"THE
LIST"
AH YES, I REMEMBER IT WELL, AS THOUGH IT WAS YESTERDAY. IT WAS NINETEEN
SIXTY SOMETHING OR OTHER, AND A CO-WORKER NAMED JOE AND I DREAMED UP A SCHEME
TO "THROW INTO SHOCK" ANOTHER CO-WORKER NAMED RON. RON WAS RELATIVELY
NEW WITH THE COMPANY, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE BIG "LAY-OFF" WAS
IMMINENT.
ALL THE SUPERVISORS HAD TO WRITE ON "THE LIST" THOSE EMPLOYEES
WHO WERE EXPENDABLE, SO, WHEN IT CAME TIME TO REDUCE THE BUDGET, WHEN JUDGMENT
DAY ARRIVED, THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT WOULD INFORM THOSE ON "THE
LIST" IN EVERY DEPARTMENT IT WAS TIME FOR THEM TO GO!.
SO, NATURALLY, EVERY ONE DREADED "THE LIST", SO MUCH SO THAT
WE, MY BUDDY JOE AND I, RAN AROUND SHRIEKING "THE LIST, THE
LIST!!" WELL, WE GOT RON TO BELIEVE
HE MUST BE ON THIS DREADED LIST OF "WORTHLESS EMPLOYEES" BECAUSE
AFTER ALL, HE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND HE WAS PROBABLY JUST A
USELESS THROWAWAY! NOBODY NEEDED HIM!
SO, ONE OF US, I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER WHETHER IT WAS ME OR JOE, WENT
DOWNSTAIRS AND MADE THE FATEFUL PHONE CALL THAT DARK, DREARY FRIDAY MORNING.
EVERYBODY KNEW THAT TODAY WAS THE DAY "THE LIST" WOULD BE
"EXECUTED".
THE PHONE RINGS, RON PICKS IT UP, HIS FACE TURNED WHITE AS HE RECEIVED
THE HORRIBLE NEWS OF BEING FOUND ON THE ILL-FATED LIST, HIS ONLY RESPONSE WAS
SAID TO BE "OK", AND IF WE HADN'T CAUGHT HIM AS HE RUSHED HEADLONG
DOWN THE STEPS TOWARD THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, I'M SURE, THE OUTCOME OF THIS
STORY WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. RON WENT ON TO SERVE THE LORD IN THE PASTORATE,
GETTING SAVED LATER IN LIFE.
HOWEVER, THIS STORY OF "THE LIST" ILLUSTRATES THE DREAD WE AS
CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE, IF WE ARE FOUND ON THE DEVILS LONG LIST OF FOOLS. THE
LIST OF THOSE THAT HE HAS DECEIVED, DELUDED AND DESTROYED THROUGH THE AGES.
ALTHOUGH RON WAS FOOLED THAT DAY, FALLING FOR A "HARMLESS"
PRANK, I'M SURE THE DEVIL AND HIS DEMONIC FORCES ARE NOT SO EASY ON HIM TODAY,
SHOULD THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR
WICKED DEVICES. THIS INCIDENT IN RON'S HISTORY IS CERTAINLY AN INSIGNIFICANT
EVENT IN HIS LIFE STORY, BUT I'M SURE HE REMEMBERS IT JUST THE SAME. IN HIS
MIND, THAT DAY, HIS WHOLE FUTURE, AND HIS SECURITY WAS THREATENED FOR JUST THAT
SMALL MOMENT IN TIME.
BUT, IT IS CERTAIN THE DEVIL HAS A HISTORY ON ALL OF US, EVEN YOU! YES
HE HAS US ON ONE OF HIS LISTS. WHICH ONE ARE YOU ON? DID YOU KNOW, HE CAN TELL
BY YOUR OUTWARD ACTIONS,WHAT IS GOING ON INWARDLY IN YOUR SOUL?
HE KNOWS YOUR FAVORITE SINS! HE
KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO CAUSE YOU TO FALL BY BRINGING UP THE RECORD ON YOUR LAST
FALL! AND, HE IS "RIGHT NOW" PLANNING A TRAP TO BRING YOU DOWN,
PROVIDING YOU ARE STILL STANDING "RIGHT NOW" IN THE LORD!
THE DEVIL CAN TELL BY LOOKING AT MY FACE WHEN I LEAN BACK AND TAKE A SIP
OF MY COFFEE, AND EXAMINE MY WORK, WHETHER (PRIDE) THE FLESH, IS IN CHARGE.
WHETHER I AM DOING IT JUST FOR THE TEMPORARY GLORY OF WOLF, OR WHETHER MY FACE
IS REFLECTING THE GLORY OF MY HUMBLE SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
OH, I KNOW THE DEVIL IS NOT OMNIPRESENT OR OMNIPOTENT, OR ANY OF THE
OTHER OMNIS, ONLY OUR GOD HAS THAT KIND OF POWER! BUT, THE DEVIL HAS SEEN THAT LOOK OF SELF
SATISFACTION ON YOUR FACE, THAT CHEST PUFFING SMIRK THAT SAYS "THIS'LL
REALLY WOW THE TROOPS" INSTEAD OF THE LOOK OF OUR SAVIOR'S HUMILITY.
THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE ACROSS THE FACE OF EVERY BELIEVER WHO HAS
EXPERIENCED HIS MARVELOUS GRACE OF SALVATION! BUT, LET'S BE REALISTIC, WE ALL
FALL FROM HIS GRACE AND SOME OF THESE FALLS ARE ORCHESTRATED BY THE DEVIL
HIMSELF!
HE CAN TELL WHO'S IN CHARGE IN YOUR LIFE, WHETHER IT BE SELF, SATAN, OR
THE SAVIOR. AND, IF YOU SPEND QUALITY TIME AT THE THRONE OF GRACE YOU WILL BE ON
THE DEVIL'S HIT LIST! COUNT ON IT! HE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE! HE CAN TELL HOW YOU
FIT INTO GOD'S PROGRAM OF THE AGES BY HOW MUCH QUALITY THRONE TIME YOU SPEND
(PSALM 65:4) AND HOW MUCH PROTECTION (I.E. GOD'S WORKING) YOU RECEIVE (MATTHEW
4:11).
DON'T BE FOOLED! WE HAVE AN
ADVERSARY THAT IS SUPER-SLICK IN UTILIZING ALL THAT HE CAN TO DAMN THE SOULS OF
MEN, AND IF WE DON'T SPEND QUALITY TIME AT THE THRONE OF GRACE, CONSULTING WITH
OUR LORD, WALKING IN HIS WAYS, WINNING SOULS FOR JESUS, WE WILL JUST BE ANOTHER
VICTIM CHALKED UP ON SATAN'S HIT LIST OF FOOLS!
HE ALSO HAS A SHORT LIST. INCLUDED ARE THOSE WHO ARE SET IN THEIR SOULS
TO SERVE THE LORD OF LORDS, REGARDLESS! HIGH ON THIS LIST NEXT TO THOSE WHO WIN
SOULS FOR JESUS, ARE THE WIVES AND CHILDREN OF THESE SERVANTS OF GOD. THESE ARE
THOSE WHO ALSO PUT SOULS ON THEIR LIST AS #1 PRIORITY! NOT ONLY WINNING THEM,
BUT MINISTERING TO GOD'S PEOPLE AND THEIR COUNTLESS SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL
NEEDS.
IF THE "DUST BEGINS TO FLY" AROUND YOUR FAMILY, AND
"SHRAPNEL WOUNDS" ARE EVIDENT, IT IS PROBABLY THE WORK OF SATAN AND
HIS EMISSARIES, PROVIDING YOU ARE SPENDING QUALITY TIME AT THE THRONE OF THE
LORD, WINNING SOULS FOR THE LORD,DOING HIS WILL!
IF NOT, YOU MIGHT BE SUFFERING FROM "SELF INFLICTED GUNSHOT
WOUNDS", NOT TO BE BLAMED ON THE ADVERSARY, FOR HE DOESN'T BOTHER WITH
THOSE ON THE LONG LIST OF ETERNITY'S FOOLS THAT HAVE SUFFERED COUNTLESS
INFLICTIONS OF THEIR OWN, ALL FOR THE
GLORY OF SELF!
ALTHOUGH MUCH OF WHAT IS EXPERIENCED IS SELF INFLICTED, THIS SELF
INFLICTION BY THE FLESH ONLY OPENS UP THE DOOR FOR SATAN'S FURTHER WORK, IF IT
IS DEEMED NECESSARY. THIS SELFISH ACTION INVITES THE DEVIL IN TO TAKE PART IN
THE EVENTUAL DESTRUCTION OF THE SOUL.
IN THE PROCESS, HE CAN CONTROL YOUR LIFE, THROUGH HIS INFLUENTIAL
TACTICS.THOSE TACTICS HE SEEMS TO RESERVE FOR ONLY THE LORD'S FINEST SOLDIERS,
GOD'S MOST DETERMINED AND DEVOTED SERVANTS. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO SPEND MUCH QUALITY TIME BEFORE THE THRONE! YOU MUST NOTICE, I DID NOT SAY INDWELL OR
POSSESS YOUR LIFE.
THE HOLY SPIRIT PERMANENTLY INDWELLS THE BELIEVER. BUT, AS ONE PREACHER
HAS SAID "WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF THE ONE DRIVING REACHES IN THE WINDOW,
GRABS THE STEERING WHEEL, AND TURNS THE CAR WHEREVER HE WANTS. EVEN IF HE IS
NOT IN THE CAR, HE SURELY IS CONTROLLING WHERE IT GOES"! IS THIS NOT THE KEY WORD, CONTROL? JUST WHO
IS IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE?
SPEAKING OF LIVES, LET US BRIEFLY EXAMINE THE LIFE OF ONE WHO WAS CERTAINLY ON THE DEVIL'S SHORT
LIST SO MANY YEARS AGO. KING SAUL WAS HIS NAME AND IF HIS LIFE IS EXAMINED
THOROUGHLY, IT CAN BE PROVEN, THAT HE, IN THE BEGINNING, SHOWED A LOT OF "PROMISE".
HIS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE WAS ALSO "LEADER-LIKE"AS HE WAS
"HIGHER THAN ANY OF THE PEOPLE ". IT SEEMS WE ALWAYS HAVE A SMALL
"NAPOLEON-LIKE" SHORT MAN, OR A "SAUL-LIKE" TALL MAN AT THE
HELM IN MANY OF THE WORLD'S DISTRESSFUL HISTORIC INSTANCES. WHERE ARE THE
"AVERAGE-LIKE" MEN WHEN WE NEED THEM?
ALL HUMOR ASIDE, GOD DID ALLOW SAUL TO BE PUT INTO THE POSITION OF
"CAPTAIN "OR CHIEF OVER HIS PEOPLE. HE WAS GOD'S AUTHORITY FIGURE,
THE FIRST KING OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, A FACT THAT ALSO MADE HIM A
PRIME TARGET FOR THE ADVERSARY.
COULD IT BE THAT OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT'S SATAN-LIKE CONDUCT IS THE
RESULT OF SATAN'S RELENTLESS ATTACK
ON AUTHORITY FIGURES? MAYBE, EVEN
THOUGH MANY OF THE WORLD'S AUTHORITY FIGURES SEEM TO DO "PRETTY GOOD"
WITHOUT THE DEVIL'S WICKED INFLUENCE.
BUT, IN THE CASE OF SAUL, THE DEVIL'S INFLUENCE WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT.
EVEN THOUGH HE COMMITTED PHYSICAL SUICIDE, HIS "SPIRITUAL SUICIDE"
CAME FIRST, AS IT ALWAYS DOES, BEFORE HE ENDED HIS OWN LIFE. THIS "SPIRITUAL
SUICIDE" IS PLAIN TO SEE IN THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT.
HIS SAD STORY BEGINS IN I SAMUEL 9.
WITHOUT GETTING INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS HAPLESS, SOMEWHAT HOPELESS
MAN, IT CAN BE VERIFIED THROUGH HIS LENGTHY BIBLICAL BIOGRAPHY, THAT HE HAD A
PROMISING START. HE WAS:
1. ANOINTED BY GOD
2. GIVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT
3. GIVEN ANOTHER HEART
4. HUMBLE IN HIS EARLY YEARS.
BUT LATER HE DID ALLOW THESE TWO SINS OF OMISSION TO BRING HIM TO RUIN:
1. DID NOT KEEP THE COMMANDMENT OF THE
LORD
2. REJECTED THE WORD.
THESE TWO SERIOUS SINS OF
OMISSION CONCERNING THE WORD OF GOD LED HIM TO LOSE HIS ABILITY TO THINK
RATIONALLY, HE THEN BECAME WILDLY IRRATIONAL TRYING TO KILL DAVID AND THEN HIS OWN SON. HE BRUTALLY HAD 85 OF GOD'S
PRIESTS MURDERED, CONSULTED WITH THE WITCH OF ENDOR, AND FINALLY COMMITTED PHYSICAL SUICIDE!
THE GORY DETAILS OF HIS SUICIDE ARE RECORDED IN I SAMUEL 31,
WHERE THE SCRIPTURE STATES: "THEREFORE
SAUL TOOK A SWORD, AND FELL UPON IT" (I SAMUEL 31:4). THIS FINAL
CHAPTER IN THE LIFE OF SAUL SHOWS HE WAS NOT ONLY A MAN SINGLED OUT BY GOD, BUT
HE WAS ALSO ON THE DEVIL'S SHORT LIST, SINGLED OUT TO BE AN ILLUSTRATION OF
SATAN'S CROWNING WORK, THE PHYSICAL SUICIDE COMMITTED BY ONE OF GOD'S OWN!
WHAT A DARK, DREADFUL MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL! SAUL'S
DOWNWARD PATH HAS BEEN TRODDEN BY MANY DISCOURAGED, DEFEATED, DISILLUSIONED,
AND, YES, DESPERATE CHRISTIANS, WHO LIKE SAUL TOOK SATAN'S FINAL INVITATION TO
END THEIR LIVES.
THANK GOD FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS DEFEATED THE DEVIL,
DEFEATED ALL HIS DISCOURAGING PLOTS, DESTROYED THE DESTROYER HIMSELF, AND
OFFERS US THE GLORIOUS VICTORY OVER DEATH AND HELL!
WHAT ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU ON GOD'S SHORT LIST OF SOLDIERS OF THE
CROSS? ARE YOU CONSUMING HIS WORD,
FORTIFYING YOUR SOUL, AND NOT OMITTING THE WORD FROM YOUR LIFE? ARE YOU
RECEIVING AND NOT REJECTING THE WORD?
ARE YOU MEMORIZING AND MEDITATING ON THIS PRECIOUS WORD? REMEMBER,
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO SPIRITUAL SUCCESS! THE ONLY WAY TO VICTORY OVER THE
DEVIL (I JOHN 2:14) ! ARE YOU FULFILLING YOUR PRIMARY
CALLING AS A PRIEST UNTO GOD? SPENDING QUALITY TIME AT THE THRONE?
ARE YOU RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE KING OF HEAVEN FOR YOUR MOMENT
BY MOMENT BATTLES WITH THE ADVERSARY OF YOUR SOUL? IF NOT YOU COULD BE ON
SATAN'S LONG LIST OF FOOLS, INSTEAD OF GOD'S SHORT LIST OF SOLDIERS WHO ARE
WILLING, AT ANY COST, TO DO BATTLE FOR HIS GREAT CAUSE!
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