Will Vaus

A recent poll (September 2013) that surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults showed the following stats about what Americans think of the Devil: 57 percent of people believe in the existence of the Devil, while 28 percent deny the Devil's existence. (But in a different survey, 40 percent of Millennials said Satan is “not a real being but just a symbol of evil.”) 51 percent of respondents believe that someone can be possessed by an evil spirit; 28 percent disagree. 46 percent believe in the power of exorcism, 19 percent don't, and 36 percent aren’t sure. [1] So, let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about dealing with demons from Luke 8:26-39... Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes,  which is opposite Galilee.   As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn   no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.   When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of hi...

The story is told of a pastor who died and was waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him was a man dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans. Saint Peter says to the first man, “Who are you, so that I may know whether to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?” The man replies, “I’m Joe Cohen, cab driver, from New York City.” Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the cab driver, “Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” The cab driver goes into heaven with his robe and staff, and then it is the pastor’s turn. The minister stands up straight and booms out, “I am Joseph Snow, pastor of Saint Mary’s for the last 43 years.” Saint Peter consults his list. Then he says to the pastor, “Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Just a minute!” says the pastor. “That man was a taxi driver, and he gets a silken robe and golden staff. How can this be?” Saint...

Mark Twain was well known for his use of profanity. After many years of marriage, his wife decided that she was going to help her husband quit using foul language. Thus, one morning while she was helping her husband tie his tie, she started using every profane word that she had heard her husband utter. She did this in hopes that hearing these words from her lips, Mark would realize how awful such language really was. When she finished, Twain, without missing a beat, said to his wife, “Dear, you got the words, but you ain’t got the music!” I think, when it comes to Christianity, many people have the words, but they don’t have the music. What I mean is this: many professing Christians walk through this life seemingly believing all the right things, saying the right things, even doing the right things, but there is no vital relationship between them and God. In short, there is no music in their lives and perhaps never has been. Is that, perhaps, true of you or me? I would sug...