Satan and Selfishness - Let us Overcome

 Good evening sisters!

Sending my love to you all tonight.  

(Thank you sister for always sharing pictures:-)

I hope you are all doing well today?  

I thought I'd share some videos and pictures of God's creation with you while we talk :-)

I'm sure you see it too....

Satan has many ways of distracting people from finding peace in the Father's creation.  People run out of time, can't be bothered, take a look and think it's nice but do they stop, ponder the magnitude of the world spoken into existence then ponder the greater magnitude of the One who created it?

O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.  Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. Psalm 139:1-12 

Satan also uses people to distract and mislead as we see in all the warnings of false teachers.  If godly women would be who the Lord commands them to be (meek and quiet, shamefaced, obedient, helpers / servants etc) they would be a great influence on their husbands and those around them. 

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [6] For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:5-7 

Beware, he can also use those who seem like they are in the faith, obediently following His Word (for the most part) yet they can turn and rend you to pieces, because they allow their flesh to get in the way.  Of course there is forgiveness if they repent but the sad part is, they take pieces of you each time and oftentimes they never fully come back.  This can wear you down if you're not careful.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.   Galatians 6:7-10 

Another way is to sew discord among the brethren.

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, [19] A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.     

Proverbs 6:16-19 

Such things usually come from pride and lack of humbleness  or sometimes, perhaps, one is not truly converted or is holding onto some sin so they use that divide as an excuse to be free from accountability.  Sisters, we don't want to be a sower of discord for any reason. Let us examine ourselves and see if we are truly laying our lives down for the brethren or are we selfish and loving ourselves more.  

Yeah, selfishness is a big hindrance in the body of Christ.  Selfish in wanting to just live your own life and not worry about the brethren you know about.  Selfish if you may have wronged someone and you're not willing to examine yourself and try to make amends. Brother Jim and I agree that the world  is not really what makes us the most weary, the religious places / people don't wear us down....it's the saints who seem so close to the truth that cause the most damage.  But we see that in Jesus day also, look at Judas. 

I was just writing this as brother Jim (working on his post) read this verse...

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:22-24 

We know of situations such as that...'ought' between brothers.  One tries to open the door of communication and the other shuts it.  Forgiveness wasn't really given when it was said to have been given.  Flesh gets in the way, then pride and at some point the process stops and separation comes in and satan won.  Satan wins when the brethren are divided.  If you have ought with a (sister) you need to do your utmost best to clear that up as discord does not bring glory to our Father in heaven.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10 )

It boggles my mind how believers can live apart and not care for one another as there is to be a fervent love as to die for them.  How can it be that saints will allow satan to win such things?  Should the body of Christ have the fervent love that the scriptures show us?

1 Peter 4:8 

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Fervent love....something we've grown since the beginning of our conversion.  We've had to learn along the way how that's to be done, repent many times if we did something (unintentionally) wrong and been willing to change if brought to our attention.   Think of the brethren you know of that are of one mind in doctrine yet separated.  It's most likely from the flesh and can easily be overcome through good communication and how many times are we to forgive and try for unity with the brethren?  70 x 7. Have you done that?  Oftentimes we see people give up after a while and selfishly live their lives instead of pressing through for the glory of God.  The secular people fight harder for relationships than the professed believers do.  That's shameful. But for those who are willing to try, the burden can be great and crushing when we see the glory of God being trampled.  God's watching over all and when it seems as if there is nothing else that can be done, instead of being defeated, we can have some peace in His creation to restore, amen? Peace and rest if we look for the Creator in His creation.  Our focus is then back on Him where it should be and not the graveyard of death and destruction.  Brother Jim did a teaching about "Dumping your Sin and not the Saints". You can see that HERE.  

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 1:14

We recently saw how all obstacles can be triumphed over and satan becomes the loser. (What a rare and precious thing.) Two brothers overcoming to be stronger on the other side, praise God, it's a rare thing but with our mighty God, anything is possible. 

Anyway....

I'm thankful for this time of peace in this little refuge we have here on our land.  Even in the midst of trials and sadness, we have peace in our Savior.  We also get to appreciate the Father's creation, quietly doing what it does, reminds us to do so also.  Sisters going about their good works like a butterfly, or moth, or bird, or bee.... thinking about that makes me smile.  

Thank you sister for allowing me to borrow this.

 Let us not blaspheme the Word of God in any way sisters.  Let us rest at night with a good conscience that we have done all we can in this day, in the name of our Lord, to bring Him glory and to edify and encourage the sister saints to keep pressing through this life.  

So, going back to the 'not being selfish' thought...we are getting ready to leave this peaceful piece of land and head back out into the world to share gospel.  We have a little different plan and approach this summer in our travels so we'll see how it all goes, Lord willing.  I'm sure you see in your life how it keeps changing and if you are walking in the Spirit, you will grow through those such changes. 

I like that...Our soul will rejoice in His Salvation!  What an uplifting thought in this wicked world.  Amen sisters.

Let me know how I can help encourage you :-)

Love in Christ, who washed us with His blood.

Sister Deb

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work

2 Corinthians 9:8