ONCE UPON A TIME

STORIES OF REDEMPTION
¹⁶ Come and listen, all you who fear God;
     let me tell you what he has done for me.
Psalms 66:16 (NIV)

A quiet fell upon me as I sat looking around the living room of my home.  Marc and I had lived in this very house for thirty one years.  Our daughter Elizabeth was 3-years old when we moved in and our son Josh had been a mere baby of 18-months.  Now they were both in their thirties and married with families of their own.

It seemed to me that the walls suddenly whispered the story of our lives within this house.  We recently celebrated thirty five years of marriage and all but three of those have been lived out within these walls tucked on the corner of Silk Tree Lane.

My thoughts drifted back through the years to slumber parties, Mickey Mouse pancakes, games of catch in the backyard, scraped knees, chickenpox, first bicycles; the first days of school, graduations and wedding plans.  Our kids had grown up here and now the rooms echoed with the voices of our grandchildren.

We had known lean times and times of plenty, times of sorrow and times of great joy, times of lostness and times of being found, times of darkness and times of light, times of enslavement and times of being set free, times of betrayal and times of forgiveness, times of brokenness and times of healing. This house is more than stucco and tile; it is more than a place to hang our hat at the end of the day.  Within these walls the story of our life together has been written: a story of redemption.

These thoughts reminded me of Paul’s words to the believers in Corinth.

⁹ Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders ¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

The words brought to light the ugliness of our sinful state.  Oh, but this was not the end of the story.  I read on…

 ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians  6:9-11 (NIV)

 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
     tell of all his wonderful acts.
Psalms 105:2 (NIV)
²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
     proclaim his salvation day after day.
²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations,
     his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
1 Chronicles 16:23-24 (NIV)

Why should we tell the story of what God has done?  Is it because of us?  Is it because of this earthly house?  No!  The reason we tell the story of what God has done is…

²⁵ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
1 Chronicles 16:25 (NIV)

My thoughts turned to my heavenly Father’s house, the one with the many rooms spoken of by Jesus in John 14:2.  I imagined what it would be like to be there.  To sit within those heavenly walls and talk with Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Joshua, David, Peter, the woman caught in adultery, John, Paul, Amy Carmichael, and Corrie ten Boom, to name a few.

Their stories echo through the streets of gold.  We will understand that the stories of the redeemed do not stand alone, but each is woven into the THE STORY of the REDEEMER who gave His life as a ransom for many.  What a story!  We will never tire of hearing it and we will have all eternity to turn the pages and hear it spoken.  For it is a story of redemption, of the redeemed by the Redeemer:  Jesus.

Dear one, come.  Come and listen.  Let me tell you what He has done for me.  You see, it is a story to be told with children and grandchildren nestled on your lap or shared with a stranger in need, or with believers.  For we are told in Scripture to tell of the great things He has done, lest we forget.  It is a story of what was once upon a time, but I have been washed, I have been sanctified, I have been justified and made new.  It is a story of redemption.

Later, as I drifted off to sleep, I thought I heard a song and it seemed to be coming from heaven and my heart sang along.

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY
I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and his glory,
Of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story,
Because I know 'tis true;
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do.

[Refrain:]

I love to tell the story,
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story
That I have loved so long.
[Refrain]

An Original Conversations at the Well
© Copyright by Diana Morgan, August 18, 2012
 

JOY

JOY

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalms 16:11 (NASB)

I sat quietly as the eastern sky stirred to wakefulness.  There were a few small clouds sitting above the mountains and I watched in wonder as an unseen hand painted the clouds in varying shades of pink.  It was a glorious sunrise and I savored it on this my last day of vacation.

A stirring caught my attention and I turned my gaze in the direction of the sound and smiled.  Gracie, our ten-week old golden retriever puppy had been leisurely exploring when she suddenly took off at a full run.  Her little legs were going as fast as she could get them to go, her tail was straight out behind her as she rounded the corner.  She hit the stone pathway, pebbles flying hither and yon and then in a bound she jumped, her feet briefly touching a large boulder which she used as a launching pad and suddenly she was airborne, her legs stretched out, her ears flying in the wind and then she tumbled into the large lantana bush, all but disappearing into its prolific blooms.

There was momentary rustling as her shining eyes peered out from amongst the flowers and then I laughed with delight as she got up and began the routine all over again.  If dogs are able to feel joy there is no doubt that was exactly what Gracie was experiencing.  An hour later, worn out from play, Gracie and I went back to the house and I carried joy images with me to the Well.

I began my quiet time by reading The Valley of Vision.

            THE THRONE

O God of my delight, thy throne of grace is the pleasure ground of my soul.  Here I obtain mercy in time of need, here see the smile of thy reconciled face, here joy pleads the name of Jesus, here I sharpen the sword of the Spirit, anoint the shield of faith, put on the helmet of salvation, gather manna from thy Word, am strengthened for each conflict, nerved for the upward race, empowered to conquer every foe.

I continued on and then read the ending over and over again.

May I never forget that thy eye always sees, thy ear always hears, thy recording hand always writes.  May I never give thee rest until Christ is the pulse of my heart; the spokesman of my lips, the lamp of my feet.

My heart bowed low in the presence of Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords and read the words out loud, turning them into a prayer.  He breathed across my soul and He took me to His Word where I read Psalm 16.  Why don’t you join me?

 Keep me safe, O God,
     for in you I take refuge. ² I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
     apart from you I have no good thing." ³ As for the saints who are in the land,
     they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. ⁴ The sorrows of those will increase
     who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood
     or take up their names on my lips. ⁵ LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
     you have made my lot secure. ⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
     surely I have a delightful inheritance. ⁷ I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
     even at night my heart instructs me. ⁸ I have set the LORD always before me.
     Because he is at my right hand,
     I will not be shaken. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
     my body also will rest secure, ¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the grave,
     nor will you let your Holy One see decay. ¹¹ You have made known to me the path of life;
     you will fill me with joy in your presence,
     with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalms 16:1-11 (NIV)

As I read David’s words my soul began to run, picking up speed with each note of the Psalmist’s song to the Lord.  Reaching the end, my soul took flight and I soared into the vastness of His grace and the eyes of my heart saw Him as I tumbled at His feet and all but disappeared, immersed in His presence and His laughter filled the heavens and I was filled with joy!

An Original Conversations at the Well

© Copyright by Diana Morgan, August 12, 2012

           

PRUNING

           PRUNING

I cared for you in the desert,
     in the land of burning heat.

Hosea 13:5 (NIV)

I sat on my favorite boulder as Teddy and Gracie roamed the back yard while I savored my first coffee of the day.  The eastern mountains stood in shadowed stillness waiting for the Master’s hand to awaken the dawn, sending shafts of color gently across their faces.  I heard the sound of familiar footsteps and my heart turned to see the Master Gardener looking at the Madagascar plant that stood gracefully along the stone path near where I sat.  Seeing Him there made me think of pruning which brought thoughts of loss and a kind of sadness descended on my heart that felt as heavy as the oppressive heat of the desert darkness before the dawn.

He who rules the seasons sat down next to me, His presence inviting me to tell Him all that was on my heart.  While the morning star shone down on me a mere clay vessel and on the Creator, the very One who had spoken it into existence, my heart nestled at His feet and began to pour out things that had been hidden away deep down.

“Lord,” I whispered so softly that even I had to listen closely to hear my heart thoughts, “this year has been a year of pruning—a cutting out of things.”  He waited for me to continue.  “My life has changed so much in the last year.  Some of my friends have moved away.  My days have been re-ordered outside my normal routine.  My vacation is nearing an end and when I get back I will be moving into a new office.”  My thoughts trailed off in the stillness as I noticed that there were an awful lot of “my” which suddenly appeared as ugly and unwanted limbs.

He who loves perfectly spoke to me from His Word. 

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.³ You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.⁵ “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.⁶ Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.⁷ But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!⁸ When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.⁹ “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

John 15:1-9 (NLT)

The eyes of my heart looked again at the “My” branches and saw clearly how the Master Gardener with perfect precision had been pruning the unfruitful limbs from me which had at times been painful.  As I thought about this a few questions emerged and I knew He had woven them into our conversation.

When Marc is pruning the desert plants does he ask the plants which limbs they would like removed?  As he places the shears to the branch does the plant cry out, “no, not that one.  That limb is my favorite?”  Is it not the gardener who knows what is best for the plant?  Is he not the one who knows the limbs that sap strength and steal blooms?

I sat quietly pondering the questions and recalled how just recently Marc had pruned a beautiful lantana bush that grew along the winding path in the front yard.  I had not been pleased about it at all as I stood staring in disbelief at the bare sticks that remained for he had cut it clear to the ground and there was not so much as a single green leaf remaining.  “Oh you killed it,” I said with annoyance mixed with shock in my voice.  Marc’s words came to my mind now as clearly as if he sat here with me, “Diana, it was necessary.”  I had noticed only yesterday that it was covered in green leaves and soon buds would appear and cover it in color giving it even more brilliant beauty.

I knew then that I had been trying to tell the Master Gardener how to do His work.  Silly me!  The Master Gardener knowing I needed water of the Living kind poured out His Words on the desert sands of my heart and I felt it soak deeply into my heart.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” 

And then…

Dear one, “I cared for you in the desert,
             in the land of burning heat.”

Hosea 13:5 (NIV)

My heart nestled ever closer to Him who is Life and I felt loved and well cared for by the Master Gardener in the desert where I live—the land of burning heat.  The eastern sky had begun to wake up and in the soft light of a new day He pointed out to me new growth and my heart rejoiced, for after the pruning comes the blooms that give glory to the Master Gardener.

Joy!

An Original Conversations at the Well

© Copyright by Diana Morgan, August 10, 2012

   

THE TORTOISE UNDER THE FENCE

THE TORTOISE UNDER THE FENCE

⁷ "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
     but with deep compassion I will bring you back
Isaiah 54:7 (NIV)

            Teddy lay on the tile but he was not at rest.  He was whining a high pitched tone, not the one that tells me he is hurting but rather the one that says there is something distracting him and he cannot rest because of it.  I relented and opened the patio door and Teddy immediately bolted to the far corner of the yard and resumed his barking. I called him but he ignored me.  I walked closer to him and called his name again, but he apparently couldn’t hear me over his own voice as he continued barking and pawing the ground.

            I walked to the corner of the yard where Teddy continued to raise the dust, quite literally over this thing that had captured his attention and would not let him go.  I peered over Teddy’s great head and saw the neighbor’s desert tortoise which seemed oblivious to the upheaval he was causing.  Or then again perhaps he was relishing it.  He blinked his eyes nonchalantly as if to say, “What’s all the fuss?”  He then took a couple of lumbering steps which caused Teddy to bark all the more.  

            “Teddy, come!”   I commanded.

            More barking.

            I took hold of Teddy’s collar and pulled it tight which got his attention and I turned him toward the house.  By the time I got him inside perspiration dripped from my face and frustration bubbled at the surface as I wagged a finger at him and said, “Do you want heat stroke?”  He just stared at me with his large soulful golden retriever eyes and then plopped down with a sigh onto the tile.

            I on the other hand still felt annoyed as I went about my chores muttering under my breath.

            “What are you doing?”  A familiar voice asked.

            I jumped a bit and quickly tried to cover up my irritation.  But He cannot be fooled so I told him about Teddy and the tortoise under the fence. 

            “Lord, he wouldn’t listen to me at all.  I had to go bring him back over and over again.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to wrestle 108 pounds of golden retriever back to where he belongs?”  I finished.

            The words still hung in the air and I knew immediately that the Lord did know exactly what that was like. How many times had the Lord come after me when I was distracted by my own “tortoise under the fence?”  How many times had He called my name and I couldn’t hear His voice over my own?  How many times had I stirred up the dust of fret as some tortoise of worry had hold of me and I refused to let it go?  Again and again the Lord came for me and brought me back to where I belonged.

            “Oh,” was all I could manage at the moment and I suddenly felt very small; the frustration replaced by a contrite heart.

            I lifted His Book off the bedside table and He took my humbled heart to places in His Word where He spoke to me of His view of a stubborn and rebellious heart and how He disciplines us and brings us back to Him again because of His holiness, righteousness and love.

¹¹ "But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. ¹² They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.  ¹³ "'When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the LORD Almighty.

Zechariah 7:11-13 (NIV)

⁷ "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
     but with deep compassion I will bring you back
Isaiah 54:7 (NIV)

 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Deuteronomy 8:5 (NIV)

I sat quietly in His shadow and sought shelter there and I asked Him to forgive me for the many times my stubborn heart bolted to the fence of disobedience and focused my attention on whatever “tortoise”  was there capturing my thoughts.  I thanked Him for His discipline and His unrelenting love that pursues me every day of my life and keeps me firmly on His path although more times than I care to admit He must wrestle me there.  Finally, I thanked Him for the everyday things in my life, like Teddy and Gracie, which He uses to teach me important lessons of the heart kind.

As I rose to return to my chores I said, “Lord, turn my gaze away from the ‘tortoise under the fence’ that lurks in each day and keep my eyes firmly fixed on You.  Give me ears that hear Your voice and respond quickly to Your call.”

As I returned to dusting I thought I heard His voice that sounds like many waters thunder through my soul, “I will.”

An Original Conversations at the Well

© Copyright by Diana Morgan August 9, 2012

A FOREVER CROWN

A FOREVER CROWN
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:25 (NIV)

The morning star shone like a diamond on a backdrop of black velvet as I sat perched on my favorite boulder sipping my first coffee of the day.  It was a few minutes before 4AM and I yawned as Gracie, our new golden retriever puppy jumped into the lantana bush a few feet away from where I sat.   Teddy, our more dignified 4-year old golden sat with his noble head raised keeping watch as he lounged by the spa.

Marc had already headed into L.A. for a meeting and I was relishing the fact that having spent several days at the dentist for a root canal I had no place to rush off to today.  The permanent crown had been set the previous day so I was finished with crowns with the exception of an old crown I had been told needed to be replaced soon.  This sent my thoughts to pondering how temporary the permanent crown was.

“Earthly crowns don’t last,” a familiar voice thundered through my soul.

“Good morning, Lord,” I said with a smile that spread through my heart as we sat together watching the puppy bound across the yard.

“Lord, why does the dentist call the crown permanent when it isn’t?  It doesn’t make sense.  It’s only permanent temporarily and then it has to be replaced,” I finished.

Gracie had grown tired of playing and sat at the French doors waiting to go back inside to the air conditioning.  I grabbed my coffee cup and the dogs and I headed inside.  Teddy and Gracie lay on the cool tile while the Lord and I headed to the Well to have a conversation about crowns.

We stopped first in the Old Testament where I read about a temporary crown.

 The crown has fallen from our head.
Lamentations 5:16 (NIV)

“I hope my crowns don’t fall from my head,” I said as I cringed at the mental image and many hours in the dentist’s chair such an occurrence would bring about.

“This crown fell as a result of sin,”  The Lord said and I finished reading the verse which said, “Woe to us, for we have sinned!”

I thought about the fallen world we live in.  The moment people are born we begin to die.  Jobs are acquired and lost.  Causes come and go. I thought about material things and how in a sense they crown our efforts of work, yet they do not last.  Furniture wears out, paint fades, tile cracks, roofs weaken and blow off in the harsh desert winds.  I looked around the living room and whispered, “It’s all so permanently temporary.”  My heart looked up at Him who is my Salvation and very hope of my soul as He continued talking with me about crowns.

“Don’t put your trust in earthly crowns,” He said.

“Tell me more,” I said, leaning in so that I didn’t miss anything He had to teach me from His Word.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:25 (NIV)

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
2 Tim 4:8 (NIV)

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12 (NIV)

 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
1 Peter 5:4 (NIV)

Then I thought of the crown Jesus wore just before He was nailed to the cross to pay for sin: yours and mine.  The soldiers had woven it together and then with mocking they pressed it into the precious head of the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Tears stung my eyes as I read.

The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.
John 19:2 (NIV)

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev 19:11-16 (NIV)
The Word of God thundered through my heart, clearing away any thought of temporal crowns as He who was and is and is to come, spoke and I knelt there in the quiet and worshiped Him who is alone worthy of all worship and praise.
“O glorious King, Lord of my heart, Lord of all, be magnified.  Be glorified.  Be exalted.  Forgive my heart that so easily becomes distracted by temporary crowns.  Stir my heart with the purifying breath of the Holy Spirit, purify me with the consuming fire of Your Word to run the race You have set before me until that day I stand before You and You say, “Daughter, well done good and faithful servant.”  I will fall to my knees in reverent awe and worship as You place the crown of life eternal upon my head and all the host of heaven shall sing Holy is the Lamb.  Holy, Holy, Holy is the Eternal King.”
Dear one, how do you spend your time and your energy?  Are you exhausted in the pursuit of the temporary and the fleeting?  Have you pursued health and it is failing?  Wealth and it is waning?  Material things and they are worn?  Relationships and they are broken?   Run the race on earth with your eyes fixed on Jesus.  Temporary crowns fall from your head and shatter in the dust of what was.  Faithfully stay the course, persevere and stand firmly with your feet firmly planted in the Word of God; trusting in the One who holds you and will one day welcome you home and whisper “Well done, daughter,” in your ear and place the unfading and eternal crown of life upon your bowed head.  It will never fade.  It will never fall. It will never tarnish.  It shines with the eternal glory of Jesus Christ, Lord of lords and King of kings.
…and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
¹¹ "You are worthy, our Lord and God,
     to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
     and by your will they were created
     and have their being."
Revelation 4:10-11 (NIV)
 Glory!
An Original Conversations at the Well
© Copyright by Diana Morgan August 8, 2012
Think about the words to this wonderful hymn.
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn;
Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;
The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
And ye who tread where He hath trod, crown Him the Son of Man;
Who every grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
And takes and bears them for His own, that all in Him may rest.

Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of peace, Whose power a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end, and round His piercèd feet
Fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all.

Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,
Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,
Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing
Their songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.

Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me;
Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.


         

BEWARE OF POISON

BEWARE OF POISON
“For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison, their clusters, bitter.”  Deuteronomy 32:32 (NASB)

            I stood watching the ants move frantically about as they picked up the food pouring down around them.  Marc continued to sprinkle the contents of the canister which clearly bore the skull and crossbones across the side identifying its contents as poison.

            Teddy, our 4 year old Golden Retriever and Gracie, our new eight-week old Golden Retriever puppy, watched from outside the triangular barrier which would guard them from getting into the affected area.

            Later that afternoon I returned to the barrier and peered over to where just hours before the anthill had been teaming with life.  There were lifeless ants lying about while others continued feasting on the food and staggered as they carried the poison into the tunnel to give to other ants in their home beneath the surface.

            The ants were unable to read the warnings on the canister.  They had no one to warn them.  They had no discernment. They simply hurried to what looked pleasing to them and they devoured it and not only devoured it but carried it to others to share and have them join them.  They thought it worth the struggle. But what they thought would bring life resulted in death.  It didn’t matter how attractive the container or sweet smelling the food, it destroyed them.

            In effect the ants had seen the food and declared it good when it was bad through and through.

Isaiah 5:18 gives this warning, “Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood and sin as if with cart ropes.  And verse 20, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

            As I read Deuteronomy 32 this morning and studied its meaning I learned that the people of God lacked discernment.  They went after what appeared good to them.  God warned them that He was about to act and would bring His truth to bear on Israel’s behavior.  God told Israel that their enemies (the Assyrians and the Babylonians) were as evil as Sodom and Gomorrah and figuratively speaking even their grapes and wine were filled with poison.

            Things are no different today.  There are those who scurry about picking up whatever the latest popular false teachers are pouring out.   They are taken in by noble sounding words and colorful packaging and the sweet smell and they rush to consume it and not only that, they pick it up and carry it to share with others.  Eventually the poisonous false teaching which is contrary to the Word of God does its work and they begin to stagger as that which they thought would lead to life brings spiritual death instead.

            Paul warns Timothy of such men in 2 Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

            So what are we to do?  Dear ones, God has given us a barrier, a plumb line which is His Word.  We must know it and stay firmly and steadfastly within its borders, and discard anything contrary to it.

            “…our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.  You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.  To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.  Amen.”  2 Peter 3:13-18 (NASB)

            What can we know about the Word of God?  The place to learn about the Word of God is in the pages of the Word of God which is how God speaks to us.

 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
     he is faithful in all he does.
Psalms 33:4 (NIV)

²⁰ He sent forth his word and healed them;
     he rescued them from the grave
Psalms 107:20 (NIV)

¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
     that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:11 (NIV)

⁸⁹ Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
     it stands firm in the heavens.
Psalms 119:89 (NIV)
 Your word is a lamp to my feet
     and a light for my path.
Psalms 119:105 (NIV)

⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall,
     but the word of our God stands forever."
Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

²⁵ "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' ²⁶ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? ²⁷ They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. ²⁸ Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. ²⁹ "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
Jer 23:25-29 (NIV)

¹² For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Heb 4:12 (NIV)

These are just a few Scriptures I found in my study today.  I encourage you to look for yourself.

            God’s Word is indeed living and active.  May we devour it, take it in, delight in it, know it, live in it, obey it, speak it, trust it, believe it, and share it.  May we think it worth the daily struggle in this fallen world to carry the truth of the Word of God to share with those we love and to those who are strangers, may we take it in and by it put on the full armor of God in Christ Jesus as we walk about in our everyday life.  Be watchful.  Be aware.  As you listen to various thoughts and teachings, look at them through the lens of the Word of God.  Let us not be fooled by clever words and creative marketing and noble sounding causes.  Beware of poison.

An original Conversations at the Well
© Copyright by Diana Morgan August 2, 2012