Mark Corbett

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Growing up, I remember occasionally watching National Geographic shows about lions hunting prey in Africa. These days you can watch endless YouTube videos on the same topic (but beware, some of these are quite graphic and gory). Seeing how animals like elephants and water buffalo deal with the threat of lions can reinforce some important Biblical lessons about spiritual warfare.

Lesson 1: Stay Close to Other Christians

1 Minute video of elephants grouping together when they hear a lion’s roar

When lions are around, animals like elephants and water buffalo gather together into tight herds. The lions do not mess with a whole line of tusks or horns backed up by tons of muscle. Instead, the lions look for an animal which is isolated from the herd. If there isn’t one, they work on getting one separated from the others. And once the animal is separated and on its own, the lions attack, often jumping on its back. The poor animal doesn’t have much of a chance when that happens.

Likewise, if a Christian gets isolated from other Christians, he or she becomes easy prey for demons. A lone Christian is more easily tempted, and will have less help when she comes under attack. This is one of the reasons it is so very important for Christians to be in constant fellowship with other Christians. Going to church and attending Bible studies are not just nice social events; they are vital defenses against a real and dangerous enemy. Yes, we each accept Christ individually. But when we are saved, we become a member of God’s family. The New Testament constantly presents Christianity as a team effort, a family affair, and a group thing. (You may read a post where I give LOTS of Bible verses which demonstrate this truth here.)

Lesson 2: We Can Rescue Christians Who Come Under Attack

Sometimes the lions will get a baby water buffalo or elephant, and it looks like there is no hope. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, other buffalo or elephants have charged the lions and chased them away even after they began an attack.

Tragically, this doesn’t always happen. There are videos where the lions chow down on a victim while scores of buffalo just watch. They could easily defeat the lions if they charged together. When they do charge together, the lions run. But often the buffalo are too scared or too worried about themselves to get involved.

NIV James 5:19-20 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

NIV Galatians 6:1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Lesson 3: We’re Better Off than Water Buffalo and Elephants

We have a good shepherd!

NIV John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

But, if we don’t stay close to our Good Shepherd, this will happen to us:

NIV Ezekiel 34:5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.

We have Jesus on our side! He is way more powerful than the devil and all his demons combined. But this doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. We have to choose to stay close to Jesus through prayer, the Bible, and Christian fellowship.

Conclusion

Don’t get eaten by lions! Stay in fellowship with other Christians. Attend church and Bible studies and prayer groups. If you see a brother or sister in Christ under attack, charge in to help them with the power of Christ. Stay close to Jesus!

NIV James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


These devotional thoughts were originally posted on my blog, here.
 

Halbhh

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Lion%2BWater%2BBuffalo.jpg


Growing up, I remember occasionally watching National Geographic shows about lions hunting prey in Africa. These days you can watch endless YouTube videos on the same topic (but beware, some of these are quite graphic and gory). Seeing how animals like elephants and water buffalo deal with the threat of lions can reinforce some important Biblical lessons about spiritual warfare.

Lesson 1: Stay Close to Other Christians

1 Minute video of elephants grouping together when they hear a lion’s roar

When lions are around, animals like elephants and water buffalo gather together into tight herds. The lions do not mess with a whole line of tusks or horns backed up by tons of muscle. Instead, the lions look for an animal which is isolated from the herd. If there isn’t one, they work on getting one separated from the others. And once the animal is separated and on its own, the lions attack, often jumping on its back. The poor animal doesn’t have much of a chance when that happens.

Likewise, if a Christian gets isolated from other Christians, he or she becomes easy prey for demons. A lone Christian is more easily tempted, and will have less help when she comes under attack. This is one of the reasons it is so very important for Christians to be in constant fellowship with other Christians. Going to church and attending Bible studies are not just nice social events; they are vital defenses against a real and dangerous enemy. Yes, we each accept Christ individually. But when we are saved, we become a member of God’s family. The New Testament constantly presents Christianity as a team effort, a family affair, and a group thing. (You may read a post where I give LOTS of Bible verses which demonstrate this truth here.)

Lesson 2: We Can Rescue Christians Who Come Under Attack

Sometimes the lions will get a baby water buffalo or elephant, and it looks like there is no hope. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, other buffalo or elephants have charged the lions and chased them away even after they began an attack.

Tragically, this doesn’t always happen. There are videos where the lions chow down on a victim while scores of buffalo just watch. They could easily defeat the lions if they charged together. When they do charge together, the lions run. But often the buffalo are too scared or too worried about themselves to get involved.

NIV James 5:19-20 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

NIV Galatians 6:1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Lesson 3: We’re Better Off than Water Buffalo and Elephants

We have a good shepherd!

NIV John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

But, if we don’t stay close to our Good Shepherd, this will happen to us:

NIV Ezekiel 34:5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.

We have Jesus on our side! He is way more powerful than the devil and all his demons combined. But this doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. We have to choose to stay close to Jesus through prayer, the Bible, and Christian fellowship.

Conclusion

Don’t get eaten by lions! Stay in fellowship with other Christians. Attend church and Bible studies and prayer groups. If you see a brother or sister in Christ under attack, charge in to help them with the power of Christ. Stay close to Jesus!

NIV James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


These devotional thoughts were originally posted on my blog, here.

Good and useful and I am opening the link also to the 'as a team effort, a family affair, and a group thing' article because I like learning more on that part. Thanks!!
 
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Halbhh

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What are some practical ways we can help other Christians who are "under attack"?

One particular way for me is using my own particular background knowledge in astronomy, but because I also have real faith, I can sometimes help Christians who haven't realized that only the foundation Christ tells us in Matthew chapter 7, in those verses 24 through 27 is the sole and only safe, reliable place to have built up their faith house, and no other place, certainly and emphatically not some other place like that 'ark encounter' or creationist new science stuff which could fail in the storm (He said), etc., because any such kinds of stuff are specifically not the foundation He told us to build on -- relying instead on His Words, our Lord Himself, the source of Truth for us.
 
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Mark Corbett

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Well said Mark. I would make one change and that is to stay in close fellowship with God. No lamb staying close to its shepard will ever be attacked by a prowling lion.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Speaking of encouragement, one lady at the church where I serve is really a huge blessing when it comes to helping Christians under a certain type of attack. One way the enemy attacks us is through health problems. But the health problem is not the whole attack. The enemy wants to discourage people who are sick.

The lady I'm thinking of is constantly visiting and helping Christians with health problems. She takes them to doctor's appointments if they don't have family members available. By showing them Christian love during a difficult time, she helps guard them from discouragement and doubts. She's worth her weight in gold, and then some!
 
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Mark Corbett

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One particular way for me is using my own particular background knowledge in astronomy, . . .

How do you use your background knowledge in astronomy? Do you help people see evidence for God, like the fine tuning of the universe for physical life?
 
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Halbhh

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How do you use your background knowledge in astronomy? Do you help people see evidence for God, like the fine tuning of the universe for physical life?

--Updated with a wonderful passage at the end --

Crucially, the first and overwhelmingly primary thing is that instead of believing in some version of small details about creation as the foundation of their faith, that instead they find the only good foundation, the one Christ said to use. All else is secondary to this crucial thing.

Now, in the U.S. there are millions who had been led to build on sand of course. Some stuff, any stuff of any kind even, that isn't hearing, learning and putting into practice Christ's Words, just as He said in Matthew 7 is the only safe foundation.

Many of them are now lost, not in any church, because a storm came, and they were not on the rock, and the house collapsed.

As He said.

Who will bring them the real thing they need?

By showing them that a person who knows a lot about astronomy and physics truly believes in God, I can sometimes with some people give them a way to get past the wrongs and find the right -- Christ, the real foundation, and only foundation.

So, when they are telling me about how stars are billions of years old, I will never be tripped into the profound error of arguing about that, but instead I can tell them things they don't actually know yet -- the Good News. Not a partial version, but more of what He said, which is profoundly faith building, as Paul pointed out in Romans 10, that faith is from hearing, and hearing from the Words of Christ. The only hope.

It's somewhat like the situation that once arose with Galileo -- he pointed out the reality that the Earth orbits the sun, and those misreading the Bible accused him of heresy, and that was a very dangerous thing to innocent believers that may have been misled onto the sand of thinking the Bible says the Sun orbits the Earth, etc., things the church should *never* have gotten involved in teaching, (because they couldn't read more broadly and thus correctly) and we have a somewhat similar situation today, but the real solution is....not to be caught in the noise and wars of words, but to tell His Words.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. [20] And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; [21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. [22] To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. [23] And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
 
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Halbhh

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Lion%2BWater%2BBuffalo.jpg


Growing up, I remember occasionally watching National Geographic shows about lions hunting prey in Africa. These days you can watch endless YouTube videos on the same topic (but beware, some of these are quite graphic and gory). Seeing how animals like elephants and water buffalo deal with the threat of lions can reinforce some important Biblical lessons about spiritual warfare.

Lesson 1: Stay Close to Other Christians

1 Minute video of elephants grouping together when they hear a lion’s roar

When lions are around, animals like elephants and water buffalo gather together into tight herds. The lions do not mess with a whole line of tusks or horns backed up by tons of muscle. Instead, the lions look for an animal which is isolated from the herd. If there isn’t one, they work on getting one separated from the others. And once the animal is separated and on its own, the lions attack, often jumping on its back. The poor animal doesn’t have much of a chance when that happens.

Likewise, if a Christian gets isolated from other Christians, he or she becomes easy prey for demons. A lone Christian is more easily tempted, and will have less help when she comes under attack. This is one of the reasons it is so very important for Christians to be in constant fellowship with other Christians. Going to church and attending Bible studies are not just nice social events; they are vital defenses against a real and dangerous enemy. Yes, we each accept Christ individually. But when we are saved, we become a member of God’s family. The New Testament constantly presents Christianity as a team effort, a family affair, and a group thing. (You may read a post where I give LOTS of Bible verses which demonstrate this truth here.)

Lesson 2: We Can Rescue Christians Who Come Under Attack

Sometimes the lions will get a baby water buffalo or elephant, and it looks like there is no hope. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, other buffalo or elephants have charged the lions and chased them away even after they began an attack.

Tragically, this doesn’t always happen. There are videos where the lions chow down on a victim while scores of buffalo just watch. They could easily defeat the lions if they charged together. When they do charge together, the lions run. But often the buffalo are too scared or too worried about themselves to get involved.

NIV James 5:19-20 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

NIV Galatians 6:1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Lesson 3: We’re Better Off than Water Buffalo and Elephants

We have a good shepherd!

NIV John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

But, if we don’t stay close to our Good Shepherd, this will happen to us:

NIV Ezekiel 34:5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.

We have Jesus on our side! He is way more powerful than the devil and all his demons combined. But this doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. We have to choose to stay close to Jesus through prayer, the Bible, and Christian fellowship.

Conclusion

Don’t get eaten by lions! Stay in fellowship with other Christians. Attend church and Bible studies and prayer groups. If you see a brother or sister in Christ under attack, charge in to help them with the power of Christ. Stay close to Jesus!

NIV James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


These devotional thoughts were originally posted on my blog, here.

I found the link to more about 'Christianity as a team effort, a family affair, and a group thing' useful, because it is written in a way that works well to take in. I've told people for years now over the internet to find a local church, and so this is encouragement for me. Thanks.
 
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