Deeply Disturbed in the Heart

PRAY OVER THIS

“Raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Jude 1:13

 

PONDER THIS

Jude described the actions of the apostate as belching out from the deep recesses, the murky caverns, of his heart, of his soul, in his shame. These people are like raging waves of the sea, deeply disturbed in the heart. They’re not at peace and don’t want you to be at peace either. That’s the reason apostates are so dangerous, and the world is full of them. I have had seminarians and college buddies who became apostates. They studied for the ministry with me. They sat in the same classes with me. These men claimed to believe the truth. But they veered into apostasy. What they once believed, they rejected. And once they rejected, they ridiculed. I watched them, one after another, go down into debauchery of all kinds. There’s something about apostasy, dear friend, that is different from most other sins. This is what Jude was saying. They are like raging waves of the sea. There’s distress. There’s a disquieting in the heart of apostates. And before long they will spew out the foam of their shame. Apostates are disturbed like wild waves.

Contrast this description of the apostate person with those who are in Christ in Philippians 4:7.

Why are those who reject God unable to truly be at peace?

PRACTICE THIS

Write out a list of ways God gives you peace in Jesus.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Beware of Those Who Seek to Divide

PRAY OVER THIS

“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves.” Jude 1:12a

 

PONDER THIS

The Early Church would meet together for an agape feast, very much like churches do today. Don’t think that’s unspiritual for a church to come together for a fellowship dinner. The Early Church did it many, many times. They would get together for a great feast. They were having a wonderful time, and God’s love boat was just sailing along. What wonderful fellowship, what love, and everything seemed to be so blessed. But then suddenly everything seems to come to a grinding halt and there is a horrible, rending sound, and the old ship of Zion is wounded in her side. What happened? Some devilish apostate had become a rock in the river of love to try to destroy the fellowship of God. I want to tell you, dear friend, that the devil hates the fellowship of God’s Church. He hates the love we have. He hates the unity we have. And he will do, if he can, the worst thing that he could by putting a rock in the river of love so that our boat might run aground. How dangerous is apostasy? It causes division and can ruin the very fellowship of God’s Church.

What are some rocks in the river of Christian fellowship that threaten to wreck and divide today?

How does unity in Jesus help us avoid these divisions?

PRACTICE THIS

Is there anyone you have divided with over a secondary matter? Take steps toward reconciliation as you are able today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Holy Spirit Conviction vs. Satanic Accusation

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

You will be a miserable Christian if you don’t learn the difference between Holy Spirit conviction and satanic accusation.

When the Holy Spirit convicts you of a sin, He will not make you just “feel bad all over.” He will put His finger right on the sore spot and push. He will convict you specifically and He will convict you legitimately. 

Now if the devil doesn’t convict you of all your sins in general, he will try to accuse you of a specific sin for which you have already been forgiven. And he will fight a losing battle, because if you put your sin under the blood of Jesus Christ and it comes up again, it’s not God bringing it up. 

ACTION POINT:

Are you under conviction or accusation today about an unconfessed sin? Read Revelation 12:9-11. Claim the powerful blood of Jesus to cover your sin. Repent and believe! 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Grace Covers All

Definition of torment: Intense feelings of suffering, manifested physically, spiritually, or mentally
Are you being tormented? There are all different types of torment. Physical, mental, and spiritual torment abounds all through out the bible as it abounds today in our time here on earth. While we know that God allows Satan to temp and to torment, we may never know the whys! We have to accept" My grace is sufficient", and bow humbly before His throne of grace. He is in control and sees everything, far beyond what we can ever imagine.What if the torment you are walking through has eternal implications for another? God is reigning over all your life, trust Him to do so!
Lord, give us the courage to say"Your grace is sufficient". Amen
Mark 5:2-9
2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." 8 For he was saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" 9 And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many." 1Sam.16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.2 Cor.12:7-10 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.Job 2:1-7 1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 3 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason." 4 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." 6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life." 7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.Deut.31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Sovereign God Uses Evil Spirits for His Purpose

1 Sam.16:14-23 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.  And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.  Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well." So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me." One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him."  Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep." And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight." And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
Wow, as many times as I have read this bible truth, I have never really grasped this verse about God allowing a harmful spirit to torment King Saul. I mean, I knew he was tormented but I did not catch the God allowing part! I had to read verse fourteen, three times!!
It is true, God gives you deeper meanings on the same verse at different times.
As Saul began to loose his throne, God was already preparing David to be the next king. Sovereign God allowed Saul to be tormented as He empowered David for His purpose.
I know from reading the book of Job that God allows the devil to attack for His purpose.
Occasions where God turned people over to demons or the devil for judgment:
Acts 5:1-3 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
1 Cor.5:1-7  It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
1 Tim.1:18-20 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
God also uses demons and the devil to strengthen the saints:
Job 1:1-2 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
Matt.4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Luke 22:31-32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
2 Cor.12:7-10 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
The Lord God, had entrusted all judgment to His Son, Jesus. Let the power of Christ rest on you. Ask for His mercy and forgiveness for Christ is our salvation. He intercedes for us if we acknowledge Him before men.
Lord, we know without a doubt that we deserve hell but by Your Grace we have been set free from the sin and hell. Only by Your power, by Your death , and by Your Resurrection. Amen 
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.