04/10/17 BE CAREFUL WHEN YOUR BACK IS TURNED

04/10/17 BE CAREFUL WHEN YOUR BACK IS TURNED

Martha and I went to a local seafood restaurant recently (yummy). I noticed that one of the managers was helping (or training) a busboy clear some tables. There was a crooked picture on the wall, and the manager took a few moments to straighten it. I said to Martha, "A man could die doing that." Martha acknowledged my reference to the death of Jesse James. hehehe. I then said that I wouldn't do that because I have too many Bob Fords in my life. Of course I was being silly.

However. Satan is the father of all back-shooters and murderers (Jn. 8:44), and he is stalking me, in order to destroy me (1 Pe. 5:8). What I am about to say is true for other Christians as well. Satan is the accuser of the brethren and he accuses us to non-believers, and to one another, and to God (Re. 12:10). Of course, the evil one oftentimes employs humans to do his dirty work.

As I was reflecting this morning, I thought about the unlikely "Bob Fords" in my life. These are the people who have been close to me, who have served with me, who have either found Christ through my ministry or found the deeper life or were called to ministry and trained by me. People I have known for years, people I have known since their birth or new birth, people I have married, people whose children I dedicated, people with whom I have shared the pulpit. People that I have encouraged to find God's will and follow His leading. People for whom I gladly sacrificed personal and family advantages, in order to help them. Yet, the devil is never satisfied to bring about division, he wants to ruin relationships and reputations.

My heart aches for those who have been led astray by hatred and deception. As I watch them build walls of separation higher and deeper I see that they are not just separating themselves from me or some other believer; they are separating themselves from God and the life of love and truth.

The devil wants to separate people from the person who has the words of life, as an angry sea pulls a struggling swimmer farther away from his would be rescuers.

If it does not meet the Biblical profile of LOVE AND TRUTH, do not yield your thoughts or actions to any counsel.