I understand things better with pictures because I’m a big kid. So, I recently really got something through a mind picture story the Lord gave me. I’d like to share this with you because it’s vital, and I, well, I don’t want you to die without knowing the truth.
Picture this with me: You are transported into the following scene:
You suddenly find yourself among a crowd of people leaving Egypt, following an old guy with a wonky stick being chased by a bunch of angry men. One man sticks out to you. Water pools up on the sides of them, and they’re walking through a river! Now you’re really paying attention! This is life or death for this old man and everyone following him.
He’s made it about halfway through the river on dry ground, and something happens that makes your stomach turn. A bright neon light lit up and flashing above the man’s head is so evident that it looks like a scene from a classic cartoon.
With your stomach turning, your ears perk up. You can hardly believe what you’re hearing! A song you know really well starts blasting out of the K-love station he’s tuned into, and it’s blasting out of the boom box he’s sporting, like the totally relevant guy he is, up on his shoulders like a 10-pound accessory. It’s even got bedazzled rhinestones and cool stickers all over his heavy metal prop.
What, you weren’t picturing everyone dressed like they were from the 80s? Welcome to my mind. Pray for me.
Anyway, back to our scene. Our tight-rolled, skinny-jeaned mullet dude is getting psyched up like he’s totally woke. He can’t help but sing along. He’s ready to rock! His head starts bobbing, and his feet pick up to almost a skip. The people walking ahead of him are rolling their eyes. Behind him, they’re swaying with the music but still somewhat skeptical of his sudden enthusiasm. They wonder, “Why was he not picking up his pace before? Does he not realize we’re being pursued for our lives? Did he forget about those awful, evil men wanting to take us captive again and turn us back into slaves?
But no, this charismatic guy is sold out; he’s all in. He’s singing and dancing to his favorite jam, and why wouldn’t he be? Over and over again, he’s taught those lyrics that are so CLEARLY based on the Scripture. The boom box rattles: “If the waters are troubled, you better get in!” Moved to tears, he exclaims to the kid walking beside him, “Oh little man, listen! Listen! This song is like fire!” He tries to get the kid to dance with him but gets frustrated when he can’t hear the same music.
Then, fed up with his frustration, he boldly begins shouting and claiming he will take a step of faith. Tragically assuming what he feels is a God thing, he leaps right into those troubled waters and drowns.
Was that the ending you expected? It really is a tragedy. His assumptions veered him off the narrow road he was walking on.
Yes, there’s a deeper meaning I’m getting at. Why would I go through all that to leave you with a terrible ending? Nobody likes terrible endings without a moral or lesson.
Following the voice of God means listening to His Spirit through the text of His word. If you listen to just any spirit using black-and-white text, you’ll more than likely be deceived. Too many people are being deceived, and I can’t just stand by and ignore this anymore!
Did you know that people were deceived in the story Jesus told about those who were turned away even after they had prophesied and cast out demons in his name?
Listen, this is really important. We can’t be godly without the Spirit of God. We can’t live in the valley of assumption if the answer is on the mountain of truth.
Just because the Israelites called the golden calf idol they’d built with their hands “Yahweh,” the name and worship they gave it didn’t make their golden calf the real Yahweh. Check out Exodus 32-34.
The Israelites grew in their complacency and, forgetting the darkness of where they had been and the promises made by the God who delivered them, they ended up manipulating the very blessing God had given them in their original exodus into their own God. And this God they had fashioned with their own hands would never deliver them from the wilderness of deception they had chosen to live in instead.
What does that have to do with me? I’m so glad you asked.
If we take Scripture’s blessing out of its context, away from the heartbeat of our Father and the lifeblood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then divorce it from the Spirit who gave it, we’ll end up worshipping the Bible God gave us for our own good, like it’s a Golden Magic 8 Ball Calf.
Don’t do that. You’ll die.
Draw near to God in Spirit and in Truth.
Listen to the songs of deliverance God is singing over you. And dance. (Psalm 32, Zephaniah 3)
