Invasive Species


While listening to the radio over the weekend, I learned about a new invasive species called the Spotted Lanternfly.

Indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam, the little bug infests crops like soybeans, grapes, apples, and stone fruits.  It is now in the U.S.. and, with sightings having occurred in Michigan, this little critter is concerning to me, since my husband's family owns a farm that produces both concord grapes and apples.

This morning I googled it.

It's pretty...but isn't that often the way of evil things?

On the surface they seem beautiful.  "Nice" things that lure us away from God with their promises...

It is important to know that the devil will tell you anything you want to hear in order to get you to do what he wants, and what he wants is to pull you away from God.  

I am convinced as I post this this morning, that God wants or maybe even NEEDS some people to hear and understand this.  Because He is repeating it over and over in my life right now.

The message of "Do not conform to the pattern of this world..." (Romans 12:2) was something I heard in this past weekend's sermon.  And when Jim came back from Bible Study this week - he wanted to talk about the chapter on "the fall" and the ways Satan will try to deceive us.

The truth is, Satan wants you focused on THIS world and on THIS life. He wants you to believe  that YOU should be the one in control, that YOU are the supreme authority in your life... that THIS LIFE is the only one that matters.

And although God is sovereign, He gave each of us free will.  

He could have made us a bunch of automatons, walking around singing "Praise Be to God," and "Jesus Loves Me," but that is not what He wanted.  God desired that we pursue Him, that we love Him, that we CHOOSE Him over the lies that Satan tells.

That decision is up to us.

Jesus called Satan "the father of lies" (John 8:44), and we have been told that we must "Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8). 

  • To Adam and Eve - Satan promised to open their eyes and make them like God.
  • To Ananias and Sapphira he told them their wealth was important
  • To Potiphar's wife he promised sexual contentment
  • To Jesus he promised all the kingdoms of the earth
  • To Judas he promised a Messiah who would overthrow the Roman government and bring Israel to power...
What is he whispering in your ear?

Satan's lies are ones of wisdom, wealth, sex, power, and glory - and I am again reminded of the pretty little Spotted Lanternfly.  "Pretty", but extremely destructive.  And just like that little fly - once the Devil's lies invade your heart, they are very hard to get rid of...







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