Worship in Spirit and Truth
Tag: thekedgeanchor
September 26, 2022 – James 14:17
Happy Monday. We all could use a little peace in our hearts these days. Jesus has that covered.
September 19, 2022 -James 3:18
A Healthy Perspective on Evil
Are we giving the devil too much credit? When things go sideways who is to blame? Some people blame God, some people blame the devil, do we blame ourselves? Are we owning up to our sin? Or are we saying “the devil made me do it”? Sometimes it’s our own fault, our bad decisions, others throwing us in a pit, poor choices that cause us to fall in a pit. Who do we need to blame? Maybe we need a healthy perspective on evil?
The devil is the father of evil. He is the father of all lies. Evil entered this world with a thought that was a lie. Actually it was a half truth.. Half truths are a dangerous trap. It causes us to doubt God and it’s because it is not an out and out lie, it’s harder to identify. Read Genesis 3.
1 Peter 5:8 – “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Adam and Eve were all that the devil had to seek at the time. (how hard was that?) He told Eve a lie. Lies are a trap that leads to all kinds of sin. Lies can cause us to doubt, like Eve in the Garden. She doubted what God said, that they would die if they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We know now that we don’t need an explanation from God as to why we need to obey, just obey. We know now that after Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that they would die spiritually immediately (separation from God) and a slow human death. So when God gives us an directive, we need to trust Him and obey Him. He may or may not tell us afterwards why. He is God, He can do anything He wants.
Sinning began with a lie and it still holds true today. The devil may have dominion over the world and is the father of all lies, John 8:44, but he has no place in the world or mind or life of a Christian and sometimes we open that door and let him in renting space in our minds. How many times does a thought enter our minds, one that can cause us to doubt, one that causes us to believe something suspicious about someone, or a fearful thought? Our minds are a battlefield. It’s the devil’s primary way to attack us. We need to put on the full armor of God, Ephesians 6:11, we need to protect our minds with the Belt of Truth. We need to filter each thought through God’s word. 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” (NASB). Especially the thoughts that cause doubt, a fearful thought should be a warning. 2 Timothy 1:7 – “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (ESV). We do not have to give in to fearful thoughts. They are not from God.
The Bible tells us in Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” I may not know the exact specifications of God’s will for me, BUT I know this, I can discern what is fear, I can discern what is not good and what is not pleasing to God and all that is not from God. So how do we renew our minds? By reading the God’s word daily, by praying through everything at all times without ceasing, (emphasis mine)Ephesians 6:18 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17. (Just as side note here about God’s plan, He may not reveal the specifics of that plan because HE IS the plan, the Way, the Truth and the Life and while I make plans He directs my steps – Proverbs 16:9).
Look at Job. The devil had to go to God first before attacking God’s servant. Though there may not be a specific verse saying that the devil has to go to God first, I do believe that God is ultimately in control, Satan is limited right now. Satan is NOT omniscient, God has no equal, God has no rival, God’s name is above all names. Colossians 1:17 – “He is before ALL things, and in Him ALL things hold together.” (emphasis mine) God goes before us in in the valleys and on the mountain tops. Isaiah 41:10- He upholds us with His righteous right hand. Philippians 2:9-11 – “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
So though God may allow an attack from the devil, rest assured it is part of God’s plan and He is still with us through the fire and the flood. Proverbs 15:3 – “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Job 28:24 – “For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.” Jeremiah 23:24 – “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.” Here is a link to some more verses to read, for the sake of the length of this post.
The devil isn’t behind every seemingly bad situation. Sometimes it’s just our own dumb fault. Sometimes it’s just a bad choice The trial or test that comes along that appears to have the devils signature on it… have you considered that God is allowing it? The devil can meet us in the valley or the mountain top waiting for us to be find ourselves in another valley. Our Christian walk are the roads to and from the valleys and the mountain tops. We are either traveling through a valley or sitting on a mountain top. God works together all things for our good and His glory- Romans 8:28. We need to remind ourselves that if we are followers of Jesus, we are going to be attacked. Jesus said that we would have trouble in this world but He has overcome the world – John 16:33. So the devil may be behind it but God is still in control, which brings me far greater comfort than hearing someone say “Oh it’s just Satan. He knows his time is limited and he’s doing all he can.” While that may be true, personally, and I don’t know about you, but that isn’t helping me, how is that comforting? This is where, I believe we are giving the devil too much credit. It may explain a few things, but not everything. To me that statement could be a half truth. And half truths cause us to doubt. It’s not explaining that God may be allowing this trial or unpleasant circumstance to grow us. Perhaps if we are going to use that statement we need to follow it up with John 16:33 and Romans 8:28. Satan may behind something gone sideways BUT (be careful where you put your but) the more important part about this is GOD IS IN CONTROL! He will never leave us or forsake us.
Someone once told me that “God grows us through what we grow through.” So is it safe to say; we need to look for God working in every situation, not the devil’s doing? We need to own up to our sin and wrong doings and stop giving the devil credit for what God may be allowing.
Fruitful in Affliction
“And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Genesis 41:52 (KJV)
The story of Joseph is one of favorite Bible stories. Who can’t relate to someone throwing you in a pit? We can do that to ourselves by the poor choices we make. But when someone else throws you in a pit… I mean come on, how unfair is that? Which makes me want to be more aware of how I treat others.
If you aren’t familiar with Joseph’s story it can be found in Genesis 37- 47. Here is a quick synopsis. Joseph had eleven brothers who were jealous of him because his father Jacob, loved him best. Jacob had made Joseph a bright coat of many colors that didn’t sit well with his brothers and to make matters worse, Joseph had a dream that he would rule over his family one day. (Joseph was only seventeen at the time.) This angered his brothers even more.
So the brothers decided strip Joseph of his coat and throw him in a pit and kill him. But his brother Judah convinced his brothers to sell him to slavery. They killed a goat, dipped it in the goat’s blood and went to their father and lied saying that Joseph was killed by a wild beast.
Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Potiphar’s wife was trying to get Joseph to sleep with her, Joseph refused to sleep with the Potiphar’s wife, Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of rape. When he escaped Potiphar’s wife held on to his coat to “prove” he was with her. And once again, Joseph was thrown into prison. But the Lord was with Joseph. While in prison the prison keeper found favor in Joseph and put him in charge of other prisoners.
You really have to read this for yourself. Eventually Joseph was second to the Pharaoh. Joseph knew a famine was coming and began to store grain for the famine that would last seven years. Joseph’s family would need to go to Joseph for food, but when they see Joesph they don’t recognize him, BUT Joseph recognizes his brothers.
The point here is despite being thrown in multiple pits, the Lord was with Joseph and made him fruitful in his afflictions. There are a few things I have learned about Joseph. One, if you have something to share that God has given you, such as a vision like Joseph, be careful who you tell it to. Joseph was young and his father’s favorite. He probably may or may have not picked up on his brothers’ dislike for him. So being immature telling his dream about him ruling over them wasn’t going to be well received. A mature person would have been sensitive to this.
Another thing I have learned; there is going to be a time here on earth when God’s Word is going to be scarce, whether or not we will see this happen I don’t know. “Give us this day our daily bread …” Matthew 6:5-15. Just as Joseph stored up food for a famine perhaps the “food” could be applied today as God’s Word. Matthew 6:19 – 21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Perhaps we need to store spiritual food in our hearts and minds for days of “famine.” Treasures in this case being the Word of God. Having scripture tuck away in your heart can help you in any situation, not just a famine of God’s Word. It could be a time when you are thrown into a pit or going through a hardship.
The third thing I have learned is that since God asks us to come to Him with prayers and petitions, Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Why can’t we ask God to allow us to be fruitful in our affliction? We may not be rulers over people like Joseph but we can be fruitful in ways that we may never have imagined. Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Romans 12:12 says – “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
This could give us a new perspective on our afflictions or trials, to allow God to grow us, to use us to help someone else, to use us for His glory. The Kedge Anchor offers Memorize Monday to help with memorizing scripture with coloring pages. Perhaps there is another method or an app to help with scripture memorization share it here in the comments.
August 22, 2022 – Isaiah 6:8
How are we serving our communities, our neighborhoods? We are only as effective as we let God use us. We can be physically present but unless we are answering God’s call… we aren’t going to be affective.
August 15, 2022 Isaiah 6:3
July 25, 2022 – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Happy Monday! Where is the month of July going? I cannot believe it’s almost August. As time continues to fly, I can’t help but be reminded how urgent it is for us to draw nearer to God every day. We can do that my memorizing scripture.
If these free downloadable coloring pages are helping you memorize scripture, please like and share.
Isaiah 41:10 – July 19, 2022
Monday, Tuesday, it’s always a good day to memorize scripture : )
This verse was posted back on March 29, 2021 as a wallpaper for your devices, if you’d like to keep the verse in front of you.
Got Stress?
Recently I have been reading in 2 Corinthians from The Modern Life Study Bible. In 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Paul talks about dealing with stress. There is a little commentary in the margin that I had to reread a few times. Let me just preface this by saying I am not disagreeing with the following, there were just some things that made me go hmmmm.
“Tension, conflict, weariness and suffering are common place in our world but some hold out that God will bring life struggles to an end. They assume that a relationship of Christ ushers us into peace, even prosperity… as long as we live on this earth we will experience the unbreakable connection between trouble and hope. It may not be pleasant but it brings lasting benefits… James challenges us to find joy in our various trials because they produce patients which in the end makes us mature (James 1:2-4). As long as we attempted to obey Christ we can count on having to deal with stress but whatever strain we feel today reaps riches to enjoy for eternity.”
The Modern Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson 2014
I agree with some of this, “Tension, conflict, weariness and suffering are common place in our world but some hold out that God will bring life struggles to an end.” Hmmm, well shouldn’t we hope that God will one day end all the strife in the world? Perhaps I am not reading that correctly. Maybe not this side of heaven but God will end all suffering when Jesus returns. I am looking forward to that day. Shouldn’t we hope that God will end our whatever current crisis we are enduring? Shouldn’t we hope that God will put an end to the chaos and craziness in our world?
I also agree with, “They assume that a relationship of Christ ushers us into peace, even prosperity…” Regardless if we walk with or without God, if we are in a relationship with Him the rain, the stress falls on the just and the unjust. Being a believer, Christ follower, Child of God, a Christian doesn’t mean a life prosperity. So I’d rather have the stress with God then without Him which I believe there is a peace maybe not so much ease and prosperity but with God there is a peace, He is the Prince of Peace. John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Just because we have a relationship with God doesn’t mean we won’t encounter hardships here on earth. John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Even Jesus encountered some rough times. I can think of one very rough day.
“…the unbreakable connection between trouble and hope.”
The Modern Life Study Bible, Thomas Nelson 2014
Hmmm, not sure what is meant by that. The now and the not yet? That is a difficult place to be. But I believe there is always hope in any situation.
There are some benefits to following Christ.
Matthew 16:24,25 – If we lose our lives for His sake we will find them.
Hebrews 12:8-11 – We are God’s children and when He disciplines us that is evidence we belong to Him as His chlidren.
James 1:2-4 – James encourages us to find joy in our trials, for trials produce patience. We don’t need to ask for patience when we have enough trials in front of us to help us cultivate patience.
1 Peter 4:12,13 – Facing these trials can cause us to waiver in Christ. Trials in this life are pretty common but they can produce some great results. We can experience the suffering of Christ so that we can also experience His glory.
God never said it would be easy to follow Him, He never promised that. But He did promise that He would never leave us or forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:8 – “
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” He said in Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
The conflicts, tension, and weariness won’t come to a complete end until Jesus returns. There is always hope, Jesus is our only hope, He is the only hope this world has. So if there is going to be conflict and stress in this world, I’d don’t want to take another step with out God by my side. After all He has overcome the world.
The Kedge Anchor 
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