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Today is Friday October 22, 2010 and we are reading through and studying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Luke, chapters 4-5. In these chapters we will read about, the devil tempting Jesus, Jesus teaching in the synagogue and cast out of it, Jesus healing many and preaching repentance in every city. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-22

Today's Message: Be A Minister
When you see or hear the word minister most people think it to be the leader of a church, but there is another meaning to the word that many do not realize. A minister is also defined as a person acting as the agent or instrument of another, to give service to, care for, or aid to others, and to be of comfort to them. In other words, as Christians, we are an agent for Christ, we are to give service to, care for, aid, and be of comfort to those representing Christ. The Bible says, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” - I Timothy 4:4-6.

If we say we are Christians then we are to receive Christ with thanksgiving, for we are sanctified or cleansed through His death, burial, and resurrection when we trust Him as our Savior. To show our thanks to Christ we minister to those who need to be cared for. The reason I said, if we say we are Christians is that many religions claim to represent Christ, but they are far from being Christians, they are falsely representing Christ. Satan has deceived many through religious leaders and he will not stop until he is thrown into the lake of fire. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10.

You think that Satan does not know God's Word? He does and he knows how to use it to deceive people. The devil tries to deceive everyone, he even tried to deceive Jesus by quoting Scripture. “And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” - Luke 4:3-13.

Notice that it says that Satan departed from Him for a season? The devil will never leave a believer alone, even God Himself, he will always be on the attack, if you have flesh, he will always try to deceive you. Why? Do you think he wants everyone to be in harmony with God? No, because if we were it would only cast him into the lake of fire sooner. Whenever I read about the lake of fire I think of lava coming out of a volcano, just how painful it would be to be in it, and I praise God that I trusted in Jesus to keep me from being cast into it. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23. Praise God!

Just as Jesus uses those whom trusted in and believe Him to minister the Gospel to all around them, Satan uses people to deceive others into thinking that Jesus is not real or just a prophet. Do you think that the people helping Satan do not know that Christ is real and God in the flesh? Of course they do. Jesus was casting out devils, knowing He was Christ. “And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.” - Luke 4:38-44.

Why did Jesus forbid the devils to not speak of Him? Everything had to come to pass before the world knew that Jesus was the Christ everyone heard about in the Scriptures. You see, while Satan is powerful, he is not more powerful than God and even has to get permission from God to afflict us. Yes, it may sound strange, but Satan can not do anything to us without permission from God. This was confirmed in the Book of Job, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” - Job 1:8-12.

Satan was testing Job's faith and he tests ours as well, if he can get one person to turn his back on God, even if that person has been saved, he can continue deceiving people who are not. When God said, “Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.” He was saying, “I will allow you to take away everything that you say keeps him faithful to me, but I will not allow you to kill him.” While Satan can afflict us, God will not allow him to afflict us beyond what we are able to handle. “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.” - I Corinthians 10:13. Keep in mind, if you are saved and have turned from God, you are still saved, God knows the heart beyond the bitterness and pride of the flesh and will not condemn anyone for turning their backs on Him. Remember, we are reborn or the spirit and not the flesh so God will never leave us if all we do is just get saved.

Jesus said, “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” - Luke 5:31,32. Jesus came here to minister to us, to heal us and cleanse us from our sins, we are no longer sinners headed for the lake of fire, we are sinners saved by grace through repentance. “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” -Ephesians 1:5-7. Praise God! Go out today and minister the Gospel to someone, you will be saving a life. Praise God!

Praise God it's Friday! Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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