SNARES - A snare refers to devices used Satan to trap unwary human beings. There is the snare of worldly involvement. There is the snare of rejecting God’s Word, both the written Word and the living Word. The desire for riches can be a snare. Satan has many other “devices” by which he seeks “an advantage of us.” It is the responsibility of every true “servant of the Lord” to be “gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves . . . that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” We must both avoid Satan’s snares ourselves and seek to deliver those who have been thus ensnared. “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” - A snare is a trap normally used to catch an unwary wild animal, but each of the five times the word (Greek pagis) is used in the New Testament, it refers to devices used by the great deceiver, Satan, to trap unwary human beings. There is, first of all, the snare of worldly involvement. There is the snare of rejecting God’s Word, both the written Word and the living Word. When Israel repudiated Christ, God said: “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them” The desire for riches can be a snare. “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” - Satan has many other “devices” by which he seeks “an advantage of us.” We must both avoid Satan’s snares ourselves and seek to deliver those who have been thus ensnared.

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Snares

A snare refers to devices used Satan to trap unwary human beings. 

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There is the snare of worldly involvement. There is the snare of rejecting God’s Word, both the written Word and the living Word. The desire for riches can be a snare. Satan has many other “devices” by which he seeks “an advantage of us.” It is the responsibility of every true “servant of the Lord” to be “gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves . . . that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” We must both avoid Satan’s snares ourselves and seek to deliver those who have been thus ensnared.

BY HENRY M. MORRIS, PH.D.

 

 “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” - (1 Timothy 3:7)

A snare is a trap normally used to catch an unwary wild animal, but each of the five times the word (Greek pagis) is used in the New Testament, it refers to devices used by the great deceiver, Satan, to trap unwary human beings.

There is, first of all, the snare of worldly involvement.

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth” - (Luke 21:34-35).

There is the snare of rejecting God’s Word, both the written Word and the living Word.

When Israel repudiated Christ, God said: “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them” (Romans 11:9, quoting Psalm 69:22).

The desire for riches can be a snare.

“They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” - (1 Timothy 6:9).

Satan has many other “devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11) by which he seeks “an advantage of us.”

Not even “bishops” or other full-time Christian ministers are immune, for our text is a warning to prospective bishops against “the snare of the devil.”

It is the responsibility of every true “servant of the Lord” to be “gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves . . . that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

We must both avoid Satan’s snares ourselves and seek to deliver those who have been thus ensnared.

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) wants people to know that God’s Word can be trusted in everything it speaks about—from how and why we were made, to how the universe was formed, to how we can know God and receive all He has planned for us.

After 50 years of ministry, ICR remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations.

https://www.icr.org/article/10525/

REMEMBERING WHAT REALLY MATTERS - where are you investing your time, your moments, your days? - When your time on Planet Earth is about to end and you are reflecting on how your once-around trip through life has worked out, you'll think about and reach for the people who are most important to you. And you will think about what happens after you have taken your last breath. These are the really important things — don't fritter away your life with what cannot go into eternity. Being responsible and working hard are good things. And there is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of honest labor - yet the Bible cautions us to remember that we came into the world without a company, portfolio, or fortune — and will leave it the same way - “Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, ‘That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!’” - Most people spend most of their time sweating over things that won't really matter when all is said and done. When your time on Planet Earth is about to end you'll think about and reach for the people who are most important to you. And you will think about what happens after you have taken your last breath.

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Remembering What Really Matters

So where are you investing your time, your moments, your days?

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When your time on Planet Earth is about to end and you are reflecting on how your once-around trip through life has worked out, you'll think about and reach for the people who are most important to you. And you will think about what happens after you have taken your last breath. These are the really important things — don't fritter away your life with what cannot go into eternity. Being responsible and working hard are good things. And there is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of honest labor - yet the Bible cautions us to remember that we came into the world without a company, portfolio, or fortune — and will leave it the same way

by Rubel Shelly

A Taste of Home

“Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, ‘That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!’” - (Luke 12:22-24).

My theory is that most people spend most of their time sweating over things that won't really matter when all is said and done.

You've probably heard the one about the up-and-coming entrepreneur who was opening the door of his sleek new Jaguar when a truck roared by, hit it, and ripped it off its hinges.

The police arrived at the scene quickly and found the man jumping up and down in the street.

He was shrieking to anyone who would listen about the horrible damage done to his precious automobile.

"You wheeler-dealers are all so materialistic!" began the investigating officer, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"You make me sick."

"What's your problem?" the driver snapped.

"You're so worried about your precious Jaguar," said the cop, "that you appear not to have noticed that your left arm was ripped off!"

"Oh, no!" bellowed the guy as he looked down at the grisly stump where his arm had been a few minutes before.

"What happened to my Rolex?"

When one of us gets where my young friend was when he was told that he likely had less than six months to live, he will focus intensely on the things that really matter in life.

There will be far less concern about the newest electronic gadget, a bigger house, liposuction, a luxury car, or some other inconsequential indulgence.

In fact, I doubt that a one of those items will come to mind at all.

Don't fritter away your life with what cannot go into eternity.

When your time on Planet Earth is about to end and you are reflecting on how your once-around trip through life has worked out, you'll think about and reach for the people who are most important to you.

And you will think about what happens after you have taken your last breath.43

These are the really important things — as opposed to burning yourself out at the office, neglecting your family and friends, and pushing spiritual concerns to the fringe of your life.

Being responsible and working hard are good things.

And there is nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of honest labor.

Yet the Bible cautions us to remember that we came into the world without a company, portfolio, or fortune — and will leave it the same way.

So, the smart thing is to major in what will matter at the end and not to fritter away your life with what cannot go into eternity.

“Judged by that standard, how does your plan for the week look now? What do people really get for all their hard work?

“I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

“So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God” - (Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 NLT).

Rubel Shelly preached for decades, been a professor of medical ethics, Bible, and philosophy at multiple universities and a med school. He is currently Professor of Philosophy & Religion at Lipscomb University. He is the author of more than 30 books and hundreds of inspirational articles. (Visit the Author's Website)

https://www.heartlight.org/articles/201412/20141214_reallymatters.html

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CHOKING ON THORNS - Thorny weeds have no value - they steal space, water, sunlight, and soil nutrients from plants. The bigger they get, the harder they are to pull out - no wonder Jesus used this analogy for worldly treasures and earthly worries that choke the growth of God's Word in our hearts. We can't serve two masters because we'll end up hating one of them. Just as a gardener must regularly pull up the thorns in his garden, we must pull up the thorns in our hearts. This 1-minute devotion explains what Jesus meant when he talked about people who have thorns in their lives. “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” Let this devotion encourage you to get rid of any that you might have. Thorny weeds steal space, water, sunlight, and soil nutrients from plants. The bigger they get, the harder they are to pull out. No wonder Jesus used this analogy for worldly treasures and earthly worries that choke the growth of God's Word in our hearts. “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” Those are strong words ... and true. We can't serve two masters because we'll end up hating one of them. If we nurture the thorns in our hearts, they will strangle our productivity and effectiveness as Christians and we'll never have a mature faith.

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Choking on Thorns

Are You Choking on Thorns?

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Thorny weeds have no value - they steal space, water, sunlight, and soil nutrients from plants. The bigger they get, the harder they are to pull out - no wonder Jesus used this analogy for worldly treasures and earthly worries that choke the growth of God's Word in our hearts. We can't serve two masters because we'll end up hating one of them. Just as a gardener must regularly pull up the thorns in his garden, we must identify and pull up the thorns in our hearts.

Gail Burton Purath

This 1-minute devotion explains what Jesus meant when he talked about people who have thorns in their lives.

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” - 1 John 2:15

Let this devotion encourage you to get rid of any that you might have.

Thorny weeds: they have no value, but they steal space, water, sunlight, and soil nutrients from plants. The bigger they get, the harder they are to pull out.

No wonder Jesus used this analogy for worldly treasures and earthly worries that choke the growth of God's Word in our hearts (Matthew 13:7; and verse 22).

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” - 1 John 2:15

Those are strong words ... and true.

We can't serve two masters because we'll end up hating one of them (Matthew 6:24).

If we nurture the thorns in our hearts, they will strangle our productivity and effectiveness as Christians and we'll never have a mature faith.

Just as a gardener must regularly pull up the thorns in his garden, we must identify and pull up the thorns in our hearts.

Are you willing to do some "weeding" today?

Hi!  I'm Gail Burton Purath. I started Bible Love Notes to give people a minute of Scriptural encouragement in their busy day.

I don't have all the answers, but

since I asked Christ to be my Lord and Savior in 1974, I've been learning from the One Who has all the answers!

I'm still a sinner, a learner, a student who falls down and disappoints God at times. But it's my desire to grow closer to the Lord, day by day, minute by minute.

I need to be challenged, encouraged, corrected and comforted, and I think you do as well...so let's learn together about the love of God--a love that is so vast that we will always be discovering new and wonderful things about it.

https://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/2018/08/are-you-choking-on-thorns.html