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Well Pastor Marc here is the first question
Is the devil God's employee?
The question stems from the fact that the devil must report to The Lord everyday so, Is he? Explain.................... |
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Sis Lee... Sometimes it feels like the devil is an employee of God, but in no way is he. He was God's creation. He was established as a covering cherub (Ezekiel 28:14,16, read all 28). He had access to God's throne. He was beautiful and an angel of light (lucifer means morning star). He had it all, until he sinned (Ezek. 28:15) He was cast out of heaven but he maintained his power as an angel. He could still be invisible, walk though wall, he still reports to God and so forth... Most of all he retained his wisdom. A wisdom tht now he uses for the planning of destruction of mankind. He is no longer Lucifer (morning star), but now Satan, which means adversary, accuser, devil.
The fact that he reports to God stems from the fact that he is still an angel, a fallen angel, nevertheless an angel. The book of Job says, (1:6) 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan[b] also came among them... The "sons of God' are the title of these beings, or angels. (side note: angel just means messenger) This passage leads us to believe that there is an appointed time, a date on the calendar of heaven where these beings must present themselves. It's cool to know that our adversary regardless of what, whether he likes it or not has to give account to God. That's how we know God is in control, because although it's his job to be our adversary, he still can't touch us without God's permission. and if He allows it, it's because He knows it won't crush us (2 Cor. 4:7-18) The devil's attacks are meant to have God show off... How do you appreciate the sunshine without the cloudy days...? How do you appreciate the Good if there's never any bad?
Therefore, he is not an employee. He is a creation who still has to bow his Knee! Amen |
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Thank You for that answer...awesome Thanks.
Question # 2
In the Word does it say how long is normal for someone to mourn? I dont mean dressing in black or not eating but the sense of loss, the real hurt that although you know that your loved one is with Jesus, still burns and aches every now and then so badly it just knocks the air out of you. I am happy and in victory but hurting alot in those still quiet moments and I am disappointed in myself for feeling so weak. But I miss my Father so much...............I miss his voice, I miss his smell, his jokes, his laugh, I miss his love and sensitivity, I miss Him...........
I know many people who are going through this but THEY are not saved they label it as DEPRESSED. I want to encourage them but I know what they are feeling all too well and sometimes not even the kindest words help. Yet I know I am not depressed. Thank You Jesus
As a Christian with great faith should I or why am I feeling this way??? |
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Sis Lee,
I also agree that you are not depressed! I just think you just miss him. And that's ok. You should miss him...that's how you know how much you loved him and how much he meant to you. Don't ever try to "forget"... you still need to continue to heal, and unfortunately only time heals this. It's not a lack of peace, because in your heart you know he is in a better place with God... so you have peace about that...But you are still adjusting to life without him. I bet you miss those calls out of the blue... I bet you miss telling him "dad, when are you coming to visit?"... or just calling him for a piece of advice... Do you know how I know...because I still miss my dad... and he died in 1989...! To this day I still find new ways to miss him. When I became a dad, I wish he was around to take my son over to see him and getting to know him.
So what do I mean? You'll never stop missing them. It's ok to keep missing them.
The Bible gives no specified time for mourning/grieving. I think it's because God knows everyone is different. The Bibles shows some people sitting in sackcloth & ashes, some shaved their heads, some laid on the ground, some mourned for thirty days, some hired mourners, some walked barefoot, some fasted... and on...and on... What does that mean. God understands that your time of mourning and how you grieve is unique to you. How long depends on you and time. But one thing is certain, He'll never leave you or forsake you! (Heb. 13:5) So, you have brothers and sisters who will stand by you too. We'll be praying!
God Bless....
Pastor Marc
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Hey Pastor Marc - I hope this thread is open to all members of MyChurch. I always enjoy seeking Godly counsel.
Here's a question for you.
When the Bible speaks about the powers of evil on the earth - Thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, rulers of darkness of this world - how exactly do you understand that to mean? What authority (obviously subject to God) do these powers have? Does the Bible say when it was given to them? Did it happen by default after the fall of man? |
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Greetings LorenDP,
I was reading your page and was blessed by your perseverance. Many Christians have bought into the theological fallacy that this 'walk' will be an easy one. So, when troubles come they lose faith. In that, be encouraged that your trials not only make you strong, they also bless others by the testimony of holding on to God's unfailing hand, no matter what may befall you. Thanks my brother!
Now to your question. What a good question or I should say questions...! Let's look at a few things. When were these passages written, by whom and about who? We know that they were written in the first century A.D by the Apostles Paul, Peter, James, John, Luke etc... And they wrote about the Roman Empire mostly. Those who occupied the thrones, from governors, to kings to the caesars, were considered to be wicked, evil men who were obviously controlled by satan himself. Our adversary has constantly ruled men through the powers and kingdoms of this world. Men have always served as satan's agents. As a matter of fact, we were slaves to sin (Rom. 6:18) and therefore slaves to satan. All this power over men came after the fall. God had given man dominion over all the earth (Gen. 1:26) and satan obtained it by default because of man's sin. But it was taken back by our Lord Jesus Christ, to the point that in his own words after the resurrection he says to his disciples Matthew 28:18,19 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (see also Rev. 1:6)
Now these "powers,pricipalities and thrones" are still in existence today. We see countries committing 'crimes against humanity' and atrocities. History gives account of the Hitlers and countless others who have done the work of their father "the devil" (John 8:44). Christians, have been persecuted by these thrones and are still persecuted today. Interestingly enough, as spirits go, we see demons behind every corner. I have read various books describing the hierarchies of demonic forces unseen. While true as it may be and I believe these powers to exists, I don't care who they are, rather I care who He is! Many would love to engage in descriptions of the unseen but these descriptions would simply be full of speculations and individual accounts instead of "What the Bible says"... Therefore, do I believe in the devil and his fallen angels, do I believe they look hideous and ugly, do I believe they fly in the air and influence kingdoms.... Yes. But I would rather spend my time talking about Jesus and Him crucified... see this 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
I like the way the Lord Jesus said it... Luke 10:19,20...19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Thank you for your question I was glad to have an opportunity to mention this. I hope this helps...
Blessings,
Pastor Marc |
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Alexis |
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April 09, 2008 at 10:11am |
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One question that has always given me difficulty answering to people’s objections is: Why would God create people knowing they would go to Hell?
Yeah they might have served a greater purpose (Judas betrays Jesus and it leads Him to the cross) but God could have use other methods. So why didn’t He? This question could fall in the whole election/predestination debate but even there I don’t know where I stand. |
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Hey Brother Alexis,
Blessings!
Thanks for your question. Believe it or not I don't find this a hard question to answer. The fact is God did not intend anyone to be lost but for all to be saved... 1Timothy 2:3,4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
So, let me ask you a question... Why do we mix knowledge with predestination/election? Just because God, being omniscient, Knows all things, does not mean he orchestrated it that way. We have to stop thinking that God is restricted to the same parameters or logic we are held to. Jesus was not restricted to the law of gravity when he walked on water, Jesus was not restricted to the law of matter, when he walked through the wall... he was not restricted to the law of life and death when he raised Lazarus from the dead. Therefore, you cannot hold Him to the same "logic" that if He knew, why couldn't he stop it, or If he knew, did He make it that way?
God wills (desires, wants...) all to be saved. No one was created for death! Not even Judas. Even Judas had a choice, but he decided to go the road he chose that lead him to death. Did God know he was going to do that, Yes... But Don't restrict God to a linear logic. His knowledge of it was abstract of time (He's eternal), Judas' decision was restricted to the law of time. The Cross was prophesied and would have happened, with or without Judas' poor decision. The funny thing is that our finite minds can't even comprehend that there was another method already in place but Judas chose a route, that God had to "work out" for the Cross. You see, the whole election/predestination issue only exists because of our finite minds tries to make God live by our rules. And the fact that things worked out, makes people assume God had something to do with it... The fact is, God works it out because we mess things up...
With that said, No, I don't believe in predestination, no I don't believe in the election of believers! God knew because he knows all things. But we choose the roads we walk. If we believed predest/election how could we be blamed/accused of sin? I know that's not the God of the Bible!
Hell was not made for anyone but the devil and his angels... People choose to reject Christ therefore choosing hell.
I hope this helps... Blessings to you!
Pastor Marc
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God Bless You Pastor:
I work at the hospital and I see many "Mennonites" or "Amish" I don't know if I spelled it right or if they are the same group of people. My questions is What are they all about? Are they Christians?
I know many people know the answer to these questions but I DON'T so answer away.................... |
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Alexis |
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April 11, 2008 at 8:24am |
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| Thanks Marcos, yeah it has helped. I hold the same view about God’s sovereignty. I like to illustrate it as, when people decide to have a child, they know before that child is born that it’s going to misbehave one day, but that doesn’t mean the parents predestined it that way. They know that child will act up one day but the child still has a choice to act up or not. Yeah sometimes our finite minds try to stuff God inside our box of logical parameters and I believe this is what influences some people to turn away from the true God or become atheist but like Paul wrote, “for who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts? (Rom.11:34). |
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Cheryl |
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April 11, 2008 at 8:27am |
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What time is lunch? hehe
What a awesome blog brother! |
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