Don't Deceive or Lie To God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) October 22, 2024

Did you ever try to lie to your mom about something when you were little? How successful were you? Probably not too good. Mothers have a way of sniffing out when their children are being deceptive.

God is the same when it comes to humans. The Bible tells us that He knew us before we were in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). He even knows every hair on our head (Luke 12:7). It is therefore no surprise that we cannot deceive Him.

Nowhere is this point highlighted more than when some elders gathered to ask Jesus questions in Matthew 21. They asked under whose authority He operated. Their objective was not to gain wisdom but to trap Him. They wanted a basis to accuse Him of blasphemy so they could have Him killed.

Thankfully, Jesus received wisdom from the Lord and knew what they were up to. John 12:49 - For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.

Instead of answering, He asked them a question. Matthew 21:24-25 - “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?”

Since they were calculating and deceitful, the elders gathered and agreed that they needed to be careful what they said. Matthew 21:27 - So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then He said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

Notice Christ's response? Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

It doesn't pay to approach God with deception and lies in our hearts or on our tongues. We can't fool Him and those who try will not receive answers to their questions (in this case, prayers). And even worse, such liars become detestable to Him (Proverbs 6:16-17).

Too many of us don't realize we can sometimes be like the elders in this story. This happens when we come before the Lord with ulterior motives and expect Him to bless us. We want wealth to show off, yet we claim we want to be a blessing to others. We proclaim we are believers in Jesus but our lives don't testify that we follow Him. We craft schemes and resort to worldly wisdom instead of seeking God's insight.

The Lord knows that it is hard to fight our human desires. This is why He gave us His word, the Savior's sacrifice and a deposit of His Holy Spirit to help. We have to desire and accept that help so we are constantly being led to live righteously and repent when we sin. That way, we will not be among those God detests and whose prayers He will not answer.

The Lord God will help each of us. By His grace He will refine us and improve us for this glory and purpose. That way, we shall not be like those who think they can deceive the Lord. IJMN Amen.

To learn more, please read:

1. Are your prayers detestable?​

2. The Royal Law: Liars & False Witnesses​

3. Don't Slander or Blaspheme God​

4. Grace & Salvation​

5. His glory rises upon me!

Hollywood's Depiction of satan - The Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power

I remain stunned at how Hollywood can craft villains so well on screen. It is even more shocking how certain characters seem to embody what I can only imagine satan to be like.

Recently, I watched season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power series. One character, Halbrand/Sauron, seemed to encapsulate satan. It was clear he had to rely on the skills and authority of the other characters to wield power. He was manipulative, used lies, misdirection and deception to achieve his goals.

I watched him gaslight others into doing his bidding, as well as use spells, trickery, and false visions against individuals who were ill equipped to defend themselves against him.

This is exactly what the devil does to people. It whispers lies, weaving them with half truths, and causes individuals and groups to think they are making their own choices, when in reality, they are being led by the enemy to achieve its designs.

Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, anyone can become subject to the schemes of satan. It is Holy Spirit who teaches the children of God how to move on this earth so that they do not succumb to the devil's plans (Isaiah 30:21).

And nobody can access Him without giving their life to Christ. That is how the Lord has designed things and no one can change it. However, those who are led by the Spirit of the Lord are the children of God per Romans 8:14. And these children are guaranteed victory against the devil (Romans 8:37).

This is why satan does everything it can to distract humanity from knowing Jesus and receiving what they need to defeat it. In the TV show, Halbrand/Sauron AKA satan, pit groups against each other, weaponizing misunderstandings and suspicions for its gain - death and destruction.

It is important for God's people to be aware of the tactics of their enemy. Jesus taught in 2 Corinthians 11 that we - God's children - are not unaware of the devil's schemes and when we pay attention, satan cannot overcome us.

The Bible is our key resource and as we study it, the Holy Spirit will teach what we need to know. When we ask the Lord for further understanding, He will give it because He will give wisdom freely without finding fault (James 1:5). And with the name of Jesus on our side, there are no limitations to what He will do.

While this is no endorsement of the show, I have appreciated seeing a visual depiction of how satan operates. It has equally caused me to value even more the grace and power of God because it is Him I rely on. One character called Halbrand/Sauron the "Great Deceiver" and that is perfect moniker for the devil. I pray that we will steep ourselves in God and His word for then shall we have His wisdom. The Bible teaches in Psalm 119:98 - Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.

That shall be our portion, IJMN, Amen.

Fornication - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) October 18, 2024

Talking about sëx is uncomfortable but the reality is that as long as there have been human beings on this planet, sëx has existed. You should thank God for it because, without sëx, you would not be alive. That is unless you are like Jesus who was the product of immaculate conception.

Sex was mostly reserved for the confines of marriage, meaning it was an act that only a husband and wife engaged in with each other. And according to the Bible, that is how God wants it. The New Testament, which was given to the writers by the Holy Spirit, teaches that fornicators (those who have sëx before they marry) will not get to heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9). Those who have sëx with someone other than their spouse - adulterers - share the same fate.

Nowadays, however, the unmarried are encouraged to engage in sexµal acts long before marriage and to do so with multiple partners over time. Nonetheless, just because something is common does not mean that it meets the approval of the Lord or agrees with His word. And as a self-proclaimed believer, you are called to obey the word of God. Doing so displays your trust in Him and shows that you love Jesus who said in John 14:15 - If you love me, keep my commands.

For those who gave their lives to Christ but have fornicated, the Lord is gracious and will erase that sin from your life. God does not want anyone to perish in hell (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, through genuine repentance, forgiveness is received. And by not repeating the sin, forgiveness and its resulting redemption are preserved. When this happens, the promise of 1 John 1:7 is fulfilled - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. Christians are thus continuously cleansed from sin when they walk in the light through righteous living and having fellowship - relationship - with their fellow believers.

If any have not repented for fornication, consider this message an alarm set to wake you up from this 'slumber'. Hear its ring and break free from the consequences of fornication by repenting and prayerfully creating a plan to not return like a dog to its vomit as described in 2 Peter 2:22. Plus, fornicators are placed on the same level as the wicked in 1 Corinthians 6:9. God has made it clear that he despises and punishes every wicked person (Psalm 101:3).

Being locked out of heaven is not the only problem fornication creates. It leads individuals into relationships they should not be in. Those relationships result in unnecessary grief and heartbreak. These cause a person's soul to fracture. They then seek out people and things to fill the missing parts of them that were lost when they had sëx with someone else. And the cycle continues making things worse.

Do not think that masturbation or the consumption of pornographic material is any better than the act of fornication. Hebrews 13:4 - Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers (NRSV). Honoring one's marital bed begins before marriage, in my opinion. The future marriage is kept unblemished by avoiding masturbation, pornography, sex hotlines, steamy movies/music/books/content, and other things that trigger the desire to participate in immoral sexµal activity. Where these things have happened or are happening, repenting and stopping the sin are crucial. Submitting to God's help makes both possible.

The Bible teaches people to guard their hearts (Proverbs 4:23). It also warns that human bodies belong to God and should not be used for unholy things. 1 Corinthians 6:13 - ... The body, however, is not meant for sexµal immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Furthermore, we are told in 1 Corinthians 6:18 - Flee from sexµal immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexµally, sins against their own body. Imagine how such a sin impacts the Holy Spirit living within each born-again Christian. His presence would be stifled in the face of repeated and unrepented sin because He represents the Lord who cannot abide the unholy, which is what sexµal immorality is.

God gives everyone the choice to live by His commands or not. People must choose whether to give Him what He wants or do what satan wants, which is for human beings to disregard God's ways and go to hell. May all who gave their lives to Christ make choices they won't need to repent for later. I pray they will "[f]lee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). I pray they will steer clear of anything that seems evil and could lead to wicked behavior or thoughts, not waiting to confirm its evil nature (1 Thessalonians 5:22). I pray they will discipline their bodies and minds so they are not disqualified from the prize of eternity because of something so fleeting as immoral 'pleasures' (1 Corinthians 9:27). After all, the blessings of God await the righteous here on earth as in heaven.

The good Lord will help us all.

To learn more, please read:

1. Do you hate God?

2. Don't Be Wicked

3. Don't Envy The Wicked