Bible Study: Opposition & The Devil

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Today is Tuesday October 05, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Matthew, chapter 12. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-5

In Today's Bible Reading: Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, the Pharisees controversy with Jesus, Jesus explaining the one unpardonable sin, Jesus foretelling His death, burial, and resurrection, and a member of the family of Jesus.

Today's Message: Opposition & The Devil
As Christians we are constantly facing opposition over our faith in Jesus Christ, we even have family members that mock us and treat us like we have the plague or something because we stand by our faith in Him that live in the world. You know, it is actually a good thing that we have the opposition that we do? If we did not have the opposition that we have then would not be able to understand the importance of even having faith in Jesus. The Bible says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” -I Peter 5:8-10. The devil will use anyone he can to get us to agree with him and walk away from God, but by remaining faithful to God, he can not stand. The more opposition we face from the devil the more we know we are following the will of God.

If we are facing opposition can you imagine the opposition that Jesus got Himself, the Pharisees were the largest group of Jews and the most influential. Their religion centered around obedience to the law, which they added to over the years, and oral traditional law interpreted for the people to be of God, and enforced it upon the people. This time the Pharisees were opposing the disciples picking corn in the field on the Sabbath, “At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. ” - Matthew 12:1-8.

The Sabbath was a day of rest, no labor of any kind was allowed, they were not even allowed to cook a meal, so, when the disciples began picking the corn the Pharisees saw it as breaking the law. Religious people try to throw you off by knowing a little bit about Scripture, but they do not tell you all of it so, you are left putting your trust in them to show you what they believe the truth to be. Jesus is the Lord, He is not going to make us do something that goes against God and His Word. That is why it is so important to read the Bible for yourself and find a church that actually follows the doctrine of the Bible, not those made by man. “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do....Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” - I Timothy 1:4,9-11.

When Jesus healed on the Sabbath He got opposition from that as well, the Pharisees actually tried to tell the people that He was the son of Satan. “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” -Matthew 12:22-28.

What Jesus is saying here is that if He were the son of Satan He would be casting out everyone that was evil and opposed God and if He did that then there would be no one left, but God's people. So, naturally Satan is not going to cast away those who believe as he does because there would be no one left to take away from God and he would be cast out. The Christian life is a constant battle between good and evil, but it is our faith and trust in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that gets us in the Kingdom of God. Worldly people and false religion will always oppose the Gospel.

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” - Matthew 12:38-41.

The world seeks a sign in front of them that God exists and that the Gospel is true, but but true Christians live by faith, holding on the the Gospel. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen....But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:1,5. It is only by our faith in Him that we can see wonderful things happening in our lives right before our eyes.

I can not stress enough how important it is for all to realize that religion is the biggest downfall of Christianity and will be what destroys the world. Religion goes well beyond Christianity, religious leaders create their own rules, books, and even gods, those who create occults and even evolution is a religion. Many so called Christian religions also make up their own rules rather than do what the Bible says. Oh, they read a little bit of Scripture to deceive the people, but have no idea what it means to be a Christian, in fact, religion is what actually led to Jesus being crucified. We are going to face opposition from the devil because we follow Christ, but it is a good thing because we are now family with Christ. All who believe in and accept Him into their lives become family with Jesus and God's Kingdom. “While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”-Matthew 12:46-50. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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