Word for the day "Avoiding the traps set"
II Corinthians 11:14 (NLT) But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end, they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
You never know where you stand with a snake.
When I was a young guy growing up, I am not really sure why, but I used to be fascinated by snakes.I remember my Dad telling me of a story where he almost died as a kid from being bitten by a snake. I discovered that you never really know what a snake is thinking.Snakes aren’t expressive creatures; they are cold-blooded reptiles. You never know where you stand with a snake, they are cunning, baffling and insidious!Snakes are nothing like dogs. You know where you are with a dog at any given moment.When a dog looks at you with their tongue hanging out and tail wagging, you know they are a friendly dog.But if the dog shows their teeth and the hair on their back is standing up, then you know the dog isn’t happy. You always know where you stand with a dog.But you never know with a snake; A snake has the same expression all the time.A snake will suddenly bite you, and you won’t even see it coming. I really find this fascinating the similarities between snakes and the enemy of our soul the Devil!
In case you didn't know the Devil is not your friend, be careful of the traps he sets.
In Genesis, we read that “the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made” (3:1). Notice that he didn’t show up and say, “Hi, I’m the Devil.Maybe you have heard of me? I hate God, I hate you, and I want to destroy you. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. I have some ideas.”The Bible does say that Satan was a serpent, but it doesn’t say that he slithered. He slithered after he was cursed (see Genesis 3:14).We don’t know what he looked like, but there was something fascinating, interesting, and appealing about him.The Devil was somehow attractive, and sin is always attractive, or should I say sin often seems attractive to me!
Point to ponder -
The Devil may be wicked, but he isn’t stupid. He comes with subtlety.We must discern the workings of the Devil in our homes, jobs, relationships, health, finances, and etc.Are you aware of the influences of the devil in or around your life?Well, the point of today’s message is to heighten your awareness and spiritual consciousness of the Devil (I Peter 5:7-8).The life of you, your family, and your friends are dependent on knowing that “Satan is real”!
Special Thanks!
Our Leadership team is especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of July 2018 by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Mr. William Wilson, Ms. Annette Straker, Mr. David Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Marguerite Williams, Mrs. Denise Johnson, Mrs. Cynthia Waiters-Artis, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.Follow me on Twitter @James Baker_jr, as I endeavor to encourage and empower leaders of today and tomorrow!Thank you for using the Word Cup devotionals brought to you through Grace and Truth Leadership. Why don’t you take the opportunity to write to us on our blog and let us know how we are doing in serving you, Great people.We are a faith-based, donor-supported ministry. If you have been touched by these daily devotionals and would like to make a monthly pledge or a special gift of any amount, please use the link below to give as the Lord leads.Kingdom Blessings,Pastor James Baker, Jr.