A Nugget from New Life Network
(excerpts from Chris Musgrove of Future Now)
Scripture for the Day (October 5, 2017)
In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
A few years ago Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy said this about the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School: “Evil visited this community today.” Evil visited us again recently in Las Vegas, Nevada. In light of this, I want to share some scriptures that will hopefully help us see why these tragedies take place and also help us see how we as the Church can rise up against this evil.
Jesus said in John 10:10 that, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.” James 1:13-15 in the Message Bible says, “Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, ‘God is trying to trip me up.’ God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.”
These verses say Satan has come to destroy but Jesus came to bring life. God doesn’t bring evil on anyone. We give into the evil one slowly but surely through our own temptations and lusts. Evil, death, and destruction came to Sandy Hook Elementary and to Las Vegas. It was not God trying to teach us something. It was men whose hearts were filled with evil to do evil and to do the will of Satan.
Acts 5:3 says, “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 22:3 says, “Then Satan entered Judas.”
II Timothy 2:26 says, “And that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
The New Living Translation of II Timothy 2:26 says, “Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap; for they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.”
As the Church, we must wake up and begin to be a light to expose the evil darkness in this world. Paul said in Ephesians 5:11-16, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
Acts 26:18 says, “To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
Don’t let evil and darkness back you into a corner. Turn up the light!
