Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Spiritual Wickedness: A Crisis in the Church - By Joseph Chambers - www.pawcreek.org
Job 4:7-9 "Remember, I pray thee, whoever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed." The Crisis in the Church Our younger generation is taught to be all personality without substance. 2. They are driven by emotions, not the Holy Ghost. 3. They see success as the driving force but not the gripping will of God. 4. Filling the mind with knowledge has replaced filling the mind with the Bible. 5. They want the protection of guns, not the protection of angels. 6. Judgment of others has replaced the discernment of the Holy Spirit. 7. Personality namedropping has replaced a deep abandonment to knowing God in a personal manner. 8. We seek many sources of wisdom and forget the nine supernatural gifts of the Holy Ghost. Identifying "spiritual wickedness" is not always easy. It has to be seen from a totally Biblical perspective or it becomes judgment instead of discernment. The Biblical order of discernment must be connected to restoration and forgiveness. The Holy Ghost never discerns to destroy someone unless they have passed the point of no return. We must hunger to see the person caught in error returned to a place of wholeness. Jesus Christ came not to condemn but to save. This bondage by the antichrist spirit world has reached a level that guarantees God's judgment must be at hand. Remember those words of our Lord in Matthew chapter twenty-four: "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matthew 24:12-13). The level of deception is so intent and even beyond the discernment in the church that survival is scary. Men and women that have been "rocks" of spiritual courage are being deceived. Many are wondering if the church can survive. Our enemies are declaring the end of Biblical Christianity. The only possible answer is the powers given to the evil design of the Antichrist to invade the world with strongholds. We used to see a person occasionally that was bound with bondages of unbelief or some unbiblical idea. Now it is like the whole world is off in some confused state. There are multitudes of excuses or arguments against Biblical living. Seeing souls weeping at the altar of repentance and arising a new person has become rare. The Lord stated how dark and wicked the world would be just before He comes for His saints: "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake" (Luke 21:16-17). Families that were once bound together in faithfulness to share their burdens are being torn apart. Little differences become excuses of hatred. Most of the church world has forgotten, "...charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8b). Strongholds of Satan are always full of self, selfishness, and self-love. Look at every action that separates you from your church family or your personal family; every time, you will see "self" with a capital "S." The Strongholds of Hell Have Never Been So Blatant. How to Recognize Your Emotional Stronghold: (A) They make you hate someone. The power of Jesus Christ in your life will not allow hatred. (B) They make you irritable and quick-tempered. A true faith in Christ will not allow you to bite and devour. (C) You become stressed, red-faced, and unkind. Self-control is one of Christ's fruit of righteousness. (D) Strongholds will strip almost every creative thought from your mind. These kinds of captive imaginations will make you fuzzy- minded. (E) Reading the Bible becomes academic and powerless. There is no Holy Ghost joy in Bible study, preaching, or reading. Your Hallelujah is gone. Psalm 94:21-23 "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off." How to Recognize Your Strongholds in Discipleship Living: Compromise of Biblical Standards is at Crisis Level. (A) Old landmarks of Godliness start slipping away. (B) There is a growing desire for the soft life and worldly things. (C) Old-fashioned praying until you "pray through" is either gone or going. (D) Compassion for the lost until weeping is a lost emotion. (E) The Bible becomes a pick and choose experience. It is no longer absolute. How to Recognize Your Stronghold in Your Relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: (A) Worshipping until your soul is in rapture is no longer possible. (B) Excitement and ecstasy over the soon return of Christ is gone. (C) Once the House of God was close to Heaven; now it is a burden. (D) The Pastor and First Lady were two people for whom you would demand respect. That's over. (E) Working freely for the Kingdom of God or giving until it hurts is a past joy. How to Recognize Strongholds of Unclean Living: (A) The opposite sex causes emotions that are clearly wrong and impure. (B) Dressing modestly has slowly given over to revealing clothes. (C) Stopping at a dirty picture on TV or Internet has become easy and intriguing. (D) Your interest in your wife or husband has vanished. (E) Unclean thoughts have become a losing battle. Losing the fires of Godly living is the sad state of a multitude in our church world. The enemy has slowly and methodically stolen the great hope of Jesus Christ from these lives. While they may still attend a church, they only profess what they once loved. The Bible speaks of this sad state. Simon Peter actually said this in his position as one of the twelve apostles: "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (II Peter 2:20-22). Acts 8:20-23 "But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." Satan's Final Hour Has Arrived Unless we understand that Satan is on his final barrage, we will allow ourselves to be in grave danger. While we are yet on the hopeful side of the Rapture and Satan's final seven years of his One-World Order, he is desperate. You cannot look at the slaughter of the unborn and the rise of sodomy and its dark "Rainbow Coalition" without seeing the final picture. The slaughterhouse of Planned Parenthood has now been exposed for selling baby parts on the open market. Our world is so close to hell that you can almost smell the smoke. Why do we forget great warnings like the apostle Paul said would occur in the last (last of the last) days? "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (II Timothy 3:1-5) As you read these words, you can see the powerful effect of the strongholds that Satan has taken the church-world captive. Please note two powerful verses, one before and one after, in the warning above. This reveals the presence of Satan and his demons in these strongholds. The preceding verse says: "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (II Timothy 2:26). The verse after this warning reveals the spirit world and calls these spirits "creepy spirits," clearly demons: "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts" (II Timothy 3:6). These warnings make these strongholds what they really are - "the powers of hell" taking the world and the church captive. Our wicked, secular world is nothing but a picture of what has happened to the church world. The mighty Holy Ghost flowing out of a Bible-centered House of God is the only hope of the world. The early church was accused of "turning the world upside down." Of course, to the church that means turning the world right-side up. Our present church is utterly bound by Satan's strongholds. The modern church leaders are possessed by the pleasures of the world. Even churches that claim conservative values know almost nothing of Holy Ghost power. You Can Break the Spell on Your Life The dynamic powers of the Word of God, the victorious cross, and the Holy Ghost are not one iota weakened. They are three dynamic forces that Satan can never defeat: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son" (I John 5:7-9). Daniel, by the Spirit, looked right down to this hour. Here is what the Holy Ghost said: "And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32). Romans 1:29-31 "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." There is no victory in self-life. The only hope of any person is found in the great Book of Romans. Many call this book the "Romans Road," but pick and choose what applies. Here is the heart of the book that absolutely promises victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil: "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:5-9). This is perfect victory over the strongholds of hell. Satan does not have a clue of defeating a Spirit-filled life. This final verse is the victory you can enjoy while you watch the destruction everywhere: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11). This quickening of the Holy Ghost is the sweetest life on earth. The Spirit is the mighty power of the Father and the Son, and all the redemptive powers of Calvary are vested in Him. Self is spelled today with a capital "S." Self-life must be defeated or you remain subject to Satan's stronghold. The apostle Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Hallelujah can be your song if you surrender to Jesus Christ. Nearing Midnight: Casting Out Congressional Demons - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ When I first read the headline to the story, a laugh spilled from my mouth automatically, almost as did the coffee I was imbibing. It was at first glance a knee-slapper. But the gravity of the truth wrapped within the news item drew my attention more deeply. The headline stated: "House Chaplain Casts Out Demons During Morning Prayer in Capitol Building." My thought was at first: If he exorcised all the demons weaving their way in and out of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC, there might not be enough of that body left to conduct government business. That's not, perhaps, a kind way to think of our elected representatives. But with the things going on there and in and around all of what has come to be called the swamp, my instantaneous take on that headline seemingly is justifiable. This is the gist of the story. Reverend Patrick Conroy serves as the House of Representatives Chaplain in Washington, D.C. and regularly starts the day off for lawmakers with prayer. Thursday's invocation was a little more serious than most days for Rev. Conroy. The Roman Catholic Priest prayed specifically to cast out the demons inside Capitol Hill. As reported by Fox News, Rev. Conroy said, "This has been a difficult and contentious week in which darker spirits seem to have been at play in the people's House." "Then, in a dramatic moment, Conroy raised both hands and said, 'In Your most holy name, I cast out all spirits of darkness from this chamber. Spirits not from You. I cast out the spirit of discouragement which deadens the hope of those who are of goodwill.'" "I cast out the spirit of petty divisiveness which clouds the sense and the desire to be of fruitful productivity and addressing the issues more appropriately before this House," he prayed. "I cast out any sadness brought on by the frustration of dealing with matters detrimental to the honorable work each member has been called to engage in." Rev. Conroy is a Jesuit priest, an order of the Catholic Church. He has been serving as House Chaplain since 2011. ("House Chaplain Casts Out Demons During Morning Prayer In Capitol," by Timothy Meads, Townhall.com, posted on raptureready.com ,July 19, 2019) I don't mean to make fun of this gentleman's desire, nor his attempts, to cast out the dark spirits from the House of Representatives. But, if it had happened in actuality, I'm of the opinion there would have been an audible swooshing, not unlike the sound made by your favorite brand of vacuum cleaner. I can say this with a degree of certainty because our congressional bodies are considered the highest levels, in human terms, of powers and principalities. Here, again, is what God's Word, through the Apostle Paul, has to say about this very matter of dark spirits and high places. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) Such august human political, religious, and educational bodies are where these minions reside in great numbers. Their human consorts too often do their bidding, and we certainly are witnessing as never before the activities of these powers and principalities in high places. In my opinion, we can sense the evil, bony, fingers of these dark powers and principalities manipulating their congressional human pawns. For example, the four freshmen Democrat House members who term themselves "the Squad" lead the way in taking that party ever farther from common sensibility and morality so long associated with American comportment. One of the four in particular exhibits a virulent hatred for the nation Israel. Even under pressure to do so by such powerful people as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Muslim, refuses to back off her angry statements condemning all Jews and the nation Israel. At the same time, she and the other three of "the Squad" want to destroy America as founded and replace it with their vision of a socialist utopia. The Democrat majority in the House of Representatives, now led, in effect, by Millennial types such as these four anti-America as founded women, seek to bring minuscule minority elements such as LGBTQ and others dedicated to doing away with moral restraint to the forefront of governing the culture. They intend to make the perversions that used to be unmentionable in public the new norm for living life in America. The "Squad's" party has stood with great applause in adulation over their fellow party members making it legal in several states to murder babies right after their births. This done all for the woman's right to choose who lives and dies. There is now movement afoot among these same congressional types to make euthanasia legal in cases of the elderly and infirm. And, these very minions of the dark powers and principalities have the audacity to accuse as being Nazis this president and those who support his wanting to bring America back to its founding principles. The Lord, at present, has the dark powers, both human and demonic, in derision, as He states in Psalm 2. While I can't say I go along with either the Catholic idea of practicing Christianity, or with their view of exorcising evil spirits, I'm with this chaplain in wishing to cast out those powers and principalities. Again, we are told to "stand" in these evil, closing days of the age. We are instructed how to spiritually dress in order to oppose these angry, anti-God entities" Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18) 'Israel expands scope of strikes against Iranian assets in Middle East' - By Daniel Siryoti - https://www.jns.org/israel-expands-scope-of-strikes-against-iranian-assets-in-middle-east/ London-based Arabic daily reports that Israeli F-35 stealth fighters were used to carry out two strikes on Iranian assets in Iraq this month; no comment from Israel. Israel has expanded its target bank to include Iranian assets all over the Middle East, London-based Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported on Tuesday. The report quoted Western diplomats as saying that the Israel Air Force was responsible for the July 19 attack on a military base in Iraq, northeast of Baghdad, used by pro-Iranian militias. The diplomats said the attack was carried out by a F-35 stealth fighter. Sources also told the Arabic daily that the IAF was also responsible for a strike on Sunday against Camp Ashraf, some 50 miles from the Iranian border and 25 miles north of Baghdad. The strikes targeted a consignment of ballistic missiles from Iran, as well as "Iranian advisers," the sources said. Israel has not commented on either report. Syria has claimed that Israel was behind a strike on Tal al-Hara, a strategic hill in southern Syria, on July 24. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at the time that the target was storage sites used by Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian militias to house long-range missiles and other weaponry. The report comes against the backdrop of the growing tensions between the West and Iran in the Persian Gulf over the Islamic republic's provocations in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Israel remains vigilant with respect to the security situation in the Gulf. On Sunday, Israel's U.S.-backed Arrow-3 ballistic missile defense system passed a series of tests in Alaska. Jointly manufactured by U.S. firm Boeing, the Arrow-3 is billed as being capable of shooting down incoming ballistic missiles above the atmosphere, at a safe altitude for the destruction of nonconventional warheads. The system passed its first full interception test over the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 and was deployed in Israel in 2017. Arrow - and Israel - in Alaska - by Shoshana Bryen - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14627/arrow-missile-test-alaska Hitting a missile with a missile is what we do. American and Israeli missile technology, missile capabilities and production capabilities are closely interwoven. They can be because our defense goals are interwoven. The ability to defend civilians from an enemy -- regardless of the weapon the enemy brings to the battlefield -- is the first and highest priority of both governments. At the edge of Alaska, Israeli and American cooperation and coordination produced another test of a more humane way for "free people to rest secure." Just watch out for those rogue amendments. The recent Arrow 3 missile test in Alaska, announced on Sunday, was nearly taken out by a rogue. Not a rogue missile, mind you, but a rogue amendment to the to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Earlier this month, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D-FL) proposed the following language: "None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2020 may be made available for the research, development, testing, evaluation, procurement, or deployment of a United States shorter- or intermediate-range ground launched ballistic or cruise missile system with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers..." The prohibition was aimed at the Trump administration's decision to withdraw the United States from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. But according to one analyst: (It) would prohibit funding for the U.S.-Israeli cooperative Arrow-3 missile defense interceptor and also severely impact the planning, execution, and evaluation of flight test of the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), integrated testing with friends and allies... The U.S.-Israeli cooperative Arrow-3 missile defense interceptor would be subject to the prohibition in the amendment and as a result the Missile Defense Agency would be unable to provide (funding) as required by the U.S.-Israeli Memorandum of Understanding... The Frankel amendment actually passed. Language in a later bill removed Israel from the line of fire, so to speak, but it was close. So, Israel, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense, tested the Arrow-3 missile in Alaska. The performance of Arrow 3 was outstanding and the resulting video offers an opportunity for Americans and Israelis to watch U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation in action. It is a reminder, as well, how far two democratic, technologically advanced countries can go to make the world safer for ourselves and our allies (And our adversaries? Reagan was serious when he proposed sharing missile defenses with Russia at the height of the Cold War.) Thirty-six years of doing what "the experts" said could not be done. For Americans, watching a missile hit a missile conjures up Ronald Reagan's seminal missile defense speech, the moment defense became part of the definition of deterrence. What if free people could live secure in the knowledge that their security did not rest upon the threat of instant U.S. retaliation to deter a Soviet attack, that we could intercept and destroy strategic ballistic missiles before they reached our own soil or that of our allies? It was called "Star Wars" because it seemed possible only in a galaxy far, far away -- a joke at Reagan's expense. Naysayers far outnumbered believers, but Strategic Defense -- renamed Ballistic Missile Defense -- has become routine. Patriot, Aegis and THAAD are part of the American and allied defense lexicon and hitting a missile with a missile is what we do. And so does Israel. Arrow -- Israel's domestically developed missile defense system -- became operational in 2000. But long before that, in 1986, the U.S. and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on co-funding and in 1988, the DOD Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) [later renamed Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO)] placed an order for an Arrow 1 technology demonstrator. A BMDO news release following the first successful Arrow test announced: The United States and Israeli engineering teams are very satisfied with the preliminary test results... The information gained from the program has application in several U.S. missile defense programs. Arrow II, Arrow III, Iron Dome and David's Sling followed with American participation. Arrow IV is more than a gleam in scientists' eyes. American and Israeli missile technology, missile capabilities and production capabilities are closely interwoven. They can be because our defense goals are interwoven. The ability to defend civilians from an enemy -- regardless of the weapon the enemy brings to the battlefield -- is the first and highest priority of both governments. Defense, in Israel's case in particular, has allowed the government to make decisions in the face of enemy fire that would not have been possible with ever-more precise rockets and missiles raining down on Israeli civilians from Hamas in Gaza. So Palestinians, too, benefit from Israeli missile defense. Our allies are lining up as well. Israeli technology is part of the defenses of Europe and Asia, and Israel is in talks with some European countries for Iron Dome, which already protects NATO forces in Afghanistan. South Korea is purchasing additional units of Israel's Green Pine radars. India has tried to purchase the Arrow system (the U.S. vetoed it) and Norway and Singapore are edging closer. In 2015, the Gulf Arab states were reported interested in Arrow -- in recognition of their shared concerns about Iranian missiles. Since then, Israel has participated in military exercises with more than one potential partner under U.S. auspices At the edge of Alaska, Israeli and American cooperation and coordination produced another test of a more humane way for "free people to rest secure." Just watch out for those rogue amendments. Daily Jot: Prophetic Times: Ad hominem redefining truth - Bill Wilson - www.daily.com Have you ever noticed that when people in a discussion have no facts or logic to back up their argument, they often resort to name calling or labeling? When this happens, it is a sure sign that they are losing the argument. There is actually a term that describes this behavior. It's called ad hominem. Ad hominem is defined by Merriam-Webster as: "appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect; marked by or being an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made." This is exactly what people are doing these days when they cannot support their arguments and someone disagrees with them. The result is a labeling of the most undesirable nature, such as bigot, racist, etc. Merriam-Webster goes on to explain, "Ad hominem literally means "to the person" in New Latin (Latin as first used in post-medieval texts). In centuries past, this adjective usually modified "argument."... The newer sense of "ad hominem," which suggests an attack on an opponent's character instead of his or her argument, appeared only in the last century, but it is the sense more often heard today. The word still refers to putting personal issues above other matters, but perhaps because of its old association with "argument," "ad hominem" has become, in effect, "against the person."" Hence, the modern use of ad hominem is an attack on a person's character as a key strategy in arguing a point. This is very important that we know and understand this method of argument. It is in the news daily. The recent row between President Donald Trump, Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), and Al Sharpton is an excellent example. Trump has attacked Cummings for being in Congress a long time, yet his district has not seen any progress. Rather than defend the progress Cummings believes he has made in Baltimore, the strategy is to paint Trump as a racist and bigot. Sharpton has joined the chorus with the news media. It would be interesting to know just what Cummings has done for his district, which is a dangerous and unappealing place to live. But because Cummings is black, as is most of those living in his district, the ad hominem immediately turned the discussion to racism and bigotry as the main issue. Given the old adage that if you say a lie often enough, it becomes the truth, ad hominem arguments take a toll on their targets, especially in these days of 24/7 media. The uninformed, skeptical, cynical and suspicious will naturally gravitate toward what they want to believe rather than check the true nature of the situation. Isaiah 59:14-15 illustrates this modern phenomena of ad hominem: "And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey." These are indeed prophetic times as truth is being redefined by ad hominem. Be aware. Seek the truth. Find what is acceptable unto the Lord. Daily Devotion: Surprised by Sin - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. - James 1:14-15 When I was a kid, I was a snake collector and at one time thought seriously about becoming a herpetologist. I had boas, pythons, king snakes, garter snakes, corn snakes, and gopher snakes. And I caught a lot of those snakes myself. I also have been bitten by many snakes. That's because, unlike dogs, you never know what snakes are thinking. You know where you stand with dogs. If a dog likes you, he'll wag his tail and lick you in the face. Even cats are more affectionate than snakes, which is saying a lot. But there's no affection with a snake. The only reason a snake likes to be held by a human is because it's a cold-blooded reptile and likes the warmth of human contact. This is why snakes often sun themselves on rocks and other things. They're cold-blooded, and their brains are very small. So a snake could be looking at you and thinking, "I may bite you, but I don't really know what I'm going to do." That's a snake. There is no affection. I read an article about a British man who kept an eight-foot python named Tiny in his bedroom, along with nine other snakes. After the man was found dead in his room, the coroner concluded, "The most likely scenario is that Tiny was engaged with [him]. I have no doubt she was coiling around him. . . . I have to accept that Tiny is instrumental in [his] death." This man probably was strangled by his own snake, and that is tragic. In the same way, sin can creep into our lives and we think, "It's a tiny sin. I can handle this. This will never get me." Then the next thing we know, that "tiny" sin has strangled us. 
FROM THE HEART
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