Are You a Notch On The Devil’s Belt?

Being notch on someone’s belt is a phrase that is indicative of someone merely taking advantage of a situation–there is no attachment to the person or the event–just a game to keep count of those foolish enough to participate.

Women who sleep with men, indiscriminately, are usually just a notch on the man’s belt. He has no real affection for her and is usually involved in a macho-sadistic game with peers to see who can sleep with the most women in a given time period.

Young folks–who think and do stupid and dumb things are just a notch on the devil’s belt. He influences their their thinking and manipulates them into doing. He doesn’t care about them or the consequences they face; he just laughs every time people–especially our young people do stupid.

Doing drugs and becoming addicted–stupid–another notch on the devil’s belt; he doesn’t have to worry about you any more–your life will be filled with negativity and the consequences will include loss of friends, family, trust from others and eventually, you’ll end up in jail or dead. Can you hear him laughing at you?

Playing stupid games with people’s lives–such as the “knock-out” game–another notch on the devil’s belt. You knock out a person “just because” and they end up seriously injured or dead and you end up in jail. Another notch on the devil’s belt. Can you hear him laughing at you?

Participating in foolish challenges–risking your life to fit in with the stupid crowd. Social media is being perverted by those who are influenced by the devil and you have the nerve to jump right in and join them, never thinking about the risk. How many people died from the Cinnamon Challenge? Was that you who was rushed to the hospital, unable to breathe? Can you hear the devil laughing at you? If you had died, the devil would have been really ecstatic–another notch on his belt.

Whenever we do stupid–drinking and driving, texting and driving, having promiscuous sexual relationships with every Tom, Dick, and Harry or Sally, Sue, and Jane, doing drugs to relieve our boredom, contemplating suicide or homicide, ignoring instruction from parents and teachers or anyone in authority who actually cares about us–stupid things that lead to disastrous consequences–are just another notch on the devil’s belt.

Remember this–the devil hates all who God loves and he really loves to get you confused and doing stupid things so he can add that new notch in his belt. Don’t give him the satisfaction! Think before you do anything and learn to seek God for wisdom--turn the tables on the devil and every time you resist his influence, make that a notch on your belt. It’s your turn to laugh at him!

At the end of the day, count the notches–who’s winning–the devil or you?

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Is This You?

“Declare me innocent, for you see those who do right.You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say. I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people. My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you.” (Psalm 17:2-5 NLT)

Does any of our communication sound like David’s prayer?

When we have reflected upon what we do and have done, do we dare ask God to declare us innocent–knowing He sees everything we do, knows our hearts and certainly knows our hearts? Can we realistically say to Him, “You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong?”

Considering we are saved by grace–not because of anything we done to deserve God’s favor, but because of who He is–our sins are forgiven and we have a right to declare whatever it is we want to Him.

When we understand we are forgiven for those things we did when we did not have a relationship with Him, it is so much easier to understand David’s declaration. It is also easy to understand the importance of “staying on the path” which God has established, not following evil people or trends, and not wavering from following His directions.

We know what and who we were–notice the past tense–before we knew and understood Him.

I refer to some aspects of my life as my “BC” time–before I had understanding of Christ and what He has done for me. I am now living in my “AC” time–after obtaining understanding of who He is and grateful for what He has done and is doing for me. 

If we never acknowledge that we have done anything that needs to be forgiven, how can a forgiving God, forgive us? If we never obtain a relationship with Him, how can we expect to communicate with Him–knowing He knows all about us and loves us anyway? If we never change our ways, how can we expect to be a beacon of light in the darkness that pervades the earth so others will come to know Him? Can we be like David and make such declarations?

David was not perfect by a long shot and neither are we, but right now–I declare I am the righteousness of God; I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; I am forsaking all those people who might lead me astray; I am staying on the path that God has set me upon and I will not be moved! I am Blessed and highly favored and never alone because He is always with me!

Is this you?

I Am All That God Says I Am available on http://www.amazon.com/Mary-M-Hall-Rayford/e/B00BAW31CQ/