THREE THINGS I ADMIRE ABOUT THE DEVIL

 

Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not commending the Devil in any way, but there are three characteristics of our enemy that can have positive applications.

1.  HE ISN’T STUPID.

What I mean by that is, he is pretty smart at what he does.

He has obviously studied the Scriptures diligently and is very clever at twisting God’s Word to suit his own agenda.  Any time you have the Devil, or one of his allies, quoting Scripture – watch out!  If only present day Christians had the working knowledge of the Scriptures that the Devil does, we wouldn’t fall for his schemes nearly so often.

He knows our weaknesses.  He has apparently studied mankind for thousands of years, and he knows how to get to our weak spots.  He has gotten serious “shots” in on God’s greatest men, and has brought down many of God’s mighty warriors.

We must never think that we can out-wit or out-smart the Devil. He will get us every time. He is not to be played with, but simply resisted.  Don’t underestimate his ability to trip us up and destroy our lives.

2.  HE DOESN’T’ QUIT.

His tenacity is overwhelming.  The Devil absolutely will not quit.

He’ll come back after you again and again and again.  We must never be fooled into thinking we have resisted the Devil “once and for all.”  His assaults will continue throughout our time here on the earth.

Notice in Scripture that many of Satan’s victories over God’s men have been in their later years.  David was most likely in his 50’s when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, Jonah & Balaam were both seasoned prophets when they compromised & disobeyed God.

We must never think we have outgrown the Devil’s attacks or that we are so strong spiritually that we are no longer susceptible to his devises.

3.  HE WORKS HARD.

Without a doubt, the Devil is one of the hardest working beings in all of history.

He never takes a vacation, never takes a day off, works at foiling God’s will 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Thus, we must never let our guard down.  We must be sober and diligent, because our adversary, the Devil is hard at work, doing everything he can to bring shame and reproach to the name of Jesus.

Do not interpret the above statements to indicate any favorable attitude on my part toward Satan.  He is a liar, a murderer, and the ultimate blasphemer, nevertheless, we must be aware of these three characteristics of Satan, and perhaps seek to incorporate them into our service for the Lord and the Gospel.

Don’t let the Devil get the victory in your life!!

I Refuse To Be Discouraged

I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here’s the reason why…

I have a God who’s mighty,
Who’s sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.

My God knows all that’s happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten
to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.

The great “I AM” is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The “Son of the Lord” is my hope,
It’s in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.

I’m looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven’s throne above;
My prayers have reached
the heart of God,
I’m resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle’s His, the victory is mine;
He’ll help me win the race.

Copyright © 1991-1992 Lita Kurtzer.

11 Quotes on “Criticism”

By Brother Harley Snode

How would Facebook change if you could frequently “Dislike” others’ posts, pictures, and opinions? I’m not sure I know the virtual answer to that question, but I do know that the “dislike button” is definitely well-used in the real world-especially in leadership. How do we provide tenacious and tender leadership in the arena of criticism?

Here are eleven quotes to help leaders process all “angles” of criticism:

1. “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” ~Winston Churchill
2. “Don’t let compliments get to your head; don’t let criticism get to your heart.” ~Unknown
3. “Treat criticism like bubble gum. Chew on it a little, and then spit it out.” ~Paul Chappell
4. “To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” ~Aristotle
5. “Life is like photography; you use the negatives to develop.” ~Unknown
6. “Truth sounds like hate to those who hate truth.” ~Unknown
7. “Rudeness is a the weak man’s imitation of strength.” ~Eric Hoffer
8. “Don’t be distracted by criticism! Remember-the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bit out of you.” ~Zig Ziglar
9. “The most destructive criticism is indifference.” ~E.W. Howe
11. “Criticism should be like rain; gentle enough to nourish someone’s growth without destroying their roots.” ~Unknown
12. “The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.” ~Elbert Hubbard

Here is one bonus quote that continues to strength my hands, knees, and heart:

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” ~Theodore Roosevelt