Skewed priorities

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew7-8; Psalm 84

TO CHEW ON: “And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus…” - Matthew 8:34

Just prior to our focus verse, we see Jesus do something truly amazing—liberate two demon-possessed men (Matthew 8:28-33). These men have, till now, spooked all passersby. No one even comes close to the tomb-caves where they live because they’re too scary.

With a word Jesus frees them from the demonic spirits that have been controlling them. He gives those spirits permission to enter a nearby herd of pigs. True to their destructive nature, the demons cause the pigs to stampede to their briny deaths in the sea.

Then the swine-herders rush back to the city with word of what has happened. The whole city comes out and we (at least I) expect them to welcome with open arms Jesus, this Man who works wonders, who frees enslaved brothers. We expect another Samaritan Woman saga, when the whole town, responding to the woman’s testimony, becomes receptive to Jesus (John 4:28-42).

But no. The end of our story isn’t like that. The last part of Matthew 8:34 is a whiplash of surprise: “And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region” (emphasis added).

Oh no. Lost pigs are obviously more important to them than found men. We ask, how could they be that way—begging someone who has freed these men to leave? Obviously their priorities are skewed.

Yet, am I, are we so different? Who wins when we sense that introducing others to Jesus by responding to their needs will impinge on our time, our plans, our bank accounts, our peaceful tidy homes?  

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please help my life to be an open door to You and people meeting You, not a closed door sending You and others away because I am self-centered.  Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 84

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Superstition

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Leviticus 16-18; Psalm 35

TO CHEW ON: "They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons after whom the have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations." Leviticus 17:7

Were these people knowingly sacrificing to demons? The word "demons" - "having the form of a goat or a satyr" has overtones of animism. The picture I get is of a people puzzled by and fearful of natural phenomenon. But instead of acknowledging God as the creator and sustainer of life, they are trying to appease some folk god (goat or satyr) thought to be in charge of these things.

However it came about, this false worship offended God at the deepest level. An end note in my Bible expands on this:

"The greatest sin in ancient Israel was idolatry (see Deuteronomy 32:17)...The essence of the Jewish monotheistic faith was contained in the verse, "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!" - Deuteronomy 6:4 (New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 153).

Though we ourselves may eschew any overt involvement with the demonic, I wonder if there remains a vestige of it even in the lingering hold superstitions have on us. Do we ever find ourselves thinking, after a day has got off to a bad start: There's bound to be more because bad things always come in threes? Or saying things like "Gesundheit" after a sneeze, or "Touch wood" after mentioning that things are going well? Or fearing Friday the 13th? Or avoiding black cats and walking under ladders? Or needing to wear certain lucky clothes and go through certain luck-generating routines before a sports event?

Any fear we feel, any changes in behaviour we make that are inspired by superstition show that at some level we're sacrificing — to what? Demons? God's prohibition to Israel through Moses's words in Leviticus ring across the centuries to us today: "They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons..."

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to recognize false worship in my life in whatever form it takes. Please free me from bondage to superstition or anything else that would make me a slave to anyone but You. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 35

MORE: Do you believe in bad luck?

Well don't! As John Piper writes in article he wrote on a Friday that was also the 13th day of the month:

"In Christ there is no Bad Luck"

"Today is Friday the 13th! Bad luck day.

In case this or any other superstition frightens you or, worse, controls you, take the sword of the Spirit and kill it.

Here’s a few sword thrusts that I use.

There is no enchantment against Jacob, 
no divination against Israel; 
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 
“What has God wrought!” (Numbers 23:23)

Does this apply to us Christians? Yes. Because “It is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7).  That’s us. We are Jacob. We are Israel.

And because we are, "all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

So in Christ we cannot be cursed. There is no jinx or hex that can stick against those who are in Christ Jesus. 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13)

Christ took on himself every curse that is against me. God is for me and no one can successfully be against me.

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1John 4:4)

© 2011 Desiring God

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Kingdom—already, not yet

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 10:1-15

TO CHEW ON: " ' And as you go, preach saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.' " Matthew 10:7,8

Jesus spoke a lot about a spiritual kingdom (sometimes called the kingdom of heaven, sometimes the kingdom of God).

• He promised that the poor in spirit and the persecuted would inherit it (Matthew 5:3,10).

• He taught us to pray for its coming (Matthew 6:10).

• He told Nicodemus the way to enter it was to be born again (John 3:3).

• He told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36).

• And yet here, He tells His disciples it is "at hand" ("has drawn near").

It's interesting to notice the details of the job on which Jesus sends the disciples and what they say about the kingdom. I think we can conclude, by Jesus' job description, that some things are incompatible with His kingdom:

- Sickness ("heal the sick").

- Leprosy ("cleanse the lepers"). How was leprosy different from other sickness? For one it was a chronic condition or conditions. Two - it made those infected unclean outcasts. There is no place for such stigma in the kingdom.

- Death ("raise the dead").

- Demons ("cast out demons"). I don't know how much power and influence in this world and our society we credit to the demonic. That its influence is more pervasive than ever I have no doubt, given modern curiosity about and fascination with the paranormal.

Though the kingdom is something we have yet to see in its full flower, we do see glimmerings of it now in the operation of Christ's body on earth—the church. For Jesus said while still on earth, " '… the Kingdom of God is within you' " - Luke 17:21. And He commissioned the disciples (who became the church) to be witnesses to Him and His teachings, which included this message of the kingdom (Acts 1:8).

May the kingdom of heaven find fertile ground in my life and yours!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I long to see and experience kingdom life to the full, as much as it's possible here on earth. May its presence be operating in and through my life. Amen.

MORE: The Kingdom—"already," and "not yet"

Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine quotes George Ladd on this topic. Ladd summarizes five ways the church and the kingdom are related (I'll just quote the points; he elaborates on each point and supports with scriptures):

1. The church is not the kingdom.
2. The kingdom creates the church.
3. The church witnesses to the kingdom.
4. The church is the instrument of the kingdom.
5. The church is the custodian of the kingdom.

Grudem concludes:

 "Therefore we should not identify the kingdom of God and the church, nor should we see the kingdom of God as entirely future. … Rather we should recognize that there is a close connection between the kingdom of God and the church. As the church proclaims the good news of the kingdom, people will come to the church and begin to experience the blessings of God's rule in their lives. The kingdom manifests itself through the church and thereby the future reign of God breaks into the present (it is "already" here - Matthew 12:28; Romans 14:17; and "not yet" here fully - Matthew 25:34; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)" - Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, pp. 863, 864 (emphasis added).

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Exposing darkness

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 5:5-21

TO CHEW ON: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11

Mike Leehan in his book Ascent from Darkness, does exactly that (exposes the "works of darkness"). Mad at God after his divorce, he decided to give himself to the dark side. For the next about 20 years he lived as a servant and worshiper of Satan. In his book he tells about that life:

• He describes how he repeatedly cut himself as part of his ritual and fasted to gain spiritual power.

• He discloses his mission: to sow confusion and mayhem within churches. Some of the things he did were carry copies of the Satanic Bible so he could plant them on church premises, seduce women, attend small group Bible studies to introduce unbelief and doctrinal error.

• He tells of numerous incidents when he had spiritual insight into people, sensing their spiritual protection or vulnerability.

• He describes how he felt and acted around Christians. For example, he found it impossible to sit in a worship service and often blacked out when in conversation as he channeled spirits.

• He shows us the terrifying side of spirit possession—the spooky nights filled with demonic phenomena and his ever-present depression and obsession with death. He was preparing to compose a suicide note to one of his kids the day he called out to God at a men's retreat and was miraculously delivered.

Why read such a book? Perhaps it's not for everyone, but it certainly opened my eyes.

• It showed me the fearful price that Satan exacts in loyalty, obedience and servitude.

• It showed how Satan's promises are lies.

• It illustrated, by contrast, the light, life, freedom, and joy we have in Christ—things it's easy for us to take for granted, until we've experienced (vicariously, through reading about it was experience enough for me) what life on the dark side is like.

• It provided an insight into what may be behind many of our society's bizarre and self-destructive behaviours (like rampant suicide, the prevalence of cutting, the spirit of lust that has taken down not only lay-Christians but many pastors too) and gave clues as to how to minister to demonically oppressed people.

• Mike's spiritual zeal for and commitment to the dark side put me to shame as I compared it to my zeal and commitment to Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the freedom, peace, joy, cleanness and wholesomeness  available to me because of Jesus. Help me to live with a greater awareness of darkness, and to guard myself against it. Amen.

MORE: Why share such a story?

Here, in Mike's own words, is why he told his story:

"I have learned the only thing that evil can take over is darkness. Darkness invades our lives when we shut out the light of God's love. But where there is light, there cannot be darkness. Light pierces darkness and illuminates the truth.

We must realize that we are in a world that is spiritually intertwined. There is more to our existence than the obvious. We must open our eyes to see the spiritual realm, which is very real and very powerful. And we must learn the weapons of our adversary, not only to avoid becoming ensnared by darkness but to be able to reach into that darkness to rescue others, like me, with the light. We are instruments of change. We are powerful vessels carrying an eternal cargo of either life or death.

The reason for sharing my story in this book is to demonstrate the power of God over Satan and to show how merciful a God we have in heaven. To give Him the glory and praise, and to demonstrate the power of love over fear, to show the love our Father has for us, to let God's light expose the darkness—but mainly to facilitate the hope that by reading this story, people might turn to the King of Kings!" - Mike Leehan, Ascent from Darkness, Kindle Location 3462 (emphasis added).

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our lives—a witness to the heavens

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ephesians 3:1-21

TO CHEW ON: “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places.” Ephesians 3:10

Paul describes God’s wisdom in three ways. He calls it “the unsearchable riches of Christ,” “the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God,” and “the manifold wisdom of God” - Ephesians 3:8-10.

Focusing on the last one, manifold (polypoikilos) means much, varied, many-coloured. “The word pictures God’s wisdom as much varied, with many shades, tints, hues, and colourful expression” - Dick Mills, “Word Wealth,” New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1649.
I take this wisdom to include:
- God's wisdom on display in the amazing complexity of creation and the natural world.
- God’s intervention to save humankind from sin by sending Jesus to die and be resurrected. This includes all of redemptive history from the Old Testament to the modern-day church.
- God’s working in the large and small details of our lives. Who of us hasn’t experienced or heard stories of amazing coincidences and situations fitting together in ways that shout: “There’s a wise planner behind this!”?

What I find curious about the sharing of this wisdom by the church is who the target is—the “principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”

Why do they need to hear this?

The Zondervan Study Bible says of these powers:

“Can refer to good or evil spiritual powers. Beholding God’s wisdom as displayed through the church leads good angels to glorify God since they ‘long to look’ into God’s redemptive plan (1 Peter 1:12). Evil powers, on the other hand, are reminded that God’s plan of uniting all things under Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10) has decisively begun and that their defeat is imminent (1 Corinthians 15:24)” - Zondervan Study Bible, Kindle Location 273,978 (emphasis added).

What excites my imagination in this is the largeness of God’s plan. It’s bigger than we know or imagine. And you and I are part of it. Something as simple as being obedient to pray for someone has the potential to ricochet throughout the universe!

PRAYER: Dear Father, please help me to understand better the “unsearchable riches of Christ,” the “mystery hidden in God” and your “manifold (many-sided, colourful) wisdom” and to live a life in sync with these things. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Authority over spirits

“Jesus casts out an unclean spirit” 
Engraving by Bernard Picart, published 1728

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 4:31-44

TO CHEW ON: “Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves saying, ‘What a word is this! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” Luke 4:36

Our society’s reaction to occultic phenomena is mixed. On one hand there is a fascination with the paranormal. (For example, stories involving occultic and paranormal themes have been a recent popular trend in young adult fiction.)  On the other hand, most psychiatrists and psychologists would pooh-pooh the possibility that some people with mental disorders could be experiencing demonic oppression or possession.

Jesus wasn’t ambivalent about the reality of dark spirits. He acknowledged their existence by speaking to them. He commanded they come out of those they tormented, often forbidding them to speak of Him and who He was. He had authority (exousia) over them.

The whole of Luke 4 is an interesting study in Jesus’ authority. In today’s reading He is recognized as an authoritative teacher. He takes authority over demons. And He commands sickness to leave a woman’s body. At the beginning of the chapter is the account of Jesus’ authority encounter with Satan after His 40-day fast.

Jack Hayford says in a sidebar article about this passage:

“Here we see the Adversary as administrator of the curse on this planet, a role he has held since man’s dominion was lost and forfeited at the Fall. Because of this, Jesus does not contest the Devil’s right to make that offer of this world’s kingdoms and glory, but He pointedly denies the terms for their being granted. Jesus knows He is here to regain and ultimately win them, but He will do so on the Father’s terms, not the Adversary’s. Still, the present world systems are largely grounded by the limited but powerful and destructive rule of the one Jesus calls “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31; 14:30).” New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1394.

However, we don’t need to be intimidated. For Jesus, who demonstrated His authority over Satan while on earth, lives in us now by the Holy Spirit. As John reminds us, quoting Jesus' words:  “'You are of God, little children, and have overcome them (every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh), because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.'” 1 John 4:1-4

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for demonstrating Your power over Satan when You were on earth. Help me to live with Your authority in this Satan-administered world. Amen.

MORE: Spirit of the Rainforest is a powerful modern story of demon spirits and their reaction to Jesus. In my review of it you will find the testimony of a shaman and his account of how his spirits reacted when he visited his brother-in-law who had accepted Christ.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What does it mean to "press in"?

John: "Behold the Lamb of God."  by A. Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 16:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "'The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.'" Luke 16:16

From time to time I've heard preachers admonish us to "press in" to God, the things of God etc. I've wondered what exactly they meant and thought it was a preacher-invented expression. But no—it comes from Jesus! He uses it here to talk about the advancement of the kingdom of God: "'Since that time (the time of John) the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.'"

[The expression "pressing into it' is a transliteration of biazo. It means to use, force, to apply force, to inflict violence on. The word biazo is used one other place in the NT, in Matthew 11:12: "'From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.'"]

Other translations render the NKJV'S Luke 16:16 "…pressing into it" as "…forcing his way into it" (NAS), "… everyone tries forcefully to get into it" (AMP), "… eager multitudes are pressing in" (TLB), "… everyone is forcing their way into it" (NIV).

How does one press in to advance the kingdom of God? A sidebar article by Jack Hayford in my Bible is helpful. Below I quote and paraphrase his thoughts:

"Jesus declares the advance of the kingdom of God is the result of two things: preaching and pressing in."

Those who hear the preaching must respond or they will grow passive. That kingdom is advanced by words of truth and acts of love, but: "… apart from 1] an impassioned pursuit of prayer, 2] confrontation with the demonic, 3] expectation of the miraculous, and 4] a burning heart for evangelism, the kingdom of God makes little penetration in the world."

We must not go overboard in politicizing the kingdom and trying to advance it forcefully through "Earth-level rule" methods as they did during the Crusades. Rather: "Pressing in is accomplished first in prayer warfare, coupled with a will to surrender one's life and self interests, in order to gain God's kingdom goals" - Jack Hayford, "Pressing In," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1420.

It sounds a lot like sold-out discipleship to me

PRAYER: Dear Father, please create within me the desire, will, and energy to press in to You and the bringing about of Your kingdom. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Demonized

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 8:19-39

TO CHEW ON: "When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him and with a loud voice said, 'What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.'" Luke 8:28

The Yanomamo are a fierce tribe of Indians who live in the jungles of Venezuela. The story that Mark Andrew Ritchie tells in The Spirit of the Rainforest - A Yanomamo Shaman's Story is through Jungleman, one of the most powerful shamans of the tribe.

Though the Yanomamo had met white men (nabas) of various kinds—rubber traders, anthropologists and missionaries from various denominations— it was when they met Pepe (Joe Dawson who worked with New Tribes Missions) that the spiritual conflict really began. Pepe and his family came to live at Honey Village (at the Yanomamo's invitation) where Shoefoot (Jungleman's protegé and relative) was the shaman. Over time Shoefoot gave up his spirits. Here's what happened the next time Jungleman came to visit his brother-in-law and friend:


When I pulled my canoe up to the shore at the mouth of the Metaconi I felt the usual excitement that comes with meeting old friends. But something was very different. What was it, I wondered.

"Don't go in here," Jaguar Spirit told me. "There's too much danger here. We are afraid." It was the first time I had ever heard fear coming from Jaguar Spirit and it made me feel poor inside. My hands began to flutter and I held my bow tight to make them stop.


There can't be any danger here, I thought. These people are my friends. They have always been my friends. But it wasn't just Jaguar. All my spirits were crowding the shabono in my chest and making a terrible noise about how afraid they were.


When I saw Shoefoot I was stunned. "What has happened to your spirits?" I asked him, looking at his chest. I could see they were gone.


[...] It was a horrible visit for me. There was a spirit in Shoefoot's village that I couldn't understand. But it was powerful. That's why my spirits were so upset when I came. I hung my hammock next to Shoefoot and as soon as I lay down they were all there, every spirit I have, crowding my shabono.

"Please Father!" they all begged together. "Please leave here. It's not safe here. We are terrified." And they were. The new spirit in Shoefoot's chest had them all frightened like I had never seen them before.

When I first read the account quoted above, I thought immediately of the reaction of the demons that lived in the tomb-dweller of today's Bible reading.

Our society is fascinated with the paranormal (which would include what we see happening in this story). Fiction, movies and TV shows that highlight spooky, unexplainable (by natural, scientific means) activities are viewed as nothing more than a scary romp. However, if we believe the Bible, demons and evil spirits are real, and probably way more active in the 21st century than we'd ever imagine.

My Lectures in Systematic Theology book provides the following list under the heading "The Work of Demons":

1. They inflict disease (Luke 9:37-42).

2. They cause mental disorders (Mark 5:4-5).

"Although no doubt many so-called psychopathic cases come under this head, we must not forget that the Scriptures do not refer all mental disorders directly to the work of demons." Thiessen p. 208.

 3. They lead people into moral impurity (Luke 4:33-36).

4. They spread false doctrine (1 Timothy 4:1).

5. They oppose God's children in their spiritual progress (Ephesians 6:12).

6. They sometimes possess human beings and even animals (Acts 8:7; Mark 5:12-13).

7. They are sometimes used by God in the carrying out of His purposes and designs (Revelation 16:13-16).

My reaction to any study of Satan and his henchmen is the same as it was to reading the Spirit of the Rainforest book. It makes me want to crowd close to Jesus and not have anything to do with any other spirit.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for defeating Satan and all his hosts. Help me to recognize his activity and to stay away from anything that would involve or ensnare me in it. Amen. 

MORE: The Bushman and the Spirits

Several years ago, I found The Bushman and the Spirits on my father-in-law's bookshelf. It is the fascinating story of a Canadian trapper and shaman, who himself dealt with the spirit world but was set free by the power of Jesus. It's an excellent read—if you can find it!

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Jesus exalted--what that means to us

Exalted Jesus - church in Montaicino, Italy (Image: pixabay.com)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ephesians 1:15-23

TO CHEW ON: "He [God] raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." Ephesians 1:20,21

In describing how highly Jesus was exalted, Paul didn't leave any area uncovered.

Jesus' exaltation:

• Seated Him at God's right hand in heaven.

• Placed Him not just above but "far above all principality and power and might and dominion."

My Bible's notes explain that the above four (principality, power, might, and dominion) "…are consistently used for ruling authorities in both the visible and invisible realms. See Ephesians 3:10. The NT reveals an invisible hierarchy of evil powers who deceive and manipulate human behavior thereby advancing satanic strategies" - Jack W. Hayford, study notes on Ephesians, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1646.

• Exalted Him far above every name that is named.

Name (onoma) means name or term by which a person is called and all that the name implies of rank, authority, reputation, and representative.

• His exalted state applies in every generation, and beyond this life i.e. it never changes ("… not only in this age but also in that which is to come" - Ephesians 1:21).

• He is the head of the church, currently His body on earth - Ephesians 1:22,23.

In context, this grand statement of Jesus' position is part of Paul's prayer for his readers. He prays that they will understand these truths and the power available to them as a result (Ephesians 1:18,19).

This is a prayer that needs to be answered in each new generation. We in the 21st century need to grasp and claim the extent and benefits of Christ's work and current exalted state for our generation as much as Paul's readers did for theirs.

Do we understand that there are no new governments or military powers, including the demonic entities behind them, that supersede Jesus' power? His power is far above that of ISIS, or any repressive regimes, or our own more benign democracies that have taken a satanically inspired direction in legalizing death (abortion and euthanasia), celebrating sexual deviance, encouraging drug use, etc.

What do we do in the meantime, while it looks like those principalities, powers, and dominions are winning? At least two things:

1. Put on God's armor so we can stand against the spiritual forces behind these developments - Ephesians 6:10-13.

2. By faith encourage ourselves and each other with the facts - Ephesians 1:21,22.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, though Paul's statement of Your exaltation may sometimes seem like wishful thinking, please answer the earlier part of Paul's prayer in me by giving the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and opening the eyes of my understanding about You. Amen.
 
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Sinister entry

"Judas returns the money" - James Tissot

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 22:1-23

TO CHEW ON: “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains how he might betray Him to them." Luke 22:3-4

How chilling those words, “Then Satan entered Judas…” How sobering their continuation, “… (Judas) Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.” If a member of Jesus’ closest circle was not immune to Satan’s entrance how all the more must we be vigilant against it.

The tendency is to think of Satan’s entering and controlling someone as a bizarre paranormal thing, evidenced by spooky behaviors  or a cursed, sickly life (Luke 8:26-33, 1-3). But I believe it can be a lot subtler than that.

We need only think of our “besetting sin.” Do we struggle with anger, or find ourselves often covering our tracks with deceit, or letting bitterness cloud our outlook? There is a section in Ephesians which mentions specific sins Holy Spirit-controlled followers of Jesus are to “put away.”

These are common, run-of-the-mill sins that we all have no doubt been caught in at some time or other: lying, anger, stealing, corrupt talk, bitterness, wrath, clamor, evil speaking with malice. Right in the middle of that list (immediately after the reference to anger) are these words: “nor give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:24-32). Doesn’t this warning imply that we are at risk of giving Satan entrance when we cultivate these behaviors and attitudes?

How tiny it starts as the devil squeezes into that sliver-thin crack of our dissatisfaction, takes more territory as we augment our complaints with imaginings, then cements them in us when we voice them to others (compounding our sin as we influence them to join us on this destructive path). How big it eventually ends. In Judas’s case he betrayed his best friend. It earned him the very woe of Jesus (Luke 22:22).

We do well to follow Peter’s warning: "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

PRAYER: Dear God, I want no one but You in my life. Please sensitize my “spiritual antennae” to the presence of anything that would give Satan opportunity or entrance into my life. Amen.

MORE: What happened in Judas’ mind and heart to make him regret what he’d done (Matthew 27:3-10)? Once the betrayal was accomplished, did the devil’s strong influence leave him? Or had he rationalized that his action would force Jesus’ hand to reveal Himself as king and when that didn’t happen, he realized the immensity and gravity of what he’d done? What do you think?

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

Dominion

"He shall have dominion also from sea to sea" - 

words from Zechariah 9:10 are carved 

into Canada's Peace Tower, in Ottawa, Ontario

Image: werner22brigitte / pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Zechariah 9:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "... He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth." Zechariah 9:10

Who is the "He"  and "His" Zechariah talks about here? The answer is just above today's verse in Zechariah 9:9:

"Behold your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey."

Immediately we see the scene of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on what we celebrate as Palm Sunday. And we realize it's Jesus, Messiah, who Zechariah is talking about. He is the One with the dominion.

[Dominion - moshal means sovereignty, jurisdiction, rulership. Moshel (noun) comes from mashal (verb) that means to rule, govern, reign, have dominion, exercise authority. "This verb conveys the thought of a strong and sovereign ruling over one's subjects" - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1258.]

The extent of Christ's past, present, and future dominion are spoken of in other places in the Old and New Testaments.

• The prediction of Messiah's dominion is not original with Zechariah. The exact same words are found in Solomon's prayer of Psalm 72:8.

• His rule comes from Zion and the psalmist invokes victory over enemies through it - Psalm 110:2.

• Isaiah's prophecy again corroborates that this ruler is Jesus:

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6 (see also John 3:35).

• Isaiah also speaks of this governance going on forever - Isaiah 9:7 (see also Daniel 4:3).

• This Messiah rule is powerful, done with a "strong hand" - Isaiah 40:10.

• His dominion is international, everlasting, and indestructible - Daniel 7:14.

• It is a rule that brings and enforces peace (our focus verse - Zechariah 9:10).

• While He was on earth, Christ showed that He had power over nature - Matthew 8:27.

• He had power over sickness and disease (and commissioned His disciples with power to heal) - Matthew 10:1.

• He also had power over unclean spirits - Mark 1:27.

• He has dominion over the church - Ephesians 1:22.

• He is now seated at the right hand of God where heaven's citizens, its authorities and powers, are subject to Him - 1 Peter 3:22.

Let's keep this picture of Christ's ultimate dominion in mind as we hear and watch our seemingly out-of-control world on the daily news, and experience firsthand the devastation of the fall (Genesis 3:14-19).


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, these predictions of Your ultimate dominion over everything give me hope and security in a world that sometimes feels doomed and dangerous. Help me to live with an alive expectation of Your dominion. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The powerlessness and power of idols

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TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 115:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord
who made heaven and earth." Psalm 115: 14-15


Psalm 115 contrasts trust in idols with trust in God. The writer outright ridicules idolatry, pointing out that the object worshiped is made with common materials, is the work of a human person, and has no senses—no sight, hearing, smell or touch—and no abilities  to hold things, talk or walk - Psalm 115:3-8.

So what's the appeal of an idol?

There is within us all a need for someone or something beyond ourselves. We want help and advice from someone bigger and more powerful than we are when circumstances go against us. We long for someone or something to admire and aspire to. In Bible times people responded to this need by carving or molding images, ascribing power to them, and worshiping them instead of God. Satan used and uses that worship impulse to take the allegiance of mankind for himself and his minions. Bible writers unmask the occultic magnetism of idol worship:

• Moses calls idol sacrifices "sacrifices to demons" - Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17.

• The writer of 2 Chronicles characterizes the high places for idol worship made by Rehoboam as built "for the demons" - 2 Chronicles 11:15.

• Psalm 106 calls child sacrifice to idols a sacrifice "to demons" - Psalm 106:37.

• The devil himself, recognizing that an idol doesn't have to be an actual image but can  be something abstract, offered to Jesus, after showing Him the kingdoms of earth: "All this authority I will give you, and their glory … if you will worship before me" - Luke 4:6,7.

• Paul in 1 Corinthians speaks frankly about how idols are two-sided—powerless images but with the power to corrupt and degrade because of their connection to the demonic - 1 Corinthians 10:14-22.

• John sees that the worship of idols and other creatures will be a force for Satan in a time still to come - Revelation 9:20; 13:4; 14:9; 19:20.

We are probably not tempted to worship actual idol images but do we realize that the idols we do worship—that resemble the type of abstract idol with which Satan tempted Jesus—are just as powerless to deliver true joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment?
Do we realize, as well, who is behind them—trying to get our worship for himself?

But we don't have to worship idols. We can bring that impulse to worship to  the One who has the power and means to deliver true success and happiness.

May the Lord give you increase more and more

You and your children.

May you be blessed by the Lord

who made heaven and earth." - Psalm 115:14-15

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to recognize and tear down anything that is an idol in my life. Amen.

MORE: Some modern idols.

Some of our modern gold and silver images may be:

"Approval idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am loved and respected by …'

Control idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am ablt to get mastery over my life in the area of …'

Helping idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if people are dependent on me.'

Work idolatry: 'Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am highly productive and get a lot done.'

Achievement idolatry: ' Life only has meaning / I only have worth if I am being recognized for my accomplishments / excelling in my career.' - by Tim Keller in Counterfeit Gods, quoted by Dale Hanson Bourke in Embracing Your Second Calling, pp. 90, 91.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Faith stuck on the demonic level

Gargoyles - RGBStock.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: James 2:18-3:12

TO CHEW ON: "You believe that there is one God.You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!" James 2:19

When James states "Even the demons believe…" he is implying different types or levels of belief. One is a level even demons have achieved.

To understand what the demonic level of belief consists of, let's take a look at some of the times demons interact with Jesus and other people. These interactions show that demons:

1. Acknowledge Jesus as God, calling Him the "Son of God" (Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41; Mark 3:11), the "Holy One of God" (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34), and "Son of the Most High God" (Mark 5:7).

2. Want nothing to do with Him (Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24; Mark 5:7; Luke 4:34).

3. Know their destiny, referring to it as "torment" (Matthew 8:29; Luke 8:28) and "destruction" (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34).

4. Fall down before Him (Mark 3:11) and are at His mercy (Mark 5:10).

5. Must obey Jesus in giving their names (Mark 5:9), becoming silent  (Luke 4:35, 41),  and leaving people (Mark 1:25,26; Luke 4:35; Mark 5:8,10-13), though they almost always argue (Mark 6:10-13) or have some sort of hissy fit before they obey (Mark 1:25-27; Luke 4:35).

6. Can discern between Jesus' true followers and imposters (Acts 16:17; 19:16). They obey His true followers but resist those who aren't (Acts 19:16).

In our passage James uses demonic belief as an example of incomplete or inadequate faith that we too could have. It might acknowledge who Jesus is but want nothing to do with His life-changing power. It is not saving faith in that it doesn't change one's life or destiny. And the proof is in the fruit (bad fruit; lack of good fruit) of one's life.

Perhaps there are aspects of that level of incomplete faith in our own lives. Yes, we admit that Jesus is the Son of God, but we haven't made Him Lord of our lives. We really don't want that much to do with Him. When we do obey, it's with a big fuss.

Let's press in to take our faith to the higher level of acknowledging who Jesus is not only with our heads but with our lives. Let's spend time with Him. Let's make Him our Lord before whom we live our lives in joyful obedience.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to put my complete trust in You, proving my faith by the way I live. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Paranormal tomb-dweller

Jesus meeting the demoniac 
- by William Brassey Hole

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 5:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "For He said to him, 'Come out of the man, unclean spirit!' Then He asked him, 'What is your name?' And he answered saying, 'My name is Legion, for we are many'" Mark 5:8,9

I don't profess to know much about demons and demonic activity—something for which I'm grateful. Judging by the paranormal tomb-dweller described here, demons are not something to cozy up to.

Demons, according to my Bible's sidebar article, are fallen angels. They are the angels that joined Satan in his rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelation 12:3-4. To quote:

"As angels can ascend the heights of spirituality, demons reach the depths of hatred, bitterness, and perversion .... Although lust, homosexuality, gluttony, and witchcraft are expressions of sinful flesh, these are among practices that can also be expression of demonic activity in the lives of people. Grossly perverted sexual practices such as sadomasochism and pedophilia have demonic roots. In a similar manner, schizophrenia can be a mental disease but can also be caused by demon possession" - Pat Robertson and Christopher Hayward "What is a Demon?" New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1357.

It is interesting that the man in our story was doing something that's not uncommon today. We'd call him a cutter, i.e. he was injuring himself with stones.

He had another quality that is often characteristic of demonized people: unusual strength (Mark 5:3,4).

But in verse 6 we also see him doing something surprising for a demon-possessed man. "When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him." Was that the man's personality coming through, seeing a ray of hope that he might get free? Or was that the demons who despite themselves couldn't help but worship Jesus?

Some thoughts:

• Though we may be loath to label behaviors and conditions demonic, we should pray for insight into them and the people afflicted, and for wisdom to know how to deal with them.

• Jesus is greater than demons. The man with all his dark spirits sought out Jesus and worshiped Him.

• Through Jesus I believe there is peace and wholeness for the most disturbed and deranged person, no matter how deep-rooted the condition.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You that You are more powerful than demons. Help me to recognize demonic activity and to deal with it by Your power—Your name and Your blood. Amen.

MORE: Satan and Demons—a defeated foe

"The work of Christ on the cross is the ultimate basis for our authority over demons .... the New Testament epistles point to the cross as the moment when Satan was decisively defeated. Jesus took on flesh and blood, 'that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil' (Hebrews 2:14 NASB). At the cross God 'disarmed the principalities and power and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him' (Colossians 2:15). Therefore Satan hates the cross of Christ, because there he was decisively defeated forever. Because the blood of Christ speaks clearly of His death, we read in Revelation of those who overcame Satan by Christ's blood... (Revelation 12:11). Because of Christ's death on the cross, our sins are completely forgiven, and Satan has no rightful authority over us" - Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 428.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Test of faith

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 7:24-37

TO CHEW ON: "And she answered and said to Him, 'Yes Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs.' Then He said to her, 'For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter'" Mark 7:28,29

Jesus had made a little trip into non-Jewish territory—the only time He did that, according to my Bible's footnotes. Perhaps He needed a break from the crowds that pressed close day and night when he was in Galilee or Judea. But if He expected to escape into anonymity, He was disappointed.

The Syro-Phoeneician mother was despairing and desperate. Jesus' response seems calculated to add to that despair when He chides her—a Gentile—in a seemingly prejudiced way, for asking for a miracle.

But she has nothing to lose.

She turns His insult inside out. I may be a Gentile dog, but even dogs get table scraps (my paraphrase of  Mark 7:28).

My Bible's footnotes again: "Actually assuming the appearance of traditional Jewish prejudice, Jesus was drawing from her a confession of triumphant faith" - Notes on Mark, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1363.

And then Jesus pronounces her daughter healed!

This story makes me ask, am I too easily discouraged in my prayers? When the answer is "No," do I give up, or persevere?

Maybe it was just for this woman that Jesus made the trip into Tyre and Sidon. Maybe faith, tested in just that way will be precisely what she will need in the days and years ahead, as other circumstances challenge her and her daughter.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for these Mark 7 stories of Your power over dark spirits, and disability. Help me to have faith for crumbs, no, whole loaves of Your power in my life. Amen.

MORE: "He Saw It All" - the Booth Brothers

The story in our reading goes on to tell how Jesus returned to Galilee where He opened the ears and loosed the tongue of a man who had been deaf and mute. The onlookers "...were astonished beyond measure..." Mark 7:37.

"He saw It All" sung by the Booth Brothers is a fabulous expression of that awe and an invitation to trust for our own miracles.

An empty space is a place*

"The Pharisees and Sadducees Come to Tempt Jesus" by James Tissot

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 12:43-50


TO CHEW ON: "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be also with this wicked generation." Matthew 12:45

The man in Jesus' little story to the scribes and Pharisees was set free from an unclean spirit. But he put no one in its place. When the spirit which had been driven out did a drive-by and found no one had moved in, he decided to take possession again along with "seven other spirits more wicked than himself." Seven, the number of completion, tells us this second enslavement was complete.

Taken in context (Matthew 12:39-42) it seems Jesus is referring to the state of the nation of Israel. An explanatory note in my Bible says, "Jesus' teaching specifically applies to the emptiness of Judaism in substituting reformation for regeneration. Israel will be in a worse state than before. Once the nation rejects Jesus, nothing is left to replace the vacuum except satanic deception" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1313.

I believe this applies to us as individuals too. Our minds and hearts don't tolerate a vacuum. We seek someone or something to love, serve and be loyal to. When we're set free from some sin or addiction, we need to put someone or something in its place or we may find the old bondage soon enslaves us again:

"Be warned that returning to a past bondage from which you were once delivered results in deeper bondage" - Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action Through the Synoptics," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1440.

So it's a good idea to fill the tidied, set-free dwelling of our minds and hearts with a good tenant. Jesus would be an excellent choice. We can invite His presence to fill the house of our lives so that when old temptations and bondages come calling, they will find no vacancies.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends" - Revelation 3:20 NLT.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please teach me what it means to fill my life with Your presence. Amen.


MORE: More on the vacuum principle

John Piper applies the principle of spontaneous vacuum-filling to the church and what happens when leaders and theologians tinker with the gospel message in order to make it more palatable to the world.

"There are thousands of pastors and churches today that do not think that clear, Biblical, doctrinal views are vital in the life of the church or the believer. They believe it is possible to grow a healthy church while leaving the people with few and fuzzy thoughts about what God is like. But ignorance about God is never a mere vacuum. The cavity created by ignorance fills up with something else." Read all of "My Anguish: My Kinsmen are Accursed" - By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org (emphasis added).

*The catchy phrase "An empty space is a place" appears in the book The Battlefield of the Mind, by Joyce Meyer.

Demonized

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 8:26-39

TO CHEW ON: "When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him and with a loud voice said, 'What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.'" Luke 8:28

The Yanomamo are a fierce tribe of Indians who live in the jungles of Venezuela. The story that Mark Andrew Ritchie tells in The Spirit of the Rainforest - A Yanomamo Shaman's Story is through Jungleman, one of the most powerful shamans of the tribe.

Though the Yanomamo had met white men (nabas) of various kinds -- rubber traders, anthropologists and missionaries from various denominations -- it was when they met Pepe (Joe Dawson who worked under New Tribes Missions) that the spiritual conflict really began. Pepe and his family came to live at Honey Village (at the Yanomamo's invitation) where Shoefoot (Jungleman's protege and relative) was the shaman. Over time Shoefoot gave up his spirits. Here's what happened the next time Jungleman came to visit his brother-in-law and friend:


When I pulled my canoe up to the shore at the mouth of the Metaconi I felt the usual excitement that comes with meeting old friends. But something was very different. What was it, I wondered.

"Don't go in here," Jaguar Spirit told me. "There's too much danger here. We are afraid." It was the first time I had ever heard fear coming from Jaguar Spirit and it made me feel poor inside. My hands began to flutter and I held my bow tight to make them stop.


There can't be any danger here, I thought. These people are my friends. They have always been my friends. But it wasn't just Jaguar. All my spirits were crowding the shabono in my chest and making a terrible noise about how afraid their were.


When I saw Shoefoot I was stunned. "What has happened to your spirits?" I asked him, looking at his chest. I could see they were gone.


"I threw them away, brother-in-law."


"What!" I whispered as hard as I could. "How could you do that? Why would you do that?"


"I found the new spirit I was looking for," Shoefoot said. "Yai Wana Naba Laywa -- the unfriendly one. You know, our enemy spirit."


"You can't have him!" I whispered in excitement. "It's too hot there and he never comes out!"


It was a horrible visit for me. There was a spirit in Shoefoot's village that I couldn't understand. But it was powerful. That's why my spirits were so upset when I came. I hung my hammock next to Shoefoot and as soon as I lay down they were all there, every spirit I have, crowding my shabono.


"Please Father!" they all begged together. "Please leave here. It's not safe here. We are terrified." And they were. The new spirit in Shoefoot's chest had them all frightened like I had never seen them before.


He's my friend, I thought.


"He's no friend of ours! We hate him!" All my spirits talked at the same time. "Please Father! Please don't throw us away."


The thought of throwing my spirits away hadn't even come into my mind. Why would they say that to me?


"He'll want you to throw us away," they said. "You'll see. Please don't listen to him, Father!"


My spirits were right about that. Shoefoot and his new naba friends did want me to throw my spirits away. Shoefoot's new spirit would never get along with mine."

When I first read the account quoted above, I thought immediately of the reaction of the demons that lived in the tomb-dweller of today's Bible reading.

Our society is fascinated with the paranormal (which would include what we see happening in this story). Fiction, movies and TV shows that highlight spooky, unexplainable (by natural, scientific means) activities are viewed as nothing more than a scary romp. However, if we believe the Bible, demons and evil spirits are real, and probably way more active in the 21st century than we'd ever imagine.

My Lectures in Systematic Theology book provides the following list under the heading "The Work of Demons":

1. They inflict disease (Luke 9:37-42).

2. They cause mental disorders (Mark 5:4-5).
("Although no doubt many so-called psychopathic cases come under this head, we must not forget that the Scriptures do not refer all mental disorders directly to the work of demons." Thiessen p. 208).

3. They lead people into moral impurity (Luke 4:33-36).

4. They disseminate false doctrine (1 Timothy 4:1).

5. They oppose God's children in their spiritual progress (Ephesians 6:12).

6. They sometimes possess human beings and even animals (Acts 8:7; Mark 5:12-13).

7. They are sometimes used by God in the carrying out of His purposes and designs (Revelation 16:13-16).

My reaction to any study of Satan and his henchmen is the same as it was to reading the Spirit of the Rainforest book. It makes me want to crowd close to Jesus and not have anything to do with any other spirit.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for defeating Satan and all his hosts. Help me to recognize his activity and to stay away from anything that would involve or ensnare me in it. Amen.

MORE: The Bushman and the Spirits

Several years ago, I found this book on my father-in-law's bookshelf. It is the fascinating story of a Canadian trapper and shaman, who himself dealt with the spirit world but was set free by the power of Jesus. It's an excellent read - if you can find it!

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.