Perceived Truths are Dangerous

In the Bible Satan is identified as, among many things, the deceiver of the world, the father of lies, and the accuser of the brethren. It is clear by these names, and his tactics going back to the Garden, that he works in lies, deception, and accusation. Jesus, on the other hand, is truth.

The dangerous thing about Satan's tactics are that we usually react to what we perceive to be true, which isn't always what is true. So, if he can get us to believe an untruth we will likely live and think in response to that, thinking we are reacting to truth. I, for one, can be stunned (and discouraged) by the number of things I can think, believe, etc., that are inconsistent with what I believe in regards to my faith. Somewhere in all of that I have often believed a lie, though I think I it is truth. Unless we stop and take our actions and thoughts captive to our Christian faith we can continue in wrong and destructive and often negative patterns and thoughts for long periods of time.

A key to turning this around is to start to identify the lies we believe. A good way to start is to evaluate, with the Holy Spirit's help,
1) the things we do,
2) the priorities we hold,
3) the fears and concerns we have, and
4) the way we think about ourselves and others and life.
The object of this is to identify those areas that are not consistent with the professions of our faith about God, His love, His power, what He says about us, etc. Chances are, the areas we find where we are inconsistent with our faith statements may well be areas we have unwittingly somewhere believed a lie (which we perceive to be truth, so we act in response to it).

My guess is that the first two areas to identify inconsistency in (things we do, and priorities we hold) will be pretty easy. It is often easy to see the things we do and priorities we hold that are inconsistent with what we believe. The last two (fears and concerns we have, and the way we think about ourselves and others and life) will be harder—but what we believe in these areas are probably drivers for many of our external actions. The goal in this is to disarm the enemy's devices (which we are not to be ignorant of) and to replace lies with truths.

One example I used with our youth group was a fear they might hold deep inside. I asked them to see if that fear was consistent with what they know to be true about God—that He is powerful (creates a universe), that He is present (will never leave them), and that He loves them (died for them). Is their fear consistent with those things they believe to be true about God? It was easy to see it wasn't. Somewhere in there they had started to replace truth with lies which they perceived to be truth, and then started living in response to that perceived truth.

We can find the same thing in many areas. For example, many youth (and adults) are insecure, or feel little worth, etc. Is that inconsistent with a God who promises to never leave them, who loves them so much He considers them worth dying for, who made them in His image, who knew their mistakes and sin before the foundation of the earth and still gave them life? Usually, a lie has been believed about themselves or their relationship with God, and that lie is what they are living and thinking in response to.

If we can identify the areas our actions, priorities, thoughts, fears, etc. are not consistent with what we profess about God we can start to look for areas we may be living and thinking in response to lies and not truth. Then we can begin to use God's Word and the tenets of our faith to replace those lies with truth, and to stand in faith on truth instead of on lies. God did this with Sarah's unbelief when He asked if anything was too hard for God. He identified the lie she was believing and confronted her with it. Or the father Jesus confronted who had asked if Jesus can heal his child and Jesus responded by identifying the lie, replying basically, "If I can?! All things are possible (with God)! Believe!"

Somewhere the Israelites believed a lie (or lies) when they refused to enter the promised land. Joshua and Caleb tried to bring them back to truth (we can do this if God is with us), but they chose to live by sight and in fear, neglecting God's promises (which God took as rejection of Him). Over and over in the Bible we see this pattern—thoughts based on lies or half truths, God confronting them with the truth about Himself, and then a choice being before them of which they will believe and act on.

Christian, what lies have you unwittingly believed, that you are now living in response to? Is the enemy whispering accusations at you, reminding you of your failures and shortcomings? So what does God have to say about that? Do you remember that, despite your shortcomings, if you have faith in Christ's death for you they have been paid for and forgiven, and you are redeemed and adopted by God and He lives in you and He'll never leave you? Do you realize that He did that because He loves you and considers you worth it?

Christian, how are you acting? Is it in response to a lie? Have somewhere you believed a lie about yourself, or God's love for you, or His power, or His faithfulness and are you now acting out in response to that lie? What is the truth of the situation? Which will you believe and live in response to?

From the beginning this has been Satan's way. He first cast doubt on God's love, Word, and trustworthiness ("Did God really say?" and "You won't die" and "God knows that you will be like Him"). AFTER Eve doubted God's Word, His trustworthiness, His good intentions and love for her, THEN she entertained temptation—THEN she bought the lie that she could find pleasure (pleasing to the eye), provision (good for food), and wisdom (desirable to make one wise) apart from God. My guess is that, for all of us, we are seeking pleasure, provision, and wisdom in some ways inconsistent with our faith, because somewhere we have first allowed ourselves to believe lies about God's Word, trustworthiness, and love.

May the Holy Spirit lead you and guide you into all truth, that we may disarm the weapons of the enemy of lies, deception and accusation. God bless you, and thanks for reading.   —Erick

Shuttle Launch and the Wizard of Oz . . .

I must confess—I was caught off guard this morning with the emotion I felt while watching the shuttle Atlantis take off for the final Space Shuttle launch ever. I did not expect to feel such sadness, such a mix of emotions, and to have some tears trickle down my face. I don't know if it was the combined weight of remembering the first launch and having lived through the triumphs and the horror of the tragedies, or just plain ol' sentimentality. But, it was a moment in which I felt far more than I expected to.

Man is truly amazing. Who can watch that giant shuttle lift off, defy the bounds of gravity, and return safely and not realize that? If we are but a mere reflection of God, in whose image we are made, He must be so absolutely incredible and amazing that words can't begin to describe Him . . . and, of course, He is!

Watching the launch, I was struck, as the TV showed scenes of the launch center with its banks and banks of people and computers, at how many hundreds of people behind the scenes whose names will never be known by more than a handful of people made it possible for those few heroes in the cockpit to do what they do. It is not unlike the Kingdom of God work—there are the "few" with the visibility, the "few" with the name recognition or that an entire church prays for as they are in the mission field, etc., . . . and for each of them there are entire corps of people making it possible through prayer, financial support, keeping a home in order, being a friend or a support. These people each share the victory, though often there are only one or two sets of eyes recording their quiet service and support.

I was also struck, as I was hit by so many emotions, by how beautiful the human heart and mind are, when those parts made in God's image shine. It is truly amazing to feel such things as joy, pride, wistfulness, love, honor, sacrifice, courage, and more. How horrible it would be to not feel—to just go through life driven by primal urges and instincts. Man is truly amazing, and his myriad of emotions and possible things he can experience are amazing, but there is, of course, only one true way those can be good and the way they were intended—and that is harnessed to God with His Spirit inside of us.

Last night, after finding out about a month ago that one of the youth in our group hadn't seen The Wizard of Oz, we had a fun movie night at the church building, with the big 12' screen set up, watching it. A lady in our fellowship provided a soda, candy bar, and bag of popcorn for each of us, and it was a wonderful evening. When it was over we "grabbed some carpet" (my call to sit down on the floor in a casual circle and get in to some good God talk) and I shared some thoughts. Of course Baum wasn't writing a Christian analogy when he wrote the story, but there is an amazing (probably unintentional) message in it about how we are all looking for something and, if we aren't careful, we'll pursue it in things that appear to satisfy and be the source of our answer, but are really counterfeit masks when revealed . . . but sometimes it is too late.

Man is truly amazing, and his emotions and capacities are beautiful, but only when in relationship with His Creator. When we start looking for courage and identity (the lion), or wisdom (the scarecrow), or a heart and love (the tin man), or a home (a place of belonging and security, like Dorothy), apart from finding those things in and through God, we can step in to treacherous places with horrible costs. Just like Eve—if we doubt God's Word, trustworthiness, or love we can start to believe we can find pleasure (the tree was pleasing to the sight), provision for our needs (it was good for food), or wisdom (it was desirable to make one wise) apart from God and His Word and His wisdom.

It is striking to me how, after they achieved their goal and met the wizard, there was "one more thing" required. Isn't it always that way with anything of the world? It satisfies for a season, but then we need a little more to keep up being satisfied. God alone, through Jesus, truly satisfies and fulfills—and only when we are in a relationship with Him and in His will. It was also striking to me how the witch wanted to create a poison that was attractive to the eye and soothing (the poppy field that put them to sleep). Satan knows that few of us will leave the road and be distracted from the goal and the race with "obvious, big sin" . . . but if he can make something pleasing and appealing and seemingly harmless we are tempted to step off the path, step away from the course, "for just a little bit" and then lulled into his trap.

So, these are just a few thoughts I've had in the midst of trying to finish up the collection of stuff for the youth group's history cookbook. Thanks for "listening" to my rambling, and maybe something in it will speak to your heart. I never promised this blog would be all serious theological posts, but simply a place for me to share for anyone who might be interested. And, just remember, Christian—when the evil one faces you and cackles in your face, you have living water to throw his way! Enjoy him melting when you do!