Run, Run...You Rascal

“So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
-James 4:7

There are some verses in the Bible that at first glance don’t seem like much. But look a little closer and the verse becomes something entirely different. It becomes profound and weighty in the battle over sin in our lives. First I need to establish the ‘fact’ we all battle sin, even if you don’t you sin and are liar according to 1 John. “If you know what is good and choose not to do it, you sin”, says James 4:17. So I believe all Christians battle sin in their lives and many times we are in a losing battle. It seems like many today, learn to live with the sin and guilt….it just seems easier.

But here is the problem with this idea, defeat. Once you reach this point, you are defeated. The problem is the bible says we are victorious,
Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!” So what is the solution? James comes back to me, “So submit to God”…before I do anything else I must submit to God. So if I try to resist the devil without submitting to God, I am in big trouble, the devil will not be the one fleeing, it will be me!

How many of us try to take on our own sin, without submitting to God at all. “I don’t need any help; I can handle this myself…only to burn up in a fiery crash, that if we are lucky doesn’t kill those closest to us. Humility, humbling ourselves before a loving and gracious Lord and telling him we need help….

It is from this position we can resist the devil, it is from this position, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us. I don’t know about you, I hate walking around in defeat. I hate losing period; I want victory in my life. And I love the word flee…it’s like his hair is on fire or something…great sense of urgency…I like that…run, run you rascal…does the devil have hair? Not sure if it matters…but I like the idea of him RUNNING….

-ps

Bible in a Year

For the first time in my life I can say I have read the Bible all the way through. Now don’t get me wrong I have studied the Bible for many years…I even went through it chapter by chapter, which took me three years to accomplish. But I had never just read the Bible a few chapters a day for a year. I have to tell you it open my eyes to several things…

For starters it reminded me about how much I still have to learn…very humbling. It opened my eyes to the big picture, seeing God lay out the grand plan for us all. Most of all it gave me things to think about every day that help shape my attitude. It took me too those great Bible stories and I got to see Abraham, Jacob and Joseph again. I got to see Moses and the exodus…David and Solomon…and all the very interesting Kings. I got to hear the Psalms…and lived with the Prophets. Saw Jesus and the disciples…listen to Paul tell his tale and still thinking about John and his Revelations.

I have read so many books, but there is nothing like the Bible…it’s not a science book, or a history book. But it is God’s story…and how he has chosen to interact with us. I thank God for the Bible and its impact on my daily life…I hope you will take the time this year and read through it.

-ps