One of our ministers reminisced yesterday about watching those nature films where lions are caught in action, chasing down their prey, their victims. And what do lions prey on?

 

The weak, the sick, and the young.

 

The Bible tells us,  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:“… I Peter 5:7

 

[The Young]

 

Sunday our junior and senior-high kids left for youth camp.   For the next three to four days they will unplug from their normal every day distractions, have lots of good physical exercise (to tire out the flesh) and to be equipped spiritually through God’s word to live for Christ in a world that says “no” to God, daily.

 

The theme this week is to Follow Him, daily. To do this we have to choose to die to self, daily. To pick up our cross, daily. Jesus said in Luke 9:23 “… If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” [emphasis mine]

 

 

 

“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

-II Corinthians 2:11

Satan is a trouble maker and  if he had a resume it would include the following (which is just a sample of his heinous deeds):

 

“And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.”  I Chronicles 21:1

 

“And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” Job 1:7  …like it says in Peter.

 

“And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.” Zechariah 3:1

 

“But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Matthew 16:23

 

“Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.”  Luke 22:3

 

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:” Luke 22:31

 

“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” Acts 5:3

 

 

“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”  II Thessalonians 2:9

 

“Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”  I Thessalonians 2:18

 

“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” II Corinthians 11:14

 

Sadly, Satan brings many Christians down – the weak, the sick, and the young. We need to be praying for each other. Praying for our children!

 

“For some are already turned aside after Satan.” I Timothy 5:15

 

But there is good news – there is hope! And it all hinges on the Word of God. So I’ll close this post with simply … that.

 

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” – I John 5:14-15

 

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The importance of prayer.

Acts 12:5  “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”

 

Romans 1:9 “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;”

 

Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

 

Romans 15:30 “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”

 

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

 

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

 

Colossians 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

 

I Timothy 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”

 

II Timothy 1:3 “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;”

 

James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

 

I Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

 

I Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

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