Tag: Evil

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Beneath the Sheep Clothing

DECEMBER 1

MATTHEW 7:22_and in thy name done many wonderful works.

The devil has power. He uses it for evil.  As we have learned, he can also disguise himself as an angel of light to use his powers in ways which appear to be good. 

The word wonderful in this verse can be translated powers. The devil empowers those he enslaves. His goal is to destroy as many Christians as he can before he comes to the time of his doom. Revelation 20 (KJV),“1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. ‘10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

The devil knows his end is coming. He blames Jesus and any who are Jesus’ disciples. In the meantime, he enslaves any who do not recognize him beneath the sheep clothing.

He even deceives them into believing they will enter the kingdom of heaven.  

PRAYER

Powerful God, I know Your power overpowers the devil and his demons. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                             

Christ empowers me – The devil will not enslave me!

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Many

NOVEMBER 27

MATTHEW 7:22_Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord…

Jesus begins this verse with the word many. I already feel bad that not everyone will go to heaven, but now I feel worse that the not everyones are many. 

This reminds me of the narrow path, when Jesus says few will find it. It also causes me to think about how He said many will go in at the broad gate.

From His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has taught me who comprises the many:

Those whose righteousness does not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees (chapter 5:20),

Those who cause others to believe they are empty-headed idiots (chapter 5:22),

Those who profit from the bondage of human trafficking (chapter 5:29-30),

Those who do not forgive (chapter 6:15),

Those who choose the broad path to destruction (chapter 7:13),

Those who are ravening wolves and bring evil into the world (chapter 7:17).

None of these actions exclude anyone from heaven by the action alone. The exclusivity comes from the heart. The heart which excludes Jesus.

The actions can all be forgiven and erased when the heart opens to include Jesus.

The actions reveal the heart.                    

PRAYER

God of All, You have taught me to include You in my heart. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.             

Christ desires to be included in my life—I will let Him!

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The Final Nail

NOVEMBER 15

MATTHEW 7:18_neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Jesus drives the final nail to secure us in the truth. It is not enough just to know that good is good and evil is evil. We must grasp that the two cannot cross over into each other. 

Good can never be evil, nor evil ever be good. If we’ve made the broad path to destruction our source, and we want to get off—it will require a total change. Repentance. We can’t just remain on the broad path and some day it will lead us to a life of freedom. The broad path always leads to destruction. That’s how this creation principle works. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.  

The total change to get off the broad path is to leave it, enter the strait gate, and walk the narrow path. You cannot remain on the narrow path and fall into destruction. The narrow path always leads to a life of freedom. That’s how this creation principle works. 

One more time—it’s about the source! The broad path is the source to destruction, and can be nothing else. The narrow path is the source to life, and can be nothing else. Don’t get confused that people are the source. People will become what their source is—but it is a process. Mistakes may be made along the way. 

Those whose source is the narrow path can be trusted—mistakes and all.              

PRAYER

Savior, I need discernment to know the people I can trust. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.     

Christ can always be trusted—I will follow Him!

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The Nail That Holds Together

NOVEMBER 14

MATTHEW 7:18_A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit…

This verse is the nail that holds together the principle which build this house. 

We are going a little deeper into the principle of a good tree brings forth good fruit. Jesus puts a bit of a spin on that— a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Get this into your heart and meditate on it. It isn’t just that good produces good. It’s that the good cannot produce evil.

Let’s think of it in terms of a good teacher. This is a teacher whose teachings line up with the truths of the Bible. A teacher whose love and concern for you is unconditional—although you may not see that in the beginning. It takes time and some maturity to understand all the aspects of unconditional love. For instance, this is the teacher who taught you the truth even when you rejected and rebelled against it. This is the teacher who, when you finally had enough of your own bondage, welcomed you back to the fold and led you to freedom. This is the teacher who stands by you when times are tough.

This teacher is Jesus. The source you can count on not to produce evil in your life.

You don’t have to worry about this One being a ravening wolf. A good tree is salt and light!            

PRAYER

Lamb of God, I need people in my life who are salt and light. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.     

 Christ cannot produce evil fruit—I can trust in Him!

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An Infected Heart

NOVEMBER 11

MATTHEW 7:17_but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

The word evil in this verse means bad or worthless. The source which brings forth worthless fruit is in itself weak or bad. Drug dealers bring evil fruits to keep their addicts in bondage. 

Addictions are evil fruits. One of the strongest addictions in the world is pornography. It is an extremely corrupt tree bringing forth extremely evil fruit. It is not something to take lightly, or think is not harmful. It goes far past the eyes and infects the heart. An infected heart will destroy the soul.

You were not created to be bad or worthless. Nor can the circumstances of life produce that kind of fruit in you—unless you submit to them as your source. If you think you’re not beautiful or handsome enough—what’s your source of beauty? Is it a friend? A celebrity? When God is your source, you understand things like: I Samuel 16:7 (KJV), “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”  

God sees true beauty—from the heart, not the face.

When you reach the place you believe God loves you unconditionally—it will be the most attractive thing you can do for yourself, and it will show in your face!   

PRAYER

Creator, I want my beauty to come from Your love for me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ is The Source of all beauty—He gives it to me!