Easily Deceived

"Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon,

bow as they are lowered to the ground.

They are being hauled away on ox carts.

The poor beasts stagger under the weight.

Bot the idols and their owners are bowed down.

The gods cannot protect the people,

and the people cannot protect the gods.

They go off into captivity together.

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,

all you who remain in Israel.

I have cared for you since you were born.

Yes, I carried you before you were born.

I will be your God throughout your lifetime--

until your hair is white with age.

I made you, and I will care for you.

I will carry you along and save you.

To whom will you compare me?

Who is my equal?"

Isaiah 46:1-5 NLT

I get caught up in worldly mindsets without consciously realizing what has happened, bowing to the gods of science and education, tolerance and "love".  I slightly adjust my views, my thinking, until it lines up with popular philosophy.  I'm still a Christian, I mean I still believe in God so everything's okay, right?  Or should I be concerned?  

Impotent.  Whatever I trust in, extol, fight to the death to defend; if it is outside of Jesus Christ it cannot save me.  As good as it may seem, if it's not from God it will do nothing to stop God's discipline, the shaking He allows in order to draw mankind back to Him, the wake-up call necessary to get the attention of those who have fallen asleep, drugged by the world's anesthesia.  I'm a fool to trust in such nonsense.

Yet it makes sense to my mind, easily slipping into my consciousness without detection.  And before I know it I'm believing ignorance is the enemy and education will save us from what ails society without ever considering the impact Jesus Christ can make in the hearts of man.  Or I'm buying into the mindset that love comes in many shapes and sizes and I must be tolerant of the latest deviancy, failing to ever reach out with the Gospel of grace, empowered by True Love.  Or I am caught up in the belief that scientific advances can cure cancer, wipe out world-wide hunger and end global warming instead of getting on my knees and enlisting the help of the One who holds all power in His hands.

Whatever I trust in apart from God is impotent to make any lasting change or bring about salvation.

Faithful.   While I'm off "saving the world," getting caught up in following empty theories or chasing rabbits down meandering trails, God is busy holding all things together, reaching out to the lost and caring for His image-bearers.  Whether or not anyone ever acknowledges it, He is faithful to give life and breath to millions of people.  We depend upon His grace, never being able to think a thought or take a step without Him.  

Yet countless many fail to realize their dependency upon Him.  How many times has He saved, shielded, protected?  How often does He give good, bless, provide?  Still, many think it is by their own hand, due to their own smarts, because of their wise planning that such bounty has entered their lives.  Meanwhile, God continues to care for His children, even those who haven't yet given their lives to Him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Even if few ever acknowledge so, God is faithful to take care of His creation.

Deception.  In ancient days, people bowed down to Bel, Nebo, Ashtoreth, Molech and Baal.  Many sacrificed to them, giving of their children, their purity, their livelihood, believing such "gifts" would appease the wrath of these gods and deliver them into the good graces of these deities.  Yet they were deceived into believing these impotent gods would somehow make their lives better, bringing meaning and favor into the emptiness of their souls.  Many died waiting for such foolishness.  Today man is more evolved and is all but immune from such idol worship.  Or so goes the common belief.

Yet how many bow down to the god of women's reproductive Rights, the Right to choose, or the Right to her own body and have killed millions of defenseless children as a result?  What about the god of Lust?  Countless bow before it's altar of pornography, both soft and hard, mainstream and sordid, contributing to the explosion of human trafficking and the sex trade.  Then there's the god of Love that we all desire to bow before, leading to a low view of the pure form and the wide acceptance of Gay marriage.  And so we see, nothing has really changed all that much from the days of ancient society.

Mankind has been deceived into idol worship even though no one calls it as such.

It's easy to conform to the thinking of this world, slowly drifting away from God's best for me and His ongoing transformation process.  As I do, I risk worshiping other gods, even if I wouldn't label it as such.  I place my trust in the impotent, even though God is the only One with the power to save me and the rest of mankind.  Even if He is never acknowledged as the One who truly cares, He is faithful to hold all things together.  Still, I am easily deceived by the same gods who lured the Israelites away from God.  Yes, I am firmly in God's grip through faith in Jesus Christ, yet I have to admit how easily deceived I am.  I must never forget how much I depend upon His grace, and keep my eyes on Jesus who is always at work perfecting my faith.  It is only in Him that I can stand firm!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stand firm on the Truth.

How do I get sucked into popular mindsets, unintentionally worshiping at an altar I never wanted to bow before?

When am I ignorant of God's faithfulness in my life?  How can I intentionally acknowledge His constancy?  

Coping in the Pit of Depression

"You have put me in the lowest pit,

in the darkest depths.

Your wrath lies heavily on me;

you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.

You ave taken from me my closest friends

and have made me repulsive to them.

I am confined and cannot escape;

my eyes are dim with grief.

I call to you, LORD, every day;

I spread out my hands to you."

Psalm 88:9-12 NLT

How did David gain the reputation for being a man after God's own heart?  Was it because he lived a perfect, upright life?  Or due to the fact that he never wavered in his faith, never doubted God's presence?  Or for the reason that David stayed true to God, never falling into despair despite the hard times he faced?

The answer is: None of the above!  David was considered by God as someone who pursued His own nature and core spirit because David didn't fake it with God.  Even when He fell into the pit of depression, he coped by sharing his true feelings with the God he knew would love him no matter what.  He didn't worry that he'd lose God's favor or kindness by telling the truth of how he felt to a God who would never leave him nor forsake him.

I can follow David's lead and cope with depression in the same way he did.  Since God often holds David up as a model of how to live in relationship with Him through the ups and downs of life, I would be wise to do as this shepherd-boy-who-became-king did.

Honest.  I've always heard that honesty is the best policy, but if I try to live by that maxim it doesn't always work out so well for me.  If I tell people how I really feel, I risk hurting their feelings or damaging our relationship or influencing the way they think of me.  So, I've learned to keep the ugly feelings, the dark thoughts, the inappropriate questions to myself.

This is not how God wants me to approach Him.  Even though people respond negatively to my openness for a variety of reasons, God is not at all threatened by my efforts to tell Him like I see or, or share my honest feelings with Him.  He will not be hurt and lash out in retaliation.  He doesn't back away in repulsion.  He doesn't think less of me.  David understood this heart of God and His desire for open, authentic communication with Him so he didn't sugar-coat his words.  I can do the same.

When I'm feeling down, like there is no hope, I can follow David's lead and share my honest feelings with the God whose love I cannot lose.

Face it.  I have learned from a long line of experts how to sweep things under the rug and leave it there, pretending like it doesn't exist.  Sometimes it's conflict that gets cleared away.  Other times I stuff down feelings that make me uncomfortable so I don't have to look at it's full ugliness.  Then there are times when I act like I have no problem with how a situation is handled by someone close even though I'm deeply hurt.  Yep, I'm good at living under false pretenses.

David didn't live this way.  Instead, he openly examined his thoughts and feelings no matter how inappropriate or uncomfortable.  Perhaps because he was so secure in His Father's love, he was able to bring out the deep, dark feelings that lay hidden in the recesses of his heart and look them over thoroughly in the light.  He even welcomed God's inspection, asking Him to "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (Psalm 139:23-24 NLT)

Since David knew how well He was known by God and, at the same time loved completely and enduringly, he felt safe in allowing God access to the most secret parts of him.  There was no fear in being found out but rather a deep desire for intimacy that drove David to stand emotionally naked before God.  It is vital that I truly comprehend God's durable love for me so that I can face my own dark places and allow God in there as well.

When I'm feeling down, like there is no hope, I can follow David's lead and face the feelings I tend to hide, allowing the God whose love I cannot lose access to my dark places.

Faithful.  My dog thinks the best of me.  He follows me around like a devoted friend, always keeping me company.  When I am agitated or upset, he doesn't run away but draws even closer in an attempt to comfort me.  If I walk ahead on the path, he cannot rest until he has caught up.  My dog is faithful to me, of this I can be sure.

In order to follow David's lead, I must cultivate this same spirit of faithfulness to God.  David never gave up crying out to God, casting all his cares upon the God he knew was there, even when he couldn't feel His presence.  David knew without a doubt that God would come through for him and always reminded himself of this truth, especially when he felt all alone, estranged from his Life-Source and like he had been kicked to the curb.  David didn't rest until he had shared his heart with God, and he never gave up on Him, knowing in his heart of hearts that God was his only hope.

When I'm feeling down, like there is no hope, I can follow David's lead and stay faithful to the God who will never leave me nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20).

When depression hits, how do I cope as a follower of Jesus?  It's easy to feel guilty that I sunk down into the pit in the first place, but I can gain much hope by realizing David often experienced similar despair and feelings of hopelessness.  Since David was considered a man after God's own heart, I can look to his example of how to cope with depression.  I can be open and honest in communicating my feelings to God, facing the truth of what is hidden within, and staying faithful to God, not giving up on Him because of how I feel.  In these ways I can learn to deal with depressed feelings in a way that honors God and grows my relationship with Him.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can realize how secure I am in God's love.

When do I fall prey to my feelings and think God won't accept me if I tell Him the truth?

How am I failing to understand the depth of His love for me and depriving Him of the opportunity to love me right where I am?