“which is really not another [gospel]; but there are [obviously] some [people masquerading as teachers] who are disturbing and confusing you [with a misleading, counterfeit teaching] and want to distort the gospel of Christ [twisting it into something which it absolutely is not].”
Galatians 1:7 AMP
I absolutely loathe squirrels during deer season.
There’s nothing more frustrating,
then hearing leaves crunching, only to turn around quietly,
Realizing you’ve been deceived by a squirrel.
You would think I would know the difference by now-
But those suckers sound just like a deer at times.
And I’ve been hearing more squirrels lately than deer.
Which brought me to my heart this morning, that I believe Father wants to share with us.
THE ONLY WAY TO SPOT A COUNTERFEIT IS TO STUDY THE TRUTH.
There’s a lot of information out there these days.
Even about Jesus.
But is it Truth?
1 John 4 tells us to test the spirits by whey they say.
The only way for me to become more familiar with the distinction between the deer and squirrels is to patiently study the sounds of the deer.
And then to remember.
That’s why testimonies are so important these days.
We overcome the deception of the evil one by the Blood shed, (what we believe Jesus accomplished completely, for us by His death,
Father is having me pause here.
He’s showing me two different stores.
I remember going to one of my favorite clothing stores only to find the doors locked and the address to a new location.
They were just renovating to make the old store larger.
But I could no longer find what I was looking to buy at the location that closed.
The doors were shut!
In the same manner, although the Old Testament has shadows and types of the Coming Christ,
That store is CLOSED!
Jesus is the end of the law and the prophets.
The end of others having to be led by others to get to God.
There is NO other way to get to the Father, but JESUS!
God didn’t just renovate the law.
He fulfilled it through Christ and opened up the storehouse of Heaven to those who come through Jesus, the open Door.
Hallelujah.
We shop by faith in Christ alone.
Next we overcome deception by the Word of our Testimony:
How did the Word work in your life before?
I’m not saying that your blessing or healing comes the same way every time, through the same people or circumstances,
But I am saying that the principles of the Word won’t change.
Jesus, the Word, is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever.
As I sat in the woods, rehearsing how to hear from Holy Spirit,
He reminded me of the testimony of my van.
I’ve shared this before, but it’s a Cornerstone for my life.
Principally speaking.
I wanted a van.
I had a baby.
So. It was a given that I needed a minivan!
I had a nice car.
But I have an Amazing Heavenly Father, that I believed gives me the desires of my heart as I delight myself in Him, and is pleasured by doing so.
So I asked for a van.
But more than a van.
I wanted to connect with Father.
My earthly dad and grandpa were car dealers.
I could ask them most anything.
But they didn’t know what was under each hood, nor the best van for me.
They were limited, I realized.
Father was not.
So, I asked.
As I prayed and drove the second vehicle for a test drive, Holy Spirit reminded me of a scripture.
Romans 12:2.
He began to say, the first vehicle was good, this one is acceptable,
(I had been thinking of all the tweaks I could do to make it what I wanted)
But then He lovingly asked if I wanted His perfect will.
Yes!
As I asked what that was, I heard Him say that it would be red.
I hated red vehicles.
“Ok though Lord, you know what’s best,”
I thought to myself.
Almost a year later, after waiting and eyeing every red van, that I spotted-
I got frustrated when the one I knew I was supposed to have sold out from under me.
Where did I miss it?
Where did I miss it?
It’s never God Missing His Word to us.
Rather, we preconceive and make adjustments, according to our soul- our senses.
So I simply repented.
Got turned back around, as I told Father I didn’t know where I had missed Him, but trusted if He knew which vehicle that would be best, then He knew how to get me back on track!
It came through submission to my husband.
He had wanted me to have an SUV at the time of winter coming on.
So as we watched a car show the next morning, he asked me to make a call about one we’d been told about a few months earlier.
It was my cousin, and after I hung up the phone, not only did I own a red SUV, but I owned it DEBT FREE!
He had been moved by God to just GIVE IT TO US!
Not knowing what I had been believing for!
Several months later, after winter passed, I sold the Excursion and paid cash for my new van!
I get excited just rehearing that’s to myself.
But the next line of that scripture we’re in, says that we love not our lives unto the death. Rev 12:11
So, discerning His Voice through His Word, I had given my Word to help out by cleaning our church this past Sat.
Little did I know when I committed, that I would take on bow hunting.
My sweet father in law, not only let me use his cross bow, but bought my tag!!!
So, now I have to decide on what I want to do, and what I’ve committed to doing.
I believe that’s where we decide to love not our lives unto death.
This is small scale.
But just like the van testimony, we start from faith and grow from faith to faith.
His faith.
Conforming to Jesus’ likeness is the perfect will of God for us in this life.
Putting others needs above your own.
I’m sitting now, with my sweet kiddos in the camper, while my man and my Father in law are hunting.
My father in law is in my stand!
But I’m at peace, knowing that if I wait and do what God leads me to do, I’ll have yet, another testimony!
I’m letting patience have her perfect work!
Dear Brothers and Sisters, get familiar with Father’s voice.
He wants you to not only know the difference between squirrels and deer, but even more so,
Truth from deception.
I encourage you to read the whole book of Galatians.
Paul gives us Truth indicators.
God has given us His Word to cut through the lies of the enemy.
It’s up to us to get the Truth.
ThankFully Restored 