April 17, 2024 • 31 mins
Could the devil truly compel us to act against our better judgment? Our latest exploration dives into the murky depths of spiritual warfare and personal accountability. Join us as we challenge the all-too-convenient excuse "the devil made me do it," unearthing the scriptural truths nestled within 1 Peter 5:8-9. There's a battle being fought for our souls, and it's not without its strategies for those willing to listen—strategies that involve discernment in our media consumption and the company we keep. As we navigate the complexities of a society often at odds with faith, we extend a hand to fellow believers, especially Gen Xers and Millennials, to remain anchored in their convictions amidst the tumultuous sea of cultural shifts.
Tolerance isn't just a buzzword—it's a battleground where the lines between acceptance and agreement are increasingly blurred. In this episode, we scrutinize the evolving definitions of this term and how they clash with Christian doctrine. Is it possible to be a follower of Christ and still practice true tolerance in today's world? We unpack the paradoxes and pressures faced by the faithful, advocating for a response that is steeped in love and grace without sacrificing the tenets of our belief. It's a call to arms, not of weaponry, but of unwavering faith and love, as we address the skepticism and critiques aimed at Christianity in the modern era.
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Thank You. I Love You!
SEE YA!
Rick
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Coming up on Renewed Mindsets.
Join me today as I talk aboutthe age-old struggle of
resisting Satan and navigating aworld where tolerance often
blurs the lines of acceptance.
Join me as I explore thestrategies to combat evil
(00:22):
influences while maintainingintegrity in a society that
values tolerance aboveeverything else.
This is going to be a good one.
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, where we study the
(00:43):
basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
experiences.
I'm Rick.
Welcome to the show where Ihelp you, gen Xers and
Millennials, navigatespiritually through a world that
looks nothing like we expectedback when cars were square and
mullets were totally awesome.
I am so glad you're here.
(01:04):
You know, I just love Google.
Sometimes I don't know how weoperated in a world without
useless information being ableto be found in seconds with the
Internet.
I was talking with someone onthe telephone and we were
talking about the devil and thatperson said the devil made me
(01:26):
do it and it made me think.
I grew up hearing that phrase.
Where did that come from?
So I hit Google with it andit's really strange that,
according to Google, they use anNgram graph and they look
through media over the years,through the past, to track words
(01:50):
and phrases and that phrase thedevil made me do it took off
around 1970.
Now, since this is a Gen X show, I was alive in 1970.
I was two, that was the year Iturned three.
But I still remember certainthings and that's about when I
remember it.
When I was two, that was theyear I turned three, but I still
remember certain things andthat's about when I remember it,
when I was a little kid.
What it was was Flip Wilson.
(02:13):
Y'all remember him.
Comedian Was on that show,laugh-in.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You said, it's much more difficult for the devil to
get a woman to do somethingwrong than it is a guy.
It's a big no problem to get aguy to do something wrong than
it is a guy.
It's a big no problem to get aguy to do something wrong.
They're just standing aroundwaiting for the devil to tell
them what to do.
As soon as the devil comes upwith one devil say I got one All
the fellas start yelling I'lldo it, devil, I'll do it.
You know.
(02:40):
And he was telling me howrelentless the fight against the
devil has to be.
Rev said the devil doesn'tsleep, the devil don't sleep.
While we were asleep, the devilwas working on his notes.
So when we wake up in themorning, the devil said here's
your schedule.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
And this is why you listen to Renewed Mindsets,
because where else are you goingto hear a laugh-in outtake from
Flip Wilson today on a podcastand one of his skits?
One of the things that he saidall the time was the devil made
me do it and that's where itoriginated, or so Google says,
(03:16):
because it started taking offaround 1970.
So we have grown up as Gen Xerswith the devil made me do it as
part of our I don't know what'sthe word lexicon, picking fancy
ones here today.
So I get in the Bible 1 Peter5.8.
Peter warns the church abouttheir adversary, the devil, and
(03:41):
he says that he roams aroundlike a roaring lion searching
for someone to devour.
And then in verse 9 he saysresist him.
Is peter serious?
Can you imagine resisting a 350pound cat with four inch teeth
that can bite with a force of650 pounds per square inch?
(04:02):
Now, to put that in context, ahuman's bite force is about 150
pounds per square inch.
Now, to put that in context, ahuman's bite force is about 150
pounds per square inch.
So initially the idea ofresisting the devil, resisting
Satan, seems absurd, because onour own we're even less capable
of resisting Satan than Eve wasin the garden.
With our own strength we wouldwillingly carry out Satan's work
(04:26):
, just like Judas did, acting asobedient children to a wicked
father.
But God appointed a Savior whowould crush the head of the
serpent.
When Jesus was on earth, heplundered Satan's house Matthew
12, 29, declaring the arrival ofhis kingdom in verse 28,.
(04:46):
The disciples that Jesus sentout discovered the demons, were
subject to them in his name, andJesus told them I saw Satan
fall like lightning from heaven.
Look, I have given youauthority over the power of the
enemy.
Luke 10, 17 through 19.
The apostle John saw an angelcoming down from heaven holding
(05:10):
the key to a bottomless pit anda great chain.
He seized the dragon, thatancient serpent who's the devil
and Satan, and bound him for athousand years.
That's Revelation 20, 1 and 2.
And it prevented him from fullydeceiving the nations.
So how can we resist that?
(05:31):
The devil still prowls anddevours, but he's fighting a
losing battle.
Believers are right to expectthat God of peace will soon
crush Satan under their feet.
Romans 16.20.
When believers are united withJesus, they're stronger than
Satan.
(05:51):
Yet Peter still instructs us toresist the devil.
How do we do that?
I got a few ways.
First, renounce the devil.
Just renounce him During yourbaptism.
Christian baptism symbolizes atransition from death to light,
a death to life, darkness tolight and from being under
(06:16):
Satan's authority to be unitedwith Christ.
Renouncing the devil means tono longer recognize or abide by
his authority, which is who wewere an authority to until we
became Christians.
It's a proclamation ofemancipation, a revolutionary
act.
It's a declaration of war andthe beginning of a lifelong
(06:40):
resistance.
The second thing is we can'tgive the devil any opportunity.
Ephesians 4.27,.
The devil loves chances toestablish himself and to gain
more ground.
You need to identify and closeany doors that the devil might
(07:02):
use to gain closer access towhat's most important to you,
the things that you watch, thethings that you listen to, the
people you hang with your speech.
We were brought up thinkingthat those things don't affect
us.
But the devil's in all themusic, the devil's in every
movie and TV show.
Just watch it and tell me it'snot Every time we subject
(07:26):
ourselves to an outsideinfluence like that.
We're opening a door to let thedevil in and even though he
might just stick a toe in thenext time he's going to stick
another toe in.
Eventually he's going to be in.
We need to prioritize thewearing of the full armor of God
(07:46):
.
That's from Ephesians, chapter6, 10 through 20.
It says Stand your ground,putting on the belt of truth and
the body armor of God'srighteousness For shoes.
Put on the peace that comesfrom the good news that you
should be fully prepared.
In addition to all of these,hold up the shield of faith to
(08:06):
stop the fiery arrows of thedevil.
Put on salvation as your helmetand take up the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God.
The devil is cunning andscheming.
To stand against him, you haveto put on God's defensive and
offensive provisions.
We need to be vigilant and weneed to be alert.
(08:30):
1 Peter 5.8,.
The devil finds it easier towork in the hearts and homes
that are spiritually casual.
We are way too casual when itcomes to God these days.
When it comes to God these days, god's not our buddy.
God is the creator of theuniverse.
(08:51):
He needs our respect and ourawe and, yes, our fear, not to
fear him because he's mean andevil, but fear his wrath by not
living in obedience,no-transcript attending church
regularly, to the point where itfeels strange to be absent from
(09:13):
church.
That's the point you need toget to.
Well, I have a life and I don'twant to spend all my time at
church.
Well, what do you think we'rehere for?
If you call yourself a child ofGod, then you know the
importance of that.
There's nothing wrong withbaseball games.
There's nothing wrong withwatching TV.
There's nothing wrong withbaseball games.
(09:33):
There's nothing wrong withwatching TV.
There's nothing wrong withgoing to the movies, as long as
you're watching things that arenot purposely going against God.
But when your whole life isabout doing things and pleasing
yourself and going to church asa chore, you're either not a
(09:54):
Christian or you're at the wrongchurch.
I know that sounds a bit harsh.
I've lived that life.
I've been on staff as a youthpastor and found myself at times
wishing that I was somewhereelse doing something else.
(10:17):
Now I can't imagine.
I had to work out of town lastweek and missed Wednesday night
service and it was horrible.
I just wanted to be with myfamily at church.
I wanted to be worshiping Godin his house.
(10:38):
It's just a mindset, people.
That's why we're here listeningto renewed mindsets.
The next way we can use toresist the devil is to immerse
yourself in the Bible.
Our houses are so full of media.
We have TV, we have radio, wehave streaming music on our
(11:01):
phones, we have social mediaTikToks, facebook, instagram.
We are overloaded with media.
But you have something else inthe house which is called a
Bible.
It's probably the mostimportant piece of media that
you own and probablystatistically the least used
(11:33):
piece of media in your home.
1 Peter 2.2.
Read it, believe it, memorizeit and discuss it.
We need to pray against theworks of Satan.
Jude 1.9.
Martin Luther, advised us, saidSince we are too weak against
the devil and all his forcesthat stand against us, our only
course of action on earth is topray ceaselessly against this
ultimate enemy.
Praying is so important.
(11:56):
It should become somethingthat's not specifically set
aside for you to do, but youshould get to the point where
you're in constant prayer withGod.
Get in the habit of doing itwith God.
(12:19):
Get in the habit of doing it.
Make it a point to findsomething in nature.
If you drive for a living, whatI did is I drive a lot.
I don't drive for a living, butI'm in my vehicle a lot and I
like to see the trees changecolors.
I like to see them get full inthe summer and turn green, and
then, as the leaves start, Inoticed the trees.
So I found myself making it apoint, when I see trees, to talk
(12:41):
to God.
Lord, thank you for such abeautiful creation that you've
made.
At first it was just talkingabout trees, but eventually that
opened it up to where I'mconstantly talking to God about
things, thanking him for hiscreation, talking to him about
my life, praying for otherpeople.
It's not that I do this 24hours a day.
(13:02):
I'm still failing at prayer,but I pray a lot more than I
used to and I could see thebenefits of it, because part of
prayer is listening and I'veheard God speak so many times
where I never heard it before.
Start your prayer life, it'snever too late.
Next thing believe that Jesusis greater.
(13:26):
At the cross, christ defeatedSatan.
Hebrews 2.14.
Believers overcome him by theblood of the Lamb that was shed
on Calvary.
Revelation 12.11.
These were just a fewsuggestions.
There's eight of them if you goback.
(13:47):
Didn't really get into a lot ofdetail, just kind of want to
throw some stuff out.
If you want to know any moreabout it, you can always contact
me at our website there's acontact form, or you can email
me at rick at renewedmindsetscom.
But we need to be encouraged.
James assures us that the devilwill flee from those who resist
(14:09):
him.
That's James 4.7.
Will flee from those who resisthim.
That's James 4, 7.
Welcome to Wisdom for the Day,the podcast where we unpack the
timeless wisdom of the book ofProverbs, one bite-sized nugget
at a time.
Join us daily as we journeythrough this ancient treasure
trove of insight, offeringpractical wisdom for modern
(14:31):
living.
Get ready to start your daywith clarity, purpose and a
deeper understanding of life'sgreatest lessons.
This is Wisdom for the Day,your daily dose of Proverbs
wisdom.
Find us at wisdomforthedayorg.
One of the ways that the devilgets to us that we need to
(14:53):
resist is in society, and one ofthe big ones today is there's
so much division in right andwrong, in classic definitions of
what is right and what is wrong.
What is truth?
What is a lie?
What is a man?
What is a woman?
What is marriage?
What is wrong?
(15:13):
What is truth?
What is a lie?
What is a man?
What is a woman?
What is marriage?
What is not marriage?
And vice versa.
It brings us to tolerance.
The biggest separation betweenChristians and non-believers is
tolerance.
As Christians, we know that wemust tolerate.
It's such a harsh word andwe're going to discuss it here
in a minute with actualdefinitions but we must tolerate
(15:37):
those who don't have the sameviewpoint, and we should do it
in love, because we were all inthat position at one time and
did not know the truth.
So we have to give grace, butwe have to resist the devil
because he has gotten so slythat now the opposition, who in
(15:59):
the past used to know that theirsin was sin, but just wanted to
continue playing in it.
But there was a reverence and arespect for God.
But that is no longer the case.
People now, just like in thedays of Noah, are flaunting
(16:21):
their sin.
They're laughing in the face ofGod.
It's become perverted, it'sbecome sickening.
The definition of tolerance hasactually changed in our
lifetime, so let's discuss that.
Can the Bible foster a tolerantsociety?
(16:42):
Now?
Some argue its emphasis on loveand mercy and compassion, like
the Good Samaritan tale andJesus' teaching, supports
tolerance beyond mere acceptance.
Jesus' teaching supportstolerance beyond mere acceptance
.
But there's other people whosepoint of view shows us instances
like the conquest of Canaan andJesus' warnings about hell as
(17:03):
evidence of intolerance.
So how can the Bible promote orprevent tolerance?
I think the question we need toask is is Christianity
intolerant?
Now there is increasingskepticism and criticism towards
Christianity in today's cultureand in these situations, the
(17:23):
concept of religious toleranceoften arises and is discussed.
Christians are frequentlylabeled as intolerant,
especially when judged based ona new definition of tolerance
that's emerged in our societythese days.
Now how are we supposed torespond when people accuse us of
intolerance?
It's simply because we choosenot to embrace certain values or
(17:47):
behaviors.
Well, first we have to definewhat tolerance is.
So I looked atyourdictionarycom.
Tolerance is defined as theability to accept or embrace
views, beliefs, practices etc.
Of others that differ fromone's own.
Tolerate something as stated bythe same source means to
(18:20):
recognize and respect others'beliefs and practices without
necessarily agreeing with them.
So, as defined by thedictionary, to tolerate is to
put up with or endure something.
Did you notice something here?
In order for tolerance to existand to be demonstrated, several
factors are necessary.
So let's examine theprerequisites for tolerance.
(18:42):
First, you have to have two ormore individuals, and they must
coexist.
Two these individuals need tohold diverging views, beliefs or
practices, meaning theydisagree.
And three, despite notembracing each other's beliefs,
these individuals mustpeacefully coexist without
(19:02):
eliminating one another.
Now, under this traditionalperspective, tolerance requires
disagreement.
Without disagreement, tolerancerequires disagreement.
Without disagreement, tolerancebecomes impossible.
Now let's consider the newdefinition of tolerance that's
gained acceptance in our newsociety, and you know what that
(19:25):
is.
You got to notice the shift indefinitions, the concept and the
word acceptance has been addedto the definition in a way that
subtly alters the classicdefinition.
This new perspective suggeststhat we must not only endure
each other in the context of ourdisagreements, but also accept
(19:47):
and embrace each other'sworldviews as equally valuable
and true.
The current definition oftolerance would sound something
like this the act of recognizingand accepting the equal
validity and value of all views,beliefs and actions.
That's wrong.
(20:10):
We need to highlight theself-defeating nature of this
new definition.
This new definition of tolerancefails to meet its own standards
.
What if I hold in practice thebelief that all views and
beliefs and actions are notequally valid and valuable?
(20:30):
Can the new, corrupteddefinition of tolerance tolerate
my position?
No, clearly.
My position would have to beeradicated for the new,
corrupted definition oftolerance to hold true.
Corrupted definition oftolerance to hold true.
But rejecting my view entirelywould simultaneously reject the
(20:53):
new definition itself.
The corrupted.
This new corrupted view oftolerance can't withstand the
weight of its own standards.
The world currently embraces anillogical, unsustainable and
self-refuting view of tolerance,and it's our responsibility as
(21:18):
Christians to help people thinkclearly about the topic of
tolerance, while continuing tolove and tolerate their opposing
views using the classic senseof tolerance.
Sense of tolerance in videoform, with the same information
(21:53):
and fun and humor as you've cometo expect from renewed mindsets
.
But now you can look at me andlaugh.
I don't know if that's good ornot.
It's available atrenewedmindsetscom or at youtube
.
Just search for the channelRenewed Mindsets TV, just like
and subscribe to be notifiedwhen new videos are uploaded.
(22:13):
That's Renewed Mindsets TV, seeya.
Well, that's all for this week'sshow.
You know, the name of this showspeaks my hope for you.
It's taken from the words ofRomans, chapter 12, verse 2.
(22:35):
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
If you enjoyed what you heard,do me a favor, please, and tell
(22:56):
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Send them a link in a text youknow.
You may even need to downloadit to their phone and show them
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Visit renewedmindsetscom tohear past episodes, read the
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(23:17):
And, as always, while you'rethere, send me a voicemail by
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Tell me what you think aboutthis show.
I just might play it on afuture episode.
Until next week.
I'm Rick.
I love you.
(24:03):
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Okay, rick, let's try a fewmore taglines.
(25:53):
Okay, yeah, sure, no problem.
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Confess it all because life'stoo short for skeletons in the
(26:15):
closet.
I don't even get that one.
Welcome to the RenewedMindset's Bible Trivia Snack
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You email me your answer.
I'll take all of the emailswith all the correct answers and
(26:38):
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An awesome prize that's worth$1,000,000.
Or less, down to the amount of adollar, maybe.
No, really, it'll be somethinggood, I promise, so let's go.
(26:59):
So, of course, the rules forthis game are easy answer the
question, send me an email andyou win your prize.
It it's going to be open book.
I'm assuming that you're goingto have to look it up.
If you don't, you're reallygood.
And here's your question whatis the central theme of the book
(27:20):
of Ecclesiastes?
Why am I playing clock tickingmusic?
I'm not going to give you theanswer.
You're going to have to send itin.
I'll talk to you next weekabout it and, for my radio
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broadcast to get your email outto me.
Y'all are going to be includedin this too.
Send your emails to trivia atrenewedmindsetscom.
(27:43):
Thanks for playing.
Renewed Mindsets Bible Trivia.
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See ya, you're still here.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
It's over.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Go home, go, go, drop it, go be a part of the show.
(28:31):
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(28:53):
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(29:14):
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Look for the membership link inthe show notes and have a great
rest of your week, see ya.
Coming up on Renewed Mindsets.
Join me today as I talk aboutthe age-old struggle of
resisting Satan and navigating aworld where tolerance often
blurs the lines of acceptance.
Join me as I explore thestrategies to combat evil
(00:22):
influences while maintainingintegrity in a society that
values tolerance aboveeverything else.
This is going to be a good one.
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, where we study the
(00:43):
basics of the faith through thelens of our middle-aged
experiences.
I'm Rick.
Welcome to the show where Ihelp you, gen Xers and
Millennials, navigatespiritually through a world that
looks nothing like we expectedback when cars were square and
mullets were totally awesome.
I am so glad you're here.
(01:04):
You know, I just love Google.
Sometimes I don't know how weoperated in a world without
useless information being ableto be found in seconds with the
Internet.
I was talking with someone onthe telephone and we were
talking about the devil and thatperson said the devil made me
(01:26):
do it and it made me think.
I grew up hearing that phrase.
Where did that come from?
So I hit Google with it andit's really strange that,
according to Google, they use anNgram graph and they look
through media over the years,through the past, to track words
(01:50):
and phrases and that phrase thedevil made me do it took off
around 1970.
Now, since this is a Gen X show, I was alive in 1970.
I was two, that was the year Iturned three.
But I still remember certainthings and that's about when I
remember it.
When I was two, that was theyear I turned three, but I still
remember certain things andthat's about when I remember it,
when I was a little kid.
What it was was Flip Wilson.
(02:13):
Y'all remember him.
Comedian Was on that show,laugh-in.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You said, it's much more difficult for the devil to
get a woman to do somethingwrong than it is a guy.
It's a big no problem to get aguy to do something wrong than
it is a guy.
It's a big no problem to get aguy to do something wrong.
They're just standing aroundwaiting for the devil to tell
them what to do.
As soon as the devil comes upwith one devil say I got one All
the fellas start yelling I'lldo it, devil, I'll do it.
You know.
(02:40):
And he was telling me howrelentless the fight against the
devil has to be.
Rev said the devil doesn'tsleep, the devil don't sleep.
While we were asleep, the devilwas working on his notes.
So when we wake up in themorning, the devil said here's
your schedule.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
And this is why you listen to Renewed Mindsets,
because where else are you goingto hear a laugh-in outtake from
Flip Wilson today on a podcastand one of his skits?
One of the things that he saidall the time was the devil made
me do it and that's where itoriginated, or so Google says,
(03:16):
because it started taking offaround 1970.
So we have grown up as Gen Xerswith the devil made me do it as
part of our I don't know what'sthe word lexicon, picking fancy
ones here today.
So I get in the Bible 1 Peter5.8.
Peter warns the church abouttheir adversary, the devil, and
(03:41):
he says that he roams aroundlike a roaring lion searching
for someone to devour.
And then in verse 9 he saysresist him.
Is peter serious?
Can you imagine resisting a 350pound cat with four inch teeth
that can bite with a force of650 pounds per square inch?
(04:02):
Now, to put that in context, ahuman's bite force is about 150
pounds per square inch.
Now, to put that in context, ahuman's bite force is about 150
pounds per square inch.
So initially the idea ofresisting the devil, resisting
Satan, seems absurd, because onour own we're even less capable
of resisting Satan than Eve wasin the garden.
With our own strength we wouldwillingly carry out Satan's work
(04:26):
, just like Judas did, acting asobedient children to a wicked
father.
But God appointed a Savior whowould crush the head of the
serpent.
When Jesus was on earth, heplundered Satan's house Matthew
12, 29, declaring the arrival ofhis kingdom in verse 28,.
(04:46):
The disciples that Jesus sentout discovered the demons, were
subject to them in his name, andJesus told them I saw Satan
fall like lightning from heaven.
Look, I have given youauthority over the power of the
enemy.
Luke 10, 17 through 19.
The apostle John saw an angelcoming down from heaven holding
(05:10):
the key to a bottomless pit anda great chain.
He seized the dragon, thatancient serpent who's the devil
and Satan, and bound him for athousand years.
That's Revelation 20, 1 and 2.
And it prevented him from fullydeceiving the nations.
So how can we resist that?
(05:31):
The devil still prowls anddevours, but he's fighting a
losing battle.
Believers are right to expectthat God of peace will soon
crush Satan under their feet.
Romans 16.20.
When believers are united withJesus, they're stronger than
Satan.
(05:51):
Yet Peter still instructs us toresist the devil.
How do we do that?
I got a few ways.
First, renounce the devil.
Just renounce him During yourbaptism.
Christian baptism symbolizes atransition from death to light,
a death to life, darkness tolight and from being under
(06:16):
Satan's authority to be unitedwith Christ.
Renouncing the devil means tono longer recognize or abide by
his authority, which is who wewere an authority to until we
became Christians.
It's a proclamation ofemancipation, a revolutionary
act.
It's a declaration of war andthe beginning of a lifelong
(06:40):
resistance.
The second thing is we can'tgive the devil any opportunity.
Ephesians 4.27,.
The devil loves chances toestablish himself and to gain
more ground.
You need to identify and closeany doors that the devil might
(07:02):
use to gain closer access towhat's most important to you,
the things that you watch, thethings that you listen to, the
people you hang with your speech.
We were brought up thinkingthat those things don't affect
us.
But the devil's in all themusic, the devil's in every
movie and TV show.
Just watch it and tell me it'snot Every time we subject
(07:26):
ourselves to an outsideinfluence like that.
We're opening a door to let thedevil in and even though he
might just stick a toe in thenext time he's going to stick
another toe in.
Eventually he's going to be in.
We need to prioritize thewearing of the full armor of God
(07:46):
.
That's from Ephesians, chapter6, 10 through 20.
It says Stand your ground,putting on the belt of truth and
the body armor of God'srighteousness For shoes.
Put on the peace that comesfrom the good news that you
should be fully prepared.
In addition to all of these,hold up the shield of faith to
(08:06):
stop the fiery arrows of thedevil.
Put on salvation as your helmetand take up the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God.
The devil is cunning andscheming.
To stand against him, you haveto put on God's defensive and
offensive provisions.
We need to be vigilant and weneed to be alert.
(08:30):
1 Peter 5.8,.
The devil finds it easier towork in the hearts and homes
that are spiritually casual.
We are way too casual when itcomes to God these days.
When it comes to God these days, god's not our buddy.
God is the creator of theuniverse.
(08:51):
He needs our respect and ourawe and, yes, our fear, not to
fear him because he's mean andevil, but fear his wrath by not
living in obedience,no-transcript attending church
regularly, to the point where itfeels strange to be absent from
(09:13):
church.
That's the point you need toget to.
Well, I have a life and I don'twant to spend all my time at
church.
Well, what do you think we'rehere for?
If you call yourself a child ofGod, then you know the
importance of that.
There's nothing wrong withbaseball games.
There's nothing wrong withwatching TV.
There's nothing wrong withbaseball games.
(09:33):
There's nothing wrong withwatching TV.
There's nothing wrong withgoing to the movies, as long as
you're watching things that arenot purposely going against God.
But when your whole life isabout doing things and pleasing
yourself and going to church asa chore, you're either not a
(09:54):
Christian or you're at the wrongchurch.
I know that sounds a bit harsh.
I've lived that life.
I've been on staff as a youthpastor and found myself at times
wishing that I was somewhereelse doing something else.
(10:17):
Now I can't imagine.
I had to work out of town lastweek and missed Wednesday night
service and it was horrible.
I just wanted to be with myfamily at church.
I wanted to be worshiping Godin his house.
(10:38):
It's just a mindset, people.
That's why we're here listeningto renewed mindsets.
The next way we can use toresist the devil is to immerse
yourself in the Bible.
Our houses are so full of media.
We have TV, we have radio, wehave streaming music on our
(11:01):
phones, we have social mediaTikToks, facebook, instagram.
We are overloaded with media.
But you have something else inthe house which is called a
Bible.
It's probably the mostimportant piece of media that
you own and probablystatistically the least used
(11:33):
piece of media in your home.
1 Peter 2.2.
Read it, believe it, memorizeit and discuss it.
We need to pray against theworks of Satan.
Jude 1.9.
Martin Luther, advised us, saidSince we are too weak against
the devil and all his forcesthat stand against us, our only
course of action on earth is topray ceaselessly against this
ultimate enemy.
Praying is so important.
(11:56):
It should become somethingthat's not specifically set
aside for you to do, but youshould get to the point where
you're in constant prayer withGod.
Get in the habit of doing itwith God.
(12:19):
Get in the habit of doing it.
Make it a point to findsomething in nature.
If you drive for a living, whatI did is I drive a lot.
I don't drive for a living, butI'm in my vehicle a lot and I
like to see the trees changecolors.
I like to see them get full inthe summer and turn green, and
then, as the leaves start, Inoticed the trees.
So I found myself making it apoint, when I see trees, to talk
(12:41):
to God.
Lord, thank you for such abeautiful creation that you've
made.
At first it was just talkingabout trees, but eventually that
opened it up to where I'mconstantly talking to God about
things, thanking him for hiscreation, talking to him about
my life, praying for otherpeople.
It's not that I do this 24hours a day.
(13:02):
I'm still failing at prayer,but I pray a lot more than I
used to and I could see thebenefits of it, because part of
prayer is listening and I'veheard God speak so many times
where I never heard it before.
Start your prayer life, it'snever too late.
Next thing believe that Jesusis greater.
(13:26):
At the cross, christ defeatedSatan.
Hebrews 2.14.
Believers overcome him by theblood of the Lamb that was shed
on Calvary.
Revelation 12.11.
These were just a fewsuggestions.
There's eight of them if you goback.
(13:47):
Didn't really get into a lot ofdetail, just kind of want to
throw some stuff out.
If you want to know any moreabout it, you can always contact
me at our website there's acontact form, or you can email
me at rick at renewedmindsetscom.
But we need to be encouraged.
James assures us that the devilwill flee from those who resist
(14:09):
him.
That's James 4.7.
Will flee from those who resisthim.
That's James 4, 7.
Welcome to Wisdom for the Day,the podcast where we unpack the
timeless wisdom of the book ofProverbs, one bite-sized nugget
at a time.
Join us daily as we journeythrough this ancient treasure
trove of insight, offeringpractical wisdom for modern
(14:31):
living.
Get ready to start your daywith clarity, purpose and a
deeper understanding of life'sgreatest lessons.
This is Wisdom for the Day,your daily dose of Proverbs
wisdom.
Find us at wisdomforthedayorg.
One of the ways that the devilgets to us that we need to
(14:53):
resist is in society, and one ofthe big ones today is there's
so much division in right andwrong, in classic definitions of
what is right and what is wrong.
What is truth?
What is a lie?
What is a man?
What is a woman?
What is marriage?
What is wrong?
(15:13):
What is truth?
What is a lie?
What is a man?
What is a woman?
What is marriage?
What is not marriage?
And vice versa.
It brings us to tolerance.
The biggest separation betweenChristians and non-believers is
tolerance.
As Christians, we know that wemust tolerate.
It's such a harsh word andwe're going to discuss it here
in a minute with actualdefinitions but we must tolerate
(15:37):
those who don't have the sameviewpoint, and we should do it
in love, because we were all inthat position at one time and
did not know the truth.
So we have to give grace, butwe have to resist the devil
because he has gotten so slythat now the opposition, who in
(15:59):
the past used to know that theirsin was sin, but just wanted to
continue playing in it.
But there was a reverence and arespect for God.
But that is no longer the case.
People now, just like in thedays of Noah, are flaunting
(16:21):
their sin.
They're laughing in the face ofGod.
It's become perverted, it'sbecome sickening.
The definition of tolerance hasactually changed in our
lifetime, so let's discuss that.
Can the Bible foster a tolerantsociety?
(16:42):
Now?
Some argue its emphasis on loveand mercy and compassion, like
the Good Samaritan tale andJesus' teaching, supports
tolerance beyond mere acceptance.
Jesus' teaching supportstolerance beyond mere acceptance
.
But there's other people whosepoint of view shows us instances
like the conquest of Canaan andJesus' warnings about hell as
(17:03):
evidence of intolerance.
So how can the Bible promote orprevent tolerance?
I think the question we need toask is is Christianity
intolerant?
Now there is increasingskepticism and criticism towards
Christianity in today's cultureand in these situations, the
(17:23):
concept of religious toleranceoften arises and is discussed.
Christians are frequentlylabeled as intolerant,
especially when judged based ona new definition of tolerance
that's emerged in our societythese days.
Now how are we supposed torespond when people accuse us of
intolerance?
It's simply because we choosenot to embrace certain values or
(17:47):
behaviors.
Well, first we have to definewhat tolerance is.
So I looked atyourdictionarycom.
Tolerance is defined as theability to accept or embrace
views, beliefs, practices etc.
Of others that differ fromone's own.
Tolerate something as stated bythe same source means to
(18:20):
recognize and respect others'beliefs and practices without
necessarily agreeing with them.
So, as defined by thedictionary, to tolerate is to
put up with or endure something.
Did you notice something here?
In order for tolerance to existand to be demonstrated, several
factors are necessary.
So let's examine theprerequisites for tolerance.
(18:42):
First, you have to have two ormore individuals, and they must
coexist.
Two these individuals need tohold diverging views, beliefs or
practices, meaning theydisagree.
And three, despite notembracing each other's beliefs,
these individuals mustpeacefully coexist without
(19:02):
eliminating one another.
Now, under this traditionalperspective, tolerance requires
disagreement.
Without disagreement, tolerancerequires disagreement.
Without disagreement, tolerancebecomes impossible.
Now let's consider the newdefinition of tolerance that's
gained acceptance in our newsociety, and you know what that
(19:25):
is.
You got to notice the shift indefinitions, the concept and the
word acceptance has been addedto the definition in a way that
subtly alters the classicdefinition.
This new perspective suggeststhat we must not only endure
each other in the context of ourdisagreements, but also accept
(19:47):
and embrace each other'sworldviews as equally valuable
and true.
The current definition oftolerance would sound something
like this the act of recognizingand accepting the equal
validity and value of all views,beliefs and actions.
That's wrong.
(20:10):
We need to highlight theself-defeating nature of this
new definition.
This new definition of tolerancefails to meet its own standards
.
What if I hold in practice thebelief that all views and
beliefs and actions are notequally valid and valuable?
(20:30):
Can the new, corrupteddefinition of tolerance tolerate
my position?
No, clearly.
My position would have to beeradicated for the new,
corrupted definition oftolerance to hold true.
Corrupted definition oftolerance to hold true.
But rejecting my view entirelywould simultaneously reject the
(20:53):
new definition itself.
The corrupted.
This new corrupted view oftolerance can't withstand the
weight of its own standards.
The world currently embraces anillogical, unsustainable and
self-refuting view of tolerance,and it's our responsibility as
(21:18):
Christians to help people thinkclearly about the topic of
tolerance, while continuing tolove and tolerate their opposing
views using the classic senseof tolerance.
Sense of tolerance in videoform, with the same information
(21:53):
and fun and humor as you've cometo expect from renewed mindsets
.
But now you can look at me andlaugh.
I don't know if that's good ornot.
It's available atrenewedmindsetscom or at youtube
.
Just search for the channelRenewed Mindsets TV, just like
and subscribe to be notifiedwhen new videos are uploaded.
(22:13):
That's Renewed Mindsets TV, seeya.
Well, that's all for this week'sshow.
You know, the name of this showspeaks my hope for you.
It's taken from the words ofRomans, chapter 12, verse 2.
(22:35):
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
If you enjoyed what you heard,do me a favor, please, and tell
(22:56):
someone you know about it.
Send them a link in a text youknow.
You may even need to downloadit to their phone and show them
what a podcast is.
If it was valuable to you, itwill be to them.
Visit renewedmindsetscom tohear past episodes, read the
blog and check out the new merch.
(23:17):
And, as always, while you'rethere, send me a voicemail by
clicking the button at thebottom right corner of the main
page.
Tell me what you think aboutthis show.
I just might play it on afuture episode.
Until next week.
I'm Rick.
I love you.
(24:03):
See, ya is the world's numberone preventable cause of
spiritual death.
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hoh, you need Confess it All.
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of purpose, newfound patiencetoward others, even the really
annoying ones, and too manyother things to mention right
now.
So ask the Holy Spirit andhe'll fill you in.
Are you human?
If so, you should be takingConfess it All, unless you're
perfect, which, like only oneguy ever was so duh.
Ask your doctor if Confess itall is right for you.
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If he or she says no, well whyare you asking your doctor.
Talk to god today.
Confess it all, making yourconscience as clear as our side
effects.
Okay, rick, let's try a fewmore taglines.
(25:53):
Okay, yeah, sure, no problem.
Confess it all because honestyis the best medicine.
Confess it all where the truthsets you free and maybe a little
queasy.
Confess it all because life'stoo short for skeletons in the
(26:15):
closet.
I don't even get that one.
Welcome to the RenewedMindset's Bible Trivia Snack
Pack Value Meal Game, the gamewhere you, the valued listener,
gets to hear and answer a Bibletrivia question.
You email me your answer.
I'll take all of the emailswith all the correct answers and
(26:38):
pull one at random and thatperson is going to win an
awesome prize.
An awesome prize that's worth$1,000,000.
Or less, down to the amount of adollar, maybe.
No, really, it'll be somethinggood, I promise, so let's go.
(26:59):
So, of course, the rules forthis game are easy answer the
question, send me an email andyou win your prize.
It it's going to be open book.
I'm assuming that you're goingto have to look it up.
If you don't, you're reallygood.
And here's your question whatis the central theme of the book
(27:20):
of Ecclesiastes?
Why am I playing clock tickingmusic?
I'm not going to give you theanswer.
You're going to have to send itin.
I'll talk to you next weekabout it and, for my radio
listeners, you have 24 hoursfrom the end of the last
broadcast to get your email outto me.
Y'all are going to be includedin this too.
Send your emails to trivia atrenewedmindsetscom.
(27:43):
Thanks for playing.
Renewed Mindsets Bible Trivia.
Good luck.
See ya, you're still here.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
It's over.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Go home, go, go, drop it, go be a part of the show.
(28:31):
Well, let me tell you, you canbecome a member of the Renewed
Mindsets community.
Just go to buymeacoffeecomslash renewed mindsets.
You can support this ministrywith a one-time gift or you may
choose to send a recurring giftevery month.
We have several levels tochoose from, starting at $2, all
with extra benefits from beinglisted on the website, cool
(28:53):
merch from the Renewed Mindsetstore, and even two top tier
spots, the Gabriel and Michaellevels, where one of you will be
mentioned at the end of everyepisode as a producer of the
show.
How cool would it be to haveyour name heard around the world
.
Your support of this show helpsme get God's message out to
(29:14):
people who might not hear itsomewhere else.
This just helps me with podcastrelated expenses, the websites
and all the subscriptions, aswell as supporting an
alternative school option forthe kids at my church.
Look for the membership link inthe show notes and have a great
rest of your week, see ya.
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