How Satan Steals Our Time

I am not aware of the author of the following article but I see an insight into the nature of our world today and why the cause of Christ has become a bastion of social clubs and places for entertainment. Few people have a working knowledge of the word of God and would rather spend time and energy pursuing avenues of interest that take energy and desire away from the important matters of spiritual consequence. Religion has become a temple of food, fun and frolic. The lives of Christians have become overwhelmed with the pursuit of material gain. Time is swallowed up in the busy work of being busy about busy things. Consider the following:

[Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from conservative values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken." "So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" shouted his angels.

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent unnumbered schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.

"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work and the husbands to work 6 or 7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work."

"Over stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, the VCR, and their CD's going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."

"Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes and computers with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering, free products, services and false hopes."

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions. Let them be involved in soul-winning. But, crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family, unity for the good of the cause."

It was quite a conversation in the end. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and rush there! Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge.]

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content ... See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (1 Timothy 6:6-8; Ephesians 5:15,16)

	How Satan Steals Our Time (Kent E. Heaton Sr.)
	I am not aware of the author of the following article but I see an insight into the nature of our world today and why the cause of Christ has become a bastion of social clubs and places for entertainment. Few people have a working knowledge of the word of God and would rather spend time and energy pursuing avenues of interest that take energy and desire away from the important matters of spiritual consequence. Religion has become a temple of food, fun and frolic. The lives of Christians have become overwhelmed with the pursuit of material gain. Time is swallowed up in the busy work of being busy about busy things. Consider the following: [Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from conservative values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken." "So let them go to church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time so they can't gain that experience in Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" shouted his angels. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent unnumbered schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work and the husbands to work 6 or 7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work." "Over stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, the VCR, and their CD's going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ." "Fill their coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes and computers with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogues, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering, free products, services and false hopes." "Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions. Let them be involved in soul-winning. But, crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family, unity for the good of the cause." It was quite a conversation in the end. And the evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and rush here and rush there! Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge.] "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content ... See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (1 Timothy 6:6-8; Ephesians 5:15,16)
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