Callin began by reading a devotional he received written by John McKinley called “Are you on board a cruise ship or a battle ship.  I asked Callin to forward it to me, so I am including it for your reading.

From: JOHN MCKINLEY [mailto:jmckin2002@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 11:20
Subject: Cruise Ship or Battle Ship

John told me he received this devotional from Are You Onboard A Cruise Ship or Battle Ship?” was actually featured in an e-Newsletter that I receive from Chuck Swindoll’s Insight for Living Ministry

Are You Onboard A Cruise Ship or Battle Ship?

A. W. Tozer wrote, “The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians…The ‘worship’ growing out of such a view of life is as far off center as the view itself – a sort of sanctified nightclub without the champagne and the dressed-up drunks.”

We could also say that for many men today Christian life is more a cruise ship rather than a battleship. Are you mostly interested in wanting your needs accommodated and having a comfortable experience? Or are you looking to be equipped for battle and deployed for action in enemy occupied territory? Cruise ships are created for the pleasure of those paying to sail with them. Everything on the ship is for comfort and emotional well being. There are lots of options for everything including what food you like, what shows you attend, and what activities you choose to do. The design of the ship is opulent and pleasing to the eyes. It seems everything shines and glimmers! Battleships on the other hand are built for mission, not for comfort. They are equipped with weapons of warfare. Every sailor knows why they are onboard and what their job is. There are places to sleep, shower and eat but the primary purpose of everything is to complete the mission.What ship are you on?

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Callin then continued by telling us that we are in a full blown war which is going around us 24/7.  God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (all present), but satan is not.  Our adversary is against the family of man, wanting to pull down what God loves, which is us.

When we read the Bible we see it is full of people who fight adversaries in the physical and in the spiritual. We can learn how to battle by reading these accounts in the Bible. There is always an enemy trying to undermine the people of God.  We can get so caught up in worship that we forget to be vigilant.

There are 4-D’s that the devil uses:

1. Distraction
2. Deception
3. Disease – dis-ease (twisted emotionally, depression, fear, pain)
4. Devastation – financial, death, fear, torment, and it will bring you down.

In trouble we get moved in the Spirit, and what the devil sees is what we are accustomed to be and do.

In the book of Job the devil tried to create confusion, destroy life, and cause Job to reject God when things did not go well.

DISTRACTION – is usually one that the enemy can put on us, all of us.  The more knowledgeable we are, the more sneaky the enemy is.  The devil can have a pretty face.  Even seemingly good activities can be a distraction.  We need to put God first, then satan can’t attract us through others.  Satan will use what we give more attention, adoration and faith to than the Lord.

How do we resist the devil?  THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE NAME OF JESUS, THE BLOOD OF JESUS, THE WORD OF GOD.

The tools of the devil are the same, simple tools he has used since Adam and Eve:

Pride
Lust
Greed

Sex/lust – can become an addiction, drugs and power.  The devil does not change his tactics.  We see them in 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

We then read Matthew 4:1-11 to see the temptation of Jesus. 

Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,^b]’> these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Notice that this tells us that there is no temptation that overtakes us except those that are common to men or to the world.  And these are the ones mentioned in 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 

The three ploys of satan are what is common for us, and satan does not change his tactics – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

1 Corinthians 14:45 And so it is written, “The first Adam became a living being.”  The last Adam became a life giving spirit.

Jesus is the last Adam

John 14:12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

We will be doing even greater works than Jesus did on the earth, for Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to aid us.  We are to reign over death and the powers of darkness.  The prince of the power of the air and his lies have no hold over us. Jesus wants our entire life to be blessed.  Jesus comforts us as we seek to comfort others.

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July Weekend – this teaching is all about liberty, and we need to fight for our liberty from the enemy too.

Heather

Vickie gave us a list of eight things that happen when we don’t listen to God.

1. We end up listening to the wrong voice.
2. We are easily deceived.
3. We express our pride and independence
4. We make decisions that appeal to the flesh.  1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
5. We make excuses, blame others, rationalize and justify our actions.
6. We suffer the consequences.
7. We cause others to suffer – Adam and Eve ate, and we are still suffering the consequences of their disobedience.
8. We miss out on God’s best.

Then we brainstormed what could be positive outcomes when we do listen to God, and Pastor Don came up with a list of 8 positive things that happen when we listen to God.

1. Divine favor and blessing.
2. Benefits of not being deceived.
3. Get peace.
4. Gain God’s assistance.
5. Safe Covenant
6. Sound mind.
7. Avoid pitfalls
8. Opportunity to work in God’s plan

I love this teaching, it is so simple and powerful. Have a blessed day.
Heather

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

The first ploy of satan is to plant seeds of confusion.  We know satan cannot read our thoughts.  So satan asks Eve, did God really say that?

Genesis 3:2-3 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’

Notice that Eve added something to the Word of God – “nor shall you touch it.”  God did not say that.  Here is what God said, Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Once satan, who knew the Word of God, saw that she added to the Word, he saw she wasn’t exactly sure what God said, and he stepped up his plan of attack to the next level.

Genesis 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

This contradicts the Word of God.  If you live by the Word of God you will do right, but satan was able to contradict the Word to the woman with a direct lie.

Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

This is the next level, for two things.  Satan is inferring that God does not really want to give them good things, that there is something that we can possess that God wants to keep for himself.  This does not speak well of God’s character.

Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

This is exactly what satan did, trying to usurp God’s authority, she chose to eat the fruit in disobedience so she could be like God.  The changed her heart and make it in alignment and agreement with satan, and then she shares this disobedience with her husband.  People who get involved in sin often bring others into sin with them. Adam also ate.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all