God created humans to worship. In the Garden, Adam and Eve were able to worship their Creator face to face. In their rebellion, humans were cut off from the face of God. The Cherubim were set in place throughout history to guard the worship of God. First in the entrance to Eden (Genesis 3:24), then set on both ends of the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25). Eventually, they were set to guard the Holy of Holies (2 Chronicles 3).
Though all of mankind was cursed through the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12), the Lord was gracious in letting His people worship Him from afar. God was specific in His commandments to His people regarding how sinners were to worship him (Deuteronomy 12:32), and the punishment for veering from that command proved to be severe. Consider Nadab and Abihu:
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ And Aaron held his peace. – Leviticus 10:1-3
In short, the two priests were flippant and disobedient (Exodus 30:9) with the worship they offered to God, and they died because of it. Granted, this is not the normative penalty for this sin, but because God’s character never changes (Numbers 23), the truth remains—God cares how He is worshipped.
You might say that this is simply an Old Testament narrative that doesn’t apply to the church today, but that notion would simply deny the immutability of God. We may not worship with burnt offerings under the New Covenant, but does that mean God is now indifferent about the way in which we worship Him?
Global warming is a huge phenomenon going on in the modern-day. Many people debate whether global warming is happening or not. The Bible does not specifically talk about global warming; however, the Bible does tell us the world will eventually be burned in fire (2 Peter 3:7).
2 Peter 3:10 informs us, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”
What Is the Difference Between Climate Change and Global Warming? It is worthwhile to mention that global warming is distinct from climate change. Climate change and global warming are not the same issues. According to NASA, climate change, “encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; shrinking mountain glaciers; accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic; and shifts in flower/plant blooming times.”
Likewise, NASA describes global warming as “the long-term heating of the Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
From this definition, it is mankind’s fault that we are experiencing global warming today. People are divided on whether or not it is mankind’s fault that we are experiencing global warming and as noted earlier, many people deny we are experiencing global warming at all.
Nonetheless, it is important for all people to take care of the environment as God has given us dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). Since God has given us this great responsibility and privilege, we do need to care about the way we treat the environment.
Activities, such as recycling, cutting down on fossil fuels, and simply buying energy-saving light bulbs are small ways to help take care of the environment.
Should it Matter to Believers? Whether we are experiencing global warming or not is up for debate; however, it is crucial that believers do not divide themselves over this topic. God wants the body of believers to be unified.
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Corinthians 1:10).
Each person can have their own opinion, but we must not condemn a believer if they believe in global warming, nor should we condemn someone if they do not believe in global warming. Factions, discord, and disorder are not in God’s will for His children. Whether you believe in global warming or not, do not look down upon those who have the opposite opinion from yourself.
Scientists have studied the planet and the surrounding atmosphere, which is why we should respect their work and hear what they have to say. Science attests to God, as God is the One who invented science.
Many believers believe you have to choose God or science; however, God is compatible with science because God invented every atom, molecule, and chromosome. You can respect science and still be a believer. In any case, we must obey God and He tells us to be a good steward of all He has given us.
“The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:20-21).
The Destruction of the Earth Whether a person believes in global warming or not, the Bible does tell us the world will be destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:7-10). Logically, this would mean the earth will continue to get hotter and hotter until the destruction of the planet. The Bible tells us that the destruction of the world is going to be within God’s plan.
God will destroy the present earth because He is going to make a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-5). The present earth we are standing on today will not exist forever. It is our responsibility as creations of God to care for this planet in the best way we can.
The complete destruction of planet earth will happen after the Rapture of the Church, the Great Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ, and the Millennium. However, during the seven-year Tribulation, the world will slowly be destroyed through the various bowl judgments (Revelation 16:3-5, 16:12).
After the 1,000-year reign of Christ, God will destroy the earth in fire, and He will create the New Heaven and New Earth. The New Heaven and New Earth will be a place of perfection, happiness, and joy in the Lord. There will be no more fear, crying, or pain.
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
Why Does This Matter? Global warming is not discussed in the Bible, but believers are given facts in the world, such as rising temperatures, melting ice caps, increased drought, increased wildfires, and increased health problems from the rise of temperatures in urban cities.
Whether a believer chooses to believe in global warming is up to them personally. What we are told in the Bible is that all mankind is to be good stewards of God’s creation as the entire world is His, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” (Psalm 24:1).
Since God has entrusted the earth to us, it is right for us to take care of the planet and do what we can to help the earth. We are not in control of the planet; however, we can make changes in our everyday life to show God we are being good stewards of what He has given us.
The Bible tells us the earth will be destroyed by fire in the future, which would align with global warming. It could be the present crises we are experiencing with the rising heat could be the beginning of the birth pangs Jesus talked about during His earthly ministry (Matthew 24:8).
As for the immediate time, believers should strive after unity, practice good stewardship, and look forward to the day when God will make everything new.
We doubt the promises God has made. We doubt the abilities God has gifted us with. We doubt the provision God has over our lives. We doubt that God has joy set apart for us, because our current suffering doesn’t seem as appealing as our neighbor’s prosperity. We doubt that God is working out all things for His good.
Sometimes we just have questions that we don’t have the answers to, and the quest for those answers turns up empty. Yes, we can even doubt God’s existence.
“Spiritual doubt has been a reality of the Christian journey since the disciples — and today is no different,” said Roxanne Stone, managing editor of the Religion News Service and former editor in chief of Barna Group. “Just like first-century Christians, their twenty-first-century counterparts question aspects of their theology, doubt the existence of God, and mourn His seeming absence during hard times. Doubt remains a flip side on the same coin as faith.”
Many Christians, understandably so, seek answers for these doubts both in their own studies of the Bible and from pastors or leaders at their local church. But what do we do when our pastors and church leaders experience doubts as well? They’re supposed to have the answers for us, right?
Pastors Can Have Doubts, Too First, it’s important to understand that it is normal for pastors to experience doubt.
“I have had doubts and, in fact, sometimes pastors have more doubts than those in the pews, given the pressures pastors face in terms of leadership and the depth of human brokenness pastors see on a daily basis,” said Daniel Darling, a pastor and author in Nashville, Tennessee. “I think most of our doubts center around the mystery of what God is doing in the moment. I think of spiritual leaders in Scripture who doubted like David and Habbakuk and Jeremiah and Paul.
“The key to answering doubts is to rest and remember what we know to be true about God, what we’ve seen him do in Christ, what we know of his goodness and grace. This is where a foundation of thick theology, a reservoir of hymn lyrics, and a community of saints is vitally important.”
While our pastors will indeed have many answers, we cannot expect them to have all the answers. God is a marvelous mystery. He is an infinite being. Our finite minds simply cannot fathom or understand everything about God, nor were we created to.
None of us — even pastors — were given the capacity to fully understand God. This is why we have faith.
Responding to Those Who Doubt Expecting our pastors to have all the answers is simply unrealistic and puts too much pressure on someone who, like us, is merely human. Pastors are susceptible to the same sins, temptations, heartache, and — yes — even doubts that everyone else is. Oftentimes, as Darling noted, it’s the trying seasons or traumatic events that bring about doubts, even with pastors.
As churchgoers, it is vital that we understand the reality that our pastors can and will experience doubt, and it’s equally important that we pray and support them during seasons of doubt. We must encourage them in their quest for a deeper understanding of who God is and pray for them to find contentment in their limited earthly understanding of God.
“I think churchgoers should welcome a spiritual leader who has doubts in terms of understanding the mystery of what God might be doing in the world,” Darling said. “I think a good shepherd is vulnerable with his own real wrestling with God. Pastors are not content machines or Bible bots, they are flesh and blood people.
“I do think when pastors face doubts, they can model a way to navigate them in ways that help others find their way back to what they know is true. I’d be concerned if a spiritual leader was openly doubting and questioning the basic tenants of the Christian faith. It may be time for a season of rest and stepping away from leadership. But a pastor who has doubts — like David, Abraham, Habbakuk, Jeremiah, Paul — about what God might be doing in a given moment: this is the stuff of real-life as we walk by faith and not by sight.”
When someone expresses doubt in their faith, they are sometimes met with judgment, as if enduring a season of doubt is an affront to God. That misconception can be amplified when the doubt comes from the pulpit. How could a pastor have doubts about God?
Here’s how Adam Weber, pastor of Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, put it on Twitter:
“Note to Christians: One of the best answers you can give in response to someone’s questions about God, life, Bible, Heaven,… that you don’t know is: ‘I don’t know,’” he tweeted. “Don’t try and dance around their question. Don’t make up an answer. Thank them for asking and say, ‘I don’t know.’
“You can faithfully search for an answer in addition and share it with humility if you do find answers. I think often we think we lose credibility if we don’t have all the answers to questions. Not true! We lose so much more when we try and sound like we know something that we don’t.”
Not knowing an answer is not always the result of doubt, but accepting that “I don’t know” is a legitimate answer for any Christian will remove any pressure that we might feel to understand it all or seek to understand it all. We simply can’t, and we won’t. And that’s okay.
The End of the World has been a hot topic for a long time. Many people are obsessed with the idea of the apocalypse. Some people are even preparing for the End of the World with safe houses and food storage shelters.
Popular culture depicts the End of the World differently than what the Bible tells us. There have been many films created about the End of the World with different reasons as to why the world is ending and how. The truth is that the Bible does tell us how the world will end and describes the End of the World within its pages.
Doom Days The End of the World will not come right away. The Bible tells us the End of the World will not come until the end of the 1,000-year reign of Christ known as the Millennial Reign of Christ.
The literal 1,000-year reign of Christ will come after the Rapture of the church and the Tribulation. After the end of the 1,000-year reign of Christ, God will destroy the earth with fire and create a New Heaven and a New Earth (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1).
The Rapture The Rapture is prior to the End of the World. The rapture is when Jesus takes His children up to be with Him in Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Only believers will be taken up in the rapture as unbelievers will be left on the earth to undergo the seven-year Tribulation. The rapture will happen unexpectedly and will not have anything to precipitate it.
It will happen quickly, suddenly, and swiftly. Paul tells us the rapture will happen quicker than a twinkling of the eye (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). When believers are taken up in the rapture, they will be alive and will be transformed into their heavenly bodies.
Believers who are taken up in the rapture will not die. The rapture can happen at any time, meaning it could happen today, tomorrow, or a thousand years from now. Only God knows when the rapture will occur, and He has not given us that information in the Bible. Believers should continue to do good, live for Christ, and share the gospel with others until this time.
The Tribulation The seven-year Tribulation occurs after the rapture of the church. The church will not have to undergo this wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The seven-year Tribulation is the major event of God completing His work of judging the nations.
The Tribulation is the last opportunity for unbelievers to accept Jesus. Israel is the focus of the Tribulation; however, God is calling all unbelievers to accept Him during this period. Sadly, there will be people who reject Jesus during the Tribulation and refuse to submit to His Lordship.
The Tribulation will be a time of pain, terror, and wrath. Noteworthy to mention is that the Tribulation is the work of God — not of Satan. The wrath being poured out on the world will be God’s wrath. The Tribulation is known also by the title of “The Day of the Lord” (Joel 1:15).
Daniel 9:24-27 gives a detailed description of the events of the Tribulation including God’s wrath, the antichrist, and the length of the Tribulation. The first half of the Tribulation will be intense; however, the second half of the Tribulation will be even more severe (Matthew 24:21; Zephaniah 1:15).
The Tribulation will end after the seven years that is declared in Daniel. After these seven years, Jesus will return with believers to destroy all unbelievers in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16).
The Millennial Reign of Christ After the Tribulation, the Millennial reign will be ushered in by Jesus. The Millennial reign of Christ will last for a literal 1,000 years and Jesus will be the literal, physical King (Revelation 20:2-7). During this time, Satan is locked away and will not be released until the end of the 1,000 years to test the nations.
The Millennial reign of Christ will be amazing as Jesus will literally walk with mankind again. Despite Jesus being physically ruling as King, people will still reject Him and choose to follow Satan. There will still be death in the Millennial Kingdom as well as life with new babies born.
However, after the Millennial, no more babies will be born, and nobody will die. After the Millennial Kingdom ends, there will be the Great White Throne Judgment, in which all unbelievers will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity (Revelation 20:11-15).
All believers will enter the Eternal State, in which the Bible tells us this will be the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13).
The End of the World 2 Peter 3:10-12 gives us the best description of the End of the World. In 2 Peter 3:10-12, the Bible tells us the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. This means the End of the World will happen suddenly and quickly. 2 Peter 3:10 says, “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”
When Peter says, “The heavens,” he is not referring to the physical heaven above where God is located. Rather, “the heavens” refer to everyone in the solar system, including the stars, the moon, and all the planets. Everything in the solar system will be destroyed by fire.
As you can imagine, there will be a lot of noise associated with this event. The destruction of the solar system will not be a silent event as this destruction will be louder than a crack of thunder. After the destruction of the heavens and everything in the world, the entire earth will be bare (2 Peter 3:10). Nothing living will be on the face of the earth. This will officially be the End of the World.
After the End The Bible tells us after everything is destroyed, God is going to create a new Heaven and a New Earth (Revelation 21:1). This New Heaven and New Earth will last forever. The Eternal State is what theologians call the New Heaven and the New Earth.
God will never destroy the New Heaven and New Earth because it’s going to be completely perfect, without sin, and holy (2 Peter 3:18). Only those who are in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be able to live in the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 13:8).
In order to be in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you have to have accepted Christ during your life by placing faith in His death, burial, and resurrection. For individuals who did not place faith in Jesus, they will be cast into the Lake of Fire along with Satan, the antichrist, and the beast after the Millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:10).
The End of the World is a future event, but it is best for all people to be prepared. The best way to prepare for the End of the World is not to store up food, water, or resources. Rather, the best way to prepare for the End of the World is by placing faith in Jesus and accepting Him as your Lord and Savior.
Jesus didn’t need to repent or turn from sin, rather, his baptism served as a sign to John, and future generations of believers, that he was the Messiah. With this confirmation in place, John’s mission to prepare the way for the Messiah was complete.
Jesus’ baptism account is a beautiful portrayal of the loving union of the Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit. This moment in his life marked the beginning of his ministry in which he was partaking in the human experience fully as the spotless lamb of God sent to save the world.
The baptism of Jesus doesn’t have to be confusing, even if it does raise some questions. Jesus wasn’t baptized for the same reasons that us believers need to be baptized. Instead, his baptism confirms his identity as the Messiah, and demonstrates his willingness to take on humanity to be the perfect atonement for all sin and death. Jesus modeled a key step, baptism, in the life of every believer. At the end of his life, Jesus instructed his disciples to make disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (See: Matthew 28:19). From the start to the end of his ministry, Jesus championed the significance of baptism for those who put their faith in God.
I really hope you like these….I’ve had a rough week with some family issues that are now thankfully resolved…and these quotes REALLY helped me get through the week…so what started as a week with sadness will now end as a week with HOPE! Please share these with anyone you know that may be having a rough week!
Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 27:1 Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
We are given grace through Christ. He took upon Himself the chastisement for sin. No more animal sacrifices and no more fear of wrath from the holy Judge.
This raises the question by some people, then if we won’t be punished anymore, why can’t we just sin as much as we want to?
God will still care for us and forgive us no matter what. But sin carries tremendous consequences. We will suffer for following our flesh. And continued evil behavior can harden our hearts toward the Spirit and keep us from hearing Him (Hebrews 3:13).
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)
A person can sit in a jail cell after committing crimes and God will still love them. But the results of their actions against society will be implemented. Sin hurts people. Sexual immorality can bring diseases and break up families. Drug and alcohol abuse destroys bodies and relationships. Lying to others breaks trust. Covetousness plants the seed for stealing.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:12-13)
If we have the deep revelation of how much the Father cherishes us, we will not want to violate that bond. We will be forever grateful for what the Savior did for us. If we approach grace as an opportunity to sin, we are abusing the cross of Christ.
The only law we are under now is the law of love (Romans 13:8-10). When we understand that we cannot be made holy by what we do, but only through the sacrifice of the Son, we are set free from the curse of the Law.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:13)
Our Creator’s original intention was for mankind to accept His love. But His heart was ignored, and misdeeds abounded. He had to show us that we were sinful so we would call out to Him in repentance.
We had to find out we couldn’t save ourselves. That’s why He sent us a Savior.
1 Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people”
Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Psalm 130:5 “I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”
Please let me know your thoughts on these “15 Dangerous Lies Satan Tells You about Scripture”…but only if you have time to do so because I know everyone is extremely busy with their daily lives as it is, but if you do have time to share your thoughts with me I’d very much appreciate it!
15 Dangerous Lies Satan Tells You about Scripture
(The devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar, and the father of lies. – John 8:44
If I were the devil, I would do everything in my power to keep you from the Word of God. I would say anything I could think of, anything I thought you would believe, anything that works, to get you to read other things.
As Paul said, “We are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11). We know how he works. And here are some of the lies we have noticed pouring out of his factory, all geared toward destroying confidence in God’s Word.
Lie #1: “You already know it, so don’t read it.”
He’s lying to you. You do not know it. I’ve studied the Bible all my life and in no way could I say I “know” it. I know a great deal about it, but there is so much more. For the typical church member to shun the Bible because “I’ve been there and done that” is laughable.
Lie #2: “No one can understand it, so don’t read it.”
He’s lying. Even a child can understand a great deal of Scripture. Meanwhile, the Ph.D. will find plenty to challenge his thinking. Only a book from the Almighty could touch so many at every level of their existence.
Lie #3: “It’s boring. So don’t read it.”
He’s lying. The Bible is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.
We’re boring, and that’s the problem.
Lie #4: “It’s better left to the professionals. So, don’t read it.”
He’s lying, using a lie he once sold to the Catholic church during the Middle Ages. By keeping the Holy Scriptures in the Latin (and not in the language of the people) the church could give it whatever slant they chose. Some hardy individuals paid for the right for us to own Scriptures in our own tongue with their very lives. We must not take lightly the privilege we have to own a copy of the very Word of God in our own language.
Lie #5: “You need to know Greek and Hebrew to know what it really means. So, don’t bother reading it.
He’s lying. The English conveys very well the meanings of Scripture in their original languages. However, reading the Bible in its original forms is still thrilling, and we encourage people to study Hebrew and Greek if possible.
Lie #6: “The English Bible was not translated correctly. If you doubt that, listen to preachers say, ‘The translators got this wrong. What it really says is…’ So, don’t read it.”
The devil is lying, and half the time those preachers are misrepresenting the truth too. Just read it.
Lie #7: “It’s contradictory. So don’t read it.”
He’s got a half-truth here, but he’s still lying. There are no contradictions in Scripture regarding any doctrine or teaching of consequence. There are places where one writer says 100 people were killed and another writer said it was 1000…that sort of thing. Scholars often have explanations for this. To me personally, I love those little shades of differences. They are the very answer to the charge that the church tampered with the Bible to make it say what they want. If so, they would have cleaned up those loose ends! (Smiley-face goes here.)
Lie #8: “Experts disagree on what it means. So, don’t read it.”
He’s lying. The Christian church, no matter what denomination, agrees with 90 percent of the Scripture message. Or even more.
Lie #9: “The Bible is outdated. Not for our modern times. So, don’t read it.”
He’s lying. It’s as contemporary as this morning’s paper. Or even more so. And as C. S. Lewis once asked, “What does today’s date have to do with anything?”
Lie #10: “The Bible is just a bunch of rules. So, don’t read it.”
He’s lying once again. Scripture is anything but that. It contains the greatest stories, most inspiring teachings, and blessed insights imaginable.
Lie #11: “You are so far beyond that. The Bible has nothing for you. So, don’t read it.”
He’s lying. And the best response to this is: “Well, I’ll see for myself,” as you open it up.
Lie #12: “Men wrote it. So, forget about it being divine. Don’t waste your time reading it.”
Another half-truth that is a whole lie. True: “Holy men of old wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” said the apostle in 2 Peter 1:21. God used men and women to write the Scripture; it did not drop to earth fully written.
Lie #13: “Reading the Bible will turn you into a religious fanatic. And you don’t want people thinking you’re a nut. Do not risk that by reading the Bible.”
He’s lying. They say that “a fanatic is someone who loves Jesus more than you do.” What reading the Bible will do is introduce you to the Savior, teach you about salvation, and nourish your soul. Anything that can do that is your friend and, instead of making you weird will make you whole. See 2 Timothy 3:15-17. Once again, Satan is lying.
Lie #14: “No one with intelligence reads the Bible anymore. Only religious fundamentalists and extremists. So, don’t read it.”
He’s lying. Some of the smartest people on the planet—including scientists and professors and philosophers and my neighbor down the street—read and love the Holy Bible. And they are among the sanest people on the planet.
Lie #15: “You’re too busy. You can read it some other time when you are feeling spiritual, when you have plenty of time, when you’re older. Just don’t read it now.”
He’s lying. You are not too busy; maybe too lazy. Or too worldly, too unbelieving, or too lost. To wait until you are “feeling spiritual” (whatever that means) is a fool’s errand, and you should not fall for that. To wait until you are older is another ploy he uses on the simple-minded. Many a person has gone out into eternity lost who had planned to take care of these matters down the road when they were elderly. The only problem is they didn’t live to become elderly. Don’t let it happen to you.
Grab your bible and let’s discuss 10 Steps to Fight Satan together…if you think I;m missing any steps and should add more please let me know so I can do that!
10 Steps to Fight Satan – Grab Your Bible
Here’s how…
Open to the Gospel of Matthew.
That’s page one of the New Testament. You can read all 28 chapters of this short volume in an hour or so.
Keep reading.
You will read three other gospels similar to Matthew—Mark, Luke, and John—but different, on the life and ministry of Jesus. Each writer has something unique to offer.
Keep reading.
Acts of the Apostles tells what happened after Jesus left.
And yes, keep on reading.
You are now to the “epistles,” a fancy word for “letters,” most of them from the Apostle Paul to churches in various locales. You won’t understand everything, but you can grasp a great deal.
Don’t worry about what you cannot understand.
Treasure all that you do understand, because there is a great deal of it.
Read it consecutively.
Not just jumping around. And, in large sections, at least one hour at a time.
When you finish, go back and start again.
You will get more the second time through than you did the first.
Pray.
Each time you open the Bible, say this: “Father, help me to understand this and to get what You want me to see. Thank you for hearing my prayer.”
Get help.
After you have read it through a few times, ask a pastor if there is a Bible study class you could attend. To hear a good teacher teach about what you have been reading can be a privilege.
Obey it.
In John 13:17, Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” Also, see James 1:22. The blessing comes from obeying His teachings, not from reading or learning them.
Eventually, you will be able to say what Job did:
I have esteemed the words of Thy mouth more than my necessary food – Job 23:12
The Christian Tech-Nerd 