The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Q: Some of my friends criticize me because I take better care of my pets than I do myself. But it is because my pets bring me great joy and they love me unconditionally. Am I wrong, and what does the Bible say about animals?

A: Animals are God’s creation and He brought them to the first man, Adam, to see what he would name them, “And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19). This no doubt was pleasurable work for Adam. God made provision to protect every kind of animal—male and female—at the time of the flood in Noah’s day (Genesis 7). God also tells us in Scripture: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).

Fish are a source of food (Matthew 14). We marvel to think of Jesus riding the colt of a donkey into Jerusalem (Mark 11). We wait breathlessly for His appearance on a white horse from Heaven (Revelation 19:11). The day is also coming when every living creature, “beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl” will praise the Lord (Psalm 148:10).

We boast of “man’s best friend” because a faithful dog will protect its owner at all cost. But anytime animal life becomes more sacred in our view than human life, we have lost sight of our proper priorities. Jesus loves us so much that He sacrificed His life so that we can live in the glory of His salvation. He said that our souls are worth more than the rest of the world put together (Mark 8:36). The value of a human soul is measured by its eternal quality and we are commanded to take care of our bodies and make sure that our souls are at peace with God, our Maker (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Q: My co-worker belongs to the Church of Satan. On the outside she looks like a normal person, but when I talk with her it is like she is looking into my soul. It is eerie. She denies that Satan is a deceiver and liar. How can she be so mistaken?

A: Deception is everything opposite the truth. People will stand in roaring ovations for the illusionists, escape artists, and magicians. Much of it, in the form of entertainment, tricks the mind, causing us to think we are seeing something real when truthfully it is fraudulent. Prisons and jails are filled with con artists—and sad to say, so are many churches. We must have discerning spirits—to determine right from wrong—and God will give us the power to know truth if we submit wholly to Him.

Some deceivers around us are more obviously in league with Satan than others. Scriptures tell us that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Even when Satan appears to be on the side of good, he is only using it as a mask to deceive us. His real intentions are always evil. “Therefore it is no great thing if (Satan’s) ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15).

Never underestimate Satan’s power, and never underestimate his ability to deceive us and make us think he isn’t to be feared. In fact, he even deceives some people into thinking he doesn’t exist. He is not as powerful as God—but he still is a powerful spiritual force who works against God in every way he can. This is why the Bible commands us to put on the full armor of God so that we can withstand his power (Ephesians 6:13).

The most important truth about the devil, however, is that in the end he is a defeated foe!