This post is a continuation of two prior posts. I know that many may already know the aforementioned scriptures well. You may feel "studied up enough". So let's move on to the next pitfall the devil has dug for us.
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No tool is too devious for Satan. If you are studying, he wants you to stop.He wants you distracted from your zeal. I have been there. Several years back as a growing Christian I was an avid student of the Bible. I was diligent, and desirous of more knowledge. But over time, I started losing my zeal. When I picked up my Bible I thought, “I’ve read this before, so many times. I already know what it says.” I didn’t realize in the midst of it, that Satan was just using another one of his tricks to deceive me.
Romans 11:33-34 says “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor?”
And the Messianic prophet, Isaiah admonishes us “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God for he will abundantly pardon; For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts….So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:6-9, 11 Satan knows all of these scripture all to well and wants us our fire put out!
God's word is unfathomable in its riches. We must be aware of these wiles of Satan and realize that if we think we already know it all, we still have a lot to learn. As long as we live, as long as we continue to study, we will grow in Christ. We will never plumb the bottom of His treasures, or come to the end of the road in our learning. Our roots will just keep growing stronger and deeper, and we shall not be moved. Ladies beware of his wiles, and keep your focus on HIM and HIS word.
C. So, on to Satan's next trick. He will try to convince us to not care what the scriptures say.
Again, it's back to that vicious cycle, the more you are away from the word, the less you want to study. Rather than less of self and more of Thee, it ends up being all about me and none of Christ. It seems to be in us to think that our ideas, and our ways are best. But God clearly states: “Oh LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23 If we won't pick up our Bibles so that God can speak to us, we will just try to walk in our own way to our own destruction.
Obedience to God’s word is key. The last judge of Israel, Samuel, confronted King Saul with this Bible truth “…Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…”1 Samuel 15:22-23 Ladies, we are commanded to study. 2 Timothy 2:15 says “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” It’s not optional.
In the book of Ephesians The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine…that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” Ephesians 4:14, 17-18 We can not stay grounded if we do not study.
Let’s not allow ourselves to be deceived by Satan’s devices. Let's put away stubbornness and apathy so that we can stand firm. If we stay rooted in His word, it will keep us rooted in our hope in Christ, which is our next point.
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Have a wonderful day!
Love,
debbie
The verse from Isaiah really made me think! Thanks, Mrs. Debbie, I love you!
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