TODAY'S PROMISE

"So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the 

devil and he will flee from you.  Come close

to God, and God will come close to you.  Wash

your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts,

for your loyalty is divided between God and 

the world."  

(James 4:7,8 NLT)

WHY GOD? WHY?

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My son was an outstanding Christian.

He helped build the church he attended.

He taught one of the Sunday school classes.

He had helped many of the the people in 

his community.  In fact, they were considering

naming the street he lived on after him.

But, in the prime of life he was killed in

an auto accident.

Linda was a personal friend.  She had not

always lived for God.  But when she did 

turn to the living God she went all out in 

living for him.

But when Linda was around forty years old,

cancer got her, despite all the praying we 

did.

WHY GOD?  WHY?

I do not pretend to know the answer,

but perhaps there is a clue in

ISAIAH 57:1,2

"The righteous man perishes, and no man
takes it to heart;
And devout men are taken away, while 
no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from 
evil, He enters into peace;"

God knows the future just as well as the
present.  Is it possible that God in his
mercy some times takes a way a righteous
person because he sees that in some way
the Devil might destroy that person later
in life?

THE CAT AND MOUSE GAME

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You have seen it too.  Well, that is if your wife has a cat.

The cat may even be well fed.  Not hungry at all.  But 

explain that to the hapless mouse it catches.

The cat by nature is a hunter and when it catches the 

mouse - that mouse is in trouble.  The cat will throw the

mouse around, bat it around, pounce on it and antagonize

it every way possible.  It will ignore the mouse just daring

it to try getting away.

What's the point?

You and I have an enemy that wants to destroy us just

as the cat will ultimately destroy the mouse.  It is Satan

the enemy of our souls and every thing that is of God.

God sent us a warning saying;

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.

Your adversary, the devil, prowls

around like a roaring lion, seeking

someone to devour."

(1 Peter 5:8 NASV)

What are some of the traps the Devil sets for us?

The Bible describes some of Satan's traps as:

"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which

are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry

sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of

anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying,

drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,

of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned

you, that those who practice such things will not

inherit the kingdom of God."

(Galatians 5:19 - 21 NASB)

What can we do to avoid being destroyed by

the multitude of traps the Devil has for us.

I want to say - "Well nothing."  We do not

have the strength within our selves to fight 

back.  But God gives us the answer.

"Submit therefore to God.  Resist the

devil and he will flee from you."

(James 4:7 NASB)

JUST LIKE THE DEVIL

Just like the devil.

It snuck in last night and was waiting 

at the back door this morning.

These "snappers" are a threat to everything 

around them, even animal lovers.

"Be sober, be watchful.  Your adversary the 

devil prowls around like a roaring lion,

seeking some one to devour."

(1Peter 5:8 RSV)

I DON'T BELIEVE IN JAIL

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Can you imagine someone standing before a judge who

has sentenced them to some jail time for; too many 

speeding tickets or too many parking tickets or for 

showing disrespect for the judge or something else,

and saying;

"I don't believe in jail.  There is no such thing as a 

jail.  I have never seen one or known anyone who

has seen or been in one.  

There is something else that some people do not think

exists.  But God does not agree with them.

Whether we like it or not,

every human being that has ever lived on this earth

is going to stand before Jesus Christ in judgement.

To some he will have to say;

"Away from me, you that are under

God's curse!  Away to the eternal

fire which has been prepared for the

Devil and his angels!"

(Matthew 25:41 GNT)

Don't be one of them.

Get personally acquainted with

Jesus Christ, NOW.

WALKING WITH GOD.

I want God more involved in my life.

But as I search through the Scriptures

I find I must consider these requisites.

"So then, submit yourselves to God.

Resist the Devil, and he will run

away from you. Come near to God,

and he will come near to you."

(James 4:7,8 GNT)

"I am the high and holy God,

who lives forever.  I live in a high

and holy place, but I also live with

people who are humble and repentant,

so that I can restore their confidence

and hope."

(Isaiah 57:15 GNT)

"No, the Lord has told us what is

good.  What he requires of us is

this; to do what is just, to show

constant love, and to live in humble

fellowship with our God."

(Micah 6:8 GNT)

"God walks with the humble; he

reveals himself to the lowly; he

gives understanding to the little

ones; he discloses his meaning to

pure minds, but hides his grace from

the curious and the proud."

- Thos. a Kemis