The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Tempted With the Sacred"
We do well to remember that Satan tempted the Lord Jesus Christ with no less than the sacredness of Scripture.
"Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone" (Matthew 4:5-6).
The devil seeks to beguile born again believers in the Lord Jesus by subtlety (II Corinthians 3:11). Frontal assaults generally do not work against those who trust Christ, devote themselves to the authority of Scripture, and seek to walk faithfully with God. If our spiritual enemies approach us with the notion that the Lord Jesus is not the Son of God, we readily dismiss the obvious darkness. Conversely, when lying lips bear the name of Christ and quote Scripture after Scripture, we may let our guard down. Since the devil used such means against the very Son of God, how much more can we expect his minions to foist their falsehood upon us with verses, passages, and pleasant words about someone they call "Jesus?"
"For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him" (II Corinthians 11:4).
"Another Jesus… another spirit… another gospel." Among the bracing splashes of cold water that exist in Scripture, none should more shock us to wakefulness than the possibility that Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the gospel can be mimicked by our enemies. We all do well to keep the question frequently before our Heavenly Father: "Am I believing in the true and living Christ? Am I led and enabled by the genuine Holy Spirit? Do I believe the truth of Scripture as it actually is?" Only God can answer these questions for us in a manner that confirms and enhances wherein we are right, and corrects wherein we are wrong. No believer is beyond being deceived by subtle voices that bear the holy Name and quote the holy Book. The Apostles Paul and Peter warn us to be keenly aware of our enemies' audacious strategy of using the sacred to mislead the saints…
"No marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
(II Corinthians 11:14-15)
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
(I Peter 5:8)
Weekly Memory Verse
He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded.
(I Peter 2:6)
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