Posting might be limited to next to nothing for the next week or so- The family and I will staying in a cabin by Lake Shasta. I have no idea if we will have any internet access, and honestly, I would rather be standing on a waterski or holding a fishing pole than typing for a while.
But let me leave you with a few of the thoughts that have been fluttering around my head this week. I think I know the answers, but then again I might not.
Does Satan have the ability to get into a person’s mind? Not in the way that advertising or a catchy obnoxious song does, but can he actually get in there and make me do and think things?
Does Satan know which people are Christians and which ones are not?
I encourage you to think through these questions, and if you have any sort of religious training or upbringing- temporarily suspend belief in anything you might have thought you have been taught from the pulpit.
These questions are worthy of some of your brain cells. Take some time to put handles on what it is you truly believe. And once you have a handle on what you believe about good and evil, apply it to how you live and think.
And throw me a comment or question if you care to- it just might take me a week to get back to ya.
Blessings
Stumble It!
June 28th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I believe that people, having been made in the image of God, have a good heart but Satan can screw with their heart if they do’t gaurd it.
Satan cannot read your thoughts. He is not all knowing, all present, all powerful. He can and does whisper in your ear to temp you to make wrong choices. His buddies can help him out with this. He nor his buddies can possess Christians. Satan cannot come where the Holy Spirit takes up residence. I do think Satan is smart and crafty. He knows your weaknesses. He can tell you that wrong is right and it will be a good choice to linger a little with the wrong person because, after all, it’s innocent and that person understands you so well. Satan knows your insecurities. He tells you that that new gadget will make all the difference in your life. Don’t worry about how much it costs. He is crafty all right. That’s why we need to take control of our thoughts. Thoughts become actions and then actions become sins and sin leads to death.
ONe thing I think Satan is really good at is flying under the radar so that you do’nt realize that it’s him that is influencing the situation. That way you keep your gaurd down.
I hope you had a great time on your vacation.
July 9th, 2008 at 8:26 am
@Laurie -”how Satan talks to people” is an area of interest to me right now. I know he can’t get into my head and tweak my thoughts, but he does have influence upon the world. I am trying to understand what that mechanism is. I think there is a realm we don’t often delve into- the spiritual- that somehow connects with our physical realm and that is how he influences us.
I think too many of us blame the devil for our own poor choices.
July 9th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I agree. Flip Wilson was pretty in that red dress that the Devil “made” him/her buy! I am totally responsible for my choices. No one makes me do anything. But Satan can entise me to do things I wouldn’t have done without the encouragement. But once again, if I make the choice to do it, shame on me.
I think the spiritual realm is kind of like trying to understand another demension. Have you ever seen Rob Bell’s video “Everything is spiritual”? It talks about this a bit. I bet you would get a lot out of it.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:05 am
@Laurie -I haven’t seen that video yet, but I will have to check it out. Yep, I think there is a whole lot going on in the spiritual realm that we choose not to be aware of.