Deceit, deceit, and more deceit

Deceit, deceit, and more deceit. Then there's more deceit after that. On every hand the deceit of man shows it's proud, ugly face. Or at least on almost every hand. To actually hear someone speak straight, with no facade covering something deceitful that they're trying to hide, is a very rare and very refreshing thing indeed. So where do you find it? Well, I found it in a regular non-religious young person last night, and it was probably the highlight of my week. I was talking to a nineteen year old girl who used to work at a place that I frequent, and she told me she was joining the military. When I asked her why she had decided on that, she simply told me that she had an abusive home life and had no other means of escape. And she wasn't complaining or making excuses about anything or anybody when she said it, neither was she expressing any form of self-pity. Just a matter of fact answer to my matter of fact question. I have to tell you that those few honest and perfectly open words really drew the love of God out of me. We proceeded to speak honestly about several other issues, and it was just such a blessing. To tell the truth I was just overwhelmed with the straight forward and forthcoming attitude that I found with her. And you know what? I don't think I even mentioned one single thing about the Lord to her during the course of the discussion. Maybe you think I missed the mark on that one? Not hardly friend. This girl already knows exactly what I am, and what those who are with me are. In fact she hung around and listened to me talking with someone else about the things of God, and I felt no resistance from her at all. The marvelous thing about this exchange was that she had no agenda whatsoever but to call everything like it is in her life, with a good attitude to boot. That is as I said, a very rare and refreshing thing, and it is also a requirement for those who would hope to inherit eternal life, as the psalmist David noted: "Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in [from] his heart (Psm. 15:1,2).

Yet the religious crowd, and God's own people for the most part, would rather wear a religious facade to cover the lacking that is felt down in the heart. What a shame, especially because Jesus died and rose again to fill that lacking completely, and keep it filled! The apostle Peter described that state of completeness in the heart and soul as "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Pet. 1:8). I don't know about you friend, but those are some REALLY SWEET WORDS to me, because I know them as a living reality in my life! I keep the lacking out of my heart daily by "seeking first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," and by "keeping [my] heart with all diligence" (Mat. 6:33; Prov. 4:23). And in that case there's really nothing left BUT joy and unspeakable glory to rejoice in. If your "cup runs over," there is no more lacking, or need to cover that lacking with a religious facade, like "We're all just sinners, saved by grace" (Psm. 23:5; Isa. 30:1). So how do we get that lacking filled, and keep it that way? Well, if you're looking for some deep, dark mystery to show you the way, you're on the wrong path. We get there and stay there by dealing with God exactly like that girl dealt with me. No attitudes, no excuses, no self-pity; and no calling ANYTHING other than the way it really is; just total openness, total honesty, and total humility before God; knowing that is the ONLY way that we can draw out of Jesus that merciful spirit of grace that enables any of us to truly "purify our hearts even as he is pure" (Heb. 4:15,16; I Jn. 3:3). And if we do NOT take that route every day, and we do NOT "purify [ourselves] even as he is pure;" we will always feel the lacking, and we will remain trapped by the religious facades that Satan provides for all who are willing to live with the lacking. Oh yeah, it's also impossible to know God apart from that one and only pathway of holiness, as God mentioned in Jeremiah: "Through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord" (Jer. 9:6). I just don't understand why anyone wouldn't rather be filled with the "love that passes knowledge," and "the peace that passes all understanding," do you? (Eph. 3:19; Philip. 4:7) Amen.