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The Devil Wears a Tie (Continued)

From the Animated Bible Series by Revelation Media. James 4:7 states, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” It would be glorious if every believer could grasp hold of this truth and faithfully live it out, but most often this is not the case. Sadly, it has been stamped in people’s minds that the devil needs to be blinded by a metal crucifix and doused with water that has divine properties in order to ward off his wicked presence. As I wrote in the last article, there are often two extremes for how people view satan. They either see him as equally powerful to God or they simply think that he is just a symbol for evil and doesn’t exist. Though the apostle Peter warned Christians that the devil is a roaring lion viciously hunting for prey, such a dire command just doesn’t soak in. The church is almost comatose today being inundated with songs and sermonettes about of the love of God and the blessings of God that she can’t discern the dece

The Devil Wears a Tie (Intro)

According to a Gallup poll in 2016, most Americans said they believe in God. Close to eighty five percent of Americans believe there is a Supreme Designer of life. Although, opinions vary over the definition of God, and when asked about angels, hell, the devil etc. the number of people who believe dramatically shifts. The same Gallup poll records that only sixty percent of Americans polled say they believe in the devil. In 2009, a Barna poll revealed that over forty percent of professed Christians said they didn’t believe the devil was a person, but just a symbol of evil. It appears that the Hollywood image of a devious, red horned creature with a long tail and a pitchfork has been subtly engraved in our minds. In many cartoons, such a character of evil is almost laughable. Not every film portrays the devil like Legend does, but for the most part, this is the imagery that we have been spoon fed and have solidified in our minds. Our culture is stuck between a fire breathing beast di

BY HIS DEATH

He was despised by righteous pretenders Abandoned by His own followers Betrayed with a kiss so cruel Bartered for a guilty criminal Rejected in His home town Thrust with a thorny crown Whipped till He could stand no more Derided by scoffers and callous spectators Nailed upon an inglorious, wooden cross It was a moment in time, when all hope seemed lost Yet still love and grace flowed from His lips A dying thief would find forgiveness In the midst of thunder and an endless dark cloud, a shaking earth and a fearful crowd, though some would gamble His garments away, one Roman soldier in astonishment would proclaim “ Truly, this man was the Son of God!” Hope began when He shed His blood He was the Spotless Lamb, the perfect sacrifice Through His death, He gave us eternal life And in rising again, ascending up to glory He gave us power, through the Spirit, to walk in victory!

Seeking Justice

Most Americans know the phrase, “Innocent until proven guilty.” This is one crucial foundation of America’s judicial system and is quoted in the United States Constitution under The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 11, which states: " Everyone   charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence." In article 10, the right for a fair trial is also mentioned. On the surface, these principles give a strong assurance that justice will prevail in almost every court case; however, no matter what laws are passed or principles instilled, mankind is corrupt. In light of such depravity, we often see justice, in this life, become buried under the weight of bribery, deception, connections, fear, and position. Claims of wrongdoing have often been squelched by threats or appeased through payouts. There is also another factor involved

Shrouded

Ephesians 6:12 “ For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.” AMPC I am not sure what distinctly sets apart someone who is willfully ignorant and another who is foolishly naive. I am mulling over my years in the ministry, trying to figure out whether I simply didn’t know what was happening behind the scenes of the political network, the entertainment industry, and many other shrouded organizations or whether I was just so caught up with my own interests that, in a way, I didn’t care to know. I wanted to preach God’s truth. I know that. In time, I became so sick of the substandard way the American church, by and large, carried on that I started digging deeper into church history and also began tearing myself away from my long held

Lacking Nothing

It is so hard to believe that in just a couple months, we will have been here in York for a year. In this time, I have worked two different jobs, we have moved from a rental to a home we are now mortgaging, and we have had to get rid of two vehicles due to one catching on fire and one involved in an accident. Car troubles seem to be the staple for us this year. We have had to be towed 5 times, we have driven 4 different loners, and our 01’ Durango has been worked on at least 5 times. In fact, I was rejoicing several days ago that we lasted 2 months without any car problems! “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” I do not write this update to throw a pity party and grovel over such petty problems, but only to relay the glorious fact that almost every time we have had an issue with a car or an unexpected bill is thrown in, without us even asking for help, God uses one person or an entire church to send us mon

Loving His Heart

 It is a joyful thing to see your children eager to pray or bless a meal. The words they speak are often simple, even at times off kilter, yet they are full of faith. For us learned and cynical adults, we cannot help but marvel, when we examine the heart of hope in a child. For example, out of all the public prayers that I have heard over the years, one in particular stands out above the rest. It is from my middle child, Elliot. Obviously, since I am his dad, I am thrilled that he chooses to pray sometimes before we have a family meal, but it is the content of his prayer that intrigues me the most. I have heard some children belt out a lyrical rhyme before a meal, others will bless every living thing before blessing the meal, and then there are some who will say a few incoherent words and then silently look at an adult, seeking a nod of approval to end the prayer. Strangely enough, I don’t remember teaching Elliot exactly what to say when he prays over food. All I remember is that o

In My Heart

Just a couple weeks ago, my daughter  pulled my heart strings  and convicted me over my desire for God. It started when my family and I were getting ready to eat supper. I asked who wanted to pray for the meal and talk to God. Elliot, my middle child, volunteered. After his prayer, the supper conversation transitioned into talking about the time both of my sons asked Jesus to save them. It wasn’t long though that Eliana, my three year old daughter, began to cry. All of us around the table quickly asked her what was wrong. She wailed, “Jesus isn’t in my heart! He’s in  their’s  heart but not in my heart!” My wife and I tried to console her and tell her how Jesus loved her and He hears the cry of those who want Him. Some may say that I should have gotten into the deep discussion of how she already bears childlike faith and is not at an “age of accountability,” but lest I cause much confusion, I simply reiterated the love of Christ and the promise that all who calls upon Him will receive

On Base

There are many lessons that our children can teach us, if we would be so bold as to push aside our maturing pride and reflect in the way they marvel over things we so often overlook. We look at the child who steps out into the road not looking both ways as fool-hardy and ignorant, but we must also concede that this child is exercising trust without cynicism. This child steadfastly believes that he will step out into the street and walk across to his destination with no concern as to what might happen along the way. Such trust is something that, with age, will most certainly become jaded. Indeed, to have faith without arguing over the particulars is a beautiful thing. We, as adults, can worry, work, or even  reason  ourselves to death. Of course, I have never shied away at revealing that I am often too cynical. Pessimism is certainly in my playbook. I dare say that my attitude has gotten worse, since I moved to a state that charges a ludicrous amount of school tax with the real est