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Subject: Things Best Kept from Satan Author: Hillbilly [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 18:50:48 02/28/14 Fri 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. The context of the above verse is in forgiveness but I would like to apply it to so much more. I would like to apply it to character in general. A good admonition to go along with giving Satan an advantage over us would be Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil. Our character as a Christian and before others is to be without blemish if we are to be taken seriously as a Christian. We may go for years being thought of a great example of a godly Christian and blow it all with one misstep. One careless word, one display of unjustified anger, one lie or one open sin (or even something perceived as a sin) and your witness is torn to shreds. Christians in business or politics must be extra careful. Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. A good example is the recent decision of Jan Brewer, Governor of Arizona. When she vetoed the bill allowing Christian businesses to refuse service to homosexuals she set her name and character as preferring monetary gain over Christianity and what is right. Regardless of her reason and possibly she might have been right in saying it was too vaguely worded but the perception will always be that she bowed to pressure and did not stand for what was right. She will have a tough time regaining what she lost with the stroke of a pen. She set a place for Satan at the table and gave him advantage over her character in the eyes of others for he will take and use this to destroy her if he can. Exposure is something that will destroy anyone who tries to hide the sin. Satan will expose with the purpose of destroying every time. When we "give place to the devil" we are allowing him admission to things we don't want public. We allow him to see and hear things we don't want others to know about. Our past is one of them. Things we foolishly did in out youth can come back to haunt in later years. This is why political operatives are always trying to dig up the dirt from our past. It does not matter if the person has long repented and stopped the unacceptable practice the person still is ripe for destruction or blackmail. Politicians don't want their drug abuse in school exposed. They may have done it only once and lived exemplary lives since but that matters nothing to Satan or one sold out to evil. This is the work of the devil and these hacks are tools of the devil. There is an area where many are left unguarded before Satan. Prayer and confession. On any sensitive prayer to my Lord I do not pray out loud. You might ask why. Well, if you believe in Satan as I do you know he can hear your prayers also. He cannot read your mind our hear inner prayer as God but he can hear an audible prayer and will use it against you. What Satan doesn't know won't hurt you. You have assurance that God will forgive and put behind those things confessed to Him. I also would be careful when interceding for another. Any thing brought audibly before God in intercession for another can be heard by man, God or the devil. Why would I want to give Satan advantage? Confession would fall in the same category. Why give Satan an advantage? Confess to God any secret sins that have hurt no one but yourself. Confess to others any sin that may have hurt them. Confess, apologize and repent. Turn from it to never do it again. Confessions and apology should be made before exposure. It is too late to prevent hard feeling when you are caught with your hand in the cookie jar. With it should come the request for forgiveness. A true Christian will forgive just as Jesus will. In fact the verse preceding 2 Corinthians 2:11 states this quite well. 2 Corinthians 2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; As Christ is in the Christian and the Christian is in Christ we should forgive as Christ forgave. To do otherwise is again to give Satan an advantage and a point of accusation. If we care about our witness and relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord we will be careful to "walk circumspectly"(Eph. 5:15). We will not give place to the devil nor give him advantage in the spiritual warfare we are in. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> Subject: Another good study, Hillbilly Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:57:44 03/11/14 Tue Words to take very seriously. Sorry I was gone so long and left my buddy so long. Thanks for keeping the home fires burning. 8-)

[> [> Subject: Good to see you back Author: Hillbilly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 20:18:57 03/11/14 Tue Now you didn't spoil your little grand daughter did you?

[> [> Subject: Who me??? Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 15:33:33 03/12/14 Wed Not one bit! Oops... isn't lying one of those sins we're not supposed to commit? Well, this allows me to confess my sin and ask for forgiveness, right? Grin... Grampa finally went out there, too, and loved the place. He also loved getting to know Ada on her turf. She's only been around him when lots of people were around and she didn't want to have much to do with him. They had lots of one on one time and she fell in love all over again. He wants to go back every two months now. LOL!

[> [> [> Subject: Get all the time with her Author: Hillbilly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 18:26:09 03/12/14 Wed you can. None of us are getting any younger and time will too soon run out to build memories of Charlie and you in little Ada's mind. Some of my fondest memories are of my grand-parents and I am blessed to have those memories to draw strength from as I grow old and try to put fond and worthwhile memories in the minds of my grandchildren. "Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever bless my soul"

[> [> [> [> Subject: So true, HB Author: dori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 22:25:25 03/12/14 Wed Building precious memories is a very important thing to do with our grandchildren. I have very few fond memories of my grandparents. Two of them died young and my dad's dad lived far away and my mom's mom wasn't "grandmotherly". Luckily, I had my great-grandma to build those precious memories with and they have never left me.