Escaping the Snare of the Devil

Satan’s greatest fear is that the body of Christ will discover the principles that will enable them to escape his snares. Once they do, he will lose his ability to entrap them. Second Timothy 2:25-26 reveals a three-step principle that will help you avoid the devil’s snare. It says, “In humility correcting those who are

Unforgiveness is a Negative Witness

Why is it that the devil is attacking so much in the area of offenses and unforgiveness? In John 10:10 it says the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came to give us abundant life. If the devil wants to kill, what does he want to kill? He wants to kill us, but

Offense Stops the Blessing of God

One of the most destructive, yet prevalent, issues that plagues the Christian community today is the vast number of people who are hurt and offended. As Christians, we must realize that offense is a very serious business. Make no mistake about it, the devil wants you to become hurt and offended in order to make

Offense Comes with a Purpose

Like many carnal people, those who hold offense tend to defend themselves by saying, “I have a perfectly good reason for acting the way I do about this situation.” But what they have failed to realize is that offense comes with a number of objectives. The devil will bring offense in order to destroy you,

Wisdom for Healthy Relationships

It takes less time, effort, equipment, and planning to remove a small tree than it does a large one. A sapling is easier to cut down than a mighty oak tree. Several years ago, Loretta and I lived on a point overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks. The view was great. However, the view straight

Don’t Subject Yourself to Abuse

I want to dispel a very common misconception about abuse and offense. Contrary to what most people think, removing yourself from an abusive situation doesn’t necessarily mean you are offended or unforgiving. For example, if your husband beats you, God does not expect you or your children to remain in such an environment. And leaving

Be a Doer, Not a Hearer Only

There are people who use the excuse that they are working at overcoming offense. But that’s not what the Bible instructs us to do. The book of James clearly states that only the doers of the Word will be blessed. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is

Navigating Emotional Mine Fields

Have you ever been around someone who was so touchy that your conversation had to be tempered with words that would not upset him or her, to the degree that it became difficult to communicate? These kinds of people have such deep, embedded anger issues that a normal conversation is impossible. Sometimes you feel like

You Can Know God’s Will

A subtle trap that can put you on the road to offense is assuming or supposing something that you don’t know for certain. This type of behavior is so dangerous because it is often based on inaccurate information, particularly when it comes to God. In reality, there is no reason to suppose anything about God.

Letting Go of Offenses

Most of the time people get offended over petty issues. Song of Solomon 2:15 states that it is “…the little foxes that spoil the vines.” As hard as it is to believe, churches have split over petty issues like the color of the carpet or the type of hymnals to purchase. People can get offended