Theotokos means Mother of God. It, like "Trinity", does not appear in Scripture. The appropriateness of its use was affirmed by the Church at the Council of Ephesus in 431, although it was in popular use before this time.
Yeah, it's Monday ... but it's still a day the Lord has made!
| Monday, February 4, 2002 | ||
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Many ancient cultures believed unquestioningly in demons. They were said to dwell in dark, desolate places such as woods, deserts, and tombs like those where Jesus encountered a man suffering greatly under demonic influence.This was quite a dramatic meeting, which we might be too eager to ascribe to ancient legend. But what about today? Can we recognize the influence of the devil in our own time? Do we look only for the dramatic, and when we fail to find it, claim that there is no devil? If so, we risk missing his subtle ways of acting.
This is exactly what the devil wants! He knows that if we deny his existence he has free rein, because we won't bother to use our God-given authority over him. As a result, we will remain in bondage to sin, mental torment, and weaknesses.
While we can't use the devil as an excuse for every problem we face, it is important to recognize the subtle ways in which he tries to sway our minds. For example, have you ever found yourself dwelling excessively on a situation--worrying uncontrollably about your children, persistently doubting God's forgiveness of confessed sins, or baselessly suspecting another person's motives? What about flashbacks to unhappy events or past hurts? Such things can be works of the evil one who seeks to rob us of our joy, peace, hope, and faith.
Most of us won't struggle to the degree that we'll end up gashing ourselves with stones, but we can all identify with tormenting thoughts. Let's fight them by placing our confidence in Jesus. He is far more powerful than the devil (1 John 4:4). Liberation will come as we claim his protection and forgiveness for whatever sins have made us vulnerable to attack. Then as we recognize the devil's lies, we can refuse and ignore them. Jesus has won the victory, and in him we can truly be free.
"Jesus, I run to the protection of your precious blood. Moment by moment, continue to work in me all that your great love accomplished for me on the cross."
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Have a great day, everyone!
AC