Snare of the Fowler

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Short Summary

The discourse emphasizes the spiritual dangers Christians face from Satan’s various snares, including pride, depression, unholy ambition, pleasure seeking, sophistry, and fear of loss. It urges vigilance, humility, and reliance on God’s promises to resist these traps, highlighting the importance of continual self-examination, sacrifice, and faithfulness in the Christian walk. Ultimately, believers are encouraged to trust in God’s protection and strength to overcome adversity and remain steadfast.

Long Summary

Detailed Summary of the Discourse “Snare of the Fowler”

Opening Scripture and Theme 
– Quoted Psalm 91:1-4 emphasizes God’s protection: 
*“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty… Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence… He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.”* 
– The discourse focuses on spiritual dangers (“snares”) set by Satan, likened to traps or wire nooses used by a hunter (fowler) to catch birds. These snares metaphorically represent spiritual pitfalls that can trap believers.

The Adversary’s Nature and Strategy 
– Satan is described as a persistent, intelligent adversary using sophisticated tactics to trap Christians spiritually. 
– Reference to 2 Corinthians 2:11: *“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”* 
– 1 Peter describes Satan as a “roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” The speaker shares a personal experience of feeling the adversary’s presence as intense and threatening. 
– Volume 6, p. 611 quote: Satan is a willful, intelligent plotter using superhuman power to exploit human weaknesses, often using worldly instruments unknowingly against God’s truth. 
– Christians must be vigilant, resist Satan, and rely on God’s protection (Genesis 15:1: “Fear not, I am thy shield…”). 

Historical Context and Modern Challenges 
– Since 1878, many devout Christians were spiritually “raised” by God, causing Satan to rethink his strategies. 
– The discourse references societal changes in the early 20th century (Federal Reserve 1914, Roaring Twenties), which introduced new temptations, including financial allurements and philosophical challenges like evolution. 
– Satan’s snares evolve with the times to exploit new weaknesses.

Main Spiritual Snares Highlighted 
1. Pride 
– Proverbs 16:5: *“Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.”* 
– Spiritual pride is dangerous, leading to a fall (Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”). 
– Examples: Moses striking the rock with pride (Numbers 20:10-12), Pharisees’ pride. 
– Jesus’ temptation in Matthew 4:8-9 illustrates pride’s allure. 
– Brother Russell warned against self-conceit as a barrier to progress and usefulness in God’s service. 
– Pride is subtle and often unrecognized by its victims.

2. Depression 
– A global challenge, with hundreds of millions affected. Christians are not exempt. 
– Apostle Paul experienced deep discouragement (2 Corinthians 1:8). 
– Causes include personal loss, illness, aging, and worldly troubles. 
– Medical help may be necessary, but spiritual encouragement is vital. 
– Scripture reassurance: *“I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me”* (Philippians 4:13) and *“He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”* (Philippians 1:6). 
– Reference to an article by Brother Tom Gilbert on overcoming depression. 
– Encouragement to trust God’s strength in weakness.

3. Unholy Ambition 
– Ambition itself is necessary but must be holy — aimed at serving God and others, not self-prominence. 
– Isaiah 14:13-14 records Satan’s prideful ambition: *“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.”* 
– Sin originated in Satan’s mind due to unholy ambition and pride. 
– Warning against selfish ambition in the church causing division and harm (3 John 9; Matthew 23:5-6). 
– True service requires humility; as Brother Russell said, humility enables God to use us safely.

4. (Skipped) Selfishness 
– Mentioned as an important snare but omitted due to time constraints.

5. Pleasure Seeking 
– The natural desires of the flesh (taste, sight, sound, touch, smell) can be traps when gratified contrary to walking in the spirit. 
– Satan uses pleasure to lure Christians away from consecration and spiritual sacrifice. 
– Rationalization often justifies indulgence, but Jeremiah 17:9 warns the heart is deceitful above all things. 
– Scripture example: Moses choosing to suffer with God’s people rather than enjoy Egypt’s pleasures (Hebrews 11:24-25). 
– Warning against selling our spiritual birthright for temporary gratification (like Esau).

6. Sophistry (Deceptive Reasoning) 
– Sophistry is subtle, fallacious argumentation used to deceive, e.g., the doctrine of the Trinity is cited as a sophistical error. 
– Such reasoning appeals to human logic but contradicts scriptural truth, denying core ransom doctrines. 
– Historically, sophistry justified persecution and other wrongs under the guise of “the end justifies the means.” 
– Romans 3:7-8 addresses faulty justification. 
– Christians must rely on scripture’s holy power (2 Peter 3:16-17) and avoid presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13). 
– Brother Russell taught to prove doctrines by Scripture or set them aside. 
– Warning against cognitive dissonance and stubbornly holding erroneous beliefs without scriptural basis.

7. Fear of Loss (Snare #9) 
– Fear is a powerful tool used by Satan; fear of losing earthly comforts, time, talents, or reputation can hinder consecration. 
– Hebrews 2:14 speaks of deliverance from the fear of death through Christ’s sacrifice. 
– This fear may cause delay or default in full consecration, risking the loss of the “chief prize.” 
– The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:11-12) illustrates failure to maintain zealous consecration and sacrifice. 
– True consecration requires sacrifice of fleshly desires, time, ambitions, and comfort. 
– Jesus’ words: *“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”* 
– The value of God’s favor and promises requires effort and sacrifice to obtain.

Conclusion and Encouragement 
– Many more snares exist beyond those discussed; further study recommended. 
– Psalm 91:1-4 reassures believers that God will deliver those who remain alert, obedient, and faithful. 
– Reference to Psalm 91:7: *“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.”* 
– Three spiritual classes mentioned: the Little Flock, the Great Company, and the Second Death class. 
– Final exhortation: *“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”* 
– Believers are encouraged to claim these promises and remain vigilant.

—

Key Bible Verses Mentioned:

– Psalm 91:1-4 
– 2 Corinthians 2:11 
– 1 Peter 5:8 (devil as roaring lion) 
– Genesis 15:1 
– Proverbs 16:5, 16:18 
– Matthew 4:8-9 (Satan’s temptation of Jesus) 
– Hebrews 11:24-25 (Moses choosing to suffer) 
– Jeremiah 17:9 
– Philippians 4:13; 1:6 
– Isaiah 14:13-14 (Satan’s prideful ambition) 
– 3 John 9 
– Matthew 23:5-6 
– Romans 3:7-8 
– 2 Peter 3:16-17 
– Psalm 19:13 
– Hebrews 2:14 
– Matthew 25:11-12 
– John 9:4 (reference to the “dark night”) 

—

This discourse serves as a comprehensive spiritual warning to Christians to remain vigilant against Satan’s varied snares—pride, depression, unholy ambition, pleasure, sophistry, and fear—while encouraging reliance on God’s promises and the need for continual self-examination and consecration.

Transcript

Snare of the Fowler.

Psalms 91:1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge, my fortress, my God. In him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. What a beautiful promise.

Would you not agree that the great adversary has been a threatening foe to all of God’s people throughout the whole gospel age? He hates us and he would like to kill us. If not physically, then he would like to at least snare us and kill us spiritually. Satan doesn’t usually warn us of the snares and traps that he sets for us. So a Christian must be vigilant and be aware of his presence throughout any part or all of their day for the rest of their life.

2nd Corinthians 2:11 tells us to not be ignorant of his devices. Therefore, our discourse today in part, incidentally, a snare is not typically net, but typically a trap, right? Having a noose of wire or a cord, and we would like to show you one.

The snare might look like this, okay? It’s a wire cord. It’s got a flexible branch that it’s attached to out in the wild, and usually some. Some bait that’s put down and.

And then when a bird comes along and it catches a bite of that food, it trips it and it’s caught. That’s what a snare is, and the adversary’s got a lot of these, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today.

It says in First Peter from another perspective, your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. One time I had a large lion at the Tampa Zoo turn and look directly at me with those large, piercing amber eyes like I was his next meal.

Kind of a creepy feeling. But there have been times in my life, dear brother, when I knew that I was going one on one with the adversary. Maybe you’ve been there, right? And felt like he was looking at me the same way.

The Pastor says in volume six, page 611, Satan is the great adversary, not only of God, but. But of humanity, and he’s by no means a fancy sketch, but the plain truth, Satan alone is the willful, intelligent plotter and schemer who uses superhuman intelligence and so far is permitted superhuman powers to inveigle our fallen flesh through depraved appetites, etc, and who frequently uses the worldly ass as tools and unconscious instruments in opposing righteousness and truth and those who are of the truth. You must be aware that Satan studies and observes us to capitalize on any weaknesses that he can detect.

But we must resist him. We must be aware of his tools, his snares, his traps, and fortify our counteroffensive.

Beware that he’s there sometimes crouched at the door nearby. Always remember, though, that if God before us, what. There you go. Who can be against us? A plus for God is our shield, right?

Genesis 15. 1. But the point of this whole talk is to walk circumspectly. That’s the point. Beware mentally.

Look around at your circumstances. Be vigilant. I believe since 1878, when Satan must have noticed tens of thousands of devout Christians he thought he had destroyed. Then God raised these saints from the dead into earth’s atmosphere, empowered with the divine nature. It must have left Satan scratching his head.

Right? Right. Like what did I do wrong? I thought I killed them. Now they have an even greater power than I do.

I’m going to have to figure out some better methods to not let this happen anymore, and you know. Right, right. At the time Brother Russell came along. Think about this.

All of a sudden the Gilded Age came with gold and you know, the Astors and the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers, money was coming in, and then we had. We had for the first time people could borrow money. There was lending that was going on in the form of credit, I should say, and that there was a lot of things that were changing.

The Federal reserve came about 1914. Right. There was a lot of things that were going on with that money. People got kind of in a euphoria, and the roaring 20s, remember?

Oh, you don’t remember, but maybe 70, but there’s still some around. We visited our dear Sister Carmela Luke, who I’m sure would want to love, sent to you as well, precious soul. But there have been some that are still around. I mean, you know, some of these who saw what was going on. There was some changes going on and there was temptations to the brethren to snatch on to some of these allurements were there, let alone evolution.

Right. Think about the Spocks trial and think about all that happened from sometime in that era of when there was about over a hundred prophetic students. According to one author back in the 1800s that said over 100 prophetic students were looking for the return of Our Lord between 1868 and 1879, the adversary knew that there was something going on, but he didn’t. He didn’t know when. Right?

No man knoweth the day, nor the hour, but Satan was throwing a lot. He was scheming, you can be sure of that. Because even with evolution, he knew could take away some of our young brethren, maybe some of our older brethren too, because it was a very subtle deception. Right? So what did I do wrong?

I’m going to have to change my strategies. The adversary has used many different traps and snares over the centuries. So obviously many are not unique to the harvest of the gospel age, nor to us as new creatures in Christ. So let’s take a few minutes and let’s look at these snares that can trip us up by doing a little personal introspection along the way. Now, there’s not much time to cover all of them, or even the ones we are comprehensively, so there will be much that we cannot elaborate on.

But let’s start with what I believe is the number one snare. Now, this isn’t a snare I’m going to pull up, but it is a trap.

This is a big trap.

This is a little trap. There’s a difference.

Proverbs 16:5 states, Everyone that is proud of heart is an abomination to the Lord. Abomination is a pretty strong word, wouldn’t you agree?

Now, the Lord must have had a reason for Brother Tom already mentioning this in his discourse, but this is the second time around now, so it’s something that we really need to be vigilant about, me included. There are many examples in the Bible of those who stumbled, and we’re snared in this snare of pride. Sometimes, though, it’s spiritual pride. Spiritual pride.

We become so knowledgeable in the beautiful truths that we’ve been given, and along with that, we can start getting a little spiritually proud of what we’ve learned. Think we’re better than others, like the scribes and the Pharisees. Remember and smite the rock like Moses did, thinking a little too much of himself. Remember what he said. Must we fetch you Israelites water from this rock?

Notice not God, but Moses, and God, and Moses paid a high price for his pride, didn’t he? If it could happen to this great man who was the meekest man in all the earth, could it happen to us? Absolutely.

How many elders do you think have fallen into this snare of pride during the harvest? Take a look at the manna from 8:26. You know, I had a very troubled sister in Christ tell me one time that her husband’s problem was that he had too much pride.

And then I was driving from Detroit to Gary, Indiana, with another elder, and we got into a conversation about Brother Russell, and he told me, larry, nobody knows more about Brother Russell than I do. I knew right there what his problem was.

It can be subtle, but if you don’t snatch it when it’s like this, it’s going to end up like this, right?

Does God even hate a proud look?

Proverbs 16:18. Pride goes before destruction, and notice a haughty spirit before a fall. Take that away, please. Serve me something over here.

You know, like attitude, right?

Remember Satan tried to sell pride to Jesus when he said in Matthew 4:8,9, Again, the devil taketh him up to an exceeding high mountain and showeth him all the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them, and saith unto him, all these things will I give thee if thou will fall down and worship me. Right? But Jesus knew it was also a detour that was unsanctioned with the will of Jehovah. Jesus only did the will of his Father, just like all of us are trying to do.

Brother Russell said from the man of June 28th, and maybe you’d agree, and I think this was actually read by Brother Tan. Nothing is more dangerous to the child of God than self conceit. It blocks the way to true progress and reformation of heart. This goes along with our manna today, doesn’t it, and hinders true usefulness to others and especially usefulness in God’s service.

It breaks up marriages, it breaks up friendships, and it breaks up Ecclesiastes and is counterproductive to spiritual growth.

Incidentally, I would say that all snares are traps, but not all traps are snares. Snares are only one type of trap. So, brethren, let us constantly monitor our hearts from this corrosive evil of pride that eats away at the Christian humility and catapults you onto various dangerous grounds, and a devastating fall. I had this one time in Chicago, and I snapped it and the sister jumped out of her seat.

So I was very careful not to do that again. We learn by experience, don’t we?

Carefully guard your heart from this often used and quite successful snare or trap of a fowler. Let us all look very carefully at the mirror of introspection. I would say most of its victims don’t even know they have a problem and furthermore won’t let anybody tell them they do Right. Have you experienced that Snare number two? You ready?

The snare of depression.

With all the troubles in the world today, is it any wonder that globally some 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression? That appears to be about 10 times more than when I last checked some 20 years ago. Are we as Christians exempt? What a snare that can attempt to steal away the joy in the life of a Christian. Can the adversary use the trap of depression to trip us up in the narrow way of our Christian walk?

Absolutely. Maybe all of us struggle with depression sometimes. You know, even the apostle Paul did in 2 Corinthians 1:8. Check it out if you want. He struggled with it.

2nd Corinthians 1:8. These are pretty depressing times in the world we live in, wouldn’t you agree? But there are other situations like marital issues and aging body issues and critical illness issues and loss of a family member or loved one and financial issues and the list goes on and on, doesn’t it? That can promote a condition of depression. We’re not exempt from such conditions of mind and spirit.

Sometimes medical attention may be needed. In my opinion, chemical imbalances in the brain can sometimes take place. Dopamine, serotonin. But be cautious and do your homework when considering these things. Wouldn’t say he’d like to discourage us so much that we might feel like just giving up this race course.

Right? One might say, brother Larry, I won’t make my calling election. Sure. I have too many flaws in my character, too many issues to become as Christlike as I need to be. Discouragement ever felt that way.

But didn’t God know what he was dealing with when he called us? Didn’t he know that maybe our character flaws are part of the reasons he called us? Right? Tom talked about that. First Corinthians 1:26, 30.

Right.

Is anything too hard for God?

It’s a promise, right? No, it’s not too hard for God to change us, for his strength to be made perfect in our weakness and identify with many of the millions of the people that are coming back in the kingdom and who struggle. Right, and need to know that it’s God’s strength that can be made in their weakness as well, and the answer is no.

Nothing’s too hard for God. If he made the stars and galaxies, he can certainly make you the way he wants to. Do you believe that?

Grasp carefully and strongly onto that. Those promises. But perhaps you and I have to trust him more and give him a little more cooperation. Right? In the process, we are being Shaped as a people for a purpose who can understand the human experience.

Christ in you the hope of glory. Memorize and repeat after me this scripture. You ready? I can do all things through Christ who what strengtheneth me. Beautiful promise.

Beautiful promise.

We need to hang this one around our neck over our heart like a radiant pendant, being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you, what will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. You believe that, don’t you? Amen. My dear friend over there, Tom Gilbert, very precious brother to me, wrote a really good article on depression in the Herald magazine entitled Correct Me if I’m wrong, Brother Tom Overcoming Depression Problems and Solutions. Right.

A good one. If you might need to take a look and read it, look it up on the Herald site. I’ll let Tom’s article help those who might be facing this nerve depression, maybe taking a look at it, they’ll even read it to you. Tom also gave me a really penetrating poem by Benjamin Barton. We both love that poem.

Thank you, Tom, for giving that to me, and I’ll have copies for you if you want. I have copies of this talk if you want. We probably won’t finish, but read the poem. It’s a really good one and I think it’ll be a blessing to you.

Brother Russell loved this brother very dearly and gave his funeral discourse. Very precious, brother. But especially in these times of stress we live in, depression might be a snare that more and more of the brethren may battle with as we get closer to the dark night of John 9:4, which I think personally is still ahead of us. But never forget the silver lining on those dark clouds, brethren. Like the silver representing verity in the holy of the tabernacle.

It’s the truth of of God’s precious promises where you abide under his wings and the comforting shadow of the Almighty snare. Number three, unholy ambition. Ambition is actually necessary in the Church as in the world. But it must not be a selfish ambition for greatness or prominence, but rather a loving ambition to serve the Lord and his people. Even The Very Humblest.

Volume 6, page 296. However, make no mistake about it, unholy ambitions for prominence in the Church have quite frequently been.

The fowler’s snare.

And throughout the ages, at least the Gospel age, an unholy ambition to actually think, just think. The adversary could actually think that he could overcome and take away God’s plan, right? I mean, what an attitude of unholy ambition he had and what a mistake he made. To actually think that he could be as high as the Most High. You remember the words, right?

In Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High. I’m not sure, but would you say that perhaps this is where all sin had its start? In the mind of the adversary? I ask you, where else would it start?

So I submit that sin started in the mind of the great adversary. Did Lucifer again actually think that Jehovah would have any being created that would have superior or equal powers to himself? Or does pride blind judgment? How did Satan ever think that he would win this contest of unholy ambition where he grossly miscalculated his all wise opponent? Yes, Satan’s snare was an unholy ambition.

Perhaps as a suggestion fueled by a jealousy of a solid super glue bond that the Logos, God’s only begotten Son had with Jehovah that Lucifer could never merge into. Maybe or perhaps that he felt he maybe had a lack of appreciation for his fine qualities and his beauty. He was supposed to be beautiful, right? And the reaction might have been eventually, as it says once again in Isaiah, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High five eyes like an upside down pentagon star.

Again words found in Isaiah 14:13 and 14. However, ambition, good ambition is necessary in the church as in the world. But the big difference again is that it must not be a selfish ambition for greatness or prominence, but rather a loving ambition to serve the Lord and his people. That is a good ambition. We should all have holy ambitions of sacrifice and service to him and his.

But do careful surgery in getting rid of any selfish, cancerous, unholy ambitions of pride or prominence. Are you familiar with diatrophies? Have you heard that name? Many haven’t. Unfortunately.

A self seeking elder in the early church who had that problem as mentioned by the apostle John in 3 John verse 9. Take a look at it. Many over the gospel age have had the inscription on their figurative tombstones. He thought way too much of himself and tripped the snare of unholy ambition. See Matthew 23:5 6.

Someone once said that the path of humility and the path of glory are one and the same. In other words, there’s no place for unholy ambitions of prominence in God’s service. It’s only only when we are little in our own eyes that God can use us with safety to ourself. True statement by Brother Russell. I always appreciate it.

So we’re going to have to Skip snare four because of our time. It’s a snare of selfishness. But if anybody would like, just ask me. Give me your email, send the whole talk to you if you like, but we’re going to skip a few.

Let’s talk about the snare of pleasure. This is snare number five. We must avoid the snare of pleasure seeking from the natural gratifying desires of human senses where it conflicts with walking in the spirit. Brethren, you know this. We are not in the flesh, right?

But the Bible tells us what? That we are in the spirit. Taste, sight, sound, touch and smell are all part of our fleshly human nature which wants and often demands to be continually gratified and pacified. You can count on this. Satan will use most any kind of humanly pleasurable experience he can use to snare us away from our consecration of sacrifice and to walk in the spirit.

Satan wants you to walk in what? He wants you to walk in the flesh. That’s what he wants. If Satan can get us to misuse these natural desires to lead us away from God or the narrow way of sacrifice in our flesh, you can count on Satan doing exactly that.

Rationalization is often the mechanism or tool to justify the fleshly gratifications undermining the important part of our contract to sacrifice many legitimate human pleasures common to man. Rationalizing pleasurable deceitful desires that the human will tries to justify in their heart. As you’re well familiar with the scripture in Jeremiah 17:9, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Are you and I always watchful and vigilant to these subtle attacks on our devotion and commitment of sacrifice and our vows of consecration.

We need to be, don’t we? Dear friends? Don’t step in this thoughtless snare like we heard about earlier today from dear brother David, and like Esau did. Remember when he sold something, Remember that and eventually end up brethren, selling your birthright for a mess of pottage, Selling the prize and becoming the pauper.

Moses avoided those snares of pleasure, didn’t he? Isn’t that what the scriptures say? Out of his love for God as you read about in Hebrews 11:24:25.

Snare number six, the snare of sophistry, Which I would suggest is a subtle deceptive reasoning of argumentation. I believe the Trinity falls into this category. It puts a spin on an incomprehensible, unsound fallacious reasoning. It tries to put logic into a three leaf clover and make sense out of Three parts of one egg to prove the Trinity. This unsound unscriptural reasoning was a masterstroke of the best deceiver of the universe, fallacious reasoning of deception swallowed globally by millions of Christian minds who don’t realize that they have been artfully bamboozled into a denial of the core doctrine of the ransom.

It was a perfect human man for a perfect human man, not a part God, part man sophistry that unfortunately most Christians believe like Lucifer as a serpent was with mother Eve when tempting her by deceptive snares, right? A sophistry and playing upon her unholy ambitions. Sophistry is a camouflage trap or snare of subtle deceptive reasoning or argumentation. As we said, for example, some of the so called nominal Christians of history past and I don’t like to use a lot of times nominal Christians in a blanket way because there’s a nominal Christianity, but there’s some good people out there. Some good Christians, but there are some that are nominal.

Who knows, maybe there’s some nominal Bible students too. When you think about it, some nominal Christians of history past have subscribed to and justified their actions like the persecution of perceived heretics by this thinking. Namely the end justifies the means. But is it true? Does the end truly justify the means?

Or is this just faulty reasoning to appease the conscience of justifying unfair treatment of others? Have you ever heard of this? I’m sure you have. It is proposed that morally wrong actions are sometimes necessary to achieve morally right outcomes. It is said that actions can only be considered morally right or wrong by virtue of the morality of the outcome Sophistry.

The way I see it, is this a similar philosophy to that of the Sanhedrin in the persecution and demise of Jesus? Shall not one man die to save a nation? Who says Satan Said, was Apostle Paul ever accused of this? The Apostle Paul addresses this line of Reasoning in Romans 3:7 and 8. Have time to read it.

As Christians we must cautiously step way around the snares of sophistry and resting the Scriptures with the holy energizing power of the Scriptures. Logic living by every word of the mouth of God. 2nd Peter 3:16, 17 Psalms 19:13 says, Keep back thy servant also for from presumptuous sins. But what is a presumptuous sin? I thought Brother Russell had a good definition in reprint 4835 the perversion of what he called what God has revealed.

Rather the perversion of what he has revealed or claiming and holding tenaciously any doctrine merely on the ground of fallible human reasoning. Well, examples, immortal soul, trinity, hellfire, and there are more, right? Some more subtle than others. Usually there is no scriptural basis, usually merely fallible human reasoning.

But remember, reasons that seem sound are not always sound reasons, right?

Some that even Bible students may hang on to tenaciously with what I believe in some cases might be a matter of cognitive dissonance. No Scripture, not even anything from the volumes. Yet these dear brethren will not move from their position because their brain’s neural pathways have cemented for years in those paths of understanding, and you can almost never budge them from that position. It makes them very uncomfortable and they really don’t want to discuss it nor change their thinking, even with sound scriptural reasoning.

Convince a man against his will and what and he’s of the same opinion. Still, introspective question then. Are there any doctrinal beliefs that we as Bible students hold tenaciously onto that we cannot solidly prove by Scripture? Brother Russell taught us to prove it by Scripture or what? Set it aside a good job.

Don’t argue your point of view until you’re blue in the face or stomp out of the room in a huff. Come, let us reason together. Right? But the point is, do we attribute a belief that we attribute to God’s Word as an absolute truth without solid, harmonious scriptural support, and yet could possibly be wrong? I ask myself that question as well.

Let us all be very careful of presuming too much and reading into God’s Word what might not actually be there. God may not be very happy with us misrepresenting him His Word and making a presumptuous sin assumption. Psalms 19:13 says, Keep again back thy servant also from presumptuous sin. How much time do I have, Brother Darish? Five minutes.

I’ll never do it.

The fear of loss. This is snare number nine. The fear of loss. Would you say that fear is a good trap of the adversary? Most every successful politician knows and uses the instrument of fear to move people in the direction the politician points to, which is usually himself.

There are many kinds of fear, including the fear of loss, loss of many good things of this present life for a Christian to enjoy that take up their consecrated time. Time they promise God. The divine clock is ticking, but they don’t even hear it. They don’t think about it. The fear snare we especially point to here today is a fear of sacrifice, true sacrifice of our time.

Your talents, your consecrated money and your energy. At first it was rather easy to consecrate our all on the altar of sacrifice, wasn’t it? Until we realized just what that really requires. The test of time eventually surfaces a preferred love of ease and comfort in the great company class where it is finally required that many have to have a God forced consecration when it is just too late to gain the chief prize. It’s a grace class then, if even that first Corinthians 3:15 the great company had a fear of, has had a fear, required sacrifice their whole Christian life and for the most part has reached a point where God says, you’ve defaulted much too often on your professed vows of consecration to me.

You don’t want to hear that. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He Christ also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil and notice deliver them who through fear of death, that’s fear of death of the flesh were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Death of the flesh. That’s our problem sometimes, and see Jude 23 also, if that could possibly be you or me in any way, perhaps we still have time to do something about it.

But nothing changes unless something changes. Some variable in your life, some variable. You’ll go home to this next week and say, because of that convention, because of the things the speakers were saying to me, I’m going to change something because nothing is going to change. I’m not going to improve unless I change that variable in my life and maybe more than one if I really want to make it. Sacrifice of doing things your way instead of God’s.

Sacrifice of your earthly hopes, aims and ambitions, perhaps certain time consuming job promotions, reputation and popularity amongst friends, associates and family. Sacrifice of making heroic efforts to daily transforming your character more and more into Christ. Which takes work. Which takes sacrifice. Someone might say, well, that’s just my way.

No, change it. Change is never easy. But are we not all consecrated to change our ways, change our bad habits, change our unchristian like reactions, our thoughts, our words and our ways to be more and more like our master Jesus Christ? Sacrifice of our time to serve the brethren more and more and promote the gospel message wherever we can? If at all possible, we should mercifully struggle to help those who have such fear.

Struggle to let go of the world. We need to help some of our brethren let go of the world and the worldly ways and thinking. Sacrifice your will of doing things your way instead of God’s. Remember the Parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Remember that Matthew 25:11 12.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not. Some may think that the wise virgins just didn’t want to give the foolish virgins their oil. However, I don’t believe here in this case, that was a matter of the wise virgins not willing to give them their oil, but rather the oil and the extra vessel amounted to the spirit of consecration. The spirit of consecration takes time, effort and energy that develops over a zealous consecrated life of sanctification and sacrifice that you cannot just give to someone like you’d give them a cup of coffee.

The foolish virgins missed the mark of a zealous sacrifice and continually developed the continual development of Christlikeness. They wanted to give them their blemished sheep, their blemished goats, not their best, and became too lax perhaps in their consecrations in some way to be truly wise virgins in their daily choices. So I submit the foolish virgins were actually afraid of sacrificing their flesh, its fleshly and selfish desires, of immediate gratifications, of sacrificing discretionary time, entertainment and superfluous distractions, and basically defaulted to God on what they promised of a full, unreserved consecration, even unto death. Jesus said to us in closing, for whosoever will save his life, this life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life, sacrifice this life for my sake shall find it.

It’s a matter of whether we love the present life more or the future life more, and in some cases, existence or non existence. See some very sobering words on the bottom of the tabernacle shadows, page 119. Write that down. How valuable is this treasure of God’s favor, brethren? Is true consecration easy?

Someone once said, that which is easily obtained is seldom valued. I guess the question is for all of us. How much do we truly value the divine favor and precious promises that God has invited us to? Time will tell, and the reward will be commensurate with the efforts given. I’m sorry, I’m going over.

In closing, we just have gone over a few of these snares, brethren. There are many more, as you can imagine. We’ll attempt to cover those maybe in part two and part three of the snares. But again, Psalms 91:1 4 reassures us that if we are alert and obedient and full of faith, with our confidence in the Lord, he will deliver us from the snare of the fowler. So be careful.

Brethren, in these last days, a thousand shall fall at thy side. Right, and what? And 10,000 at thy right hand. But hopefully, by God’s grace, it shall not come nigh thee.

I believe these are three classes. The little flock, the great company, and a second death class. So, dear friends, resist the devil and he will. What? He will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh unto you. Brethren, these are your promises. Claim them. Claim them. Amen.

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