“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” 1 John 3:8
A big question that comes up all the time is: Can a Christian be demon-possessed? The answer to that question is an absolute no! To be “possessed” means to be “owned”. Every believer is bought with the price of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He or she belongs to God (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 and 1 Peter 1:17-19).
But can a Christian be influenced, deceived and even controlled in his attitudes, feelings and actions by the devil. Absolutely, yes! If, for instance you believe Satan’s lie that God did not love you anymore because of your sinful behavior, would that affect your life? Of course! Your mind, emotions and will would be controlled by that view of God. You might give up on the Christian life altogether or you might throw yourself into religious activity, hoping to win God’s love back again!
But there is no need to lose control to the enemy of your soul. You belong to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And the Son of God came for this very purpose to destroy the devil’s work…in your life and in mine. This power is available to you. The Son has won!
The lie to reject: I reject the lie that I, as a Christian, can be owned by the devil. I also reject the lie that Satan cannot influence or attack me simply because I am a Christian. I recognize both extremes as wrong and unbiblical.
The Truth to Accept: I accept that I belong to God because He purchased me by the blood of the Lord Jesus. I also accept the truth that it is possible for me to fall into deep deception and bondage. I announce the truth that Jesus came to destroy the devil’s work in my life. Therefore, I choose to walk in and rest in the victory of Christ in my life, and to turn away from evil.
* I took this daily reading from Neil Anderson’s Reality Check: Winning the Mind Game. It is from the series “Freedom in Christ 4 Teens”.
Check him out at freedom in Christ ministries, ficm.org
Pastor Tom
Among the many decisions we will make this year is what we will read…if anything. A recent copy of The Courier (January 2017 issue) had an interesting article by Peter Beck. Dr. Beck is associate professor of Christian studies at Charleston Southern University and pastor of my home church, Doorway Baptist in North Charleston. These are a few of his “must reads” for 2017. I agree. I asked Neale to order two copies of each to put in the library/conference room. You might check out Amazon and Christian Book Distributors for great prices on book, music, etc.
His first recommendation is “CONFESSIONS” BY AUGUSTINE. This is an ancient classic but well worth the read. It is deep and would be among the heaviest of the readings you will do for spiritual discipline. It is a chance to look into your own heart and to ask what it is that you really believe.
Second on his hit list is “THE IMITATION OF CHRIST” BY THOMAS A KEMPIS. Again, not light reading but certainly a book to add to your list. Written before the Reformation in 1500, this offers a clear look at what it means to be a follower of Christ. It includes over a 1000 scripture references and beautiful prayers to God. It is written from a Catholic perspective so there are often references and illustrations from the Mass. Not a bad thing.
His third pick is an all time classic many of us read in high school: “PILGRIMS PROGRESS” BY JOHN BUNYAN. Since it was written, this book has never been out of print. That says a lot. Written in story form, everything in this allegory represents something else.
“MERE CHRISTIANITY” BY C.S. LEWIS is Dr. Beck’s fourth offering of must reads. This book was published after WWII and was based on C.S. Lewis’ popular radio show by the same title, “Mere Christianity”. From this book comes the famously popular line: “Was Jesus was a liar, a lunatic or the Lord He claimed to be?”
The last of Dr. Beck’s 2017 must reads is a 1973 classic, “KNOWING GOD” BY J.I. PACKARD. This book has sold more than a million copies. The basis of true Christianity and the Christian life is found in the correct knowledge, an intimate knowledge, of God.
Dr. Beck did a good job in compiling an essential must read list for believers. I hope you will consider reading them all. Our thanks to Dr. Beck and The Courier for an interesting article.
Pastor Tom
We are blessed to receive Christmas cards during the Christmas season. Some have the enclosed letter that tells the tale of annual family events. I love reading those. I have to admit I am never that adventurous to put our story together like that. Others are just lovely cards with Christmas scenes, Bible verses or good wishes. I grew up in a home where my mother never threw cards away. She kept them and would occasionally look back through them. She also read cook books like they were novels…but that is a different story. So what do you do with your Christmas cards? I want to make two suggestions.
First, before you decide to discard them (see what I did there…dis-card?), let’s make them into a New Year prayer list. Perhaps you could set aside a time to go through each card and pray for the sender and family. There are many great prayers in the Bible that you could pray for them or just pray your own blessing upon them. How cool! Someone praying for them possible separated by time and distance but not separated by love and care. So, your Christmas cards can become a prayer list.
Second, let’s make a mission project out of them. Mark Livengood takes Christmas cards with him on his trips to Ukraine. He uses them as a witnessing tool and the kids love them. What a great way to tell the Christmas story…in the middle of the year. So, just put them in a grocery bag and bring them with you to worship this Sunday. You can drop them in the box outside the office door or just find Mark. Talk about the ultimate recycling! I hope you will consider making this a final wrap up of Christmas.
By the way, another thanks to Susan and her team for organizing the Christmas gifts. Kind of/sort of the final numbers are:
- Florence Crittenton Home - 84 pop up hampers
- Lowcountry Orphan Relief - 170 pairs of pajamas and 10 slippers
- Lowcountry Pregnancy Center - 3,661 diapers and 134 packages of wipes
- James Island Outreach - 230 jars of jelly
Thank you for your generous giving and your faithful living.
Blessings,
Pastor Tom
If you are going to pick a fight, why choose a giant. It would be easier to choose an opponent not so big, right? David did not have the option of fighting Goliath. That was the giant in front of him and that was the giant facing the people of God. Imagine how the story would look if David faced multiple giants not just Goliath. That is the visual I have when I think of the ministry of JIBC. We have taken on some of the largest giants in our community. Truthfully, it would be easier not to.
One of the largest and most imposing giants in Charleston County is addiction. The Surgeon General has said that 1 in 7 Americans have an addiction. In Charleston County that means 50,000 people have addictions. Again, the Surgeon General said only 10% of those will seek any treatment. Think about that for a moment. The number of people suffering from addiction is just about the same as the number of people who live on James Island. One American dies every 19 minutes from opioid or heroin overdose. There are more people addicted (21 Million) than those who have all types of cancer combined. There were 54,000 drug overdose deaths in 2015. That is almost as many Americans killed in the entire Vietnam war. This is a war with a giant enemy we must fight even if it would be easier not to.
Celebrate Recovery and the Recovery-Transition House are like David taking on Goliath. JIBC is like David taking on Goliath. It would be easier not to and certainly many, like David’s brothers, would counsel us not to. But we have the answer, we know the Higher Power by Name and we have experienced the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nobody was placing a bet on little David but they did let him go out and try. I love that about JIBC…you are not afraid to try. “Goliath is too big to hit” his brothers cautioned. “He is too big to miss…throw the rock and trust God” was David’s commitment. Truly, this problem is too big for us. The good news is we do not come in the name of JIBC or Tom Brown or Celebrate Recovery. We come and trust in the Name of the Lord our God. Until He tells me otherwise, it’s on. Not everyone who has cancer has a favorable outcome…yet we encourage them to trust God and seek treatment. Not many who battle with addiction are successful at first…or second…or third. When they are ready…we know The Way, The Truth and The Life who will help them.
See you Sunday, Good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom
