Satan is a Deceiver and Father of Lies

DEVOTION
12 / 09 / 05
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

One of the most used sayings I have heard as I have gone through my life as a child of God is: “We have the victory, we know the outcome.” Although this is true for those truly in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus), the war is far but over, my friends. Even for His true children. I keep saying, “true children”, because we are losing potential fellow-heirs all the time. Satan is a deceiver and a liar. (“… for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44b))

As I see Satan’s army, they are divided into two fronts. The purpose of the first front, are the obvious ones. This group seems to show the world “what evil is”. This group makes Satan’s second group look mighty holy and good. You know, “Wow, that person sure is evil, eh? I mean, straight from the lineage of Satan.” All the while, an elderly lady may be gently preaching a lie about the kingdom of God to them. The later is Satan’s elite, his undercover soldiers, if you will. Their aim? To convince people that they are from God and that they hold the truth. Remember when Satan tested our Savior in the desert? Satan used Scripture … straight from the Word of God!! Our Savior used the truth to combat “twisted truth”. Satan is working overtime to win those who have heard the truth! “Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:12)

Wow!! There will be, and are, people who THINK that they are saved children of the living God, yet are perishing! They have been deceived and thus, have lost the battle. They heard that the war is over and have given in to the enemy. All the while, they still THINK that they are saved, yet helping the advancement of Satan. “The coming of the lawless one (the one who hates the law) will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they REFUSED to love the TRUTH and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful DELUSION so that they will believe the LIE.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11) (Satan can use a well loved leader of a growing church or a homeless man on the street … do NOT be deceived, my friends! We know that the world will LOVE the lie in the end … for they will THINK the lie is God’s truth, this is why they worship the anti-Christ and his followers! “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. He who has an ear, let him hear.” (Revelation 13:8) (Keep asking yourself, why don’t those who truly love God recognize these false teachings?)

HINT: Satan knows that God desires obedience!

1.) In the garden (He made Adam and Eve disobey)
2.) In the desert (He made Israel disobey)
3.) Today (He makes many disobey as well)

The only One who did not disobey was Yeshua (Jesus). But that is what Satan used … disobey God! Have you fallen for the lie that the Law is no longer valid for today?

Let us read how Yeshua (Jesus) told his followers to beware and know the truth so that they are not deceived by the father of lies, Satan. The time is coming when even those who have given their life over to serve the Lord (the elect) will have a hard time distinguishing the truth from a lie (I testify today, the lie looks like the truth!):

- “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matthew 24:24-25)

How close are we to the end? Look who the masses are flocking to:

- Some denominations teach that we are to rebuke Satan and bind him (there is only One who can bind … we are to flee!) “This is especially true of those who follow the CORRUPT DESIRE of the sinful nature and despise authority. BOLD and ARROGANT, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. But these men BLASPHEME in matters they do NOT understand.” (2 Peter 2:10-12a) and “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these men speak ABUSIVELY against whatever they do NOT understand … Woe to them!” (Jude 9a)

- There are colossal churches performing great and miraculous signs and wonders as if performing a show on stage or at a theater (when did the Messiah do His miracles like this?)

- The most loved false doctrine is, because of the desires of their flesh, God is a big money tree or piggy bank … “who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” (1 Timothy 6:5b) and “They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit…” (Jude 9b)

Can you see that we must combat Scripture with Scripture (Just like Yeshua (Jesus) did)? Satan’s job is clearly to get us to believe the lie and turn us away from the truth. My friend, are you seeking the truth with all that you are? Are you too busy with life and its gain to search? Would you rather follow man’s wisdom, than the wisdom given by His Spirit? Whose voice are you hearing?

- “When He (Yeshua (Jesus)) has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:4-5)

This is not a slumber party, my brothers and sisters! The war has increased in intensity now that the Messiah has come! If you are not feeling the heat … the love of the world, instead of the love of God, might just be in you. “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19) (The world seems to hate what I, and many others in these end days, are preaching. Come to think of it, they hated what the Messiah and His followers were preaching too!)

Many who have been deceived, because they did not love the truth, will stand before the Lord waiting to be embraced by the Master. Instead, they will get the following answer and it is then that they will realize their negligence! “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. MANY will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. AWAY FROM ME, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Just so you know: The above people “thought” that they were saved. These are NOT Muslims, Atheists, or any other foreign religion but “Christian”. They are calling Yeshua (Jesus) Master thinking that they gave their life over to Him. The scary part? Is WHY Yeshua (Jesus) sent them away: They were transgressing His Laws / commands that HE gave to us in the Old Testament. Some translations have it “You who practice lawlessness” (NASB) or “You who work iniquity (sin)” (KJV).

Have you fallen for the lie (deception) that the Law is not for us?

Who is the Law For?

DEVOTION
08 / 19 / 05
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

“He has revealed His word to Jacob, His laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for NO OTHER nation; they (The other nations) do not know His laws. Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 147:19-20

FIRST THOUGHTS:

• Because of a conversation I had last week (mostly one-sided …mostly the other person telling me how wrong I was, in living according to God’s Torah by obeying the Sabbath, celebrating God’s Holidays, eating according to God’s dietary laws, etc… (Basically how wrong my family is by living according to God’s “Old rules”).
• “Why Lord?” Why are so many people determined not to live according to the way your Son did? (1 John 2:6)
• My wife and I have been doing an ongoing study about God’s Law. This devotion, sparked by that conversation I had, is in line with our study. So allow me to share with you at this time, some of our search.
• REMINDER: This is NOT a conclusion, but merely what we have been studying. We are open (WIDE open) to hear comments (out of love) and discuss with anyone about our love … God and His Words.
• Keep your mind open and your heart moldable. Flee from “phrases” and “interpretations” that seem to contradict God’s entire Word.

QUESTION: Is God’s Law for ALL people, or just given to His children?

• I had a discussion about this topic with one of the men that I hold in high esteem as a “man of God”, “one who has godly wisdom”, and who holds me accountable. Because of that conversation, I am going to approach this topic a little differently.
• Keep in mind the question and concerns:
o Is God’s Law for ALL people, or just His children?
o Why are so many determined not to obey God’s Law? Is it really a burden and done away with?
• A phrase that I feel is used way too flippantly is … “God’s gift of salvation is for ALL men.” Although there is some truth to this, in actuality, NOT all men are saved. So God’s gift, which is free, is AVAILABLE to ALL men … they simply have to have faith in the Messiah as Lord. Now God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but not all men are saved. (Read carefully what that says). Salvation is basically ONLY for the children of God, but available for ALL men who call on the Lord.
• Okay … now let’s take that SAME idea and apply it to God’s Law. (REMEMBER … “Torah” actually means instruction, even though our English bibles translate it “Law”). I am going to give you some verses that prompted this thought, but first, we must remember:
o God’s picture of salvation, as He used physical Israel as His example, shows that they received the Law (God’s instruction for righteous living) AFTER they were redeemed from Egypt. The Israelites (and the aliens conjoining themselves to God) who lived by faith, were God’s children BEFORE they received this Law … keep that in mind.
o ANYTHING that God SAYS is Truth and is to be obeyed. Adam sinned and that was before the Law was given … or was it? I mean, God gave him a command and he disobeyed it … therefore, he sinned.

VERSES THAT PROMPTED OUR STUDY:

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 … “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for … so that the MAN OF GOD may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (An un-believer is NOT a man of God. So, Scripture is NOT useful for the un-believer in the ways it is for the believer … although it COULD be and it IS available for him. Yet an un-believer chooses to live according to HIS ways, not God’s)
• Romans 5:13a … “for BEFORE the law was given, sin was in the world.” (Again, sin is disobeying God’s commands. There is more to the “Law” than a bunch of rules … it is the very voice of God and who HE is. It is God’s heart revealed. It is God’s justice and mercy woven together and given to His children as a gift!! To obey God is to UNDERSTAND who HE is!! To obey God is to love Him (John 14:15, 14:23-24, and 1 John 5:3))
• (This one is awesome and was the clincher to our thought. And to think that the mainstream church is teaching their parishioners NOT to obey God’s Law as found in the “Torah” … what are we really showing the world around us? By observing God’s Laws we are showing the world around us that we understand and have wisdom!!) Deuteronomy 4:6-8 … “Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him? And what other nation is so great as to have such RIGHTEOUS decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?” (WOW … that is awesome! By obeying God’s entire Word the way our Savior did … in complete obedience … we show the unsaved how awesome our God is!! Now … these very Laws are available for THEM, as well. They simply must believe and become a child of God!! Then God’s Spirit will start writing them on THEIR hearts, as well!)

LAST THOUGHTS:

• Can you see how it seems that God’s children (who are to look differently from the world around them!), have rules to live by? Those rules are God’s Torah (the first five books of Moses and AFFIRMED by our Savior as He lived them out perfectly, giving us an example! (1 Corinthians 11:1 1 and Peter 2:21-22)).
• Example: My children have rules to live by (we will call them “Dad’s law”). If they want to please me and have Dad’s favor upon them, they had better live according to “Dad’s law”. Now I know that the younger ones cannot obey them as well as the older ones. I do not hold the younger children to the same standards as the older ones (although the older ones may grumble at this and say this is not fair … it is) I am ALWAYS showing my children mercy when they mess up (I know when they obey out of love for me, and when they try to get away with things, as well), but they remain my children. When we go out, I want them to show the world around them that they belong to a Dad that loves them so much, that I protect them with rules. I teach them how to truly live by giving them guidelines, and so forth. Now, someone else’s child does NOT have to obey “Dad’s law”!!! Why? They are not my children!!! Although, I DESIRE that ALL families would adhere to training their children according to “Dad’s law”. MY rules are only for MY children. But if a child comes to me and wants to be part of my family (this is an example, okay) because that child saw how much I love my children. How I talk with them and listen to them, not wavering in my rules, caring enough for my children as to set boundaries by not letting them go off freely, and this “alien” child wants to be part of my family … “Come, I say … enjoy life. Enjoy the same love.” Upon attaching himself to my family, that new child of mine does not know my rules. Obeying them is NOT why he is welcomed in. He desires to live as my child, because he believes in my plan. Eventually, over time and in love, I will guide him or her (as a loving father does) … (This is a picture of our loving Father and how any of us can become part of Israel … His family)
• Let us stop the aversion to God’s Law. They are NOT like the world’s traditions and frail imitations (but do you really expect them to be?). You will no longer look like the world around you (but, again, did you expect a child of God to?).
• Here is a thought … Romans 7:9-10 … “Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was INTENDED to bring life actually brought death.” (Which side of the law are you on? The side that brings death (by obeying or NOT obeying it to gain salvation)? Or the side that brings you closer to God? When one obeys the law, or eliminates the Law, in order to try and gain salvation, it brings death. When they find life in the Messiah, this same law is now righteousness for this child of God. Remember … sin is “Law-LESS-ness” … or … sin is “without law”. So what have many churches done because they could not obey the Law? They say there is no law to obey. But YOU know that the Messiah came to take away our sins … by putting the law on our hearts and minds, so that we CAN obey them (When one knows and obeys the law, he obviously is not sinning against that law! God took the sin away!). Obedience is a delight for those who allow God’s Spirit to do His job … (Hebrews 8:8-11)

SHOULD WE BE AFRAID OF OUR FATHER’S GIFT … HIS LAW?

• If you are trying to obey it (OR ignore it) to save yourself, yes. Look at the Law as a double edged sword (Hmmmm … isn’t that our Messiah?). The Law can either condemn you (before you are saved) or is your righteousness (after you are saved).
• BECAUSE we are His children, the Law is for US. Listen to God’s Word as it is penned by the Apostle Paul, and the way that he describes it (we obey BECAUSE we believe … “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? NOT AT ALL! Rather, we uphold the law.” Romans 3:31)
• The world does not understand this foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18a … “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”). God’s power is the one transforming us from the inside out … that is ONLY through what Christ accomplished on the cross. The world does not want a law to live by. But of course, we are told that in Romans 8:6-7 … “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is HOSTILE to God. It does NOT submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” By saying we are free from God’s perfect Law and that HE must understand our disobedience … we seem to be telling a loving Father, “We don’t like the rules of the house”. Even though our words SAY we love His Son, by our very action, we are denying Him, for HE is the very Word of His Law made flesh!! He is the movie of the book … or the example for us how to live out God’s Word!!
• Let us embrace God’s entire Word and instruction Book. Will it make those around us feel good? Of course not!! Our obedience will be revealing their sin. They are under the Law (controlled by the Law that SAYS that what they are doing is a sin). Not us!! WE are under the control of His Spirit. His Spirit supervises us … no longer the written words on stone, but on our hearts!! We now have the power to overcome our sinful nature and obey God’s Holy and perfect Law (As each Law is revealed to us and the truth of the knowledge is known).
• My children desire to please me … they want to obey me … why? They love me and that is how they show their love for me.

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