Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of “All that Glitters is Not Gold” (without using the actual phrase or literal example). (01/24/08)
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TITLE: Don't Be Fooled | Previous Challenge Entry
By Kori Philipp
01/29/08 -
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As smoke and flames began shooting around the room, Dorothy’s little dog, Toto, walked up and tugged on the curtain, exposing the person behind it. Whom do they see? Much to their surprise, there is a short, old balding man, frantically moving control levers back and forth! He was certainly not what they expected.
Often, I’ll use that scene to try to explain how the devil works, and to show how he too hides behind a curtain with many disguises, just like the wizard. However, also like the wizard, once we find the truth out about the devil, and he is exposed for who he really is, he loses any power he once had over us. All praise and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ for removing the curtain, so that we can see!
Fear isn’t the only technique the devil uses to try to deceive us; he’s been known to use the “friendly” approach as well. Do you remember in the Garden of Eden, when he so s…s…smoothly slithered up to Eve and delivered his crafty and persuasive speech? This is what I think it would sound like if we were to hear that speech today:
“Hey, I’m just telling you this because I’m on your side. I want you to have everything that you’ve always wanted because you deserve it! I don’t know about you, but I think it’s kind of selfish of God to put restrictions on you. Maybe you misunderstood what He said. I mean think about it, why would He put a beautiful tree in the middle of the garden and then tell you that you couldn’t eat any fruit from it? That just doesn’t make sense to me; does it to you? Don’t worry about anything Eve. I guarantee you; God isn’t going to punish you. He just doesn’t want you to become as powerful as He is, or know what He knows. Just go ahead and eat it, nothing is going to happen. Seriously, would I lie to you?”
The answer to that question is most definitely, positively, absolutely yes, he would lie to you, and does!
In the Garden, the devil is described as a serpent. In 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV), we see another description; “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Ok, so far we know to be on the look out for smooth talking snakes and hungry lions!
But remember, he doesn’t always use the scary approach. Look at 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV); “Satan himself, masquerades as an angel of light”. Masquerade in the English dictionary means; “to pretend to be someone or something that you are not”. I think we are catching on to his game.
If we don’t want to be deceived, then we must first know the truth. Remember the old saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover”? Do you know why that is? Because, the truth is found, in the pages of the book! Don’t be fooled, read The Book.
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