LEARNING DAILY

 

John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly.”    Jesus

 

I have used this illustration before; it serves a useful purpose so I am using it again.  Remember the cartoons where the main character had a decision to make between doing good or doing evil?  While making that decision there was a devil whispering in one ear and an angel whispering in the other.  Each was trying to persuade the character to follow their lead – to do either evil or good in the situation.  We face that decision each day, perhaps, more than once.

 

This verse provides a very important glimpse into the spiritual dynamics at work behind the scenes of human activity in the world.  I have been trying to bring a warning where we are as individuals and as a nation at this time in history.  Do we continue living in disobedience or do we begin to live in obedience to God’s Word?  Repentance begins with each individual.  Understanding the continual tug-o-war for each of us will be helpful for us to recognize what is going on in our lives and help us to walk more closely with the Lord.

 

The thief in this verse is clearly Satan whose mission is to steal, kill, and destroy people’s lives, health, families, purpose in life and everything that is good!  One must ask how does he try to do this today?  The Greek word for “thief” is one who steals.  That leads me to believe that anyone who claims there is a way of salvation other than Jesus is trying to steal the truth from people.  Those who offer manmade solutions or requirements for salvation are false teachers who must be walked (no run) away from.  Sadly, there are those in the pulpit today that are preaching something different from the Word of God.  They are preaching homosexuality is not wrong, that the Bible is just an old book, believe abortion is a woman’s right (opposed to abstinence), and other crazy doctrines of salvation.  The result of this their teaching is death and destruction.

 

Is there any other Biblical teaching on this?  I am glad you asked!  Galatians 1:7,8 states, “… but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”  In 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 Paul writes there is only one gospel and that message is Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected.  Any other message is to be rejected.  2 Peter 2:1-3 tells us that “there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.  Many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.  By covetousness they will deceive you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not sleep.”

 

Deception is not limited to false teachers.  There are a lot of “good deeds” that cause people to be so busy that time is taken away from personal Bible reading, prayer, and just spending time considering the things of the Lord.  The other day I sat down at my desk and realized I had not done my daily study for several days.  What happened to my discipline?  Be careful of the little voice on shoulder whispering it is okay skip your study or time with God because you are doing this or that.  Or be careful about that whisper that tells you it is okay to do something that the Lord would disapprove of because it won’t hurt anyone; no one is going to know. All those whispers that tell you can do anything you want, even as a Christian, are trying to steal, kill, and destroy you.  That has always been the attempt of the thief.

 

I am so thankful that I am protected by the Good Shepherd who has “come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly.”  Tomorrow we will examine just what this statement means to us.  I pray for each of you to have a hunger and thirst for the righteousness only God gives through His Son, Jesus Christ! 

 

 

“For this man who needs amazing kind of grace

For forgiveness and a price I couldn’t pay

I’m not perfect so I thank God every day

There was Jesus

There was Jesus!”   Zack Williams

 

Even when I can’t feel it You’re working

You never stop working!    Michael W. Smith

 

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