Evil

Satan’s Game Plan

Dr. Mike 2023 , , , ,

John 8:44

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…

You may not believe in a devil. You may not believe in conspiracies. But Jesus does. In both of these Scriptures, Jesus outlines the characteristics of someone who lives outside of God’s divine nature and is scheming to destroy humanity. He is the devil. God’s adversary.

If you want to personify a person who is anti-God, the devil is your role model. Satan (the chief devil) lives life opposing God. His behavior and fundamental approach to life produces chaos. Unlike God whose character demonstrates harmony and order, the devil is everything opposite HIM.

God’s divine nature is built on truth which allows freedom, trust, and relationships to bloom. Satan’s way distorts reality, causes doubts, and subversives unity between people.

The Bible outlines God’s macro plan to adopt a family into the inner circle of the Triune life. Satan understands God’s purpose and angerly seeks ways to prevent humanity from participating with HIM. In fact, the devil seeks people to associate with him in the destruction of God’s plan.

He (devil) persuades others to pattern their life after his character. He naturally lies without concern for others. His natural tendency causes confusion, removes fundamental stability, and produces fear in the hearts of the spiritual weak. The more he can keep people’s minds away from the Triune God, the easier his work is magnified.

He (devil) is a natural thief. He only knows how to steal. Work is an allergy he avoids. He cannot build anything of long-term value. He takes from others and justifies his motives. His policies deliberately destroy lives. Wherever he can eliminate a life, he targets. In his eyes, life is not precious but an object to eliminate.

He is evil personified. The opposite of God. He allows us to witness the difference between beauty and ugly, harmony and disorder, flourishment and poverty, joy and indifference, purpose and wandering, diligence and laziness, humility and pride, servant-leadership and tyranny, peace and war, fulfillment and emptiness, etc. Whatever is good, comes from God. Whatever is evil, is a byproduct of the devil’s intentions.

The Book of Revelation highlights Satan’s end. Until then, God’s plan for humanity allows Satan to roam the earth causing havoc. Yet when we realize his nature and game plan, we are able to compare the surpassing ways of Almighty God with the destructive tendencies of Satan. Yes, choosing God’s Way is easier when one can repeatedly compare the outcome of divine nature against the devil’s character under historical evidence. Maybe that is why God allows Satan to continue his torrid ways.

When you know the devil’s routine, you can more easily ignore him by living under the authority of Christ. When we allow Jesus to confront the devil’s work before us, they flee. But if one does not live under the authority of Christ, then they are fair game for Satan to unleash his devious wrath upon them. Be safe and allow the love and hope of Jesus Christ always lead you. Let the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18) be your strong defense against the schemes of the devil to stand firm.

Remember, when history is completed, the evidence as prophesied in the last chapters of Revelation show God and humanity wins, Satan loses.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager, Faith-Integrator, Scribbler

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Fruit of Ungodliness

Dr. Mike Life Tools , , , ,

Romans 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

The first chapter of the Book of Romans does an excellent outline of the characteristics of the ungodly life. In fact, when one reads the chapter, one can easily identify the platform of a political party of this country. But leaving politics out at the moment, when you read through the 1st chapter you come across the attitudinal spirit which leads to ungodly behavior. Starting from verse 18 through 32, you find:

Suppressing the truth – the ungodly don’t care for the truth of a matter; only the personal fulfillment of their self-centered agenda.

Failure to honor God – God is removed from the equation and therefore doesn’t receive the respect and acknowledgement of his authority in their life.

Ungrateful toward God – In their eyes, God is the problem, not the solution.

Futile in their thinking – Rational thinking without God as the center leads to many theories but rarely a solid conclusion.

Foolish, darken hearts – The emotional center of the person is generally negative with strong leanings toward the dark side of life. Wisdom is lacking.

Claiming to be wise, they became fools – Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord is how the Book of Proverbs explains. Without God, they reach conclusions without logical reasoning and wonder why their lives continue to be expressed in stupid outcomes rather than victorious celebrations. 

Exchange the glory of God for other images – they worship and glorify the idols of power, money, fame, status, etc. rather than God who makes all things possible.

Hearts of impurity – Rather than a rich, emotional inner chamber of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and self-control, their inner Spirit is empty and mostly full with the darkness of life.

Dishonoring their bodies among themselves – adultery, prostitution, abortion, etc.

Exchanged truth about God for a lie – The biggest lie is eliminating God from the equation of life. Lies distort the truth and reality. Without truth and reality, one is dealing with a fictional narrative. Without God, how many other lies and distortions of reality are built upon the shifting foundation of one’s beliefs? Lies are empty promises with trap doors leading to pain, suffering, and delusional outcomes.

Worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator – They worship humans, animals, earth, institutions, anything and everything rather than the God who designed and implemented Life from the beginning.

Dishonorable passions – women having sex with other women; likewise, men with men; and people having sex even with animals.

Committing shameless acts with one another – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender sexual behavior is accepted by each but contrary of a godly, fulfilling life.    

Filled with evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless – all negative attributes which lead toward societal suicide and destruction. A community cannot flourish when people oppose one another rather than up-build each other toward a common purpose built upon historical proven values.  

Approve others who practice these attributes – people like too associate with people like themselves.

We all have at times experienced similar ungodly attributes. The differences are those who regularly practice such behavior instead of once in a while unwanted blowups. Those who have surrendered themselves and have accepted the authority of Jesus Christ in their life, have changed their focus from glorifying self to worshiping the Triune God. Learning to walk as an apprentice of Jesus Christ covered under God’s grace, filled with HIS presence, and constantly pursuing a growing relationship with HIM, leads to a life where HIS life and beauty becomes a reflection in our life. A life worth meaning and purpose and flourishment for self and others.

Which is why the glory and honor is ALL HIS as we humbly walk with HIM.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Evil

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms ,

With the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France, I did a short, old-fashion review from the Bible on the word evil. Rather than write something in my own words, today’s blog is simply a review of these Scriptures.

evil1

“The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” Proverbs 8:13 ESV

“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.” Proverbs 28:5 ESV

“Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.” Proverbs 12:20 ESV

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20 ESV

“Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.” Isaiah 59:7 ESV

“Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. Amos 5:15 ESV

“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” Jonah 3:10 ESV

“…do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.” Zechariah 8:17 ESV

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” Matthew 12:34-35 ESV

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Matthew 15:19

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” Romans 12:21 ESV

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Romans 12:9 ESV

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

“Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV

“The Lord will rescue me (Paul) from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever.” Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18 ESV

“Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 1:11 ESV

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Executive Director & Founder
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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