Lizards, Dr. Pepper, and Lies. . .
I could totally appreciate Kelly's take on the lizard stuck in the Dr. Pepper can in her intro to this week's lesson. I think back over the last 10 years. . . How many times did we as a couple see the drip, drip of what looked like liquid gold dangling from a "something" that we wanted – and wanted right then and right there – only to find out six, seven years later we were still paying for it? Such a deadly trap! I am so thankful for this last year of learning to discern the lies from reality, and pray that we hold tight to what we have learned – not letting an ounce of our instruction and learning be in vain.
Her story also made me think of what we are going through right now. Waiting for an opportunity to come to fruition. An opportunity that, from down here, looks like the perfect answer. Yet, also knowing that God has the true perspective. I prayed at the end of day 1 this last week for God to give us clear and complete understanding of exactly what it is that He is offering and what may just be sugary drops of deception that in the end would just end up being a suffocating snare – I know that we don't want any part of that.
Who else was surprised to realize that all that Satan tempted Eve with in the garden, were true statements? How did the realization that Satan's deceptive statements are often true yet lack truth impact your idea of the effectiveness of Satan's tactics that are used to deceive us all the time?
Personally, on day 3: Behind Every False God is Intimidation, I related most to the statement on the bottom of page 65 where Kelly's friend Carrie admitted that her primary issue she deals with in regards to the enemy's lies is, "Did I really hear God right when He said. . .?"
Over the past month we have endured over 13 hours of interviewing, presenting and days of waiting in regards to this job opportunity about which we are still waiting to hear. I have woken up countless times these past few weeks knowing just what I was to pray – specific prayers that in the following days revealed the "why did I pray that?" with answers and open doors. I would wake up and just to settle my nervous thoughts, would sit to read the Bible or work out one of our lessons and would be lead to encouraging, faith-building passages that in the morning when I would get up for the day would fill me with such hope and boosterism that I would walk away from the day fully knowing that it was God who led me to those particular verses. Yet, in the waiting (there's that "silence" issue again), I honestly can say that I have been having to pray off Satan and his attempts to thwart any deepening of my faith regarding this particular situation with his venomous lies that whisper, "Seriously, do you really think you heard God right when He said 'I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.' and that He really intended for you to claim those in this situation?" Lies. . .that distract me from the truth and what God is working to accomplish in us. Oh! I renounce you Satan and your lies!
I know I am merging all five days of session 3 into one post, but I just wanted to pull out the key things I, personally, held onto this last week and give you an opportunity to share what key things popped out at you as well. I would love to know what struck you the most this last week?
What about on day 4? What are your thoughts on the things about society and the lies our culture works to feed us each day? Did you find there are every day things that God may be wanting you to be open to removing from your life?
I particularly was struck with Kelly's statement on page 70, day 4, where she states, ". . .if true conviction is present, we will begin to look at that thing as something that was taking the place of God, something that was stealing from us. As we rid it from our lives we will be hopeful with anticipation, anxious to see what God will do in this newly-created space. We will not look for loopholes. We will be resolved. We will know that we are in a position to gain, not to be stolen from any longer." (Oh, how I could write a whole book about this and how I've learned this the hard way this past year. . .)
Let me close this comprehensive post with one last statement that I want to claim as my own – a statement from the top of page 73, day 5:
"I am reminded of my need to vigilantly know God's truth while being able to identify the deception of the Enemy."
Lord, God, I love you and I want to be so bathed in You and Your truth that I have no problem identifying and dealing with Satan's lies. Lord, I pray that you would reveal to me in Your Word and in a supernatural way, the ability to discern Your voice and guidance – Your truth for my life for every and in every situation. Expose and remove any lies and deception my heart, for so long, has clung to as well as any new tactics Satan is working to employ on me and my heart. Keep me free from the bondage of lies in my life. Lord I pray that You would make Your truth in me so vital, active, influential, and effective that I am able to live out my full purpose for my life that is for your ultimate glory. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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I found Chapter 3 to be incredibly timely for my life right now! I too was amazed at how Satan used true statements to tempt Eve. The statement which said " Satan will tell us what's true, but he never tells us the truth" has been on my mind for the past several days. He twists the truth just enough that it is believable in that moment and deceives me (us) from seeing God's truth. It is the ultimate form of a lie. I liked what Kelly M. wrote on Day 3 -pg. 65, "regardless of the circumstances, it takes confidence to believe that God is going to protect and take care of us, as we wait in difficult situations." I have experienced this so much recently as I pray for BIG decisions and the "silence" that has followed. My flesh desires an immediate answer and Satan continues to allow my head to "think too much" about why God hasn't responded, yet by choosing to believe that He is taking care of me, I am able to be patient. It has also allowed me to take time away from all the things that clutter my mind and distract me by being alone with God to "purify my life". The past 4 1/2 days away I spent hiking, biking, and playing with my hubby and kids in the Sawtooth mountains. It has given me a new perspective on how the media and world around me often clutters my thinking. We do not have regular TV, only DVD to watch our own movies, and no newspaper. I have experienced amazing peace and quiet and was able to talk to God and "Hear" without other things to confuse me. Jeff and I were able to talk with our kids and not have their attention elsewhere, and we made some decisions together that will simplify our life during the next school year. It is exactly what Kelly M. said at the bottom of page 69, : about routinely putting ourselves in front of things that compromise the good the Lord wants to accomplish in us. I experienced that in the mountains with God speaking to my heart. I have been so busy seeking His Will that I did not shut-off all the noise to Hear him. Day 5 was also very powerful for me. I too allow my mind to create situations (pd. 73) that become truth for me in my head and then my attitude shifts toward my husband, kids, friends, church.....etc. Satan is the master of deceit and I must seek God's truth so that I can recognize when I am being deceived. It seems so simple, yet this entire chapter has allowed me to realize how often I believe the lies over the truth. I pray for clarity and wisdom as I continue to learn about myself and learn to seek God's truth more.
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