Volume  III    Issue   LII   November 2nd, 2003

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

Welcome to a place where only God is glorified and only the Bible is taught!

(I Corinthians 10:31 and I Peter 4:11)

The Devil Plan’s to Keep You Hopeless
By: Brian A. Yeager

    The beloved Apostle Paul penned these words to the Christians in Corinth: (II Corinthians 4:3-4) “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”   The Gospel is what one needs to hear, believe, and act upon to be saved (Mark 16:15-16), therefore if Satan can keep that from anyone he has taken all hope from their lives.  That is the work Satan has in this world.  Thus, he tries to aid people in closing their eyes and ears to the truth.

Are You Giving In to Satan?

 
    How does one know if they are helping Satan accomplish his goal of keeping the lost from having hope?  First of all, if you are able to read this tract, if you are also able to know what is right from what is wrong (James 4:17), and you have not obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ; you are living in sin (I John 3:4).  The earnings of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  Therefore, you are helping Satan in his job.  He has somehow influenced you in some way that you are not listening to what God has said.  You might think that you are hearing, but there is a sharp difference between hearing and listening (Matthew 13:13-15).  Truly listening and hearing the word of God results in true faith.

    You might claim that you have heard and that you believe.  Well, many have a definition of faith that does not match the definition of faith that God has laid forth throughout His word.  Faith is not just something you think or feel it is also something you show (James 2:14-26).  Faith is evident through one’s movement (Hebrews 11:7).  The devil’s have faith that God is and they even fear Him (James 2:19), but that does not mean they have faith that produces obedience and righteousness.  The Devil will allow you to believe in God all day long, it is when you start to allow that faith to motivate action he needs to work on you.

Dead Faith

    The Devil works through subtlety (II Corinthians 11:3).  He finds an area of your life, puts temptation there, and if we take heed to that temptation then we are sinning.  Many believe that they have no power over the temptations before them, but this is not what God has said (James 1:14-15).  True faith will allow one to submit to God, resist the Devil, and then the devil will flee (James 4:7).  But, faith that is not working is dead faith (James 2:24-26).  Dead faith is lifeless faith.  Spiritually dead individuals are those whom have no spiritual life in them.  Satan likes it that way.  He wants people to think they are religious by getting them to do “religious things”.

Satan’s Work in Providing False Religion

 
    The world is made up of many people who proclaim to be religious.  If everyone who claims to be religiously right truly are, God is then wrong (Matthew 7:13-14).  The Devil has been a pro at getting people to do things that seem to be religious, but really are not pleasing to God.  For example:  Jesus Christ came to this earth and established His church (Matthew 16:18).  The church that Christ came to build would be made up of all the saved people who have obeyed His Gospel (Acts 2:47).  The word of God illustrates that the church of Christ is the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22-23).  The word of God is also clear to show that there is only one body (Ephesians 4:4), therefore it is conclusive that there is but one church.

    Now notice how well Satan has accomplished his job of deceiving people into thinking they are religious.  There is one church revealed in the New Testament and that one church is made up of the saved.  However, in our present day there are many different churches of which, all but one have been started by men.  The first denomination to exist claiming hold to anything related to Christ was in 606 AD and is known as the Roman Catholic Church.  It was not founded in the New Testament, not founded by Christ, and it is not made up of the saved.  History shows from that denomination of man on to even many forming today, that the cycle of beginning churches is still going.  The Devil is being successful.  All these many people, maybe you are one of them, are members of churches other than the church of Christ.  Truly, the road to Hell will be paved with good intentions (Matthew 7:21-23).

Conclusion

    In Ephesians 4:4-6 there are seven “ones”.  Not only is there one body as pointed out above, but also one hope.  The Devil is working hard at keeping everyone from finding and holding on to that one hope.  Maybe he has gotten to you or someone you know.  This tract certainly has not covered all of his devices, but should make any reader think.  The Devil wants you deceived.  He wants you to find “your own church” and not the Lord’s church.  He wants you to have faith, but not faith that leads to repentance (Acts 3:19), confession (Romans 10:10), and baptism (Romans 6:1-6).  Are you helping him in his task?

    You can tell Satan “get thee hence” as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did (Matthew 4:10).  To do that you must be willing to remove sin from your life and follow only what the word of God says.  Many so-called “preachers” today will tell you many different things.  They may become your friend and show you great hospitality.  Do not be won over by a slick talking false teacher.  As this tract closes consider the inspired words of the Apostle Paul: (II Corinthians 11:12-15) “But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Quick Notes

Those Serving Today:
Announcements – Brian Yeager
A.M. Song Leader – Young Jay Wagner
Lord’s Table – Bill Graham
Assisting – Sergio Imbarlina and Terry Nannie
First Prayer – Jay Wagner
Closing Prayer – George Papp

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Joan Croyle, Tony Sassano, Julie Rado (cancer), and Marie Glunt (cancer).
 
 
 

                       MOVING... 

 The Papp’s will be moving this week and the Lockwood’s will be moving the first of next year.  These fine Christians will be greatly missed, but they know they will always have a family in Butler to visit
 


What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)?  Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16), repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of sins into the church (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Galatians 6:3-5).  One must then remain faithful (Revelation 2:10).