The book of Daniel includes the story of Daniel in the den of lions.
In 605 B.C., when the Babylonians conquered Israel, they took many young men into captivity, one of whom was Daniel. He lived in the pagan kingdom of Babylon in captivity until his 80s. Through obedience to God, his Creator, and an impecible reputation of honesty and hard work, Daniel had succeeded in becoming a political administrator, much to the jealous dismay of the other government officials.
The other politicians tricked King Darius into passing a decree that anyone who prayed to another god or man besides the king during the next 30 days would be thrown into a lions' den. Daniel knew this but still went home, knelt down, faced Jerusalem, and prayed to his Creator. The other administrators informed the king. King Darius loved Daniel but was forced to have Daniel thrown into the lions' den.
The king ran to see Daniel the next morning. Daniel told him, "My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (Daniel 6:22) The king was greatly relieved, and Daniel was brought out of the den unharmed.
King Darius had the other politicians, their wives, and their children all thrown into the lions' den, where they were immediately eaten. Then the king issued another decree ordering the people to pray to Daniel's God.
Daniel's story is much like that of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is unbending in his faith, despite the threat of death. When he is put in the den under circumstances much like Jesus' trial before Pilate, he faces what appears to be guaranteed death. The Creator watches over him, however, and he is released from the den much like Jesus emerges from the tomb during the resurrection. Are you at the mouth of the lions' den yourself, trying to maintain your faith? Hopefully this story will be an inspiration to you.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
The third book of Daniel includes the motivating story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
About 600 BC , King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took many of the Israelites captive. Four of the young men were given new names in captivity: Daniel was called Belteshazzar, Hananiah was called Shadrach, Mishael was called Meshach, and Azariah was called Abednego.
All four were very bright and became well liked by King Nebuchadnezzar, who made them part of his most trusted council. Daniel helped interpret one of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dreams, earling him a high position over Babylon, including the land'w wise men. Per his request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Daniel's administrators.
King Nebuchadnezzar built a giant golden statue and commanded his people to bow and worship it whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald, or else they would be thrown into a massive furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship this false god, so they were reported to the king. The were sent before the king, who tried to force them to deny their one and only God.
They answered, "If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand. But if not, be it known to you, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
The king was furious and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be bound and cast into the flames. The soldiers who cast them into the furnace were killed by the heat. King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, amazed, and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked from the furnace unharmed, with no signs of the heat on their bodies or clothing. King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed and declared, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God." He then declared that all of the Israelites were free to worship as they chose.
Even threatened with what appeared to be certain death, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not compromise their belief in their Creator - must we have our hands placed to the fire - perhaps our entire bodies cast into the fire - to stand up for our beliefs? When we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life, we too must say, "Whether God rescues me or not, I will stand for him. I will not compromise my faith, and I will not deny my Lord."
About 600 BC , King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took many of the Israelites captive. Four of the young men were given new names in captivity: Daniel was called Belteshazzar, Hananiah was called Shadrach, Mishael was called Meshach, and Azariah was called Abednego.
All four were very bright and became well liked by King Nebuchadnezzar, who made them part of his most trusted council. Daniel helped interpret one of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dreams, earling him a high position over Babylon, including the land'w wise men. Per his request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as Daniel's administrators.
King Nebuchadnezzar built a giant golden statue and commanded his people to bow and worship it whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald, or else they would be thrown into a massive furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship this false god, so they were reported to the king. The were sent before the king, who tried to force them to deny their one and only God.
They answered, "If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand. But if not, be it known to you, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
The king was furious and ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be bound and cast into the flames. The soldiers who cast them into the furnace were killed by the heat. King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, amazed, and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked from the furnace unharmed, with no signs of the heat on their bodies or clothing. King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed and declared, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God." He then declared that all of the Israelites were free to worship as they chose.
Even threatened with what appeared to be certain death, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not compromise their belief in their Creator - must we have our hands placed to the fire - perhaps our entire bodies cast into the fire - to stand up for our beliefs? When we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life, we too must say, "Whether God rescues me or not, I will stand for him. I will not compromise my faith, and I will not deny my Lord."
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Christmas Story of the Birth of Jesus
The story of the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes to us from several places in the New Testament, including Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2.
Mary was living in Nazareth, engaged to be married to a Jewish carpenter named Joseph. One night an angel came and informed her that conceive a son as a virgin by the Holy Spirit and name the child Jesus. At first Mary was afraid and asked, "How will this be?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son. Mary believed the angel and was pleased that she would carry the son of God as fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah.
While still engaged, Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spiritl. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to explain the plan with Mary and reassure him that their pending marriage was the will of God. When Joseph awoke from his dream, he obeyed God and took Mary as his wife.
Caesar Augustus called for a census, forcing everyone in the Roman Empire to go to their town of birth to register. Joseph, as a descendant of David, was required to take Mary to Bethlehem to register. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, wrapped Him in cloths, and placed him in a manger.
An angel appeared to the shepherds in the fields, announcing that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had been born in Bethlehem. They visited the young family to give praise to the newly born Messiah, and then began to spread the word throughout the neighboring towns. The three Magi from the east followed the brightest star ever seen in the sky, signifying the birth of the Savior, and brought with them gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. Along the way, they came across King Herod and told him of the miracle birth. Herod told them that he wanted to worship the child as well, but actually began plotting the death of Jesus.
In the story of the birth of Jesus, the Creator used his almighty power to bring to life a plan to change the world - A plan that would become his greatest accomplishment - There were some ready to accept this life - To accept The Word in the form of this Creation - But there were also those who were far from ready - Those who would stop at nothing to thrwart the Creator's efforts at every turn - But as the story would play out over time the Creator's will would be done.
Mary was living in Nazareth, engaged to be married to a Jewish carpenter named Joseph. One night an angel came and informed her that conceive a son as a virgin by the Holy Spirit and name the child Jesus. At first Mary was afraid and asked, "How will this be?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son. Mary believed the angel and was pleased that she would carry the son of God as fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah.
While still engaged, Mary became pregnant through the Holy Spiritl. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to explain the plan with Mary and reassure him that their pending marriage was the will of God. When Joseph awoke from his dream, he obeyed God and took Mary as his wife.
Caesar Augustus called for a census, forcing everyone in the Roman Empire to go to their town of birth to register. Joseph, as a descendant of David, was required to take Mary to Bethlehem to register. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, wrapped Him in cloths, and placed him in a manger.
An angel appeared to the shepherds in the fields, announcing that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had been born in Bethlehem. They visited the young family to give praise to the newly born Messiah, and then began to spread the word throughout the neighboring towns. The three Magi from the east followed the brightest star ever seen in the sky, signifying the birth of the Savior, and brought with them gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. Along the way, they came across King Herod and told him of the miracle birth. Herod told them that he wanted to worship the child as well, but actually began plotting the death of Jesus.
In the story of the birth of Jesus, the Creator used his almighty power to bring to life a plan to change the world - A plan that would become his greatest accomplishment - There were some ready to accept this life - To accept The Word in the form of this Creation - But there were also those who were far from ready - Those who would stop at nothing to thrwart the Creator's efforts at every turn - But as the story would play out over time the Creator's will would be done.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
David and Goliath
The story of David and Goliath, from the first book of Samuel, is a favorite of many.
The Philistine and Israelite armies faced each other in war on opposite sides of a steep valley. An armored Philistine giant named Goliath, who stood over nine feet tall, came out each day for forty days, mocking and challenging the Israelites to fight, but they were all terrified to meet his challenge.
One day a boy named David was sent to the battle front by his father to bring back news of his brothers. While there, David heard Goliath's boastful challenge and volunteered to fight him. The other Israelites tried to dissuade him, but he insisted on fighting the giant.
Dressed only in a tunic and carrying a shepherd's staff, David took only his slingshot and a pouch full of stones as a weapon against the giant. Goliath taunted him, but David called out, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."
As Goliath approached, David slung a stone that smashed the giant's forehead, causing him to fall face-down on the ground. David then killed Goliath with his own sword and cut off his head. The Philistines saw the dead giant and fled. The Israelites pursued and conquered them.
David's faith allowed him to look at the giant from a unique perspective. Goliath was a mortal man defying God. When we are right in our cause when battling a formidable foe, God will fight for us. David took such action against Goliath, and had complete faith in God. He wished only to carry through the will of his Creator. He was obedient - willing to sacrifice everything that he had for the Lord. He knew that only the wishes of God were important - everything else shrunk to nothing in comparison.
The Philistine and Israelite armies faced each other in war on opposite sides of a steep valley. An armored Philistine giant named Goliath, who stood over nine feet tall, came out each day for forty days, mocking and challenging the Israelites to fight, but they were all terrified to meet his challenge.
One day a boy named David was sent to the battle front by his father to bring back news of his brothers. While there, David heard Goliath's boastful challenge and volunteered to fight him. The other Israelites tried to dissuade him, but he insisted on fighting the giant.
Dressed only in a tunic and carrying a shepherd's staff, David took only his slingshot and a pouch full of stones as a weapon against the giant. Goliath taunted him, but David called out, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."
As Goliath approached, David slung a stone that smashed the giant's forehead, causing him to fall face-down on the ground. David then killed Goliath with his own sword and cut off his head. The Philistines saw the dead giant and fled. The Israelites pursued and conquered them.
David's faith allowed him to look at the giant from a unique perspective. Goliath was a mortal man defying God. When we are right in our cause when battling a formidable foe, God will fight for us. David took such action against Goliath, and had complete faith in God. He wished only to carry through the will of his Creator. He was obedient - willing to sacrifice everything that he had for the Lord. He knew that only the wishes of God were important - everything else shrunk to nothing in comparison.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Thou Shalt Not Kill
Today’s sermon is about the ultimate commandment: Thou Shalt Not Kill. The one that we are supposed to accept without reservation. Thou Shalt Not Kill. Of course not. To kill is to destroy God’s creation. To kill is to break the extreme commandment.
But then the Satin Strangler comes along . . .
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One of my first sermons as a young minister was about “coveting.” That is how far we had gotten as a God-fearing community. COVETING. But before I could catch up on coveting the wives of others, adultery was already rampant. Coveting became blasé. Why stop at coveting when you can go straight for the taking? Half of all marriages end in divorce – none of them because of coveting.
With our struggles over the nine other commandments, we rarely even turn to the big one. But today that is the topic – Thou Shalt Not Kill. The one that rears its ugly head with greater frequency and intensity everywhere we turn. The news is now filled with tales of murder – even right here in our backyard. We see it on television – we read it in the newspapers – we absorb it through the internet and download it onto our iPhones.
The Satin Strangler is the ultimate example – a woman who strangles men for her amusement. Some say she is insane – possessed by Satan himself. Others protest that she is a victim of society seeking an outlet for her suffering. I read with horror as the first news reports came out. Men were killed by this disciple of the devil – strangled and strewn asunder. Sons, brothers, and fathers. Family members and friends. MURDERED.
And how does society react? Do we rise up as one to shame this disciple of the devil? Take a look at the media’s response for your answer. You do not have to search for very long. She is everywhere – on all of our televisions, on every news stand – but as a villain? NO. The Satin Strangler is held up before us as a modern day superheroine.
Perhaps today’s sermon is too late. What should we do? First we have to look inside ourselves. We are the media consumers. We are the targets for such stories. We consume murder in mass quantities. The supply has to keep up with the demand, after all. When we turn on our televisions and browsers and podcasts, we say “yes” to what they represent. We say “yes” to the Satin Strangler – “yes” to strangling – “yes” to murder. We say “no” to the Commandments of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Have we come so far that we now say “no” even to the commandment that was once accepted without reservation? Thou Shalt Not Kill.
We have to take action as a community and say “no” to murder. Say “yes” to the Commandments. Tell yourselves. Then tell your family and friends. Then tell the world.
Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:
t-shirt: “Say ‘Yes’ to the Commandments” – $12 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to the Satin Strangler” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $22 plus shipping
Mouse pad: “Ask Me about Salvation Sermons” – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Just Don’t Do It – SalvationSermons.blogspot.com” – $9 plus shipping
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This is post #24 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).
But then the Satin Strangler comes along . . .
If you are a Salvation Sermons member, then select READ MORE. If you are not a member, please visit our REGISTRATION PAGE to learn how you can contribute to our cause and share in the message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
One of my first sermons as a young minister was about “coveting.” That is how far we had gotten as a God-fearing community. COVETING. But before I could catch up on coveting the wives of others, adultery was already rampant. Coveting became blasé. Why stop at coveting when you can go straight for the taking? Half of all marriages end in divorce – none of them because of coveting.
With our struggles over the nine other commandments, we rarely even turn to the big one. But today that is the topic – Thou Shalt Not Kill. The one that rears its ugly head with greater frequency and intensity everywhere we turn. The news is now filled with tales of murder – even right here in our backyard. We see it on television – we read it in the newspapers – we absorb it through the internet and download it onto our iPhones.
The Satin Strangler is the ultimate example – a woman who strangles men for her amusement. Some say she is insane – possessed by Satan himself. Others protest that she is a victim of society seeking an outlet for her suffering. I read with horror as the first news reports came out. Men were killed by this disciple of the devil – strangled and strewn asunder. Sons, brothers, and fathers. Family members and friends. MURDERED.
And how does society react? Do we rise up as one to shame this disciple of the devil? Take a look at the media’s response for your answer. You do not have to search for very long. She is everywhere – on all of our televisions, on every news stand – but as a villain? NO. The Satin Strangler is held up before us as a modern day superheroine.
Perhaps today’s sermon is too late. What should we do? First we have to look inside ourselves. We are the media consumers. We are the targets for such stories. We consume murder in mass quantities. The supply has to keep up with the demand, after all. When we turn on our televisions and browsers and podcasts, we say “yes” to what they represent. We say “yes” to the Satin Strangler – “yes” to strangling – “yes” to murder. We say “no” to the Commandments of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Have we come so far that we now say “no” even to the commandment that was once accepted without reservation? Thou Shalt Not Kill.
We have to take action as a community and say “no” to murder. Say “yes” to the Commandments. Tell yourselves. Then tell your family and friends. Then tell the world.
Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:
t-shirt: “Say ‘Yes’ to the Commandments” – $12 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Say ‘No’ to the Satin Strangler” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $22 plus shipping
Mouse pad: “Ask Me about Salvation Sermons” – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “Just Don’t Do It – SalvationSermons.blogspot.com” – $9 plus shipping
-----
This is post #24 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).
Start TSSB from the first blog post.
See links to all 105 posts in TSSB.
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Sunday, September 14, 2008
Samson and Delilah
Today’s bible passage is from the Book of Judges in the Old Testament.
Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.”
Samson finally conceded and told her, “If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”
When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
– Judges 16
What motivated Delilah? Why did Samson agree to provide the information that would let his lover tie him up and dominate him? Today’s sermon takes us to their bedroom to find the answers.
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Delilah was helping the Philistines conquer Samson. She knew that her actions would lead to his demise. Was it really for the money? Is that what Delilah wanted?
NO!
My friends, I say it was not the money at all. Delilah wanted to dominate Samson. This muscle bound mountain of a man. She wanted to feel the surge of power, the rush of excitement, from dominating him. She was a naughty girl – a dirty girl who could only achieve her goal by enticing Samson with her body.
We hear this story and wonder how Samson could be so beguiled. Was he paying attention at all? He tests her the first time – and she betrays him. He tests her two more times – and she betrays him again. By now we know she cannot be trusted. Samson must also. But when Delilah lures him in again, he finally yields. She has his head shaved, ties him up, and leaves him defenseless.
This is not only a story of the past. We see it happening again in the news today. Numerous men have been killed by the Satin Strangler. We wonder if the victims saw the danger coming. Were they like Samson? Did they see the unmistakable danger but hope that they could somehow get the prize without paying the price?
I suspect that the Satin Strangler’s victims were blinded to the danger right in front of them. I suspect that they were lured in by their own lustful desires.
We want to hear about the girl they are accusing of the murders. What is it about Destiny Blande that made the victims expose their vulnerability? This dainty girl – dainty dirty girl. So harmless in appearance – but so deadly in the end. How alluring was the promise of her body? Filthy pleasure must have blinded them – weakened them and made them vulnerable. She is today’s Delilah, and her victims are today’s Samsons.
The bible story of Samson and Delilah still tells us its message today. Giving in to the temptation of filthy pleasures will lead to demise. It will extract the strength of good, the gifts of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and leave us vulnerable to the will of Satan.
Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:
t-shirt: “The Price of a Haircut - Judges 16” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $22 plus shipping
Mouse pad: “Ask Me about Salvation Sermons” – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “This Cup Runneth Over” – $9 plus shipping
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This is post #14 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).
The great hero Samson was in love with a woman named Delilah. The Philistines, Samson’s enemies, approached Delilah and offered silver in exchange for the secret of her lover’s strength. Samson lied to her three times, and each time she informed the Philistines. Delilah repeatedly prepared Samson for the Philistines’ attack, but they were no match for the hero’s prevailing strength.
Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.”
Samson finally conceded and told her, “If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”
When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
– Judges 16
If you are a Salvation Sermons member, then select READ MORE. If you are not a member, please visit our REGISTRATION PAGE to learn how you can contribute to our cause and share in the message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Delilah was helping the Philistines conquer Samson. She knew that her actions would lead to his demise. Was it really for the money? Is that what Delilah wanted?
NO!
My friends, I say it was not the money at all. Delilah wanted to dominate Samson. This muscle bound mountain of a man. She wanted to feel the surge of power, the rush of excitement, from dominating him. She was a naughty girl – a dirty girl who could only achieve her goal by enticing Samson with her body.
We hear this story and wonder how Samson could be so beguiled. Was he paying attention at all? He tests her the first time – and she betrays him. He tests her two more times – and she betrays him again. By now we know she cannot be trusted. Samson must also. But when Delilah lures him in again, he finally yields. She has his head shaved, ties him up, and leaves him defenseless.
This is not only a story of the past. We see it happening again in the news today. Numerous men have been killed by the Satin Strangler. We wonder if the victims saw the danger coming. Were they like Samson? Did they see the unmistakable danger but hope that they could somehow get the prize without paying the price?
I suspect that the Satin Strangler’s victims were blinded to the danger right in front of them. I suspect that they were lured in by their own lustful desires.
We want to hear about the girl they are accusing of the murders. What is it about Destiny Blande that made the victims expose their vulnerability? This dainty girl – dainty dirty girl. So harmless in appearance – but so deadly in the end. How alluring was the promise of her body? Filthy pleasure must have blinded them – weakened them and made them vulnerable. She is today’s Delilah, and her victims are today’s Samsons.
The bible story of Samson and Delilah still tells us its message today. Giving in to the temptation of filthy pleasures will lead to demise. It will extract the strength of good, the gifts of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and leave us vulnerable to the will of Satan.
Readers of this article may also be interested in purchasing the following items:
t-shirt: “The Price of a Haircut - Judges 16” – $22 plus shipping
t-shirt: “No Salvation for Stranglers” – $22 plus shipping
Mouse pad: “Ask Me about Salvation Sermons” – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “This Cup Runneth Over” – $9 plus shipping
-----
This is post #14 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).
“Like” TSSB on Facebook.
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Saturday, September 6, 2008
Sowing Seeds
ABOUT SALVATION SERMONS
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TODAY’S SERMON: SOWING SEEDS
Today’s New Testament reading is a parable from the Scripture of Luke:
And when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to Him, He said in a parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold."
– Luke 8
What does this mean for all of us today? What is the Word – the message at play? And how is it spreading?Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the sower in this parable, and we are the soil. He spreads the Word among us. We must be prepared for the Word. Without the Word in our hearts we will burn forever in the fiery pits of hell. But after we receive the Word, we too become the sower of seeds. It becomes our responsibility to convey the message of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to others.
What will we do with the false Word of Satan – the temptation that comes at us from all directions? Stories of sexual promiscuity. Drugs and alcohol. Poisonous song lyrics and media blitzes. Deceit and murder. We are exposed to them every second of every day. We must resist. We must not spread the false Word.
The Satin Strangler that has been in the news so much is the personification of the devil’s false Word. She lures men in. She seduces them . . .
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. . . for her filthy lustful pleasure. She offers them her body. Then she kills them. Strangles them. How many men? The count rises every day. We see the stories on television. We read about her in our newspapers and our magazines. We download news feeds and blog entries and chat room gossip about her through our computers. We receive emails and tweets on our hand held devices. The false Word of this she-devil’s work on this earth is everywhere.
How do we respond? What do we say about a woman who seduces men and then kills them? Do we put a stop to the false Word of Satan?
Picture our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ telling the parable about sowing seeds. One voice in a group of people. One voice against the wind. Imagine if He had the opportunities we have today to reach out to others.
Today the Word has so much more fire power than a single voice in the wind. Sermons such as this are accessible to everyone around the world. Every square foot of this planet. Every single day. In the form of our blogs for you to read. 100 million blog readers in these United States. 400 million around the world. All receiving the transmissions of our electronic voice. Imagine the seed you could sow through the internet alone. Imagine the strength and the reach and the power – the almighty power – of the Word.
We have the ability not just to receive the Word – not just to stand there passively – not just to wait and see if it finds us. But also the ability to speak the Word to others. To be the voice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Word has to find its way through all the other voices out there. The cacophony of Babel. The tongues of Satan. The false Word is everywhere. Nearly 200 million blogs and feeds and tweets each day. The Word of Satan spreads like wildfire on a hot windy day. The Satin Strangler story is one of many flames in that wildfire, friends.
In Galatians we read that “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” We must become the sowers of the Word of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or we will become the Word of Satan.
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t-shirt: “Help Me Spread the Word” – $12 plus shipping
t-shirt: “Sow What? Let Me Tell You” – $22 plus shipping
Mouse pad: “Ask Me About Salvation Sermons” – $20 plus shipping
Mug: “This Cup Runneth Over” – $9 plus shipping
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This is post #7 in The Satin Strangler Blogs (TSSB).
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