Submitted by Tom Beutler at Watson and Hamburg Baptist Churches

December 7, 1941 back 75 years ago. Explosions, screams, ripping steel, machine gun fire, smoke, fire and the whine of diving planes! Japan had attacked the US at Pearl Harbor! Eight battleships damaged, five sunk, 11 smaller ships consisting of cruisers and destroyers were badly damaged: dead 2,335 servicemen: 68 civilians dead: wounded 1,178 people. The U.S.S. Arizona sunk with 1,177 servicemen killed.
There is no doubt it would have been much different if we had known that Japan was going to attack. Until this happened our country was very Blessed. Do you know when you are most likely to be attacked by Satan? If you did know, do you think it would help you to overcome Satan during times of temptation? Matthew 4: 1-11 “ Then WAS Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He was forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of temple, And saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him. Get thee hence, satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.” Think the verses today tell us of some of the devil’s favorite times to attack. The Lord’s temptation came right after some Blessed events. Chapter 3 verses 13-17 “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of Him. But John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and cometh thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becommeth us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and Jesus saw Spirirt of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus was starting His ministry and bam there’s Satan. If satan attacks Jesus after a spiritual blessing, what about us after a blessing. Sometimes we let our guard down. Maybe we don’t Pray as much, maybe we neglect the bible maybe we try to live for Christ in our own strength. For example, Israel-Joshua, we are told of their great victory over Jericho under God’s direction. Next Israel goes after Ai, they were over confident and didn’t use their whole army. They didn’t ask God for help and they lose.
Watch out satan is always ready to attack. Satan likes to attack when we are doing something for the Glory of God. How many times have you decided to pray more, to read the Bible more or going to talk to someone about Jesus. Have you done anything of these? Did you stop? Satan wants us to stop.
Remember Jesus! Remember our Veterans.
Thank you God! Thanks for Christmas! Thanks for Jesus’ birthday! We ask in the name of Jesus! AMEN!