Yes it is easier to believe a lie than it is to accept and understand the truth. Most people want their lives to be purpose driven and to name and claim the “glory and treasure” for themselves right now. Oh what peace we often forfeit and what needless pain we bare, all because we do not carry all our needs to Jesus in prayer and search God’s word for the truth.
When I was in my teens I found that the words of Jesus began to absorb my interest. However when I allowed the cares of the world, in my twenties, to assail me I lost sight of His words.
We all need to become teachable in order to accept and understand the truth of Christ, otherwise we open ourselves up to being deceived.
We all need the King of heaven and earth to write His life-edifying words on the tablet of our heart, for in Luke 6:45 we read that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (Psalm 119:160 ESV)
Amazing the truth frees us while the lies are like bands of bondage that catches us in their pit!
Martin Luther, most likely thinking about the following Words said the Christ hanging dead on the Cross was God's mouse trap and it sprung on Satan catching him in his lies( loose paraphrase )! With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. (Psalm 18:25-28 ESV)
Let's praise Almighty God who saves humble, contrite and broken people. Let's all continue to aspire to be merciful, blameless and pure!
Dear readers, if you are unsure if you are saved you ought to acknowledge that the risen Lord Jesus can give you a new life in Him. You should acknowledge too that He won that victory on the cross.
Praise the risen Lord, God's beloved sinless Son, and invite Him eagerly and joyfully to be the Shepherd of your soul. And henceforth demonstrate your love for Him and the entire Godhead by wholeheartedly trusting and obeying Him. From now onwards commit yourself to everything that He blesses and reject everything He curses!
Re: Michael's comment. If a mouse stays caught in a mousetrap it dies. This didn't happen to Satan. He was defeated but he is still very active in his rebellious, ungodly behaviour.
Josef, apparently you missed Brother Martin's point? Jesus did die! He wasn't supposed to come back to life! That's the point. What Satan believed he was accomplishing putting Jesus to death backfired on him because of his insanity!
Recall:
He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. (Mark 12:6-9 ESV)
AND
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24 ESV)
Certainly Christ will destroy Satan now! It's just a matter of time. For this purpose too He was born!
Recall:
Hebrews 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
The LORD had no need to resort to mouse traps. Jesus wasn't entrapped by Almighty God. The very opposite is true. He went willingly to the cross.
God still grants Satan some authority in this world, which means that his power is not yet completely broken—except in one area: his power of death.
Hebrews 2:14-15 says that Jesus came as a man to die in order to “destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil,” a power Satan had held “from the beginning” (John 8:44).
The salvation Jesus provides has released broken and contrite sinners from Satan’s stranglehold. Truly death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55).
Yes it is easier to believe a lie than it is to accept and understand the truth. Most people want their lives to be purpose driven and to name and claim the “glory and treasure” for themselves right now. Oh what peace we often forfeit and what needless pain we bare, all because we do not carry all our needs to Jesus in prayer and search God’s word for the truth.
ReplyDeleteJoel
My hope is built on nothing less
ReplyDeleteThan Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,Oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When I was in my teens I found that the words of Jesus began to absorb my interest. However when I allowed the cares of the world, in my twenties, to assail me I lost sight of His words.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to become teachable in order to accept and understand the truth of Christ, otherwise we open ourselves up to being deceived.
We all need the King of heaven and earth to write His life-edifying words on the tablet of our heart, for in Luke 6:45 we read that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Josef Sefton
Contrast lies with this:
ReplyDeleteThe sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (Psalm 119:160 ESV)
Amazing the truth frees us while the lies are like bands of bondage that catches us in their pit!
Martin Luther, most likely thinking about the following Words said the Christ hanging dead on the Cross was God's mouse trap and it sprung on Satan catching him in his lies( loose paraphrase )!
With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. (Psalm 18:25-28 ESV)
ReplyDeleteLet's praise Almighty God who saves humble, contrite and broken people. Let's all continue to aspire to be merciful, blameless and pure!
Dear readers, if you are unsure if you are saved you ought to acknowledge that the risen Lord Jesus can give you a new life in Him. You should acknowledge too that He won that victory on the cross.
Praise the risen Lord, God's beloved sinless Son, and invite Him eagerly and joyfully to be the Shepherd of your soul. And henceforth demonstrate your love for Him and the entire Godhead by wholeheartedly trusting and obeying Him. From now onwards commit yourself to everything that He blesses and reject everything He curses!
Re: Michael's comment.
If a mouse stays caught in a mousetrap it dies. This didn't happen to Satan. He was defeated but he is still very active in his rebellious, ungodly behaviour.
Josef Sefton
Josef, apparently you missed Brother Martin's point? Jesus did die! He wasn't supposed to come back to life! That's the point. What Satan believed he was accomplishing putting Jesus to death backfired on him because of his insanity!
ReplyDeleteRecall:
He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. (Mark 12:6-9 ESV)
AND
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24 ESV)
Certainly Christ will destroy Satan now! It's just a matter of time. For this purpose too He was born!
Recall:
Hebrews 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Jesus wasn't out to death, He gave His life freely. Seems all have missed the point.
ReplyDelete"Jesus wasn't put to death", He gave His life freely.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe LORD had no need to resort to mouse traps. Jesus wasn't entrapped by Almighty God. The very opposite is true. He went willingly to the cross.
God still grants Satan some authority in this world, which means that his power is not yet completely broken—except in one area: his power of death.
Hebrews 2:14-15 says that Jesus came as a man to die in order to “destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil,” a power Satan had held “from the beginning” (John 8:44).
The salvation Jesus provides has released broken and contrite sinners from Satan’s stranglehold. Truly death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55).
Josef Sefton