Who Are You Going To Believe?

For some reason, I tend to do the "Lessons From The Kids" posts on Fridays. I'm not sure why. Today is no different...here's a good one:

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Ben was about 4, Clara about 3

I was driving in the car with Ben and Clara, when Clara (as always) kicked off her shoes.

Benjamin immediately piped up, “Naughty Clara! Now you can’t come into the store with us. You’ll have to stay in the car!”

Clara got an anxious look on her face and said, “Mommy, I come in with you?”

“Of course you can come in. I’d never leave you alone in the car, sweetie.”

Clara reported my response to Ben, but he continued to taunt her with his threat of leaving her alone in the car. She would ask me again if she could come, and I would reassure her. This discussion went round and round for several minutes, until I finally tired of it. Clara was getting very upset, and her big brother was enjoying his ability to get under her skin!

Benjamin finally said very firmly, “No, you CAN’T come in!”, so Clara asked me once again, and I reassured her that “Of course she could come in with us”. She responded with, “But Ben keeps saying I can’t!”

I paused, trying to figure out how to reassure her once and for all. Finally, I just said, “Who are you going to believe, Benjamin or Mommy?” Clara thought about it, and her face brightened. She turned to her brother and said with certainty and plenty of spunk, “I CAN come in the store – Mommy said I could!”

How much time do we all spend choosing to listen to and believe the wrong one...the father of lies?

God reassures us time and time again that He loves us, He cares for us, we have no reason to fear, that we will be with Him in Heaven some day, that there is no longer condemnation for us, and that all works to the good of God’s children…I could go on!

And yet our enemy continues to taunt us with his ridicule and judgments. He tries to convince us that we’re not good enough for Heaven, that this whole ‘Jesus thing’ is just a fairy tale, that God’s Word is a lie, that God doesn’t really care for us, and even that God hurts us intentionally for His good pleasure! Well…who are we going to believe?

Who are you going to believe today?

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You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:11-12

and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:11

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Jesus, Matthew 28:19-20 (emphasis mine)