I am pleased to share a post today with my readers from my good friend Basil from Maroochydore, Queensland.

Thank you, Basil, for the Biblical encouragement!

Gibber! Gibber!

Chugley

BASIL WRITES:

As I hear bad news, which is very common in today’s world, I get more and more convinced that if I do not keep close to the Lord I will be in trouble. The same applies to you.

Jesus is interested in everything we do and think. I just today re-read the story of the sower and the four types of ground. The first two are easy to understand – Satan manages to deaden the ears and hearts of many people and God’s word has no effect on them The second group are enthusiastic while they are enjoying themselves but if things get difficult or doing the Lord’s will gets hard or inconvenient they give up. However the third group are not so easy to understand. Many see them as losing their salvation but that is not what Jesus is saying. When we become Christians Satan tries all he can to make us give up and with many is partially successful, The thorns make life hard but the word does not say that difficulties make them lose their salvation – only that they do not produce fruit. You can be a Christian and not enjoy God’s wonderful life.

We all have thorns in our lives from time to time but ask the Holy Spirit to apply the weed killer of His presence. To do so we have to keep close to Him

Basil’s Article:

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

First the good news

When Jesus sacrificed Himself on Calvary He defeated Satan and all his minions. and has given the Church the power to live in that victory

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Romans 8:2 ^“ For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Hebrews 2:14 “by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 

Seize Your Victory! Satan wants to blanket the earth in darkness, but Jesus is the Light of the world. Christ has made His power available to us so that we can defeat the enemy in our lives.

Now the bad news

Satan thinks he can ultimately defeat Jesus and all Christians.

There is a story that a man challenged the world’s greatest swordsman to a duel and after a couple of minutes the great swordsman stopped and the man said “you couldn’t beat me. could you?” –  “Try shaking your head” was the response.

Satan is still going around like a roaring lion and many, many Christians give in to his threats and temptations instead of standing in Jesus’ victory.

2 Corinthians 4:4  ‘The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (unfortunately this includes many born again Christians) to keep them from seeing  the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ”

What is the solution?

We must walk close to the Lord all day, every day and if we do we will be able to hear His voice telling us what to do and offering to help us do it.

Isaiah 30:21  Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

We will only be able to hear His voice if we are walking in His way. If we go our own way we will not have His guidance, so try at all times to live as you know He wants you to.