Feb. 8, 2007           Sacrificing to Devils          Kathleen Maples

I wonder as we go about our lives how often we stop and give careful consideration to the heart of God and how He feels about us, and how we live our lives, in light of His revealed Word, which is in effect His will, legal and binding and unchangeable. When someone has been with the Lord, and they are speaking His Word into your life, it's like a gentle and refreshing rain that will minister to your heart and life. Sometimes it can be like a sword that cuts and convicts, but it also can heal and deliver. His Word is such a marvelous and wonderful thing in the mouth of a sincere and humble servant of the Lord, in the heart of those who love His Word.

Deu 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

Deu 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

The Word and the Spirit of God can't be separated. When They move in my life, and work, it's like living waters, flowing, washing, changing, smoothing, straightening, lighting the way.

Deu 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Oh, Father in this world of corruption, where judges are bought and sold much too often, and where the bank account and reputation and perceived power people have are considered and the poor and needy lost in the shuffle, I am so thankful for One who has no respect of persons, who never makes mistakes, and will not lie. I thank you Father, just for being Who and What You are and I long with an ache I can't describe to be more like You...and You have promised, haven't You, to perfect that which concerneth Your children, (Psa_138:8) and I thank You for that marvelous promise.

Deu 32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

Deu 32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?

Oh, Father, how have we corrupted ourselves? How we have cast off the old paths, lost our convictions, and wasted the knowledge You have given us and the time to do good that You graced us with. Time that would and should have been better spent in Your holy presence, beholding Your lovely face, instead of acquiring things of no eternal value, and stressing and fretting over things in this world we cannot change. What are we feeding our souls on, Lord, that corrupts us and hinders the flow of your Holy Spirit? Is it our carnal minds which are hostile to You? Are we more concerned with how we appear to the world than in Your holy and eternal eyes of flame? How could we not be more concerned on filling up our reserves with Your oil, so our lamps are trimmed and burning brightly rather than being so settled and comfortable we let our flesh dictate to us and keep us from the prayer closet and secret time with You? Oh, Father, forgive us...open our eyes...stir up our spirits like you did in days of old, when the people were rebuilding Your house, and when they got the foundation laid, the opposition, and tough conditions had discouraged them and they just went home to their own houses and left off building yours..and oh, I read how You stirred their spirits to return and build and work and accomplish that which pleased You. Is our appearance inwardly that of Your children? Do You see any of Yourself in us? Or do we look as the world looks on the inside? What is on the inside will be manifested on the outside. What do You see, Lord, when Your holy eyes turn toward me?

I remember reading in Genesis, when Jacob had tired of serving Laban, and had taken both his wives, and children, and was wanting to leave. He wanted his due, and Laban agreed to let Jacob have the cattle which were spotted. They looked different from the other cattle, which were numerous. In Genesis 30:25-33, Jacob talked with Laban, asking to be released so he could take his family and go home. He had served his time, he had been a faithful servant to Laban. Laban had changed his wages, dealt deceitfully, and unrighteously, but had to recognize the Lord had blessed him with favor because of Jacob's presence. He knew God blessed him for Jacob's sake. Laban offered wages, and Jacob said he wanted cattle. He reminded his father-in-law how he had dealt well in providing for his cattle, and caring for them, and he told Laban he would pass through the flock, removing the speckled and spotted and brown cattle and goats, and that would be his hire. He would only take those. He had decreed they would be his, marked by their spots. The Lord has decreed a people would be His. They are to have the image, to likeness of His only Begotten Son, formed in them. They are to have HIS imprint on them and in them. What have we let fashion us and shape us? What is the most profound influence in our lives? Is it our family and education? Is it our culture and friends? Is it the preacher in our church? Or is it the Holy Spirit of God? Do we make ourselves available to HIM and ask Him to lead us through the Word of God and point the landmarks out to us along the way, and allow Him to burn up the chaff and take out the trash? We need frequent and lengthy exposure to the Word of God and we need to let It cut us loose from the ties that bind us to this world if we are planning on leaving here when Jesus comes for His own. There will come a time when the goats will be separated from among the sheep and we need to know which side we are on now. Do we think we are a sheep when in fact we are a goat? Goats are self willed and stubborn creatures. Sheep are meek, stupid, and easily led by the one they are most familiar with.

Deu 32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?

Deu 32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

Is this how we treat the Lord? What benefit are we to Him? Are we more concerned with our bills and children and homes and marriages than we are with His kingdom, and all the lost and dying and hurting souls out there who desperately need to see a revelation of the sons and daughters of God reflecting the life and light of Jesus Christ in a dark and dying world? How foolish we are to focus only on ourselves, whether it's our troubles, our problems, our failures, and weaknesses or our pleasure. God help us please to get our eyes off ourselves and on eternity and YOU, the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity. It is unwise-and flat out stupid to live only for ourselves and only for the present time. Has He not bought us with the blood of His Son, and made us sons and daughters of God, redeemed by the blood, and reserved unto eternal life? Has He not tried to establish us in His Word, His precious, beautiful truth?

Oh, if our parents and grandparents who have gone on before us, other saints of old, those who walked with God, who founded this nation in truth and Biblical judgments, and laws, what sharp rebukes they would give us if they could for our sloth, our selfishness, and neglect of the holy things of God. In my own defense, all I could say is Lord, let the righteous smite me, it will be a kindness. Chasten, Oh, Lord, with mercy, please, not the wrath I deserve. Order my steps in your Word, and your way, that I might be found pleasing in Your sight and not empty handed at your coming.

He holds our very breath in His hands. But we hold our lives in our hands, and what do we hold them for? Do we reserve (set apart) our lives for HIS purposes and plans, or do we just go along, day by day, doing our own thing? Do we feel justified if we get on the Internet on myspace or some other social site and talk about Him to others and tell others how they need Him, like there you go, God, I've witnessed for you today. And I'm not putting that down, those who know me know I have a myspace page, I don't think that is wrong. That's just an example. But where are our thoughts and hearts most of the time? On the Lord, His Word, and ways? Is there a hunger in us for more of Him or are we content with what we have? GOD help me never be satisfied with what I have when there is SOOOO much more of HIM. God help me never be satisfied to come sit in a church and hear people sing and sing, and not hunger for HIS WORD to be taught in holiness and purity with the anointing.

Deu 32:8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

Deu 32:9 For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Deu 32:10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

When we were saved out of sin, God by His Holy Spirit led us through His Word, showed us the inheritance He has for us, and the boundaries within which were to live. He said be ye separate. God's children are to be holy, and unspotted by the fads and trends and sensuality of this world. We are not to advertise ourselves, whether by name or appearance. We are to be ambassadors of CHRIST.

Deu 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

Deu 32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.

God led Israel into a promised land, and when they got settled, they quit fighting. They let things go. They let things remain that God had marked for destruction, things He warned them would become a snare to them. Same with us, Christian. There are things in our lives that must go if we are going to go with HIM when He comes. Oh, as I carefully examine my heart, and my life, I see so much need for grace. I see a need to fall on my face before God and cry out for deliverance from myself and holy boldness to stand up for what is right and not compromise. None of us are perfect yet. I don't want to be sitting on the seat in church listening to a few good words about the grace and love of God, and how we are ready to go, when the church is full of empty seats, nobody has got the baptism of the Holy Ghost in years, and the routine is just the same old same old. When you can have four services a week but only preach at two of them, something is wrong. Would you tell your children every other time they come to the table there's no food today, just be happy with your drink. No, you wouldn't.

But I'm getting off topic, Lord help me. When we put other things ahead of HIM and spend more time doing other things, reading other things, watching other things, than in His Word, talking with Him, and learning His voice, we are provoking Him to jealousy and lightly esteeming Him by our behavior. When you neglect God, you lose your sense of direction and conviction. Standards begin to slip. Fear of being stained by the things of this world begins to seem distant and dim. You will drop your guard and get careless.

Deu 32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

Deu 32:18 Of the Rock that begot thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

They offered unto devils-what does that mean? Literally, Israel began to offer their children up to idols. They burnt them in the fire. They slaughtered their babies for the sake of some statue. Why? There are spirits that are attached to these things-that promote and influence people's minds when the door is opened through sin and idolatry. Can a person indulge in pornography without being taken by a spirit of lust? No. Will that not damage and destroy families and relationships? Yes. Can you allow your children to be entertained by violent programming and them not be affected by spirits of rebellion and anger? No. Does this not cause children to burn with these spirits that will consume and destroy them unless somebody gets a hold of God for them? Yes.

God hates this. It will cause Him to turn His face from us when we allow and indulge in these things. I believe when He has to turn His face away, His ears listen, and His hearts long for the cry for help and deliverance. How many times I have read in the Bible where God would cry to Israel, Return, backslider. You've played the harlot, but come home and I'll wash you and cleanse you and restore you. Come back to me so I don't have to judge you. He doesn't want to do that. He gets no pleasure in the death and destruction and eternal separation from those who won't listen.

If you read the rest of this chapter, you see how God sent judgment. Today, is there not terror in our land, and people living in such fear the pharmaceutical companies and the doctors have become educated sorcerers-dispensing their anti depressants and mood altering drugs designed to 'give peace' to people, and calm them down, and help them deal with the stress. People come into the doctor's office plagued with things they don't understand, and the doctor doesn't want to admit ignorance so they come up with these names for disorders like ADHD, or bi-polar. It's a step away from witchcraft. These drugs medicate and cloud people's minds, and give them a false sense of security without solving the problem. They treat the symptoms, and the plague rages on untreated. They even tell you now that anti depressants can cause young people to have severe thoughts of suicide. Why? These drugs open the doors of their mind to demonic influence.

How can I say that, you ask. Am I crazy? Some religious nut? No. Religion is deadly. Relationship with Christ is life. Big difference.

The word for sorceries in the Bible, is pharmakeia. That is the original word in the Greek from which it was translated (Rev 9:21). It means the use or administering of drugs, medication, poisoning, sorcery, magical arts, found in connection with and promoted by idolatry. Look it up yourself and ask God if I'm crazy if you think that. It's G5331 in your Strong's Concordance. In the Old Testament, it's H3784, H3785. It means to whisper a spell, to enchant, or practice magic, using witchcraft. When I read that, the first thing that come to my mind is the sensual commercials on TV now, that make it impossible to watch any kind of programming and keep clean eyes. Even the news programs run sensual footage of celebrities and lingerie fashion shows. It affects people in more ways than they realize. What about all the commercials about herbal supplements, new and improved products designed to make you look, think and feel better? Sorceries straight from the pits of hell designed to build up what the Word Of God has said must be crucified-and that is self. The carnal nature. Deceitful, and dangerous. The devil wants our children to be entertained by tv, video games, and worldly music, so they are prepared to serve him better. He exploits the nature of the desires of people's flesh and manipulates people into doing his will by his exploitation. These things hype up kids, send their minds into overdrive, and then the teachers call and say they need to be tested for hyper attention deficit disorder. Why? They have been overstimulated, with very little physical activity to release all that pent up energy. Test the theory. Remove the video games and tv and see how long it takes the kids to calm down, when they start spending their time outside playing, reading the Good Book, and praying, and learning they have a Creator who loves them, and see how things change.

Lord, have mercy how did I end up on this? People, you might think I'm crazy, but what I'm saying can be tested and proved simply enough and it won't cost you a dime, just a little time. Read it for yourself. Get your Concordance out and look up these things. Don't criticize Israel for offering their babies as burnt sacrifices when we do the same thing, only we offer up their minds, their eyes, their time, first, and once the world and the devil gets the foothold there, they will be hell bound for ever to burn. And we wonder why we have so many problems with our kids now? Oh, God help me. God help us.