Be wise as serpents and pure as doves

Matthew 10:16: Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves: therefore be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.                 

As Disciples of Christ, one of the most difficult tasks that we have is to bring the Gospel of Christ to the gay community. 

Of all the spirits we have to contend with on a daily basis, the spirit of homosexuality is one spirit that is both exceptionally strong and cunning.  

It's deceit and lies have been masked in a shroud of love. 

Yes, I say LOVE. 

This spirit knows all about 'love' and how to use it effectively for it's agenda. It convinces men and women that it’s ok to be in love with members of the same sex.

It uses feelings and emotions to win over these individuals. 

It speaks of love being tied to acceptance of all practises and choices.

This spirit masquerades itself as an angel of light. 

It also tells them that God himself has no problem with what they're choosing to do.

Just like Satan did in the very beginning.

It lies and lies over and over again. 

This spirit will do whatever it takes to keep a person trapped in bondage of the flesh. 

It will sit on a person’s shoulder and whisper in their ear until he or she eventually accepts that it is indeed ok to have intimacy with a person of the same gender. 

However, once this person crosses this line and commits this act, it’s all over. 

This is the point where they are now truly occupied by this spirit, or in other words, possessed.   

[ By this stage, the only authority that can set them free is Jesus. ] 

Let me give you an example of the extent of this great deception and lie over society.

First, let me begin with a simple introduction.

I am a member of the human race. 
I go to church every Sunday. I say my prayers to God daily. 
I live a good life and always try to reach out and help whenever I can. I donate to the poor and volunteer for many groups.

 I believe that what you sow is what you reap. 

My partner and I do not ever cause harm to anyone. 
We believe we all have the freedom of choice. We believe that all should love one another and strive to live peaceful lives. 

We hate evil and the evil things that people do to one another. Overall, my partner and I are not evil, we have good hearts. 

We are doing our best to do the right thing as we see fit. 
This is who we are. 

As you can see, my brothers and sisters, this bears weight.

With a very loving and humble spirit, we begin to tell those accosted by a homosexual spirit about Jesus. 

We tell them that what they have learned & perceived is incorrect and not true. 

With all our heart we love them; and we tell them just how much God loves them and accepts them for who they are. 

We tell them how we are all sinners and need to repent. We tell them that unless you repent you will be lost to eternal condemnation. 

You have to change your lifestyle; your lifestyle is not acceptable in the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the only way to enter the Kingdom of God, my friend, you have been deceived. 

Everything I’m telling you is written in the Bible, these are not my words I speak to you, but, the words of God himself. 

Your soul will be lost forever to the evil one if you do not repent and accept Jesus as Lord and savior.

At this point in time the gay spirit responds in a very familiar pattern that we have often heard from the gay community.

" It sounds to me like your judging me.
 Doesn’t the Bible also say that you’re to judge no one? 

Why are you judging me?

Doesn’t the Bible say also that he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone?

 I feel like your stoning me! 

 I have also read in the word that we’re to be at peace with everyone and that we’re to love one another. 
It sounds to me that you’re the one who is interpreting the Bible wrongly.
 

You think your interpretation of the Bible is correct and mine is not? 

What makes you think your right and I’m not? 

I’m not going to argue with you anymore. 

You have your belief and I have mine. 

I’m a very loving person and choose to be at peace with all men and not cause division and strife as you are doing. 

The Bible I read says that God loves us all and we’re to do the same for each other. 

How dare you say that I’m going to eternal damnation for my actions! 

You’re no different than me, now get away from me and quit judging me; you’re the one who is evil here, not me. 

How dare you!"

At this point in time we begin to realize that the wall has now been built. 

Our words have done nothing to change this person's mind. 
In fact, this approach has been destructive.
On top of that, they now believe that we are evil and deceived.

Every word we have spoken to them was truth and full of love. 
At least that's how we see it! 

According to the Word if they don’t listen to the gospel of Christ and repent, then we are to dust off our shoes and move on.

Paul makes the following statement in Romans 1:28 – And as they did not consent in themselves to know God, God has given them over to a weak mind (reprobate) to do the things which should not be done. 

Not only has the enemy deceived this person, this person has now been given over to a weak mind! 

By God himself!

We justify our actions with this person as correct based on the word of God. We feel sorry for this person and add them to our prayer list that God will send the spirit of truth to them and convict them in their hearts and save them. 

We know they're deceived by this gay spirit and the only person who can change this perception is the Holy Spirit. 

We pray and pray, the years go by and nothing changes. 

We can no longer approach this person due to the wall that has gone up.

The gay spirit has built an impenetrable wall along with the decree of God himself.  The gay spirit has used the word of God to establish itself in this person’s life and not only that, it has arranged many same-sex relationships that are full of "love" and emotion. 

This gay spirit is very deceitful and full of many lies. 

It's power is overwhelming. The latest poll released by the news media (not that I trust them) indicates that 65% of Americans now believe that it’s ok to be gay. 

Wow! 

What a change that has taken place in the last 30 years! I’m sure that this change is worldwide and not just here in America. 

Every evil spirit and the powers of darkness is rising against the Kingdom of God. 
They have one goal, destroy everyone! 
They don’t care how they do it, they just do it. 
That’s all they know. 

They have built what appears to be an impenetrable wall around the gay community. 

They know that God himself has given them over to a reprobate mind. They have achieved victory and oh how happy they are! 

Really? 
I beg to differ; Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.      

                        

Our speaking the truth has only caused division and judgement. 

We’ve been labeled has hatemongers. 

We’re frustrated because we know in our hearts that we’re not. 
 

Yet we have an earnest desire to release God's original design and encourage a life of holiness.

All we want is for everyone to come to know our precious Lord and Savior. 

We Love everyone!  

 We only speak the truth based on the word of God. 

It is the word of God that is sovereign and passes judgement upon all mankind, not us!

Jesus declared to the world that he came here not to judge the world, but to save the world from its sin and destroy the works of the Satan. 

He declared that He came here to give up his life for us. Jesus also declared that there was no greater love than giving up your life for another. 

The Bible says very clearly that you can have all the spiritual gifts that our Father gives to body of Christ, but, if you have not love you have nothing. Faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.

The third commandment that Jesus gave to us and said was to love one another. Love one another, this means everyone.

Ok, are you ready now to go to war? 

Are you ready to launch an attack against this enemy and penetrate this wall that has been built around the gay community? 

Are you ready to go after this one lost sheep and willing to sacrifice your own life in an effort to do so? 

 In reality, there’s a whole flock of sheep surrounded by this wall that the enemy has built.

For years I’ve been seeking and praying for this. 
So how do we do this Lord? 

We’ve done everything according to your word with very minor success. (Yet God’s word that we speak never comes back void.) Surely there must be something we’re missing? 

There has to be another way to break down this wall!

About 4 weeks ago, during my morning meditations, I received an answer.
I believe this to be the true way to approach this.
I will share this way with you.

You can decide for yourselves if the words I speak are mine or those of the Father and Lord. 
I give all this glory to our Father and Lord.

Wise as serpents and gentle as doves, this is where we start as a true child of our Father and servant of our Lord.

First and foremost, be gentle as a dove. 

You have to forgive this person for not heeding the words of truth that you have spoken to them.

Bearing that this is not about holding on to offense, but about getting a soul saved.

Jesus said hanging on the cross just before his death, 

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” 

It’s not their fault. 

They were born into sin. They were overcome by the evil one and took leave of good common sense that they were born with. The enemy deceived them. The enemy stalked them and devoured them. After that God gave them over to a reprobate mind. 

You have to forgive them. 
True love really forgives. 
True love sees what’s really behind it all. 

Jesus knew who was behind it all, that’s why he spoke the words “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Second, we need to go to war and be wise as serpents. 

Serpents are very cunning and patient creatures.

They lie in wait and only when they see the right moment so they strike out at the victim they have been stalking.   

Yet all serpents are not the same. 
Some are much more powerful and deadlier than others. 

This serpent we are dealing with that holds the gay community in its grasp is very powerful.
I liken it to the anaconda, the largest and most powerful snake known to mankind.      

Knowing the ways of the enemy, we have to formulate a battle plan. 

The warfare we are in is one that can only be accomplished by entering the spiritual realm. 

Only one that is truly walking in the Spirit can enter this realm. If you don’t know how to walk in the Spirit, then you will not only be defeated but greatly wounded. 

Abundant prayer and fasting is required. 

Daily you have to enter the life of prayer. 

You have to constantly learn what it means to be praying without ceasing. You have to realize that you’re no longer of this world. You have to understand that the Kingdom of God is within you and is not that pie in the sky! 

You are a new creature in Christ. 

You are one with the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit. You have to realize that it is Christ within you that brings forth the Fathers will for all. You have to realize that you are one with the Body of Christ. 

You have to understand that all things are possible to him that believes. 

You have to bind the enemy and his kingdom every day.  

This Earth is his kingdom and he has dominion over it. You disagree? Look around you, it’s everywhere. 
 We are here for one reason only, and that reason is to help bring forth the Fathers will. 
Our Fathers will is that all should be saved!
Jesus has the same will! 
The Holy Spirit has the same will! 
They are one! 
They Love everyone! 

This spiritual attack that you now launch against the enemy will cause him to retaliate by launching an attack against you. 

He will try to bring you down. He will try to bring things into your life to interrupt you and distract you. He will make you feel tired and discouraged. He will bring evil thoughts to your mind. 
He will give you evil dreams. He will masquerade himself as an angel of light. 

He will do whatever it takes to stop you from praying and fasting. 

He knows that Gods will needs to be accomplished through his children. He knows that’s how God works. 

You need to realize this and always remember these tactics. You cannot become passive in this war. If you take a passive attitude you will be defeated. You will be wounded. 

The prayer life is where half this battle for a person’s soul is to be fought, we’re not done yet.          

   

Now we have to learn how to overcome the desires of the flesh that has this person bound. 

The flesh is just as real as the spiritual and has great power. 

Yes, the war is half won, now let’s follow through and learn how to win this war all the way through to complete victory for this person’s soul. 

We have to find the crack in the wall that our prayers have created. We have to now attack the human nature and blow a gaping hole in this wall. Behind this wall is pure darkness. We need to put a hole in this wall that the light can shine through. 

As soon as this person sees the light in the darkness, they will see hope. Some will jump through this hole immediately, others will need more time. They will come to the light. 
They will come to you. 
The Father will draw them, patience is required now ... patience. 

So how do we put this hole in the wall? 

You ATTACK! 

If you do not attack the enemy you will not gain ground. 
The enemy is relentless in his attacks against the human race; we need to be just as aggressive. We have been given the greatest weapon of all weapons to defeat the enemy. His name is Jesus and the weapon he chose was love.

Love is the weapon of choice. 
God is love and love is God. 

Overcome evil with good. 
Love is all good and there is no evil found in true love. 
True love does not judge. 
True love is kind. 
True love makes peace with all. 
True love does not cause division and strife. 
True love is long-suffering. 
True love is always hopeful. 
True love does not seek its own, it always denies itself. 
True love always speaks the truth. 
True love is compassionate. 
True love will offer up its own life for the sake of another. 
True love is patient! 
Patience, patience, patience.
Move in Gods time, not yours. 

This is what it means to be as gentle as a dove.

We overwhelm this person with true love. 

We call them and speak words of kindness to them. 

We invite them over for dinner. 

We reach out to them and see if they need anything. 

We go to the movies with them. 

We offer to help them fix up the house or ask if they need help mowing their lawn. Perhaps their car needs washing ?

Ask them if they need prayer for anything. 

Someway or somehow you have to win their hearts. 

Be creative, be wise, be gentle, be patient.

One day, they will begin to trust you. 
(This is the crack in the wall, that you have been waiting for ... that is now beginning to open up.) 

They will see that you are not there to judge them or condemn them. 

They will call you a friend. 

They will begin to realize that you are a very loving person and someone that can be counted on. 

They will see that you are always at peace with everyone. 

They will call you a peacemaker. 

They will see that you are levelheaded. 

They will see that you are willing to always help them in their time of need. 

Someday, they will give you their heart. 

Yes! 
Finally you have won their heart. 

They are beginning to see the light in you. 

The crack is enlarging, a clear hole is forming in the wall, and light is beginning to shine through. 
The light will illuminate the darkness. 
Slowly but surely, the light will overcome the darkness. 

ON TIMING

The Holy Spirit will offer up the right time for this person to step from the darkness into the light. 

That is not your job. 

Your job is to let your light shine for the entire world to see. 

The Father and Lord will draw this person to the light. Jesus will be there at just the right moment to save them. Jesus saved us in the same way, at just the right moment he reached out and saved us. 

We saw the light! 

We stepped into the light. 

We chose to walk to the light. 

You are the light! 

Remember brothers and sisters, you are in a war for the salvation of the souls of the human race. 

We have to be wise as serpents and pure as doves. 
It is through you that others are led to the light. 

Choose your weapons wisely before attacking the enemy. 

I strongly advise that you have a brother or sister team up with you in attacking the enemy.  

There is power in numbers as we all know. 

You are not a lone warrior in this battle. 

You have brothers and sisters who will help you. The angels themselves will be dispatched by the Father himself to strengthen you. 

Be wise!

As a brother in Christ, I have always sought confirmation from the Holy Spirit. 

Similarly with every message that I bring to the Body of Christ, I look for a confirmation to affirm that it is indeed true and correct. 

On the very day I chose to share this message with Tom Fischer & Ahava Sarah Fisher, the Lord blessed us all with a confirmation. This approach of winning a soul from the gay community to Christ is truly from the Lord. 

I will share the link with you to this very testimony given by Ahava Sarah herself. 

Follow this link -
http://ahavasarah.blogspot.com/2015/06/holy-spirit-is-always-right.html

In no way am I saying for you to compromise the truth. 

All I’m asking you to consider is that surely this is another way to win a soul to Christ. 

In reality, perhaps this is the approach we should be using at all times.

No judgement, no condemnation, only pure Love.

If you truly believe that the words I share with you today are from our Father and Lord, then I have one request from you.

Make this message go viral with all the brothers and sisters throughout the whole world, share it, don’t sit on it and hide it under a basket. 

Let the light shine!

I appreciate your time. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact me.

All Glory to our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

Your Brother in Christ,

Greg Layton

Forgive or you will not be forgiven

Lets take a look at the following scripture, 

Matthew Chapter 6:9 -15
Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done, as in Heaven so on Earth.
Give us bread for our needs from day to day.And forgive us our offences, as we have forgiven our offenders. And do not let us enter into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
For if you forgive men their faults, your Father in Heaven will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive even your faults.

Now lets take a look at one more verse.

Luke - Chapter 23:34 
And Jesus said, O Father , Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.
And they divided his garments and cast lots over them.

Forgiveness is the one thing that most of us truly have a difficult time doing. 

When someone offends us or brings harm to us or our family and friends we immediately tend to become angry or frustrated with that persons actions.

We make a note of it in our minds and say I will not accept this anymore, I will remember what this person has done to me.

 

Another example is when a spouse has an adulterous affair and because they broke our hearts. The first instinct we have is to seek divorce. I will not allow this person to inflict such pain upon me any longer. ( By the way, 50% of all marriages end in divorce.)

In the world of religion we have even greater examples of how my doctrine is this. This is right and you're wrong. Then we say, "NO, you are in the wrong! And from this day forth I will no longer be part of your life. "

Strife and division leads to unforgiveness in many areas of religion. I could go on and on with the many different examples of unforgiveness. Through it all we are told to forgive or we will not be forgiven. Even as Jesus hung on that cross he asked the father to forgive them.

As most of us know, we are told to follow all the commands of God and that by doing so we will become his children. He will here our prayers and answer them quickly. However, if we do not follow this one command in particular, our prayers will be unanswered due to an unforgiving heart.

This unforgiving heart does not show the true nature of God. It actually shows the true nature of the evil one. It is the evil one who truly causes this division and unforgiveness.

Our Father and Lord wants nothing more than to shower us with gifts and love unimaginable, an affection that knows no end. He's waiting for us to truly understand that true love endures all things, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and most important of all, truly forgives, for they know not what they do.

Seventy times seven, otherwise, you always forgive. 

I would encourage you to search your heart deeply and see if you truly are living a life of forgiveness towards all. If your prayers remain unanswered and your Christian life isn't going the way you think it should be, this one thing of unforgiveness could be the source of all your problems.

Forgive, or you will not be forgiven.

To me, this means forgiving everyone.

If you will truly forgive, Our Father and Lord will bless you with this great love he has for all. If your having a tough time forgiving.

Please feel free to contact me at any time and I will help you in prayer to overcome this unforgiveness.

My e-mail address is treedoc1@comcast.net

May our Father and Lord Jesus bless you all this very day.

Your brother and friend, 
Greg

Join us at LIVING TREES MINISTRY - Every Sun 9 am in Lancaster, PA

HOME CHURCH

Time: 9 am

Address: 267 BRENNEMAN RD

LANCASTER, PA 17603-9625

United States

Directions:

Take New Danville Pike to Brenneman Road

Go up Brenneman Road about 1/4 mile 

Turn left onto Locust Lane

Follow Locust Lane down to large shed on left

Take a left at shed

This will lead directly to the house.

Contact:

Gregory L. Layton

treedoc1@comcast.net

SOAR WITH THE EAGLE Radio Show - Episode 1 - LOVE THYSELF

Please click on the link below to hear the 1st episode titled LOVE THYSELF on Podomatic.

http://soarwiththeeagle.podomatic.com/entry/2015-04-19T17_41_35-07_00

Why am I here? The Truth

St. John – Chapter – 14-verse 7

Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life; no man

comes to my Father except by me.



How many times in life have you asked yourself that very question?

I for one have often wondered why I am here.



We’re born, we work, we have families and grow old and then we die.

Sometimes life is good and sometimes it’s not.

I remember nothing before I was born.

I only know that I am here for a short time and then I’m not.



However, that all changed the day I met Jesus.

Over the last 40 years I have come to know the real meaning of who I

am and why I’m still here, as well as where I’m going once I leave this Earth.

I have come to learn that Jesus is the only way.

I have learned that He is the only truth. 

I have learned that life is nothing without Him and only by Him is my life sustained.

I’m sure that you will all agree with this.

St. John – chapter 8-verse 23

And He said to them, You are from below, and I am from above: you are

of this world, but I am not of this world.

St John – chapter 15-verse 19

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but you are not

of the world for I have chosen you out of the world; this is why the world hates you.

St John – chapter – 17-verse 16

For they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

1) The first verse mentioned clearly shows that Jesus was speaking to the scribes and the Pharisees.

He relays that they were of this world while he was not.

2) The second verse shows very clearly that once Jesus chooses us, we are no longer of this world.

3) The third verse distinctly reaffirms that Jesus no longer considers us to be of this world.

Let’s tie this all together with the following verses.

This is part of a prayer that Jesus was praying to the Father.

St. John – Chapter 17 – verses 15 thru 18

What I request is not that thou shouldst take them out of the world,

but that thou shouldst protect them from evil. For they are not of the

world, just as I am not of this world. O Father, sanctify them in thy

truth, because thy word is truth. Just as thou didst send me into the

world, so I have sent them into the world.

To me, it’s very clear by these words of Jesus that He wishes us to be protected from evil.

He desires that we realize that we are not from this world.

That we become sanctified by the word, going out into the world as He did.

In a nutshell, the real reason I’m still here is because it's the Lord Jesus' wish.

And this is the request He has put forth to the Father.

Ok, so now that I know the real reason I’m still here, what’s next?

Let’s go to the following words of Jesus.

Matthew – chapter 9 – verses 36 thru 38

When Jesus saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because

they were tired and scattered, like sheep which have no shepherd. So

he said to his disciples, The harvest is great and the laborers are few;

Therefore urge the owner of the harvest to bring more laborers to His harvest.

This is the real reason why you and I are still here. We are the laborers.

It is our job to bring the truth and word of God to the world.

We are laborers in this great, white harvest.

Every single day, there are people dying without the priceless knowledge of Christ.

And yet another precious soul is lost to the enemy!

It’s time to wake up and really understand why you're still here.

Your life has been spared for a reason. It’s not about how many vacations you

take or what movies you saw last week that were really good and up for discussion. It’s not

about how great your last church service was or how much the Lord has blessed

you today. It’s not about how big your retirement fund is or how much

money you make.

You wake up each day, and you work each day. Life goes on...

However, if you’re a Christian, this is not how your life was designed to be.

Being in Christ, you are no longer considered a part of this world.

You are now a member of the Body of Christ.

It is thus your responsibility to find your position as a laborer

within this great harvest!

But first look around you ... How many people do you know that need to be saved?

You don’t have to look very far...

Family members, friends and coworkers abound.

Yet the numbers of people around us who remain unsaved are overwhelming.

Do you realize that if things remain as they are, they are simply going to be lost?

Do you realize that you have the capabilities within your reach to change all that?

Do you realize that when you stand before the Lord and Father,

you will be questioned on what you did while you were here on Earth?  

What will your answer be?

The truth is sobering.

Do I need to say more? Perhaps I should.

Luke – chapter 10 – verses 17 thru 19

So the seventy whom he had sent returned with great joy, and they

said to him, Our Lord, even the demons have submitted to us in your

name. He said to them, I saw Satan falling from Heaven like lightning.

Behold, I give you power to tread on snakes and scorpions, and

overcome the power of the enemy; and nothing shall harm you.

Mark – chapter 3 – verse 27

No man can enter into a strong man’s house and plunder his goods,

unless he first binds the strong man; and then he plunders his house.

You have been given power to overcome the enemy.

It’s all yours.

You need to step up to the harvest and do your job. How can you accomplish this ? By

spending a great amount of time in prayer. Let every day begin by going before the Lord.

Bind the strong man in the name of Jesus.

Every day as you pray for your family and friends and ask the Father to pour out his love and Holy

Spirit into your loved one's lives.

Ask the Father to put evidence in their lives of who Jesus really is.

Your prayer will result in the saving of cherished lives.

We are here for one reason only, to pray and lead others to the Lord

Jesus Christ. If you choose to only do this once a week, unfortunately your prayer

results will be next to nothing. Perhaps you will see a few saved over the passage of

time, but, how many more could be saved if you would only do this daily.

Why am I here? 

I do believe the truth is quite obvious.

Love, Brother Greg

How DEEP is your Love ?

Sexual predators
That is the topic of today’s message.

I have really struggled within myself, questioning if I should bring forth this topic.
After considerable prayer and thought, I have decided to go ahead and discuss it.

On one hand, it is an excruciatingly painful and heavy subject.
And on the other, it is one that has the capacity to reveal the immeasurable depths of our Father’s love.

If you have been the victim of a sexual predator or have a child that has been a victim, please proceed reading this with caution.

This message may trigger some deep emotions.

You may even be going through a very similar situation at the present time.
If you do decide to proceed, I urge you to please first pray that our Father and Lord fill you with love, wisdom and understanding.

Let's begin ...

Of all the sins that we have to deal with on a regular basis, the sin of sexual crimes and perversion seems perpetually at the forefront.

We are constantly bombarded by news reports of child molestation and rape.
Many of these individuals who commit this crime are likely those whom we may actually know.

Members of our families, teachers, clergy, coaches and even police.

No one is exempt!

While we are well aware that these are all treacherous crimes, the trespass that seems the worst is that of child molestation.
It is this breach that I wish to bring forth in this message.
Again I say to you, please, please, please do not read this message if you are a victim of this crime and are still in the process of dealing with this trauma.

CASE STUDY

The Victim – A seven year old girl.

As you arrive home after picking up your daughter from school.
You notice that she seems very withdrawn.
At the dinner table, you and your husband begin to question her.

“What’s wrong honey, you seem to be awfully quiet this evening?"

“Well, at school today, my teacher made me stay in class during recess while all the other kids went out to play. He said that he had something special he wanted to show me. After the other kids went out, he said to follow him. We went to a room that was kind of quiet and dark. When we got there he shut the door and said this is what I wanted to show you. Then after he showed me he said that I had to show him what I had as well. So I did as he asked because I was afraid of him. He then touched me and it hurt. I then started bleeding and began to cry. Then we left the room and went back to class. I’m upset and afraid because it still hurts mommy and daddy.”

The victims – Mom and Dad

The mother is shocked.

The father is outraged.

“How DARE he do this to my daughter?

I'M GOING TO KILL THIS MAN! ”

We immediately call the police and ask them to meet us at the hospital.
After close examination by the doctors, it is determined that the child was telling the truth.
The evidence is overwhelming.
The police immediately go to the teacher’s house and arrest him, the charge is rape and child molestation.
He is taken to jail.


The accused – Teacher

“This girl is lying, I did no such thing.

How could she accuse me of such a horrible thing?

I’m married and have children of my own; I would never commit this crime!

It’s a lie!”


The accused’s family – Wife and children

“No way would my husband do this.

He’s and upstanding man and pillar of this community. “

“My dad would never do this, how could he?”


The trial – Headline news: Found guilty

Yes we all shout, JUSTICE is served!

We don’t have to worry about this man anymore.

In fact he should have gotten more; even the death penalty would be deserved for this heinous crime!





SENTENCE – 10 to 20 years in the State penitentiary.

How many of us have been through this scenario?
I see this happening in the news constantly.



The victim –

Her life is changed forever.
This is a scar that will remain with her for the rest of her life.
We surround her with our love and prayers.
Her innocence is gone.

Our prayers go unanswered ...
She struggles everyday with this crime against her.





The parents -

They are very angry.
They also are full of fear.

They also feel they did not protect their daughter.

How did this person ever get into our schools?

They shelter their daughter the rest of her youth, never trusting again.

They question,

“How could you allow this to happen God?

We thought you loved us?"

Their anger consumes them, they are very happy this man is in jail, he got what he deserved.
As time goes on, the results of this man’s actions are with them every day.

They see it in their daughter, she has changed.

And they have changed.





The perpetrators family; the wife and children find it very difficult to live in this town after their father is convicted.
They have to move.
The children are constantly being ridiculed at school and shunned by the other children.
The wife can’t find a job because a shadow follows her.
Everyone knows who she is.

The children struggle everyday with the question,

“How could daddy do this?”

They refuse to visit their father in jail, they don’t understand and above all they are afraid.
The wife agrees with the children.

They never hear from him again.


The perpetrator -

“This first year in jail is horrible.
I’ve been beat up at least a dozen times.
The other inmates constantly torment me.
My family has abandoned me.
How could I have committed such a crime?
This pain is too much…
I deserve to die.
I think I’ll kill myself.

No, maybe I won’t …
I’ll just do my time, get out of here and never do such an awful thing again.

Life will get better.”





How deep is your Love?


Proverbs: Chapter 24 – Verses 17 and 18

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he is overthrown. Lest the Lord see it and it displeases him and he turns away his anger from him.

Ezekiel: Chapter 18 – Verse 23

I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, says the Lord God: but rather that he should return from his evil ways and live.


These three versus show us the compassion and depth of our Father’s Love for all his creation, even for Satan himself.

Allow me to explain.

As you can see from this horrible crime, everyone involved is a victim.

All these myriad of lives were destroyed and changed forever.

Yes, even the perpetrator of this crime is a victim.

The enemy did his job well. 
He destroyed all the lives of the people involved in this sin caused by this one man.
Satan put the thought into this man’s mind.
The man, in his lack of discipline, was consumed by the thought.
It became an obsession with him.
And he followed this thought through.

Meanwhile, Satan continues to seek out more lives that he can consume, like a roaring lion he walks about seeking whom he can devour.


                


It’s not easy sometimes to love those around us.

We learn to love as taught by the Lord.

Love our enemies.

Love our neighbors.

Forgive or you will not be forgiven.

God is Love.

Eventually, we will get it.





However, now I ask you –

“Do you have it in you to Love this man that committed this horrible crime?

How deep is your Love?”

The moment this man gets on his knees and asks for forgiveness by the Father, he is forgiven.
All the promises are extended to him as well.
Jesus came to save the world from its sin and destroy the works of the Devil.

This includes everyone!





Recently, I was in the presence of a child molester.
My thoughts around him were not good at all.
All I could think was “I don’t want this man anywhere near me or my family”.
Needless to say, The Holy Spirit said to me “Where’s this deep Love you profess you have”

Uh-oh – Guilty!
40 years I’ve been a Christian.
I’m sorry Lord, please forgive me.
Will I ever learn!
Yes I will!

The broader picture is very clear.
Satan is the destroyer. His job is to destroy.

The person who committed this crime is a sinner.
His father was Satan.
And I hold Satan responsible for this crime.
As a man or woman, we are consumed by our thoughts.
It then turns into fervent passion.
It’s all a question of who our Father is.

Our will to do good is overcome by the evil one.

As our Brother Paul said, I try to do good and I can’t.




Have you ever reached out to a child molester and tried to love them?

At the root, it’s not truly their fault that they committed this crime.
Their wicked father has deceived them, just as he deceived Adam and Eve.

Yet our Father corrected and eventually forgave Adam and Eve of the sin they committed, as He fully understood how deceitful Satan could be.

Are you ready to forgive the perpetrator of this crime?

Have you ever reached out to a child molester and tried to help them?

I haven’t.

Do I have the love required to reach out?
I didn’t the other day when I was in the presence of one.
So much for my deep love!

Help me Lord Jesus; I want to be just like you and my Father!




As Christians, the one thing we are NOT led to pray for is the salvation of Satan.
It’s too late for that, he has already been judged and condemned to the lake of fire for eternity.
Not only for him, but for all his army of fallen angels that are chained in darkness till that great day.

Our father created Satan and he takes no pleasure in the death of any sinner.
Satan is the first one to sin … as we all know.
The Father takes no pleasure in the death of Satan.

God is Love!
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls.
Rather get on your knees and beg for the deep love that our Father has for all his creation.
This love surpasses all understanding.
We’re called to love everyone.
It’s all about Love.

REACH DEEP my friends.

This Love is in you if you are truly a child of the Kingdom.

Remember the words of Jesus as he hung on that cross dying:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”




Jesus knew who was behind all the wretched evil that came against him. We need to realize this as well ... that it’s the enemy who is the true source of all evil that has been inflicted upon our Father's children.

He deceived us and will always attempt to deceive us.

There is no truth in him, for he is the destroyer.

He is a liar!



But Lord, I thank you Father for your son.

Thank you for loving us.

Thank you Jesus for you saved us.

All glory to you Father and Lord!


“Again, I say to you – How deep is your Love?"


Love,

Brother Greg