From Dave Walker

From Dave Walker

Overcast and humid this morning. It feels like rain is on the way. Nice ride to Jacks Creek and Gun Club Roads. #narrabri #cycling

All who are members of the kingdom of Jesus are no longer under the curse of death. By definition this means Satan’s kingdom (and the curse of death) no longer has any hold upon them. The “accuser of our brothers” (Rev 12:10) remains active in the world until the final judgment, blinding the minds of people to prevent them from joining the kingdom of Jesus, but he has no accusation to bring against those who belong to Christ. Michael Heiser


Scripture
God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.
Observation
Paul encourages the Thessalonians to continue living lives that please God. it is God’s will for us to be holy, avoiding all sexual sin.
We need to learn to control our own bodies and not give in to lustful passions like the pagans do. We should not cheat a christian brother by violating his wife.
God wants us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
Application
Holiness is not the same as sexual Purity. But in hypersexualised cultures such as those of the Roman Empire and our current western culture, sexual purity is a big deal.
God wants us to be holy. We are set apart for God’s purposes. Anything that violates God’s will for our lives is to be avoided – whether that is immorality, greed, or drunkenness.
We are not saved for the sake of being saved. We are saved to be holy. This life is a preparation for the next life, so christians need to see themselves as being moulded for eternity.
The christian sexual ethic is simple to state – sexual relationships are only for a man and a woman in a permanent marriage.
If we fall, there is grace. Stating a goal does not condemn those who fall short.
Having said this, we must not settle for the world’s “anything goes” approach to sexuality.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, please give me the grace to live by your standard in all aspects of my life. Amen.
From Faithwire:

Once upon a time, Doreen Virtue was one of the most well-known figures in the New Age movement. She was a successful author and purveyor of “angel cards,” an occultic tool, until she had a stunning awakening in 2017 that imploded her worldview and led her to embrace Christ.
Listen to the latest episode of CBN’s Quick Start podcast 👇
Now, Virtue is warning people not to buy her old oracle cards and products, to flee the New Age, not to pray to angels, and to cling to Jesus.
It’s a remarkable turnaround that came after Virtue studied the Bible and, after decades in the New Age movement, saw the true evils of the occult. She’s now trying to undo the impact of her past work.
“I’m devastated that some people may be in hell now because they were following my work,” Virtue said on the “Ex-Psychic Saved” podcast. “It’s heartbreaking every day to realize my old work’s out there and what I did.”
But Virtue relies on the Lord, telling host Jenn Nizza she’s grateful God opened her eyes and heart to the Gospel and saved her “while there was still time.”
“It’s a miracle,” she said.
Listen to Virtue tell her story on the “Ex-Psychic Saved Podcast”:
Virtue also discussed the roots of her foray into the occult, revealing some of the lies she believed as a child. She recalled thinking she didn’t need to read or trust the Bible, that Jesus was simply a man, and that Christ was essentially a wish-granter.
As Virtue grew up in the shadow of these sentiments, she took a truly dark path into the New Age and soon found herself doing readings and using angel cards to try and channel spirits to convey information.
Eventually, these activities intensified, and she moved into creating her own angel card decks, finding massive success selling them to others in the New Age movement. At the time, she assumed God was on her side and she was doing His work; now, she believes otherwise.
“It just became this phenomenon really quickly, and I thought it was God’s blessing on me,” Virtue said. “I didn’t realize that the devil will use people … to further his deception.”
She continued, “And so I was being used by the devil, thinking that I was getting rewarded.”
And by all worldly standards, Virtue did seem to have all the dividends one could ever want: an ocean-front house, nice furniture, and a family. Yet the cracks eventually started to show through.
“I really thought I was a Christian doing God’s work,” she said. “I had no idea that I was an abomination to God by doing and teaching divination until 2017 when I read Deuteronomy 18:10-12, and I was floored when it says there that anyone who does these things … is detestable [and an] abomination to God, and the veil was lifted. I just … fell to my knees.”
The sudden realization her life had been lived contrary to God’s will left Virtue “dumbstruck,” as she began apologizing to the Lord and crying out to Him.
“I … gave my life to Jesus,” she said. “That was the autumn of 2017 and, ever since then, I’ve just been telling people, ‘I’m sorry I made these cards. Please don’t use them.’”
Virtue said she’s faced quite a bit of pushback for speaking out against her former angel cards, yet she continues to do so, knowing she previously helped lead many astray.
The former psychic also addressed the accuracy of angel cards and other such tools.
“The trouble is that these angel cards and other divination methods, they do work to a degree, and they …. can predict the future to a degree,” Virtue said. “But it’s a future that’s dangerous and … very often I would follow it, and I would get divorced, or I would be away from my children doing things that were sinful.”
She continued. “God would never give us a message that would be against his commandments.”
Listen to the full episode on “Ex-Psychic Saved.
At the return of the seventy disciples who were given the authority to cast out demons, Jesus proclaims, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). This is not a reference to the primeval past, nor is it the long-overdue expulsion from the council (an assumption driven by mistakenly seeing the śāṭān in Job 1–2 as the devil). The point is that the reversal and demise of Satan’s kingdom has begun—for good. Michael Heiser

Scripture
It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.
Observation
Paul says that he is encouraged by the reports that the Thessalonians are standing firm in their faith. In fact, this news gives hi new life. He thanks God for them whenever he enters God’s presence.
Now Paul prays for them, and for us. May the Lord grow them in love for all people, making their hearts strong, blameless, and holy..
Application
People who are genuinely anointed by God for the equipping, or five fold ministry – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – have a love for the church that other people seem to appreciate but not understand.
Like Paul, I get excited when I see the people in my church making progress and overcoming opposition that seeks to undermine them. I get excited to hear that people read books that I recommend, especially those who don’t read comfortably. These people want to grow in their faith and that excites me.
Paul received so much encouragement from the Christians at Thessalonica that it feels like new life to him. We might say it gives him motivation to get out of bed.
What motivates or encourages you in the Lord?
Prayer
Father, I thank you for people who motivate me and encourage me by their own walk with you. Please help us all to grow in this ministry of spurring one another on. Amen.
Narrabri Lake is superb at the moment. Great ride along Yarrie Lake Rd. #cycling #Narrabri

That Satan tempts Jesus in the desert wilderness is not arbitrary. The Greek term translated “wilderness” (erēmos) is used in the Septuagint translation of the destination of the goat for Azazel (Lev 16:10) and the desolate place described by Isaiah that was home to preternatural creatures associated with evil spirits (Isa 13:9). Michael Heiser
