A Hurting Word...
"Come on, Ergert, time for a therapy session. Need the 12-step program?" Fergon and Ergert jump into the over-sized, blanket-stuffed TV box, and I eavesdrop, from my nearby office, to a hilarious "therapy session" of two "aliens." The aliens, Joey and Jason, are pretending--a first-class comedy act! And now you have some idea of what it's like to live at Peggie's REAL place!!
OK, we all pretend! We wear masks, and nobody but God, and our closest friends REALLY know us. And sometimes we wear the masks so well, WE don't even know it! But I know someone who is a master of pretense. In the Garden of Eden, he disguised himself as a beautiful serpent (if you can imagine ANY serpent beautiful!), and he's been at it ever since. Probably been on YOUR trail this week--on mine, for sure! "Enough is enough!"--let's unmask him and see his REAl character!
A Helping Word...or Two!
Make-believe Might!...Enter the Great Pretender, king of the roaring waves pounding your life's craft. Hardships of all kinds--worries, woes, weaknesses--threaten to engulf your life until you're ready to jump ship. Don't! Cause he's really not the king of the floods. He's not in control--God is! It's only make-believe!
"...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19 KJV)."
"The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King forever (Psalm 29:20 KJV)."
Make-believe Light!...Enter the Great Pretender, angel of light! The fallen angel from heaven delights to play mind-games. He tells you truth is a lie; a lie is truth. And he does it with such finesse and beauty, that surely, you think this cannot be evil. "Try the spirits," God warns us in His Word. All beautiful, light, and lovely are NOT from God. Are you letting him manipulate your mind? Don't! Cause he is a master deceiver. The truth is not in him. He's only make-believe!
"...for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14 KJV)."
"...In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness overcame it not...That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:4,5,9 (KJV)."
Make-believe Fight! Enter the Great Pretender, king of the jungle! Remember the fable of the lion? Roaring daily, frightening villagers, this lion ruled in terror and authority. People feared he would tear them to shreds. Then one day someone discovered the real truth--the old lion was toothless--just a big, loud roar, and nothing more!
Satan, the old lion, is toothless--Christ defeated him at Calvary. You need not fear the roar of a defeated, toothless one. When he attacks with loud, verbal abuse within your heart and mind, know his barage of words is powerless. He delights to create fear in the believer--the roar can be deafening. But resist it--he's not the real lion anyway! Christ is the Lion of Judah, the all-conquering One. The devil is a phony; his roar can't hurt you. Why? Cause it's only make-believe!
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; Whom resist steadfast in the faith...(1 Peter 5:8 KJV)."
"...Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed...(Revelation 5:5 KJV)."
"Harrassment" --buzz word of a brazen society--the great pretender knows it well. He would harrass you through deceit, as king of the floods, angel of true light, and lion of the jungle. Submit to his play-acting no more. Know him for the "true deceiver" he is...now, there's a oxymoron to think about this week! For he TRULY is a deceiver! Unmask him, resist him in the name of the Lord, and he WILL flee from you. Someday he will be permanently unmasked by God Himself. Until then, be strong in the Lord. Don't be intimidated by the enemy's might, his light, and his fight. Why? Cause it's ONLY make-believe!
It's Only Make-Believe! 