Satan’s Thinking Traps for Relationships…Feb. 15th

Waterview church of Christ is excited to host the 2nd Annual Marriage Enrichment Seminar; One Man, One Woman, For Life. This year we are proud to welcome one of the outstanding professors from Harding University, Joe BrumfieldDr. Joe Brumfield. His topic Sunday morning will examine some of the ‘thinking traps’ Satan has set in an attempt to derail our marriages.

And since we are daily bombarded by a culture that embraces anything but “One Man, One Woman, For Life,” we must be all the more diligent to hold fast to God’s plan for marriage. We say we value strong marriages, but are we preparing for Satan’s attacks on our relationships. Are we on the alert for the snares the devil has laid out?  Sunday morning we’ll examine some of “Satan’s Thinking Traps for Relationships.”


“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.”
I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, February 15, 2015

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

Strong tower“The Lilly of the Valley” – 548

A spiritual song that has been in our hymnals since the late 1800’s. Perhaps we sing these old songs without much thought, but notice what we’ll say in the second verse; “…in temptation He’s my strong and might tower (Proverbs 18:10); I have all for Him forsaken and all my idols tore from my heart, and now He keeps me by His power. (Now notice this…) Tho’ all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore, through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal…” When we realize our strength comes from God, and when we rip the ‘idols’ from our life, we are heaven bound regardless of the traps Satan sets for us. But we’ll only make it ‘through the blood of Jesus Christ!’

 

“Great Are You Lord” – no book

A simple but clear proclamation we sing in this contemporary hymn,“Holy Lord, Most Holy Lord. You alone are worthy of my praise! Holy and true…Great are You, Lord!”

“In Memory of the Savior’s Love” – 335

Remembering our Savior’s sacrifice we also remember His commandment; “This is My body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” I Corinthians 11:24 and “This is cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” I Corinthians 11:25. So we sing together…“In memory of the Savior’s love we keep the sacred feast…”

“Lead Me Gently Home, Father”823father and son

While the collection plate is being passed we’re reminded that this world is temporary. As a matter of fact, as we face ‘life’s toils,’ ‘life’s darkest hours,’ and ‘sore trials’ we have hope in knowing that our Father is leading us gently home. Only never forget; “Be Thou near to keep me, take me as Thine own, for I cannot live without Thee…Lead me gently home.”

“None of Self, And All of Thee” – 695

Before our lesson this morning, and as we consider the traps Satan has laid out, we must never forget his attempt to distract us with our greatest struggle…self. This spiritual song takes us from self worship to Godly worship. Sadly, too many of us would stop after verse 2 or 3. But without completing this song with verse four…we rest comfortably in Satan’s snare.

“Purer in Heart” – 671

Perhaps this wouldn’t classify as your typical invitation song, but notice the message; “Purer in heart, O God, help me to be…”  That’s the opening line, the initial statement from each of the verses we’ll sing this morning. And the the message contained in the last verse is clear; “Keep me from secret sin, reign Thou my soul within…” Will we admit, do we truly believe, that there is secret sin in our life? When we do, we’re on our way to recognizing and overcoming, through Christ, Satan’s traps.

“When Morning Comes” – 985

I like how this closing song starts off; “Trials dark on every hand and we cannot understand all the ways that God will lead us to His blessed promised land…” But perhaps more fitting is the reminder that we will understand it better soon (by and by). And just to get one more push for our message this morning, we’ll sing the 3rd verse too; “Temptations, hidden snares, often take us unawares…” Husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, be prepared for Satan’s Thinking Traps for your Relationship. With Christ to guide us, with our Christian brothers and sisters to encourage us and with God to lead us…we will understand it better by and by!