How the Leaven of Evil Works

I have had presented to me how the leaven of evil will work. Satan has come down in great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time in which to work. He will work with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. Those who in their past experience have had great light but have not cherished that light nor purified their souls by obeying the truth will meet with great loss….

The spirit of antichrist is developing rapidly. Soon there will be a time when those who follow their own human nature, who manifest a love for supremacy, will be found to be on the losing side. The Lord has abased kings, and He will say to all who, while professing to serve Him, … make a display and depart from His counsel: “What doest thou to declare My law, while thou thyself livest in transgression?” …

Let everyone who considers it is his privilege to do as he pleases remember that the Lord will allow him to have his way, but he will be brought through bitter experiences. It is the truth, my brethren, that we all need, the truth that works by love and purifies the soul….

Has God made the world, and then left it entirely to the jurisdiction of men? Has He retired from the scene of action, and left it to the domination of human agencies? How can it be that among those who profess to obey Him and to serve Him, there shall be strife and variance? What a terrible thing [it] is [for] sin to intrude itself, to manifest itself in apostasy, rebellion, and discord in God’s fair domain! …

The Lord created all the heavenly intelligences. Lucifer, exalted to be a beautiful, glorious being in the heavenly courts, brought in jealousy [and] evil surmising because he himself was not in the position of God. He declared that man was bound and fettered if he made God first and last and best in everything. God had not previously been obliged to speak of allegiance to His laws, for there had been no occasion for the least disaffection till it was introduced by Satan.

We still see the deceptive working of Satan on every side. God would have us plant our feet firmly upon the platform of His truth, that we may not be deceived by … [Satan’s] wonderful representations. In the rock Christ Jesus is our only safety.—Letter 310, October 6, 1906, to “Brother [W. D.] Salisbury and Those Connected With the Echo Publishing Company,” in Australia.
The Upward Look p. 293
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for me am having horrible gallbladder pain. Connie
—- Today, my husband left on deployment for 6 mos. Despite us being an active duty family for 19.5 years, this is our first deployment. God’s Hand is over him it is evident. I’ll continue to homeschool our 5 kids grades K-11th, 3 being teen boys. Please keep us in prayer, as we adjust, and for my dear husband to stay stateside. Nicole
—-Please continue to pray for David and family. Things are up and down and that is very nerve-wracking. Buck
—-Please pray for the husband of a friend who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. He also has a very damaged heart. Linda
—-Please pray for my son Steven. My husband was a functional alcoholic and he died about a year and a half ago. I am a Christian. I gave my heart to the Lord when our son was 2. My son blames me for being a Christian, saying I love the Lord more than him or his dad. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would work in he and his wife’s life and that the Lord would heal him emotionally. Linda
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Dear Friends,

One day when my children were little, we went on a hike in the mountains. It was a dark and thickly wooded area and very beautiful. We were the only ones on the trail which made it even better. As we looked around at all the beauty, it seemed it could not get better.

Just then the narrow path widened a little and there before us was a lake sparkling in the sunshine. The leaves of the trees were so thick above us that it hadn’t let much light through, but there on the water, it was bright and sunny. We sat on some logs in the coolness of the shade and looked out over the water. We talked for a few minutes while the children waded in the water. It seemed like all the cares of life had evaporated and all was happiness and peace.

Later as we started to walk back to the realities of life, we smelled the distinctive smell that a mountain lion makes when marking his territory. That smell had not been there when we had passed that spot not long before. We felt just a tinge of fear at the thought that while we had been sitting by the water, blissfully enjoying the beauty of the place, something had probably been watching us and thinking what a great meal Esther or Ronnie Jay would make.

What an impression that mountain lion’s odor made upon us. We kept a watchful eye for even the slightest movement in the brush. We kept our ear tuned for even the tiniest sound that might be that cougar. How thankful we were for God’s protecting care. We could say with Daniel after passing the night in the lions’ den, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me.” Dan 6:22

Truly, our Heavenly Father sends His angels to guard each of His children. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Heb 1:14 How comforting is the thought that God’s angels are keeping the evil ones at bay.

There is a famous painting of a man in the valley of decision. Over him are a good angel and an evil one both trying to get him to choose their side. The good angel is rebuking the evil one. How often this scene is played out in our own life. The devil is continually setting traps for our feet. He is continuously whispering suggestions that would cause us to stray from the narrow way. Yet, we are not left to fight the adversary alone. Our Great Redeemer sends His angels (who outnumber the evil angels two to one [Rev 12:4]) to chase the evil ones away.

Moreover the host of Heaven is intensely interested in our decisions. Jesus tells us, “I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10 Think of it! As we are making choices, the angels are waiting to see which side we choose. If we choose the right, they rejoice. May we make the right decisions is my prayer.

Rose