*******The irony of starting this post a few days ago and today having a real snake hanging out in my garden.  Will get to that in a bit…

Satan is sneaky. He is a liar.

He is beautiful and dressed in attractive clothing and is extremely charming so you will turn your head to him.  Just one look… and then another.  He knows how to weasel himself into your thoughts and life which is why it is so important to know God’s truth like your life depends on it (because it does).  It is the only thing we have as Christians to fight the enemy.  The battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the dark ages (Ephesians 6).

People get lost and turn to tickling ears because they are not following the true shepherd (2 Timothy 4:4).  But, His sheep hear His voice (John 10).  You must stand firm in what God says about Himself and His plans for you.  We must equip ourselves with the truth of what God says and not what man says God says (Ezekiel 13-14; 33-34).

It is so important to have wisdom and discernment.

“GIVE INSTRUCTION TO A WISE MAN, AND HE WILL BE YET WISER: TEACH A JUST MAN, AND HE WILL INCREASE IN LEARNING.  THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM: AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY IS UNDERSTANDING.”
– PROVERBS 9:9-10

Sometimes, we are tested or tempted and it is easy to spot a distraction and flick it off our shoulder.  Other times it’s much harder because it looks exactly like the truth and what we want so badly.

Following Jesus is not easy. When He says you must lose your life to find it (Matthew 10:39) and take up your cross you must know what you are agreeing to.  It is not a decision made lightly or else you will fall away.  Even during your walk you will want to and the enemy will try to persuade you and if it were possible even the elect will be deceived (Matthew 24). It means giving up all of your plans and desires for your life knowing His is better. It’s agreeing to be willing to lose friends closest to you.  It’s willing to walk alone and stand up for the truth even if you’re the only one.  It’s being courageous when you feel like giving up (2 Corinthians 12:9).  It’s pushing forward no matter what you encounter to not bow down to any false god or false sense of security and trusting that the One who rescued you is faithful even when you can’t see a way out.

Paul compares it to running a race.  That sounds so simple, doesn’t it?  You hear that all the time in church or in Christian conversation, but I never really thought about its meaning.  It’s not just a phrase to encourage people.  It’s real.

Have you ever run a race or strived towards a goal and nothing could stop you?

A few years ago I turned to exercise. It became an idol in my life. Instead of dealing with my problems or turning to God to fix things I would just go run. After running one mile after a spin class (and never doing that before in my life) I lost my mind and had no limits to trying new things. I saw everything as a challenge that I had to overcome. (Do you see how God uses things to draw you to Him?).

As someone who was always afraid of change exercise became something that was mine. It was me against me and nobody else.  Only I could control my effort and only I could train better to get better and go faster. You can’t do 10 push-ups if you never build yourself up to 3.

Dedication and persistence.

I explained this more in depth in this post: New Creature

My first half marathon taught me so much.  It taught me to not give up when things got hard.  Every week a mile was added and every week I didn’t think I would make it.  But, I did.  Running that race was letting go of things in my life I was holding onto.

I trained.  It became my life.  Every weekend I HAD TO RUN.  Nothing was going to stop me on race day.  It was one of the proudest days of my life.

Why?

I had a goal.

I cried at the finish line because I accomplished something I never in one million years thought I could do.  I earned that medal (and still have it in a box).

(Next life crisis challenge two years later: Solo trip to Ireland… God wasn’t quite done…)

 

As Christians our goal and prize is Jesus.  Heaven.  What could be better than eternity with Him?  (2 Corinthians 12:7-11)

Things I thought were gain to me I count as loss for knowing the excellency of Christ Jesus my Lord.  (Philippians 3:7-11)

“STUDY TO SHEW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDETH NOT TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.” – 2 TIMOTHY 2:15

There will be days you want to give up.  You will have days where you feel like your flesh is winning and are a total scumbag and unworthy of Christ.  There will be long days and tiresome days and days you have no idea what you got yourself into by answering the call.

But, it is the best adventure you can ever go on.  Keep striving toward the goal.  Keep growing in your faith.  Nothing compares to knowing Jesus and knowing that one day you will see His face.  It is the best decision you could ever make by following Jesus.  He is an endless adventure and will never leave or forsake you.  He is always there in every season even when you feel like you are on your own.

He gives wisdom and discernment.  His truth guides you to know which path to take and which is a dangerous one filled with snakes.  He wants to protect you.

Now for the snake in my garden…

I was working in the garden on Sunday and started to clean up when I look up and see a head sticking out of the bush.

“That lizard has a big head…?  ………wait a minute….”

I was home alone at the time and had to decide if I would ignore it or deal with it.  It could be harmless, but to me a snake is a snake.  I thought of hitting it with the hedger, but I’d probably just maim him and make him mad…

Long story short I scream like a little girl and have the best neighbors in the whole world.

I walked really fast across the street to my neighbor’s house:
“Can I borrow your sons or husband?  There is a snake in the bush!”

I was so calm until I wasn’t.  It kept hiding and being sneaky.  Then, it needed to die.

It ran across the garden and that’s when the hysteria started.

At the same time of dealing with a literal snake and seeing how sneaky they are and how fast they run and come out of nowhere isn’t that how the devil is?  While you’re looking at one thing he distracts you with something else.  So, while you’re focusing over here he already has weaseled his way into your life and you didn’t even see it coming.  You must be on guard at all times.  You must study God’s word and be ready for battle.

You must be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove (Matthew 10:16).

When my neighbor finally stabbed it with his shovel he told his son to cut off the head.

Understandably, the son was scared because it was looking at him to which I shouted…”It’s not your friend!  Don’t personalize it!  Just cut its head off!!!!”

Satan is not your friend even if he looks harmless.  He is coming to steal your joy and destroy your life.

But, as a child of God that serpent is crushed under your foot (or shovel) because of the cross.  He no longer has rule over your life.  There is no reason to be afraid.

Youtube: Your Love Defends Me – Matt Maher

“Day after day… Night after night…
I will remember You’re with me in this fight.
Although the battle rages on the war is already won.

Surely my God is The strength of my soul.
Your love defends me.
And when I feel like I’m all alone Your love defends me …”

“WHEREFORE SEEING WE ALSO ARE COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH SO EASILY BESET US, AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, AND IS SET DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.

FOR CONSIDER HIM THAT ENDURED SUCH CONTRADICTION OF SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF, LEST YE BE WEARIED AND FAINT IN YOUR MINDS. YE HAVE NOT YET RESISTED UNTO BLOOD, STRIVING AGAINST SIN.

AND YE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE EXHORTATION WHICH SPEAKETH UNTO YOU AS UNTO CHILDREN, MY SON, DESPISE NOT THOU THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN THOU ART REBUKED OF HIM:  FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVETH.  IF YE ENDURE CHASTENING, GOD DEALETH WITH YOU AS WITH SONS; FOR WHAT SON IS HE WHOM THE FATHER CHASTENETH NOT?  BUT IF YE BE WITHOUT CHASTISEMENT, WHEREOF ALL ARE PARTAKERS, THEN ARE YE BASTARDS, AND NOT SONS.

FURTHERMORE WE HAVE HAD FATHERS OF OUR FLESH WHICH CORRECTED US, AND WE GAVE THEM REVERENCE: SHALL WE NOT MUCH RATHER BE IN SUBJECTION UNTO THE FATHER OF SPIRITS, AND LIVE?  FOR THEY VERILY FOR A FEW DAYS CHASTENED US AFTER THEIR OWN PLEASURE; BUT HE FOR OUR PROFIT, THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS.

NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE PRESENT SEEMETH TO BE JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS: NEVERTHELESS AFTERWARD IT YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE EXERCISED THEREBY.

WHEREFORE LIFT UP THE HANDS WHICH HANG DOWN, AND THE FEEBLE KNEES; AND MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR YOUR FEET, LEST THAT WHICH IS LAME BE TURNED OUT OF THE WAY; BUT LET IT RATHER BE HEALED.

FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, AND HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD…”

-HEBREWS 12:1-14