This week's thoughts from "The Bait of Satan"

I trust that you have picked up your copy of “The Bait of Satan” by John Bevere by now. They are carrying it in our EWPC Bookstores now, so get yours before they are all gone.

Study pages 16-21; Day 4 Walls of Protection p. 185-187

Walls of Protection:
Consider the parallels between Old Testament city walls and walls around our hearts.
Proverbs 18:19 A Brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle.
We open our lives only to those we believe are on our side. These walls of protection can become a prison to us.
If we don’t risk being hurt, we cannot give unconditional love.
Unconditional love gives others the RIGHT to hurt us. Love does not seek its own.
Read 2 Corinthians 10:4-5…the stronghold of offense: “For the weapons of our warfare….”
We find it impossible to believe God when we continue filtering everything through past hurts, rejections, and experiences.
The love of God has become cold in our lives. We produce no real spiritual fruit.
Read the section on False Prophets in the last days 2Tim. 3:1-5; 4:3-4 (“…for men will be unforgiving…having a form of godliness but denying its power….” ) When we hold on to offense, we are denying that God can change us from being unforgiving to forgiving.
We are an information generation, but this can lead to a religious spirit if we refuse to repent of the sin of offense. It hides the truth and we spew out bitter waters.
Read Matt. 24:10 regarding Betrayal. Consider the progression of Offense, Betrayal, Hatred (I John 3:15)
Let’s live by these Laws of Love found in the following passages:
I Cor. 6:7, Matt. 5:44, Phil. 2:3

Key point to consider: WE MUST COME TO THE PLACE WHERE WE TRUST GOD—NOT OUR FLESH—TO PROTECT US FROM OFFENSE.
The author emphasizes that the sin of offense is serious. If it is not dealt with, offense will eventually lead to death. Let’s resist the temptation to build walls of offense so that God can bring great victory in our lives. These are truly the Last Days. Let’s ask God to clean out anything in our lives that keeps us focused inward instead of Kingdomward.

Reaching together for the prize of the High Calling in Christ Jesus,
Becky