The Devil Is In the Liverwurst

Not really, but I thought it was a title that might actually attract some attention. We just had a brown bag lunch discussion with our ministry staff and I had a liverwurst sandwich for lunch. Well, I actually ate it before the discussion because I was hungry and could not wait, plus I moderated discussion and wanted to be free for that. No, the devil did not make me do it.

The topic for discussion was how could Satan hinder our efforts and what could we do to combat that. I will not get into the specifics of what we discussed but there are certain themes that came across:

• You don’t need to do it – a loss of focus or a distraction to keep you from doing what is important to do
• You are not good enough – a sense that you efforts might not measure up ( to some unidentifiable standard perhaps), that others can do it better than you so why bother trying
• You are doing the wrong things – a feeling that what you are doing or would be doing just isn’t the right thing to do

My solution, and the main line defense against these types of spiritual attacks?

Take it to the Lord in prayer my friend, ask Him to help you sort it out and get back on The Narrow Road that He has set for your life.

Our Own Worst Enemy

That we are, in our unbelief. The foothold we allow the enemy when we doubt our Lord in the least. A brief excerpt from yesterday's The Daily Spurgeon highlights this:

"Faith is the Christian’s strength; he who doubts not staggers not. Unbelief is the source of our chief weakness. As soon as we begin to distrust our feet begin to slide."

Here Spurgeon is talking of the attack of Satan on Jesus, but it has such implications for us. If the enemy chose to attack our Lord first by trying to get Him to doubt His relationship with the Father, why would we expect differently? It didn't work with Jesus but often does with us because of the doubt and guilt our sin brings into our minds.

Doubt, I see the need to fight it off each and every day. Doubt, because I know in my heart I am not worthy of the Father's love, our Lord's sacrifice. Doubt, because it seems unbeleivable at times what He was willing to do, how He was willing to live, and die, for me, for us.

To give Him glory by erasing the doubt about His love for me is the goal I need to strive for. Doubt, which makes me my own worst enemy needs to be overcome each day.

But oh, that I have His love and help to see me through each and every battle.