Echoes From the Campfire

What turned good men into monsters?”
              –C.J. Petit  (Doc Holt)

    “But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.”
              –Jude 10 (NKJV)
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Last Sunday I heard an excellent doctrinal message preached about prayer.  It was part of a series on prayer that the pastor of the church was presented and this one was titled:  “Watch and Pray.”  In the message, he proceeded to tell us that we are not to be ignorant of Satan.

    “No believer will ever be any stronger spiritually than his knowledge and personal assimilation of God’s Word into his head and heart.  The more you know, understand, and obey the Word, the more Christ-like and less world-like you become.”
                   –H. Maurice Lednicky

It’s amazing how that old serpent strikes at the believers, often leaving his mark without us even knowing.  He can be subtle and we can easily be duped by his craftiness.  We must, and I keep saying that over and over, we must be in the Word of God.  There can be no substitute!  You are either of the kingdom of God or you are in the world; there is not this/and, it is either/or.  
    I think it is important that we continually check our worldview and make sure that it is biblical.  Always, we should do that to an extent at communion, but really we should be aware of what is taking place all the time.  For example, Barna reports that of church attending, so-called Christians, that 60% do not believe in Satan as an actual being.  It is only a symbol of evil.  That is totally against what the Bible teaches.  Remember, his main practice is that of deceiving.

    “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, WHO DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD…”
                   –Revelation 12:9 (NKJV, emphasis added)

    Have you ever picked up what looked like a nice, red, juicy apple?  Your mouth is watering as your are ready to chomp down on it.  When you do, you find that there is not sweetness, that it grainy and mushy inside, and upon closer observation a half a worm is discovered.  You have been totally fooled–looks are deceiving.  Satan will lead you astray.  He will tell you a lie, and many times you will grasp hold of it.  Those especially who do not even believe that he exists.
    Look at yourself–world or Bible?  Believe a lie or believe the truth?  Don’t pass it off, where you spend eternity depends on how these questions are answered.  D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states, “If your doctrine is wrong, your life will be wrong.”  That is absolutely true.  People want this and that, but they do not have doctrine to back it up.  Wrong doctrine equals wrong belief and wrong practice.  Know the Word of God–do not be deceived.