"Magic" is not magical (that is, it does not just happen without a cause, it is not unexplainable). It is often the trickery of sleight of hand, or it is demonic activity, and sometimes it is both trickery and demonic. Trickery, deception is the primary tool of the devil. Magic appears to make some things vanish, or it appears to make some things materialize out of thin air. The key thought here is, "appears".
Satanic deception happens when the "magician" misdirects the person's attention from the major issue to a peripheral issue, while the deception develops. The devil tricks people into spending a lot of time thinking, focusing, studying, discussing, debating and following issues, such as religion, culture, "science," psychology, anthropology, politics, which distract them from a right relationship with God, a deep relationship with God, a growing relationship with God.
The afore mentioned issues have a value, but they are peripheral to the revelation of God. The time and energy spent in pursuing or investigating those issues not only takes time away from a right relationship with God, but it also shades, colors, demeans the person's view of the Bible and robs them of the true treasures of Divine revelation and reconciliation.
When time and attention are spent on worldly and carnal ideas, views, activities, events, beliefs, behavior, then it is expected that the person will move further and further from God's leading and empowering. It happens slowly, unobtrusively and appears to be harmless. The person starts out with the right intention, but he is drawn into darkness rather than light.
These deceptions come as entertainment, education, political jargon. They also come through ministries, such as Bible teaching and preaching and Christian songs. Don't waste your time on that which numbs, robs, destroys, kills. The imaginary wisdom, found in worldly (and religious) events, amusements, treasures, pleasures, not only replaces the truths of God in our lives, but it also removes the truths of God from our lives.
I have observed that a great amount of the teaching and preaching by popular "Christian leaders" is focused on the peripherals and very little addresses the main reason Christ actually came. In fact, more and more of the popular "Christian" ministries are undermining and attacking the actual message of the Bible. Jesus came to redeem us from every evil deed and purify unto Himself a distinctive people, zealous of good works. Jesus came to save us from our sins. Jesus came to make us holy, righteous and pure.
I not only preach the fundamentals of the faith, and I teach Biblical doctrines, I also declare the whole counsel of God, deliberately keeping "the main thing as the main thing," by "majoring on majors and minoring on minors." My job is to lead the believer into holiness of heart and life and equip them to for every good work.
2 Corinthians 11:2
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-14
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Ephesians 5:25-27
25 ...as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Colossians 1:9-12
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Colossians 1:21-23
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
1 Peter 5:8-11
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
dlg note... I could go on and on, but this should make it clear concerning the true objective of God's salvation.
I consider myself to be fairly astute concerning the various facets of life, but I am aware that this world is not the friend of God. Remember, "friendship with the world is enmity with God."
The afore mentioned issues have a value, but they are peripheral to the revelation of God. The time and energy spent in pursuing or investigating those issues not only takes time away from a right relationship with God, but it also shades, colors, demeans the person's view of the Bible and robs them of the true treasures of Divine revelation and reconciliation.
When time and attention are spent on worldly and carnal ideas, views, activities, events, beliefs, behavior, then it is expected that the person will move further and further from God's leading and empowering. It happens slowly, unobtrusively and appears to be harmless. The person starts out with the right intention, but he is drawn into darkness rather than light.
These deceptions come as entertainment, education, political jargon. They also come through ministries, such as Bible teaching and preaching and Christian songs. Don't waste your time on that which numbs, robs, destroys, kills. The imaginary wisdom, found in worldly (and religious) events, amusements, treasures, pleasures, not only replaces the truths of God in our lives, but it also removes the truths of God from our lives.
I have observed that a great amount of the teaching and preaching by popular "Christian leaders" is focused on the peripherals and very little addresses the main reason Christ actually came. In fact, more and more of the popular "Christian" ministries are undermining and attacking the actual message of the Bible. Jesus came to redeem us from every evil deed and purify unto Himself a distinctive people, zealous of good works. Jesus came to save us from our sins. Jesus came to make us holy, righteous and pure.
I not only preach the fundamentals of the faith, and I teach Biblical doctrines, I also declare the whole counsel of God, deliberately keeping "the main thing as the main thing," by "majoring on majors and minoring on minors." My job is to lead the believer into holiness of heart and life and equip them to for every good work.
2 Corinthians 11:2
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-14
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Ephesians 5:25-27
25 ...as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Colossians 1:9-12
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Colossians 1:21-23
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
1 Peter 5:8-11
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
dlg note... I could go on and on, but this should make it clear concerning the true objective of God's salvation.
I consider myself to be fairly astute concerning the various facets of life, but I am aware that this world is not the friend of God. Remember, "friendship with the world is enmity with God."
The more time a person spends with the world, the more love they will have for the world and the things of the world. "If you love the world and the things of the world, then the love of the Father is not in you."
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