SATAN: CEO of GET-U-HOOKED INC ...

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. [b]Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.[/b] - 1 John 5:19-21

Saints we are living in a world of escalated self gratifying satanic madness - with America at the lead!

Do we see our madness?

Do we want to see our madness?

How have we become so mad?

Yes political power in the rise and fall of world powers are amongst the devils lures, but it's commerce that's his mega dragnet of the masses into the pit of hell, his promotion of the love of money, prosperity, material gain and the additional ills following ... i believe it was certainly just more than a notion for our Lord to "specifically" warn us that we can't serve Him and mammon at the same time ...

This first BBC documentary was posted by bro Rookie on his thread "Days Are Evil II", thru which our Lord has opened my eyes even wider to the wiles of the devil ... This has brought to light with such gut wrenching clarity just how the devil has manipulated our society ... i've been accused often of being an "alarmist", a kill-joy, who sees satan within every shadow and cranny ...Trust me, if you're led of our Lord to watch this, if you haven't seen him clearly in our crass commercialism before - you will! ... When i look at a commercial now i hear "SSSSSsssssssssssss" ...

[b]THE CENTURY OF SELF - Parts 1 -4 - (FROM THEN TILL NOW)[/b]
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=THE+CENTURY+OF+SELF+4+OF+4

These next doucumentaries explain the how and why of our present madness? ... This first one has to do with his lure of our children ... The lust of the flesh and eye ... Satan has a Major Corporation in America aimed at our Children, and it's name is VIACOM (home of MTV) ...

[b]THE MERCHANTS OF COOL (NOW)[/b]
They spend their days sifting through reams of market research data, focus groups, the streets, the schools, and the malls, hot on the trail of the "next big thing" that will snare the attention of their prey (youth) -- a market segment worth an estimated $150 billion a year.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/

WARNING: Small Portions of Dirty Dancing and Profanity in Some Segments.

This second one shows his appeal to the more mature segment of our society, the lust of the eye and the pride of life ...

[b]THE PERSUADERS (NOW)[/b]
Americans are swimming in a sea of messages. Each year, legions of ad people, copywriters, market researchers, pollsters, consultants, and even linguists—most of whom work for one of six giant companies—spend billions of dollars and millions of man-hours trying to determine how to persuade consumers what to buy, whom to trust, and what to think.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/view/

Thru this series our Lord has pricked my own sensitivities to what satan advertises that still catch my attention ... As an older man now it's not so much lust of flesh and eye that gets me anymore, but the pride of life ... i'm praying Holy Spirit to keep me 100% directed toward obtaining a legacy in Him and not that of the enemy ...

Jas. 1: 1-17 has taken on a whole brand new importance to me ... These documentaries have ripped the covers off the covert and diabolical way in which satan manipulates his own, behind the scene, to constantly intice us and draw us out away from true worship ... But God says, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation"!

i feel myself getting even more weirder in God which once made me uncomfortable, now i have nothing but thanks for His calling me out of darkness into His marvellous light ...

Eph.6
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
[12] 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.

1Pet.5: 8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pet.2
[9] But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:
[10] Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
[11] Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

[b]SATAN'S COMMERCE (FUTURE) [/b]

Rev.13
[15] And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
[16] And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
[17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

After listening to the afore posted links "commercialism" has never stood out to me in the way it has this past Thanksgiving holiday, i feel like our Lord has upgraded my spiritual eyeglass prescription, and i thought as soon as i get back to SI i would change this threads's title to:

[b]SATAN: CEO of GET-U-HOOKED INC[/b]

Everywhere we look, via our conscious and subconscious, Satan is selling us something, anything and everything to keep us distracted from what God gives away FREELY ...

i guess what these links have done is put into a historical perspective the reality that Satan is the master deciever, and just how much he's managed to reduce America(ns) from at least some semblance of an "attitude of gratitude" toward God, to a now spiritually sick "mind set of get-get-get" ... This has even permeated the Church via the Prosperity Gospel ...

We live in a land where supply and demand for our "needs" no longer drive our markets, but one where supply and demand is driven by our "wants" ... Wants thought up, manufactured, and sold by the devil (via man), to we who are duped into believing by "commercials" that we've just got to have his latest item to bring happiness to our "self" ...

Why in the world would any American stand in a line from 12 midnight and then stampede to get into a store to buy crap we don't really need? ... Why in the world would any American physically fight over a $600 electronic game? ... i guess for the same reason that Americans buy houses way larger than we need, and then take out all the overinflated equity to buy even more crap we don't need? ...

We're spiritually blind to the fact that Satan has a system to lure us into deeper and deeper debt physically, but more importantly spiritually ... This nation is operating in an alarming fiscal deficit, but frankly it's the spiritual deficit amongst God's own that keeps me wondering when He's gonna say, "Enough"!!! ...

i picture us as a fish with two hooks in our mouths, one belonging to Christ the other to the devil ... What's scary about this is it makes us double-minded ... One of these lines has to be snapped and since Christ said the gates of hell shall not prevail against us eventually i know it's gonna be Satans line we're freed from ...

i'm now even more convinced that if God doesn't supernaturally shake us free from Satan's hook, we'll never be able to do it on our own ... Lord have mercy on us quickly please, we're so in need of your eye salve ... Amen

i just recently listened to a FRONTLINE special on Porn In America ... It's amazing how things in America that start out repulsing the powers that be, eventually become incorporated within the American system by the love of money ...

i remember how much the powers were against the hippie sub-culture, but once realized that there was money to be made the next thing you know Madison Ave and Wall St. were benefiting from it thru SALES! ... Same thing with the Hip-Hop sub-culture today ... Same thing with porn ...

It used to be that porn was a back alley, red light district, imported from overseas sleazy business ... Now it's up front, in your home: Cable - DVD - Internet, exported from America, and pushed by major American corporations ...

In the FRONTLINE piece it showed how AT&T(Ma Bell), GM (via Direct TV), and most major hotel chains, are instrumental in the distribution of big business porn ...
It also showed that after much government and Christian group intervention, which renewed itself in earnest at the beginning of the Bush administration, porn kings like Larry Flynnt were put on notice to the point of prosecution, and the heat turned up on ATT & GM to the point that they both sold their porn interests: ATT to Comcast & GM to Rupert Murdoch ...

The whole not so funny thing about this is as a Christian how does one extricate from supporting such things? ... i wonder how many saints work for such companies and/or hold stock shares? ... How many CEO's are Christians? ... How many of us may know our companies or companies we buy products from support such filth and wrongdoing, the whole system is corrupt but hey we gotta work and buy don't we? ... i'm thinking it's almost impossible not to fund filth in some way the way things are set up ... It's like trying to buy an American car, there's no such thing anymore, they're made from all over ... i guess each of us have to go according to our own conscience ...

The more i learn of the devil and his leavening corrupting ways the more i see the need for PRAYER, REPENTANCE & REVIVAL, and the more i feel like John ... "Come quickly Lord Jesus!" ...

The whole not so funny thing about this is as a Christian how does one extricate from supporting such things?

Would this involve not buying petrol (gas for you Americans) from most petrol stations? Since most petrol stations sell (and make profit from) porn, - well here in Australia they do anyway.

i guess each of us have to go according to our own conscience

Actully thinking about it, even the supermarket or grocery stores ~here sell and make money from Porn.

Lord have mercy!!

i picture us as a fish with two hooks in our mouths, one belonging to Christ the other to the devil ... What's scary about this is it makes us double-minded ... One of these lines has to be snapped and since Christ said the gates of hell shall not prevail against us eventually i know it's gonna be Satans line we're freed from ...

When I read this I had this vision. The Christian has two hooks, one in each side of his mouth. Satan has 100 lb test line. Jesus has 5 lb test line, but Jesus has a pair of scissors in his hand. He is not cutting the line but handing the scissors to the Christian. Just what popped in my head when I read it. I haven't seen the videos yet but will make time today watch them.
Hope

Brother Rahman wrote:

It also showed that after much government and Christian group intervention, which renewed itself in earnest at the beginning of the Bush administration, porn kings like Larry Flynnt were put on notice to the point of prosecution, and the heat turned up on ATT & GM to the point that they both sold their porn interests: ATT to Comcast & GM to Rupert Murdoch ...

Rupert Murdoch is the CEO of Fox News also. Now think about how the "Evangelical Christians" support Fox News because of it's support of the current administration. Also the current press secretary for President Bush was one of the leading men for Fox News before accepting his current place within the administration.

Satan is powerful and roaming this earth seeking who he may devour. There will be a time where most accept the lie...God is calling, Come out from among them and be seperate. Then I will be your God and you will be my people.

In Christ
Jeff

There will be a time where most accept the lie...God is calling, Come out from among them and be seperate.

Sadly I'm coming to the same conclusion,

From the Moral Majority, to Pat Robertson, to the present day James Kennedy and Rick Warren...Christian 'leaders' bargaining with and inviting political powers right to their pulpit. Sincere but spiritless endeavors...adding even more division.

Imagine Paul inviting Agrippa or Ceasar into his precious churches to speak on the political issues of the day. Imagine him inviting the leading Jewish authorities from Jerusalem to speak in the Christian congregations simply because they shared some of the same challenges from Roman occupation...

Politics is a no-win business for the church...whatever short term gain you make from partnering with the world you end up sacrificing the eternal God honoring perspective of the gospel message. Paul preached so that men would learn to honor God as God once again, knowing that all other sins, such as immorality that offends the conservatives, or social injustice that offends the liberals, are simply branches of this central sin. This is what he meant when he told the greeks to repent...their time of ignorance regarding the worship of God is over.

Today, our Christian leaders are less concerned with the worship of God, and more concerned with their religous sensibilities...the right decries immorality, and the left cries for social good...without first calling the immoral or the rulers of society to repent of their dishonoring indifference towards God.

I can see how it got this way...small steps, and overreactions.

My conclusion is the church system can't be fixed...it just needs to be abandoned and reborn without all the organizational gobbety gook. 250 Years ago Welsely never intended to abandon the Anglican church, but to introduce reforms. Yet in the end his reforms were too paradamitic, making methodism incompatible with the Anglican church.

Today we could use a similar exodus...if the churches can't get out of the world then maybe the Christians should get out of the churches.(Realizing of course that the actual Church will move with them...)

I just pray and hope for patience and understanding of the various frustation levels we will encounter during such a change. We don't need to defend our favorite organizations...let's just look out for one another. We don't need to be joiners anymore to any group or any organization...we already are joined brethren.

MC

Brother Mike wrote:

I just pray and hope for patience and understanding of the various frustation levels we will encounter during such a change.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

Jude 1:12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Eph 4:
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

The wind of Satan causes the seas to boil. The trickery of men in their cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting will destroy many. Yet there is a Savior who will calm the winds and the boiling sea. It all comes down to where our hopes live, in the world or in Christ.

We are all be conveyed into the light from where we once were in darkness. Our hopes are being transformed. The light will show us the hopes we still hold onto that are not of the light.

God Bless

Jeff

bro Mike C

From the Moral Majority, to Pat Robertson, to the present day James Kennedy and Rick Warren...Christian 'leaders' bargaining with and inviting political powers right to their pulpit. Sincere but spiritless endeavors...adding even more division.

you know i read this article by zac poonen yesterday on God and mammon at this site:
http://www.cfcindia.com/web/mainpages/articles.php

and at a certain point he mentions that people rely more on mammon to achieve God's purposes than Holy Spirit. the enemy has brought many to this place where in the arm of God is seemingly too short or it is perceived that His word will return void. there is a vanity in us which the enemy plays on to lure us away from seeking God. we somehow substitute sincerity for unction and our own devices for the Spirit of God. in such endevours the final beneficiary is not God but man.

Imagine Paul inviting Agrippa or Ceasar into his precious churches to speak on the political issues of the day. Imagine him inviting the leading Jewish authorities from Jerusalem to speak in the Christian congregations simply because they shared some of the same challenges from Roman occupation...

light has no fellowship with darkness...

Today, our Christian leaders are less concerned with the worship of God, and more concerned with their religous sensibilities...the right decries immorality, and the left cries for social good...without first calling the immoral or the rulers of society to repent of their dishonoring indifference towards God.

the rubber meets the road...politics doesn't help much because neither party has the best interests of the Father at heart so one ends up picking the lesser of 2 evils so to speak. the bottom line is that no earthly system of governance will succeed. all will fail, communism failed and emocracy too will fail and ultimately Christ's Theocracy will be established (Millenial Reign) there is something to be said however about the man who is sympathetic to the Father in politics, he is unlikely to be voted in since one has to bend this way and that and we all know God doesn't change. we all need to repent.

My conclusion is the church system can't be fixed...it just needs to be abandoned and reborn without all the organizational gobbety gook. 250 Years ago Welsely never intended to abandon the Anglican church, but to introduce reforms. Yet in the end his reforms were too paradamitic, making methodism incompatible with the Anglican church.

i agree with you here and our Lord has shown me this very necessity. since much of this system does depend on money, the collapse of the economy will uproot some of this. we're about to get a blast from the past...1st century when the men and women of God were on one accord as in the Acts. of course there will be some ananiases and saphiras but we're about to get pushed back into eachother. bro Mike, we might share more than a cup of coffee together! :-D

Ironman,

...there is a vanity in us which the enemy plays on to lure us away from seeking God. we somehow substitute sincerity for unction and our own devices for the Spirit of God. in such endevours the final beneficiary is not God but man.

We are simply corrupt. Although we can be sincere our sincerity is also corrupt. Our church growth aspirations have placed corruptable man ahead of Christ.

If only more of us could ache over our corruption...like that turtle that is on it's back helpless, we need a help that cannot come from our own powerless limbs. I've heard it said that the aching for revival is revival...that is when the thirsty soul longs for Christ, she will not be turned away or handed a stone or serpant.

I've been going through the "Life of David Brainard". As some here at SI have previously affirmed, this little 260 year old journal really captures the heart that is sick of this world. You might have read it, but if not I highly recommend it. (Caution label; this medicine will not cure your heartsickness for holiness...in fact it will only inflame it.)

Here is one of my favorite portions...showing not only how dead we are to this evil world, but also how we must strive though all obstacles to keep eternity in our sights.

"1742 Lord’s day, July 4...In the evening I withdrew, and enjoyed a happy season in secret prayer. God was pleased to give me the exercise of faith, and thereby brought the invisible and eternal world near to my soul; which appeared sweetly to me. I hoped, that my weary pilgrimage in the world would be short; and that it would not be long before I was brought to my heavenly home and Father’s house. I was resigned to God’s will, to tarry his time, to do his work, and suffer his pleasure...

“Monday, July 19. My desires seem especially to be carried out after weanedness from the world, perfect deadness to it, and to be even crucified to all its allurements. My soul longs to feel itself more of a pilgrim and stranger here below; that nothing may divert me from pressing through the lonely desert, till I arrive at my Father’s house.

“Tuesday, July 20. It was sweet to give away myself to God, to be disposed of at his pleasure; and had some feeling sense of the sweetness of being a pilgrim on earth.”

I couldn't help but notice that the first entry was July 4th...30 some years before there was a "declaration of independence" in America, Brainerd was privately declaring a true liberty... of the soul from this world.

Blessings bro,

MC

PS...guess what? I've decided to lay off the coffee. Getting myself back in running shape with God's grace. I'll have to fellowship over water when you come.
;-)

bro Mike

We are simply corrupt. Although we can be sincere our sincerity is also corrupt. Our church growth aspirations have placed corruptable man ahead of Christ.

ahh this is it. Sigmun Freud was right in how nuts we really are...he was just wrong on how to deal with it. We are indeed utterly corrupt and as such without hope outside of Christ. what this means is that Jesus is the answer.

If only more of us could ache over our corruption...like that turtle that is on it's back helpless, we need a help that cannot come from our own powerless limbs. I've heard it said that the aching for revival is revival...that is when the thirsty soul longs for Christ, she will not be turned away or handed a stone or serpant.

it seems God is bringing some of us to this point, praise be to Him. as our Lord shows me more and more how the world is falling apart, i see more and more the need for Him. when everything around us fails us, what then will we trust in? i praise God He's teaching me to trust in Him NOW while it's easier...

I've been going through the "Life of David Brainard". As some here at SI have previously affirmed, this little 260 year old journal really captures the heart that is sick of this world. You might have read it, but if not I highly recommend it. (Caution label; this medicine will not cure your heartsickness for holiness...in fact it will only inflame it.)

bro i've not read the book as yet but i have a feeling i will read it soon. i feel though i am living it to some degree and i yearn to live in the Lord that much more deeply as i know you do.

I couldn't help but notice that the first entry was July 4th...30 some years before there was a "declaration of independence" in America, Brainerd was privately declaring a true liberty... of the soul from this world.

bro Mike this is heavy...this is what true freedom is. bro i read tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmband and in it i saw people who truly were free. i see it in the scriptures, Paul, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Silas, timothy, i see it in polycarp and all those who through the ages suffered for Christ...free from the world, not concerned with their circumstances here but looking on to that Far Country and longing that others join them there even if it costs them this life.

i bless God for you bro and that He has shown us this True Freedom.

well i've been taking a break from the gym myself.i do so every year to recouperate. anyhow we can fellowship over water or whatever our Lord sees fit.

God bless and keep you and yours bro

ahh this is it. Sigmun Freud was right in how nuts we really are...he was just wrong on how to deal with it.

I believe Sigmun Freud actually began to understand the depravity of man. I believe Satan revealed this truth to him. And now this truth can be exploited by the kings and princes of this world.

When the world leaders first learned of Freud's discoveries, some sought to find ways of repressing man's tendencies toward depravity. While other have sought to play on these tendencies for their own gain.

The leaders of this world understand and fear man's depravity, few know where to find the light of the truth.

As we grow in the light, our lives will be transformed into a way of living that resembles the life style of Abraham...

Hebrews 11:13

"These all died in faith, not having received the promisees, but having seen them afar off were assured of them embraced them and confessed that [i]they were strangers and pilgrams on the earth.[/i]

In Christ
Jeff

bro Jeff

I believe Sigmun Freud actually began to understand the depravity of man. I believe Satan revealed this truth to him. And now this truth can be exploited by the kings and princes of this world.

i agree bro and through that nephew if his, Robert Bernays, corporate america REALLY sunk their fangs and claws into the masses and have not let go ever since...and their wallets and bank accounts doth overflow...

The leaders of this world understand and fear man's depravity, few know where to find the light of the truth.

and they exploit it to their own benefit and the detriment of us all. this is how them wicked fallen angels work. they are indeed cunning and use men in a bid to hurt God by manipulating things in all manner of crooked and wicked way.

As we grow in the light, our lives will be transformed into a way of living that resembles the life style of Abraham...

AMEN! as long as we know that this puts a big target on our behinds :-P bless God though that we are armed and He has already overcome the world and disarmed the principalities and powers.

"These all died in faith, not having received the promisees, but having seen them afar off were assured of them embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrams on the earth.

i bless God He has brought me to a place whereat i'm not attached to this earth or anything therein but am instead looking to the Far Country so i can say, "i'm a pilgrim just passing through on my way home"

praise be to God. AMEN.