Snakes

Snakes....I hate them!

While working in my basement office, I heard a faint thud and caught movement out of the corner of my eye. There on the step, was a snake—lying still—stunned by the impact. It had fallen from the foundation onto the basement stairs. It wasn’t a big snake—it doesn’t matter; I hate snakes.  

They seem to appear out of nowhere, startling me out of my wits.

In a split second, I grabbed a pair of scissors, thinking I could either pick it up or worse, cut it in half—I wasn’t fussy. (Note to self: attempting to cut a stunned snake in half “unstuns” him). Both failed. It slithered away as I stood there with trembling scissors in my hand.

This was the second time in a week a snake had startled me in the work room. One caught in the phone wires and hung there writhing. The previous summer a parade of baby snakes slithered past my feet while I sat at the computer. 

It was such a problem, I devised a snake catching kit—nothing fancy, just my version of a Have-a-Heart-Attack-Trap—a small covered box and a pair of tweezers. I caught each baby and took them outside, letting them go in the woods. The only one I couldn’t rescue had landed deep in a spider’s web and wiggled crazily while mama spider prepared lunch.

I wonder if Eve felt this way when the serpent slithered into the Garden and began to sweet talk her into eating the fruit God had forbidden. 

This is Satan’s way. He nonchalantly falls in our path when we least expect it and begins to weave his story. He woos us into believing his lies and half-truths. He tempts us into trying the “apple” while assuring us the consequences are not what they appear.

A few snakes manage to slither into my life too—always when I least expect them. The only thing that will cut them down to size is the Word of God because lies are exposed only by the Truth. You can be sure I won’t use a Have-a-Heart-Trap either—only a Sword will do.

“Take the…Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God…”      Ephesians 6:17

Wage war with His weapons,

Jeanne

Cracking a Counterfeit

Image courtesy of Morguefile.com

A local Connecticut news story reports, “State police…cracked a counterfeiting operation.”  I thought this only happened in spy movies. Suddenly, I am more aware of money that passes through my hands, looking carefully at the serial numbers.  The last thing I want is to be fooled into taking fake bills, and even more, I don’t want to use one myself by mistake.

People who are trained to identify counterfeit money need to know the real thing. But, instead of studying the counterfeit, they analyze the real currency.

God’s Word says that Satan is a fake; he is anti-Christ. And, though he presents himself as an angel of light, if you know the Light of the World, the enemy’s attempts at counterfeiting it will stand out. 

Satan tries to counterfeit so he can dupe us into trading God’s way into one that leads us astray. 

Some discoveries I have made include:

• Jesus is the Truth; Satan is the father of lies.
• Jesus is the Lion of Judah; Satan is the roaring lion who seeks to devour.
• Jesus gives life. Satan is the harbinger of death.
• Jesus opens the eyes of those who believe; Satan blinds the unbelieving so they won’t see the Truth.

God’s Word is full of these black and white examples for us to see the truth about the enemy’s desire to trick us. 

Image courtesy of Morguefile.com

God offers love in what Jesus did for us on Calvary. 

The enemy dangles a worldly love that never satisfies and most often destroys. 

Jesus promised the filling and presence of the Holy Spirit, the one who comforts and gives us spiritual understanding. 

The enemy offers misunderstanding, spirituality and false comfort through cults, mystic and new age practices.

God knows our future and tells us we can trust Him to know what is best and for Him to be with us, yet the enemy will entice us to seek answers through mediums, astrology, tarot and other means.

To know the difference between what is good from God and what is meant to distract us away from Him, we need to become so familiar with who God is in Scripture—His character. And, we need to trust that He is working in us, for our best. 

To embrace the counterfeit will leave us wanting, hungry and thirsty but never satisfied.

So, the best way to crack a counterfeit is to know the Real Thing. Don't be duped! Dig into God's Word to discover Who He is, so when faced with the enemy's lie you can stare him down and choose the Truth.

How have you identified the counterfeit? In what way have you come to know what is true about God so that you are more aware of the enemy's lie?

Jeanne

The Truth Is.....

I bumped into myself this weekend and I don’t like what I see! Pride. Self-sufficiency. I’ve been relying on my own strength and wonder why I feel exhausted? I know I am not alone; I am trying to juggle a job, husband, home, family, ministry, and there are just not enough hours in a day. The trouble comes when I listen to the lies..


          Lie #1 - You’re not good enough

          Lie #2 - You have to be perfect

          Lie #3 - People won’t like you if you make mistakes

          Lie #4 - You can avoid conflict by doing the right thing (it helps to remember that Jesus always did the right thing and He was always facing conflict of one kind or another)

The truth is, I will never be good enough, or perfect, and I will always make mistakes. And, conflict comes with the territory of being God’s child because He says in His word it will happen in this world. In my head I know my adequacy and confidence are in Christ alone; I just need that knowledge to travel daily, the twelve inches and settle deeply in my heart as well. He only asks that I have a tender spirit, willing to learn from my mistakes. Like David, maybe if I am responsive to His lessons, I will be a woman after God’s own heart.

I have never liked conflict. I think I am quick to avoid it at all costs, but I wonder if there are lessons I am skirting because I fear them. Conflict is uncomfortable and often messy, but I think God will give me the grace to be able to face it with confidence if I ask for His help.

I’ve done a lot of wrestling over the last few days. I still need to settle things so that I know I am believing His truth over the lies of the enemy that have been ingrained since I was a little girl. I know I make progress at times, and then fall back into the old pattern again. Oh, for His grace and mercy to overflow and overcome, giving me victory one day at a time.

The enemy loves it when I believe His lies and twisted truths. And, I am determined not to allow him to cloud my mind and clutter my heart so that I become ineffective and discouraged. Christ came to free me from the hold of the enemy, and promises abundant life to all who believe. He transforms and renews my mind to right thinking; kingdom thinking; all for His glory and by the power that raised Jesus from the dead!

All He asks of me is, surrender.