Tag: Lies

Posted on

The Devil Himself!

OCTOBER 31

MATTHEW 7:15_Beware…

Beware! The Greek translation for beware is the same as our English—take heed, be on guard against. Time to listen to Jesus! 

Beware is a stronger word than the previous words or phrases Jesus has used to introduce a new subject. He has used introductions to tell you to pay attention, to perk up, and to wake up: (just in case you were napping during His sermon). This new topic He introduces calls for more than your attention. It calls for caution.

This new principle is easy to fall prey to if you are not on your guard. Actually this one is a perfect descriptive of the great deceiver—the devil himself! 

In John 8:44 (KJV), Jesus says to the Scribes and Pharisees, “Ye [Scribes and Pharisees] are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He [the devil] was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

If you stay with Jesus for the next five verses His truth will once again – set you free!

PRAYER

Messiah, Help me to beware of Your teachings, and not be deceived. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                     

Christ wants us to beware of His teachings—I will!

Posted on

A Changed Man

SEPTEMBER 13

MATTHEW 7:3_And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Had the wicked servant dwelt on the unbelievable mercy rendered to him by the king, he would have bestowed mercy on his fellow-servant. However, non-believers can’t be expected to respond to life as believers. That’s why there is such a need for salty-lit-up disciples. Lifestyles that shine in such a way to draw captives to freedom, like a lighthouse to a ship lost in a raging storm. Light sends a ray of hope. Once the ship makes it to the safety of the harbor, it is time to preserve it with the salt of mercy – mercy that flows from unconditional love.

In the case of the apostle Paul the light shone on him, blinded him. When he was healed and his sight restored three days later, he was a changed man. The light blinded him to the hate that his hard heart had toward Jesus’ followers. It also blinded him to the lies (that Jesus was demonic and his followers would be the destruction of the Jewish religion) with which the devil deceived him.

The light set Paul free to become the Jesus follower who wrote a large portion of the New Testament. 

He was salty and lit-up!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I want Your kind of light—that blinds, but heals. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   

Christ’s light can blind me—It can also heal me!

Posted on

The Light of Truth

JULY 23

MATTHEW 6:23_thy whole body shall be full of darkness…

What causes the whole body to be full of darkness? Evil. You can be totally blind, but still have light inside if your eye is single – focused on Jesus.

In the John chapter 9 account of the man born blind, Jesus pointed this out to the Pharisees. The blind man believed in Jesus and worshiped Him. Because of the blind man’s ability to know who Jesus truly was, he received sight. This was not physical sight. Jesus had already given him that. This was receiving the light of truth – giving him freedom.

The Pharisees did not believe. Jesus said they were blind. Although they had physical sight, their lack of faith in Jesus caused their whole being to be full of darkness – causing them bondage.

The evil eye sees double. It cannot distinguish truth from lies. An evil eye has stepped off the path and lost its light. Without light there is darkness.

In darkness you reach out, constantly trying to touch, to feel, to hold to something secure. You cry out, call out, hoping to hear a familiar voice.  

Perhaps someone will come and help you find your way back to the path – to Jesus!

PRAYER

Incomparable Jesus, When I am in darkness, I stumble.  Bring me back to You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is the path to freedom—I want to stay with Him!

Posted on

Freedom Breaks Bondage

JULY 21

MATTHEW 6:22_thy whole body shall be full of light.

Jesus gives courage and light to face every day.  Only the truth can give that. Lies give fear and darkness. God says to Joshua in chapter 1 (KJV):“6 Be strong and of a good courage …,’ and in verse ‘7 Only be thou strong and very courageous …,’ and in verse ‘9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

The single eye Jesus refers to here means focused on Him, only. Singleness of vision on Jesus keeps you on His path. Never forget, His path leads to freedom.

Freedom breaks bondage. Nothing in bondage is free, and nothing free is in bondage. With your spirit as the mainspring, shackles corrode away. The mainspring creates the function of whatever it is operating. For everything to function properly the mainspring has to be free from any encumbrance. An encumbrance is a false part that does not belong.

Jesus wants your focus on Him alone.

Your whole being (body, soul, spirit) will be full of light.     

PRAYER

God of Courage, Help me be strong and of a good courage every day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to keep my eyes on Him—I will!

Posted on

Don’t Give Him the Satisfaction!

JULY 20

MATTHEW 6:22_if therefore thine eye be single…

When Jesus refers to the eye being single He does not mean a person with just one eye. Neither does He mean a person who has sight in only one eye. Jesus is teaching a principle here, not a lesson in physical science.

If you are a person who only has sight in one eye or if you’re totally blind – don’t you dare think you are in some way inferior. Thoughts of inferiority come from the devil – never from Jesus. As the Creator, Jesus understands the body, soul, and spirit. He understands the principles by which they operate. He created them to function together, with the spirit being the mainspring.

The devil has no understanding, or even knowledge of how Jesus’ principles of life work. He is the deceiver.  It doesn’t really matter to him how Jesus’ creation works, because he plans to deceive you into believing his lies and not the truth. He knows how to discourage. He knows how to intimidate. He knows how to tempt.

The devil wants to deceive you out of your hope. He knows if he can get your focus off of Jesus, and into a defeated, giving up, I-don’t-stand-a-chance attitude, he’s won a major battle in your life. Don’t give him the satisfaction!

Remember, light expels darkness.

PRAYER

Holy God of Heaven, Help me not to be discouraged by the devil’s lies. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ knows the devil’s lies—He helps me overcome!