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.
Satan was “a murderer from the beginning.” John 8:44.
His temptations are leading multitudes to ruin. Intemperance dethrones reason; sensual indulgence, strife, and bloodshed follow. Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God.
Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. It is God that shields His creatures, and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer….
In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous.
The power and malice of Satan and his host might justly alarm us, were it not that we may find shelter and deliverance in the superior power of our Redeemer…. Those who follow Christ are ever safe under His watchcare. Angels that excel in strength are sent from heaven to protect them. The wicked one cannot break through the guard which God has stationed about His people.
The Faith I Live By p. 328
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Prayer Requests
—–Prayers needed. Connie
—–I woke up to chest pains and shortness of breath this morning and was told to go to get it checked out. I’m here right now getting tests done, please pray that it’s nothing serious. I’ve had issues with my heart pounding and beating irregularly in the past, now it beats so soft it’s like it’s barely working. David
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Dear Friends,
When we lived in Washington state, we lived out in the country. While there, Ron renewed his boyhood interest in astronomy. He watched the advertisements until he found someone who was selling their telescope. That reflective scope gave him hours of enjoyment as the night sky was brilliant with countless stars.
One day, he called the local astronomy club, who invited us to come visit one of their “star parties.” One evening, we drove out to Star Butte and when we got to the top, there were about forty people who were also looking upward into the heavens.
The club members’ telescopes were of various sizes. The one we were most interested in was a large telescope, 18 inches in diameter. It was built by a young man named Kevin. Oh, what beauties we could see through it! As we took our turn climbing up on the stepladder that he had there, we got to see nebulae and galaxies that without the aide of that telescope, only looked like pinpoints of light.
As we looked at all the wonders of God’s creation, our hearts were drawn to the Great Creator. This was also David’s experience. He sang, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” Psalm 19:1-6
This beauties and wonders of this old earth point to a loving Creator, Who upholds “all things by the word of his power.” Heb 1:3 Even after 6000 years of sin, the beauty and glory of His creation is overwhelming.
Even the human body is so intricate that it never could have happened by chance. David exclaimed, “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought . . . . Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Ps 139:13-17
Man studies every aspect of creation and yet cannot explain it. Many devise fanciful theories that try to explain the origin and continuance of all things, in order to shut God out of their lives and out of the lives of others. Paul tells speaks of these very ones when he said, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Rom 1:20-22 Yet they still receive of God their very lives, the food they eat, the air they breathe, even the beating of their heart. He it is Who provides the spark of life that we all receive. They may not realize that truth, but it is true nonetheless.
Jesus tells us that God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt 5:45 He gives us the freedom of choice. He does not want us to be robots. He wants us to love Him, not because we have to, but because we want to. He provides every evidence of His existence and of His constant care. He provided the greatest gift of all in giving His Only-begotten Son to die for us, that we might live eternally with Him. What a loving Creator! How good and kind He is!
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Isa 55:6-13
Let us worship our Loving Creator with our whole heart. Let us follow Him throughout our lives, praising Him for His wonderful creation and care. Let our sweetest thoughts, our richest praise be of Him Who loves us so.
Rose
Physical Attacks of Satan