A MESSAGE TO CHRISTIAN MEN “The Devil wears Magellan” Did you ever play with Legos when you were a kid? Wasn’t it fun to build stuff as high as you could possibly get it? Do you remember building that Castle, and pretending to be King, when all of a sudden, your jerk of a big brother or dork of a big sister came out of nowhere to knock it all down? Remember how angry you became? Remember how much you cried? All your hard work, all the time spent on this beautiful creation, suddenly crumbling down at the hands of an evil, ugly sibling who just laughed in your face – until dad got home and rocked their world. Well, maybe your story isn’t exactly the same, but perhaps you can relate to what I really am trying to say. You have dreams, hopes, and aspirations. You’re working hard at achieving them. Many of you already have climbed many rungs on the ladder of success. You have a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, great kids, a nice career, and an outstanding reputation. You are working diligently, like you did on that Lego Castle, to build a great big tower of legacy. Then along comes your adversary, the devil, to attempt to knock it all to pieces. Jesus described him as one who comes to “steal, kill and DESTROY.” Only in this case, the devil cannot actually lay a hand on your work, he needs your help, he needs you to stumble and fall into your own tower. He does this in various forms, but one thing we know from scripture is that he has always tried to imitate God – remember, that is what got him thrown from heaven in the first place. In modern terms, he was booted, blocked, and banned. So as Christ promised to make His disciples “fishers of men”, Satan has also gone out and bought a Magellan shirt - and be aware - he’s got a tackle box full of beautiful looking lures, and even some live bait. He knows where the fish are, what time they are most vulnerable, and which bait works best in each case. While you should be confident that “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world”, you should always be aware that there is a great big target on your back. The minute you turned your life over to God and began to obey His Word, you gained an enemy who would love to make a mockery of you. If you bear the same message as Peter and Paul, then you too are a threat to the kingdom of darkness and the devil desires to sift you as wheat. Some of the greatest marriages, careers, political aspirations, and even ministries have come crumbling down when men (and women) of God decide that the lure is too attractive to resist. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” - 1 Peter 5: 8 God already knew that you would face all manner of temptations. This is one of the primary reasons He has promised to fill you with His Spirit. His Spirit will serve as a voice of reason, and a source of power to give you both the desire and the ability to walk away from temptation. Never forget: in the midst of your greatest temptation, Jesus always provides a door of escape: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”. – 1 Corinthians 10: 13 This is just a simple reminder to you to be aware of his devices. Speaking of devices, don’t let your devices become your vices. A smart phone can take a smart man and make him stupid. That ‘You Tube’ video just might be bait dangling in your face. That email folder is called “trash” for a reason, so don’t go digging through it. That girl that messages you on social media and says she “found your profile and thinks you’re hot” is just a trick from the enemy. I hate to burst your bubble, but first of all, the “hot” reference has a 90% chance of being false - that should be your first clue. Secondly, why would an attractive stranger, young enough to be your daughter (or maybe even your granddaughter) be wanting to “chat” with you? And finally, chances are it’s really a dude typing that message. They don’t want your friendship, they want your money, and in the process, it could cost your soul. Wake up and smell the dead shrimp my friend. Don’t get hooked on the lies that can cause your Castle to crumble. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4: 7 And ladies, since I know you are reading this, the same principles apply to you. And you thought the devil only wears Prada. @Back on Track Bible Studies - Rick Flores
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 13:24:33 +0000
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