{"id":21449,"date":"2017-09-07T00:10:39","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T07:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/littlecountrychurch.org\/?p=11572"},"modified":"2017-09-07T00:10:39","modified_gmt":"2017-09-07T07:10:39","slug":"september-7-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2017\/09\/07\/september-7-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"September 7, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Dear Readers,<\/span><\/h4>\n

Enjoy this previously posted devotional as we begin this year\u2019s study of \u201cLiving By His Example.\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u201cYou will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.\u201d<\/em> John 8:32 HCSB<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Buy Satan\u2019s Lies, Accept Christ\u2019s Free Truths<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Two things I have learned about Satan\u2019s lies over the years: they cost more than he says they will and they\u2019re worth far less than he says they are.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I was 11 years old, I went to a tent revival in our small town and the Lord lit a fire in me. He touched a part of my soul that I never knew existed. Not long after, and not coincidentally, Satan paid me a visit one dark night and told me a lie that I bought. The lie was that I could have prevented some negative events that had happened in my life and therefore they were my fault.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent the next 12+ years trying to self-destruct, in a multitude of ways, to make amends for the guilt lie I had bought. Until finally, on another, even darker, night I accepted Christ\u2019s truth: \u201cI came to save you. I love you. You\u2019ve punished yourself enough\u201d<\/em>. \u201cHe reaches down from heaven and saves me, challenging the one who tramples me. Selah. God sends His faithful love and truth\u201d<\/em> (Psalm 57:3 HCSB). With the acceptance of that free truth I allowed Christ to turn my life around. I surrendered to truth and love. It literally saved my life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the differences in the two visitors:<\/span><\/p>\n

Satan is the father of lies. (John 8:44)\u00a0 Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6a).<\/span><\/p>\n

Satan demands a high price.\u00a0 Christ paid the ultimate price (John 15:13).<\/span><\/p>\n

Satan seeks to destroy and kill. Christ brings life and abundant life (John 10:10).<\/span><\/p>\n

Satan\u2019s wages of sin is death. Christ\u2019s free gift is eternal life (Romans 6:23).<\/span><\/p>\n

Satan\u2019s lies:<\/strong> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re no good.
\nIf they knew who you really are, they wouldn\u2019t have anything to do with you.
\nGod can\u2019t use you after the things you have done.
\nGod won\u2019t ever forgive that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christ\u2019s truths<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

To the thief next to Him on Calvary: \u201cI tell you the truth, this day you will be with Me\u00a0in paradise\u201d<\/em> (Luke 23:43).<\/span><\/p>\n

To the Samaritan leper, an outcast: \u201cArise, go your way\u2014your faith has made you well\u201d<\/em> (Luke 17:11-19).<\/span><\/p>\n

To the woman caught in the act of adultery: \u201cNeither do I condemn you; go and sin no more\u201d<\/em> (John 8:3-11).<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the deal though\u2014free will. It\u2019s our choice: Do we buy the lies or accept the free truth?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDear Jesus, help us to remember that Your free truths were bought with a high price\u2014Your death. Through Your Word and by Your Holy Spirit help us not to buy the lies of the enemy, but to accept the free truths that You have already paid for. Help us to discern the difference. Amen.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Readers, Enjoy this previously posted devotional as we begin this year\u2019s study of \u201cLiving By His Example.\u201d \u201cYou will […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-women"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p92wjD-5zX","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21449\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}