When the Devil Quotes Scripture
5th February 2011
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During the sermon in church today, the preacher pointed out that the devil
never gives you the whole truth. Maybe a part, but not the whole.
He gave the example of the temptation of Jesus in Matthew:
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Matthew 4
This is a quote from Psalm 91. But note which part is missing (italics added):
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Psalm 91
What does a man's ways look like if he makes the LORD his habitation? A man's ways are not his own ways, but God's way. A man who is walking in the LORD is not walking in his own footsteps, but in footsteps that were created in advance, just for him.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
So the devil was leaving out the key ingredient for God's protection! We need to walk in God's ways that He has prepared for us in advance. Then we can be confident, and trust in God's mighty protective power.
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It goes for Bible verses too.