A LYING SPIRIT FROM GOD

Um...I'm going to just go ahead and post something without illustrations and post pictures later, because when I tried posting pictures, I started to change what I'd written, then everything got all funny....

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"Does God ever Lie?" A Sunday School pupil asked. It says in Num. 23:16, "God is not a man, that he should lie," so he doesn't do the same thing as man does, saying untruths to put himself forward or to hide sin or bend righteousness, BUT the Bible does tell us God actually sent a lying spirit, in 2 Chron. 18, the teacher said.

Another teacher said there were many facets to giving truth. He asked us to imagine we were civilians during a war in which a guerilla warrior neighbor came running into our yard, injured, with a desperate look and ran between the bushes to the right. A few moments later, when enemy soldiers with guns came looking for him, without hesitation, you'd probably motion to the left, LYING INSTANTLY, UNASHAMEDLY. And it would seem so right, wouldn't it? To do otherwise, in this case, would seem so wrong.

That was only one instance.

The instance from 2 Chron. cited by the Sunday School teacher frightens me. Those were men who prided themselves as prophets of God who had been sent a lying spirit. How long had they disregarded God's voice, before Yahweh decided He would no longer bless them with his visitation? Why does this frighten me, you ask? Because I wonder if I will ever let that happen to me.

I have seen many a ministerial student on fire for God who, decades later as pastor, has gradually had his heart numbed by busyness here, procrastination there, cutting corners and not having time to listen to the little man. He has countless times ignored the whispers of the Spirit. He looks and sounds very different now, probably like the person he never wanted to be. But perhaps a lying spirit from God tells him to remember the humble person he "really" is on the inside; this deceives him into thinking this is his present condition; he sees no need of repentance.

God, You know I started out sincerely wanting You to use my love for music, art, writing, words. I so want Your Love to engulf all my life and shine through it. Yet, I know that I get so engrossed, carried away with it--and there's nothing wrong with that in itself, but then it gets in the way of everything I wanted to do for You; and I see all the good that took so much time to build crumbles so quickly.

And it takes up so much time and energy, and I don't find myself really enjoying it in comparison to what You gave me--I never ONCE feel anything close to the "wings sprouting on my back"--and there are a handful of times I even feel heartbroken with disappointment; I've told my sisters about this. I think this is the best Art Group I am going to find in my life, and they really are a great group...my heavenly Father wanted me to see----what they have to offer.  But my going back again and again...makes me wonder if God doesn't get close to sending me a lying spirit too.