I promised those of you who were there that I would share those Scripture addresses with you so you could look them up, especially the ones I recommend that you memorize. So here they are, along with many more I am adding for your time of digging deeper with God.
- Does God ever tempt anyone to commit evil or omit the good? see James 1:12-14
- Who, then can be held accountable for the prevalence of evil in this world?
- the devil (I am sharing many verses that explain the devil's tactics, as well as what Jesus has to say about him and the final destiny of Satan. I know there are a lot, but when you are fighting a battle it is important to know your Enemy and how he will likely attack. So do the hard work of a soldier and look up every verse to equip you for victory through Jesus!)
- Mark 4:15
- Luke 4:13
- Luke 8:12; Matt. 13:39; 2 Cor. 4:4
- Luke 10:18
- Matt. 25:41-43
- Luke 13:16
- John 8:44
- Luke 22:3: John 13:2, 27
- Luke 22:31
- Acts 10:38
- Romans 16:20 -- "Krutta Moni!"
- 1 Cor. 7:5
- 2 Cor. 2:11
- 2 Cor. 11:14
- 2 Cor. 12:7-10
- Eph. 4:26-27
- Eph. 6:10-12
- 1 Thess. 2:18
- 2 Thess. 2:9
- 1 Tim. 5:11-15
- 2 Tim. 2:22-26
- James 4:7
- 1 Peter 5:8-9
- 1 John 3:7-11
- Rev. 2:8-10
- Rev. 2:12-14
- Rev. 3:8-10
- Rev. 12:8-10
- Rev. 12:12
- Rev. 20:10-11 (victory!)
- the world
- Rom. 12:2
- 1 Cor. 1:20; 3:19
- 1 Cor. 2:12
- 2 Cor. 7:10
- Col. 2:8
- James 1:27
- James 4:1-4
- 1 John 2:14-16
- 1 John 4:4-6
- 1 John 5:4-6
- 1 Jon 5:18-20
- Jude 1:18-19
- the flesh
- Romans 1:26-27
- Romans 8:5-8
- Galatians 5:19-21
- 1 Peter 2:11
- 2 Peter 2:17-19
- Jude 1:23
I think this is where we need to go back to our study of Genesis 1-3 and remember that God did not create or cause evil--Satan and man brought it into the world. If anyone is to blame, it is the devil and us. Let us be careful not to accuse God of being anything but good!
Remember the condition of His creation at the end of Genesis 1--very good. We were the ones who were deceived, listening to Satan and doubting God, and messed up the whole beautiful world He had so perfectly created for us to enjoy with Him. Let's be careful to remember this when we question why evil things happen in the world.
The truth is that OUR GOD IS GOOD! And here is the proof:
He could have left us in this miserable condition we created for ourselves. But our loving Father didn't do that. No, instead here is what He did for His children who doubted Him and sinned against Him by listening to Satan:
Romans 8:1-4, 11-18, 28-39
1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ...
11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ...
28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God didn't send just anyone to save us from the devil, the world and our flesh; He sent His one and only Son to do the job. Would you be willing to watch your child die for the sins of the whole world who hated him?
It must have broken God's heart to watch the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus--far beyond anything Job endured. But it also broke His heart that we could no longer be in perfect fellowship with Him. It was the only solution to the problem of our sin. You see...He loves us that much.
Michael said something very interesting at the end of his message yesterday, and it got me thinking about Job in a way I never have before. He said that Job represents Jesus. That parallel has a whole lot of implications for us.
First of all, Job was offering sacrifices to cover the possible sins of his sons and daughters in all their feasting and reveling with their friends. God the Father offered Jesus as the sacrifice to cover the sins of His sons and daughters.
Next, Satan comes to tempt Job to curse God. Satan tempted Jesus in the desert for 40 days and nights after He was baptized, offering Jesus all sorts of things if He would bow down and worship the devil.
Then Satan snatches Job's children from him. Satan snatches the souls of many of God's children from Him.
Because of Satan's determination to desecrate the name of God, Job lost everything he had--all his riches, his servants, his children, his standing in society and even his own health. Because of Satan's determination to desecrate the name of God, Jesus had to leave the riches of heaven, His fellowship with the Father and Holy Spirit with all the angels worshipping and serving Him, His position of power and authority, and became bound by a body of flesh that suffered all the ills and trials of this world, and eventually death on a cross.
Satan destroyed Job's children. Satan destroyed God's children. Jesus was the only one who could win them back to the Kingdom of Heaven by paying the price they could never pay.
Just as by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ God's children were given new life, so will Job be blessed with new children when he comes through this trial. Just as Jesus returned to heaven to sit at God's right hand, with all His former glory and authority restored, so will Job's riches and reputation be restored.
Wow--who knew there were so many parallels between Job and Jesus? Thank you, my dear husband, for letting the Holy Spirit speak that word through you which you had not even intended to say. I love God for doing that.
So as Abraham offering Isaac was an illustration for us, a divine drama if you will, of what God would later do through the sacrifice of His one and only Son whom He loved; so is the suffering of Job an illustration of the suffering of Christ.
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:16-18)
God didn't send just anyone to save us from the devil, the world and our flesh; He sent His one and only Son to do the job. Would you be willing to watch your child die for the sins of the whole world who hated him?
It must have broken God's heart to watch the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus--far beyond anything Job endured. But it also broke His heart that we could no longer be in perfect fellowship with Him. It was the only solution to the problem of our sin. You see...He loves us that much.
Michael said something very interesting at the end of his message yesterday, and it got me thinking about Job in a way I never have before. He said that Job represents Jesus. That parallel has a whole lot of implications for us.
First of all, Job was offering sacrifices to cover the possible sins of his sons and daughters in all their feasting and reveling with their friends. God the Father offered Jesus as the sacrifice to cover the sins of His sons and daughters.
Next, Satan comes to tempt Job to curse God. Satan tempted Jesus in the desert for 40 days and nights after He was baptized, offering Jesus all sorts of things if He would bow down and worship the devil.
Then Satan snatches Job's children from him. Satan snatches the souls of many of God's children from Him.
Because of Satan's determination to desecrate the name of God, Job lost everything he had--all his riches, his servants, his children, his standing in society and even his own health. Because of Satan's determination to desecrate the name of God, Jesus had to leave the riches of heaven, His fellowship with the Father and Holy Spirit with all the angels worshipping and serving Him, His position of power and authority, and became bound by a body of flesh that suffered all the ills and trials of this world, and eventually death on a cross.
Satan destroyed Job's children. Satan destroyed God's children. Jesus was the only one who could win them back to the Kingdom of Heaven by paying the price they could never pay.
Just as by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ God's children were given new life, so will Job be blessed with new children when he comes through this trial. Just as Jesus returned to heaven to sit at God's right hand, with all His former glory and authority restored, so will Job's riches and reputation be restored.
Wow--who knew there were so many parallels between Job and Jesus? Thank you, my dear husband, for letting the Holy Spirit speak that word through you which you had not even intended to say. I love God for doing that.
So as Abraham offering Isaac was an illustration for us, a divine drama if you will, of what God would later do through the sacrifice of His one and only Son whom He loved; so is the suffering of Job an illustration of the suffering of Christ.
"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:16-18)
No comments:
Post a Comment