Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday August 14, 2007

I received a nice note from a writer/friend in England and this saint of the Lord agreed with my take on the flood of deceit in our Christian circles. Janice wrote:

"The grand Scottish Author, Sir Walter Scott wrote: "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!"'

I always heard granddad use that term but never knew where it came from. It all makes sense now for great grandpa was Scottish too. Thanks for sharing this information and also this much needed piece. I find that the mask begins to come down once we receive our healing and we are no longer afraid to be transparent. When we are healed we become transparent, and while sending up the praises we are also pointing others to Jesus so they too can begin to heal. This process cannot be as effective while we are still wearing the mask. And while the mask is on we are a potential 'lethal weapon to other believers'. I pray this article will reach out to sleeping believers. Thank you for sharing. God bless! Janice Ramkissoon."

Janice is on target, for many who are operating in deceit are themselves deceived and need a wake up call. I recently jumped into a fray, one which I would normally have passed, but I really believed and still believe the men I know in the fray are good men who are caught up in something that they feel very strongly about. Feelings are and have always been Satan's primary target and that is why every biblical preacher of my knowledge insists that we go by the book instead of our feelings at a particular time on any given subject. The Word of God never leads down a hot headed trail ultimately causing saints to later wish that cooler heads had prevailed.

I know during a period in my life I was so absorbed in what I wanted to achieve that I lost sight of several important markers along the way and to say I paid dearly is understatement.

In the case referenced earlier, I hoped and still hope that my friends will take the stinging rebuke in the spirit it was given and straighten some things out. A statement to the effect that "I was caught up in this thing and I made some serious misjudgments," would cast much oil on seriously troubled waters.

It is a serious mistake to deceive others, and I am certain the biblical and so called secular literature is replete with admonitions against deceiving ourselves.

When we become truly transparent, we no longer have to defend our image and we can and should say to onlookers and there are plenty, "See this flaw, this sin, this deceit? I am taking it to Jesus right away!!" How different the testimony of any group or movement would be if this transparency were to actually happen?

Obadiah 1:3 "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?"

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit

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