Welcome to the
Crestview Church of Christ
Marshall, Texas



Adjusting God

Last week, we looked at the the Doorways that Satan uses to enter our lives:
    1. Pressure      
    2. Passion      
    3. Pride
He applies these as God allows, never able to use them beyond your ability to resist. 1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
So why does the Devil still walk in those doors so often?    
Our Feelings Fool us!
We FEEL the Pressure of life’s circumstances & responsibilities and we choose enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes which only ADD pressure We FEEL the Passion of desire & longing for things that life offers and we choose immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, greed which only brings emptiness
We FEEL the Pride of our accomplishments & abilities in life and we choose dissensions, factions, envying, & foolishness which only brings shame & regret

 What is the “way of escape” that we ignore as our feelings take control?
“It is written”  God has given us a perfect instruction manuel on escaping Satan.  Jesus used it to perfection to escape Satan’s temptations all the way to the cross!  Why can’t we? But Paul writes Timothy saying there are those that are “ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  Why can’t they?  They read “what is written”, but have no understanding of what they are reading.
    1. Why did Adam & Eve hear the direct words of God, but were cast out with Satan?
    2. Why did Peter hear the direct words of Jesus but was rebuked as Satan?
    3. Why did the Pharisees know the Scripture of God, but were called sons of the devil?
 They were ALL guilty of the same action that is the source of ALL sin & suffering on earth: They were all adjusting God to fit what they felt to be true.  

Just like we still do today. FEELING the pressure to do something we are told is bad so we can have what we think is good. Go ahead: eat the fruit.  God will adjust Himself to allow it. Does this even work on us?
    1. (parent), what if (child) was warned it would be bad for them to stay out past midnight and come home drunk, but their friends pressure them and say: It’s O.K.!  Your parents will adjust themselves to allow it this one time!   Would it work?
    But wouldn’t Love “adjust itself” to show compassion & overlook it?  Would overlooking it be “Love”?
How many feel the PRESSURE to hate someone, then hear Satan say:  Go ahead:  God will adjust Himself to allow it?     What does God say in His Word?
 How many feel the PRESSURE to get even with someone, then hear Satan say:  Go ahead:  God will adjust Himself to allow it?     What does God say in His Word? How many feel the PRESSURE to have an outburst of anger, then hear Satan say:  Go ahead:  God will adjust Himself to allow it?     What does God say in His Word?

 FEELING the PASSION for Jesus to be glorified & exalted, Peter wants to contradict the things Jesus is saying about arrest & crucifixion & death.  Satan says:  Go ahead:  God will adjust Himself to allow  it!     What does Jesus say in response?  He KNEW who was talking!
How many today have a PASSION for larger crowds & bigger offerings and look outside of God’s Word to find them and hear Satan say:  Go ahead:  God will adjust Himself to allow it! What does God say in His Word?  
1 Cor 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myse