DECEPTION!

 ‘Blue Button’ jelly fish photo by Emma Camp.

Deception, the act of deceiving someone, seems to be a universal metaphor in The Book of Nature.  I was inspired to think about this by the ‘Blue Button’ jelly fish.  (See photo above and link to U Tube video below).  It is beautiful, but don’t be deceived, you can’t touch it, or you will get stung.  A rose lures you by its fragrance and beauty and WHAM you get stuck by its thorns!   You reach out to pet a dog and you get bit!  And how about those fuzzy caterpillars?  You want to pet one real bad!  But watch out, there is one called the ‘Asp Moth’.  

Just below its soft fuzzy fur is an ‘arsenal of venomous spines, which can inject powerful toxins into any would-be predator or hapless humans who touch them.  This venom causes an immediate and intense burning pain commonly inspiring descriptions such as ‘being hit with a baseball bat’, ‘walking on hot coals’ or ‘the worst pain a patient has ever experienced’.  Science Alert. 

And this fuzzy, alluring caterpillar could be in your back yard!  They are the larvae of the flannel moth, native to both North and South America.

It is only natural to want to pet a lion touch a ‘Blue Button’ or an Asp Caterpillar, but as we grow up we gain wisdom!  We begin to learn what we can and cannot touch, what we can and cannot do in this world.  We typically don’t jump off a cliff or get too close to a fire.  These are physical metaphors and a powerful warning that indicate that the same lure and deception occurs in the spiritual world!!!  And if you are not careful and aware of these spiritual lures, you can get stung or even loose your life by being lured spiritually, being deceived by what appears to be right in your own eyes or the eyes of the world.  As the scripture says;  ‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.’  Proverbs 14:12.  NKJV.  

The ’Book of Nature’ is screaming at you to gain wisdom about spiritual lures because they have far greater importance than physical lures and are a matter of life and death!

God is good.  He loves us and gave us an ‘Owner’s Manual’, The Bible.  It contains ‘everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him…. And a way to escape the corruption in the world (and consequences) caused by evil desires.’  2 Peter 1:3.  He tries to help us avoid the pain and even eternal consequences of our poor, uneducated, unwise spiritual decisions by giving us a conscience, ‘writing His laws on our hearts’ Romans 2:15.  By giving us the ten commandments to help us make wise decisions.  He has given us those in authority (the police) over us who ‘are God’s servants.’   Romans 13:4.  They are given to help us be wise and not break Gods laws and suffer the pain and consequences of our actions.  

What is it about this world that lures us and who is the deceiver who wants us to suffer pain and eternal consequences in this world? According to the bible we are lured by the ‘love of the world’.   We are admonished; ‘Not to love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for (God) the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.’  1 John2:15-16.  

It also lays bare the fact that this world is under the authority of the devil, who is called ‘the prince of the power of the air’.  He has authority over this present, world system.  Ephesians 2:2.  He has an agenda! That is why you can’t touch a ‘Blue Button’ or pet a lion! 

He has come to steal, kill and destroy.  John 10:10.

He is a liar and the father of lies.  John 8:44. ‘He has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel.’  2 Corinthians 4:4. ‘
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:18.

He has deceived the whole world.  Revelations 12:9.

How did this happen?  

Eve happened!  She was lured by the serpent, the father of lies when he said to her, ‘did God really say?’  He convinced her that what God said wasn’t true.  She and her husband ate the forbidden fruit that God clearly said, ‘thou shalt not eat’.  This disobedience had a colossal ripple effect!  They were kicked out of Garden of Eden and separated from God.  And every human born thereafter is born separated from God!  Their disobedience caused them to lose their dominion over the earth and hand it over to the serpent!

So now people in this world are lured by his lies and deceptions.  He has convinced many that abortion is their right!  That sexual impurity is O.K.  That the church is their enemy.  That what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right.  That they have a right to be whomever they want to be and do whatever they want to.  These are lies.  They have forgotten the God who made them.  They have been deceived by the devil and very unfortunately will receive the consequences for listening to and obeying the father of lies.  

Remember the children’s song, ‘O be careful little eyes what you see,  ears what you hear, tongue what you say, hands what you do, feet where you go, little heart whom you trust, mind what you think……….For the father up above is looking down in love’.

God loves you and hopes you will be wise and remember this simple but profound song and ‘choose life’ (Him) and blessings and not choose to listen to the devil who will constantly encourage you to ‘choose death’ and cursing’ (the consequences of choosing poorly) so he can continue to ‘steal, kill and destroy’.   

‘This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. NOW CHOOSE LIFE, so that you and your children may live.’  Deuteronomy 30:19.  

I encourage you to clink on the following link to watch the ‘Mesmerizing Blue Button Jelly Fish’ on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aiNA_KBs7HA