God is a righteous judge

Satan's Secret Strategy.

The second thing Satan tries to do as he is talking to Eve is he tries to deny God's punishment for sin. In fact he boldly declares to Eve, "You will NOT die." A bold faced lie. Jesus calls Satan a liar from the beginning and the father of lies. There is no truth in him.

The new age movement repackages the same old lie with their teaching on reincarnation. If you don't get it right in this life you will have another chance but that is not what God's word, the bible, teaches. In Hebrews 9:27 it clearly states, "It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgement."

Be sure your sin will find you out. Some think God is too good to punish sin but the truth is God is too good not to punish sin. What would you think of a judge who continually let criminals go unpunished? You would say that is a bad judge. A good judge punishes evil and God is a good judge. The cross is in fact the proof that God demands punishment for sins. Jesus Christ took our punishment for us when he died on the cross. God accepted the payment in full and was pleased with Christ's sacrifice so he resurrected him from the dead and gave him a place of honor at his right hand. 

Don't let the devil lie to you and tell you that you will get away with it. No one gets away with it before God. We will all have to answer on that day as we stand before God's judgment throne. 

Thank God for mercy and grace! 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

There is forgiveness of sins for all those who repent. Thank God I'm forgiven. How about you?

Satan's Secret Strategy

Continuing our series in Genesis we looked at Genesis 3:1-7. 

Satan has a strategy. Jesus pointed this out in John 10:10. "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

As we read the story of the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden we learn several things about the enemies schemes.

First the devil tries to get us to doubt God's provisions. Though God had given all things to Adam and Eve he did have one rule and that was not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Satan's goal was to take Eve's eyes off of what she had in abundance to what she could not have i.e. the forbidden fruit. Satan tries to convince us that God is holding out on us. He's not giving us everything when we want it. 

During this time of Hurricane cleanup in Galveston and the surrounding area we can easily be tempted to focus on what we have lost instead of what we still have. We begin to doubt God. We begin to question God. When we begin down that path without realizing it we begin to bring God's character into doubt. 

When Job lost everything in one day he fell on his face before God and cried out, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." At the end of the story of Job God gave him much more than he had to begin with. In other words God is able and willing to restore not only what has been lost but also more because of His great love for us.

Tell the devil to take a hike! We're not biting into his lies. I will trust God to see me through and I will do my best with God's help, to aid my neighbors and demonstrate the love of Christ.