Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :The Report of the Guard
Bible Verse:Matthew 28:11-15 (ESV)
"While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day."
Message:
Have you ever noticed how a sin that you don't set out to commit can worm its way into your life by inches? Nobody takes their first drink thinking, “I will become an alcoholic, lose my job, lose my family, ruin my body and mind, and/or go to prison for killing someone while driving drunk.”
Satan is smarter than we are. He is seductive and clever. Daily Prayer has gotten its hands on a top-secret memorandum that explains a lot:
From: The Directorate of Infiltration
To: All Minions
Re: Undermining Christian Resistance - Suggested Steps
1. Curiosity:
Get the Target interested without setting off any red flags.
2. Excitement:
Let the temptation bubble in the Target's mind; imagination will help here.
3. Ignoring Conscience:
You must, at all costs, lure the Target away from his or her values at this point.
4. Compromise:
Plant phrases like “just this once” or “just a little bit” in the Target's mind. “I'll stop tomorrow” can be very effective for established clients.
5. Making a choice:
Once you hear the compromise, you have the Target hooked. Close the sale! Get a commitment for that first order.
6. Forgetting the past:
If this is something the Target has done before, distract the Target from remembering the consequences of prior incidents.
7. Rationalize and Excuse:
People do not want to feel bad about themselves. Help the Target think of reasons why the action was not wrong. You will be surprised how stupid a reason they will accept at this point.
(Note: This is a sensitive moment. Be on guard for an enemy tactic called “conviction of the Holy Spirit”. We have lost a lot of sales to people who suddenly repent and ask Mr. Clean to forgive them.)
8. Reinterpret Scripture:
If Targets read the Bible, convince them it doesn't mean what it says. Suggest alternative interpretations. Help Targets find a reason that their actions do not conflict with this Book. See #7.
9. Arguing to Assuage a Guilty Conscience:
Have them defend their interpretation of the Bible. Don't worry how ridiculous it sounds; they will not notice. Put your fingers in their ears. Get them to dig their heels in. Once Targets do this, we have them.
(The idea for this came from The Gravedigger File by Os Guiness.)
Our imaginary memorandum from Satan is fun, but it helps understand today's verse. The Temple priesthood started out trying to defend God and promote righteousness; but now, they have evidence that this man Jesus, whom they have executed, has been resurrected. If so, it means that He was actually sent from God. It is another chance for them, for they now have evidence that they were wrong and it creates an opportunity for them to reverse course.
Instead, the Sanhedrin slams the door on whatever actual desire they ever had to serve God. They now want to suppress the evidence; it is a supreme hypocrisy.
Meditation
:
Prayer :
I dedicate this day to you, mighty God. I pray that your Spirit will lift me up this day, and that your face may shine upon me all the day long, that I might do your will and lead a new life in Christ, reborn in the Spirit........Amen
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