2 Peter 2:8-9 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
When Yeshua (Jesus) was attacked by Satan during His temptation in the wilderness, He countered every attack with the Word of God. But notice in Satan’s second attack – the enemy himself quoted the Scriptures, saying, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, ‘He shall give his angels charge over thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.’” (Matthew 4:6 was a quote from Psalm 91:11, but the phrase, “to keep thee in all thy ways” was absent from Satan’s quote).
If we learn anything from this, we will realize that Satan has knowledge and some understanding of Scripture, and that he will use the Word attempting to deceive us with it into wrong actions. This tactic goes back even as far as the Garden of Eden where the adversary twisted God’s word saying, “Did God really say you shall not eat from every tree in the garden?”
So it is today, that all around us we are hearing constant abuses, questions, and attacks against the truth and reliability of God’s Word. Did God really create the world…in six days? Did God really say that marriage consists of a union between a man and a woman? Is God really going to judge the world and destroy it with fire? Has God really defined absolute moral truth?
The enemy is constantly attempting to erode and destroy the foundational truths of God’s word using distortions, corruptions, half-truths, and modern “interpretations”, for he knows that “if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)
Let’s not be deceived by these subtle ploys of Satan. If we agree to alter or dilute the Word of God to accommodate our circumstances or natural inclinations, we will end up exactly where that serpent wants us; in disobedience, sin, and sorrow. You know, Satan has been using religious language to tempt the saints since the beginning of time, even to the point of trying to persuade people that he doesn’t even exist. We must be discerning. If we want to live and walk in the truth we will believe God’s Word undiluted without compromise or private interpretation, seeking to understand it with the help of His Holy Spirit, Who is the only perfect interpreter. If we do, the enemy’s deceptions will fail, and we will be delivered from every temptation!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]“A young man enlisted, and was sent to his regiment. The first night he was in the barracks with about fifteen other young men, who passed the time playing cards and gambling. Before retiring, he fell on his knees and prayed, and they began to curse him and jeer at him and throw boots at him. So it went on the next night and the next, and finally the young man went and told the chaplain what had taken place, and asked what he should do. ‘Well,’ said the chaplain, ‘you are not at home now, and the other men have just as much right to the barracks as you have. It makes them mad to hear you pray, and the Lord will hear you just as well if you say your prayers in bed and don’t provoke them.’
A United States Army officer who trained pupils at Fort Sill for over 20 years once described the different qualities of the students during the two decades of his tenure. During the 1950’s, he observed the students’ attitude as being so lax that the instructors had trouble keeping their students awake during their lectures. This drastically changed in the mid 1960’s. The students began taking meticulous notes and absorbing every word of instruction. So, what changed?
As we continue to celebrate the God-ordained Feast of Tabernacles — this is a prophetic feast, and one which will be kept by all the people of the world in the coming age. In resurrected bodies, we will be celebrating this feast, year to year in Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Yeshua (Jesus)! Can you imagine it — celebrating with the King of Kings! If that’s not something to anticipate, I’m not sure what is!
The Lord is quoted in this scripture in Matthew. It contains an important principle which believers sometimes tend to overlook. Many believe and even teach that if you’re blessed, your life will be filled with material prosperity, and that if you are undergoing extreme trial, it must be because you have sinned or that you lack faith. The Lord says that the sun rises and the rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous alike.
Abraham’s rescue of Lot and his household from the four Mesopotamian Kings in the middle of the night was an act of holy chutzpah! Israel’s first patriarch demonstrated great faith, courage, family loyalty, and military strategy during this successful rescue operation.
This Sunday night people from around the world will celebrate Yom Kippur. In Israel, nothing, absolutely nothing is open — no radio, television or cable, even the street lights don’t work!
On Monday, we talked about “tashlich” — the traditional Jewish ceremony occurring between Rosh ha Shana and Yom Kippur, which involves casting bread crumbs into a river while confessing our sins and watching them be swept downstream. In this passage, however, we read about the importance of casting our crowns. These elders fell down before the Lord, casted their golden crowns and gave God the glory and honor He deserves. How much more should we do the same today?