For thought and meditation

[rl69]

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

—1 Peter 5:8

Jesus told a parable about a sower who scattered some seed, some of which “fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it” (Luke 8:5). Jesus then explained, “The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved (verses 11–12).

The devil will be there to oppose and attack. He will be there to try to stop the work of God in the life of the believer.

As surely as there is a God who loves you, there is also a devil who hates you. He wants to reel you back in. He wants you to go down in flames. He is described in the Bible as “a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The apostle Paul wrote, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3–4).

Many of us, as we go through spiritual boot camp, so to speak, have a hard time. We don’t want to toughen up. In fact, at the first sign of difficulty, we are ready to bail. I didn’t sign up for this. This isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

But consider this: If you really are going to follow the Lord, you’re going to be tempted. You’re going to face opposition. Recognize that and brace yourself for it.

Do you want to make a difference for time and eternity? Then it’s time to toughen up, soldier. No spiritual wimps allowed

[square butte]

Onward Christian Soldiers - Thank you rl

[Thundarstick]

Amen brother!

[claude]

(John 15:14-27) "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. {15} Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. {16} Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. {17} These things I command you, that ye love one another. {18} If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. {19} If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. {20} Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. {21} But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. {22} If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. {23} He that hateth me hateth my Father also. {24} If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. {25} But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. {26} But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: {27} And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning."

One might ask, when was the beginning He is speaking of?.......

[Ickisrulz]

(John 15:14-27) One might ask, when was the beginning He is speaking of?.......

The disciples were to provide "expert testimony" about Jesus. This testimony would include the things he did, the things he said and who he is. Therefore, the "beginning" Jesus referenced was the beginning of his public ministry.

There were probably at least a few disciples that knew Jesus before he began his public ministry and called them to follow him. But there is little mentioned of this period of time spoken of by the Apostles or the NT writers: "he grew in favor with God and man." There is also John the Baptist's testimony concerning Jesus' character. John claimed Jesus should be baptizing him. This comment was made before Jesus was identified to John as the Messiah. John knew Jesus from their childhood as attested to his flawless character. Anyway, Jesus' pre-ministry days are not an emphasis of the Gospel message.

[claude]

That's one view, here is another,

(John 1:1-4) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} The same was in the beginning with God. {3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. {4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

[Ickisrulz]

That's one view, here is another,

(John 1:1-4) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} The same was in the beginning with God. {3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. {4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

The disciples were not with him from that "beginning." John wrote about Jesus' pre-creation existence, but was not with him at that point.

[claude]

(John 1:1-4) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} The same was in the beginning with God. {3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. {4} In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

From the creation, the beginning, we were all with Him from the day we were created, unless one was of the third that chose to side with Satan in the first earth age, and separated themselves from Him.

You tend to limit the enormity of God and who and what He is to what will fit into your mind. In my mind, God is limitless by anything other than His choice.

When do you think we began being with God,(Jesus being God, the creator of all)? At the creation, when all things were created, or perhaps you believe that when we were created, we were not with Him?

[Ickisrulz]

From the creation, the beginning, we were all with Him from the day we were created, unless one was of the third that chose to side with Satan in the first earth age, and separated themselves from Him.

You tend to limit the enormity of God and who and what He is to what will fit into your mind. In my mind, God is limitless by anything other than His choice.

When do you think we began being with God,(Jesus being God, the creator of all)? At the creation, when all things were created, or perhaps you believe that when we were created, we were not with Him?

I don't think looking for the most esoteric meaning in each passage of Scripture is beneficial.

[claude]

OK, that is good enough for me, I appreciate you candor, Thank you.

[Boaz]

Thank you rl69 ! Satan is always near .

Job 1; 1-7

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she *****, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

[Blackwater]

Thanks, RL. Strong meat once again! I am always amazed at those who say they believe in Christ, but not in the Devil. In this universe God made for us, He seems to have made one thing, and also its opposite, and this theme runs through almost all the universe, so it makes eternal sense that if there is God and Christ, there MUST be their opposite. And indeed, it only takes a glance about us in this world today, to see the evil one's handiwork! His best day's work was in convincing many that he doesn't even exist! That gave him free reign to act invisibly, undetected, and when evil works that way .... woe unto us!!!

And the solution to it all is so extraordinarily simple! All we have to do is simply believe in Christ, for the many, many, many reasons we have to do so, and He will protect us from Satan, and lead us to the best things we can know in this life here on earth. Could there be a more caring, loving God than the one we serve? He can't make things easy for us, lest we grow haughty and forget Him and how crucial He is to us in so many, many ways, but whatever he allows to face us, He'll hold our hands and retrieve us to Heaven when the time is right and He's satisfied with us. Could anything humble us more completely and effectively than this?

[GhostHawk]

Food for thought and a great message, again. Thank you RL69.