “choice” and “freedom”. Our stomachs should churn when we hear of programs such as Planned Parenthood cutting up and selling aborted baby parts (or even that such a foundation as Planned Parenthood exists). Many want to ride the fence of the abortion issue and appeal to the worst-case scenario (such as rape, incest, etc.) as a reason abortion should be acceptable. The facts are, however, that most cases of abortion are not the result of a woman who has been forced in some way. Most abortions occur from a woman who willingly had sex, but did not want the responsibility that comes with it ( https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3711005.pdf ). The legalization of abortion has promoted more individuals to live promiscuous lives and think it is morally acceptable because it is legal. Therein lies the problem with such sinful activity (such as legalization of homosexual “marriage”) due to the lack of knowledge of God’s Word among the populous.
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As Christians, we read such passages as Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” or Romans 12: 2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…” and we hear them often in sermons or may even memorize them. However, are we really applying these Scriptures? Do we live out these words from God when deciding which new car/house/clothes to purchase; or when we complain about giving to the poor when each of our children have a cellphone; or when we begrudge the preacher who asks for a raise? We tell ourselves we are denying earthly pleasures and striving to serve God first, but often, our actions speak otherwise. This is unfortunate when we as Christians are supposed to be the light in this dark world. We have let worldliness seep into the church instead of making certain the church spreads out in the world. We should be the ones living differently so that the world may know that we have been crucified with Christ, rather than us thinking, dressing and acting just like everyone else does (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1). One of the major problems (if not the greatest) in the Lord’s church today is worldliness. Most of our conflicts and struggles in the body of Christ can be traced back to a materialistic mindset. What each of us as Christians thinks affects our homes, our contacts, our congregations, and ultimately, our world (Romans 8:6-7).
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A wise, older preacher once told me, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” The older I have gotten the more I understand this and the truer it has become. What we think in our minds and hearts affects our actions and lives. “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Many days end (good or bad) depending on our mindset that day. Many situations could have turned out differently if an attitude check had preceded the event. The overall mindset we possess in life will ultimately determine where we end up. This applies in the physical realm with our careers and earthly endeavors, but also, more importantly, it applies in the spiritual realm – where we will be in eternity. So, what kind of attitude should a child of God exhibit? We should have an attitude of thankfulness. God’s Word stresses the importance of having a disposition of thanksgiving. Thankfulness is key to possessing and maintaining an overall attitude that is pleasing to God. Having gratitude as our foundation will help us to continue to appreciate the love God has shown toward us and not take His blessings for granted; it will helps us keep in remembrance the sacrifice Christ paid for us, thus “setting our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2, 15; Ephesians 4:23-24). With thanksgiving at the center of our mind, we will have the attitude of the Psalmist (Psalms 100:4) and live a Spirit-filled life as commanded in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:15-21).
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The practice of taking the young children out of the worship assembly has come to be called “children’s church” in many corners. The purpose of this is to train and teach the children in a less formal setting that encourages them to “enjoy” church while allowing their parents to worship without distraction. This may sound good on the surface. However, it is important to ask some questions before giving in to any practice that involves worship to our God. Firstly, and most importantly, what does God’s Word teach on the subject? Is it authorized in the Scriptures? Does the Bible give us examples or principles to draw from that may help us come to a conclusion as to whether this is acceptable in God’s sight? Why would we separate children from the worship assembly in order to teach them about worship?
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