Ray wrote,
We will be forgiven our sins ONLY if we forgive those who sin against us. We really need to give this some thought. We cannot bless God while cursing our enemy or our fellow man, and expect God to bless us (James 3:9).
Daniel writes,
Amen Ray!!!! This was a beautiful paper, I agree with Becky, I enjoyed this one among the many.
Ray writes,
While it is true that "…God cannot be tempted with evil, neither temps He any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed" (James 1:13-14), we must also consider that wherever temptation is, there also is Satan:
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise… And the woman said [to God] The
serpent beguiled me, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:6 & 13).
"But I fear, lest by any means, as
the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (II Cor. 11:3).
"Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil … All these things will I [Satan] give you [Jesus],
if you will fall down and worship me" (Matt. 4:1 & 9).
"Ye are of your father
the devil, and the lusts [desires, temptations]
of your father ye will do…" (John 8:44).
"Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour [swallow down]" (I Pet. 5:
.
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world…" (Rev. 12:9).
Satan, not God is the great tempter, and he has temped and deceived the whole world. But here is where God does come in. After we are tempted of Satan, God is our Redeemer:
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing [correcting] those that oppose themselves; if God peradvanture will give them
repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may
recover themselves [‘…but
deliver us from the wicked one’ Matt. 6:13]
out of the snare [Gk: ‘trap, temptation’]
of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (II Tim. 2:24-26).
Daniel writes,
1Titus 6:3
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. A thought of this one through Rays paper came to me
Job 41:34
He beholdeth all high [things]: he is a king over all the children of pride. children of the devil?
God resists "the proud" (we should resist the devil, not ignorant of his devices right? or the lusts of the flesh). He resists "the proud"gives grace to the humble can these be related?
Great paper Ray!!!
Daniel