REAL? OR NOT REAL?

Chalk art fascinates me and I do not understand how something can be drawn on a flat surface and appear real. Lifelike.

This little guy is so cute.

Chalk art is whimsical and a crack in a wall becomes the home of a rabbit.

Then some are ----

Admit it. The bears look real!

These deer appear to be escaping under the sidewalk into a winter wonderland.

Looking at these make you believe there is a cute green character lifting up the sidewalk and that a rabbit lives in the roots of a tree.

If you were walking by the bears, you would, most likely, do a double take and wouldn't you love to walk into that peaceful winter scene with the deer.

Sometimes it is hard to tell what is real and what is not.

REAL? OR NOT REAL?

Life is like that. Many times something or someone seems real. Honest. Until, we realize we are being deceived.

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24

The Bible warns us to be on our guard because that ole Satan is a sneaky, evil being. He is false. He will lie.

He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. Revelation 13:13-14

No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

The beast - Satan - wants us to turn from God to him. He will try to convince us he is great by performing "great signs" and promising wonders he cannot give. Satan will even present himself to you in a disguise. He might just show up at your door looking like an angel. You see, Satan is a liar. His words are not real!!! Satan is a liar. He can fake how you see him.

God has not left us on our own to fight those that try to deceive - those that just plain lie to us.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

The words and actions of Satan are not real. THE WORDS AND ACTIONS OF GOD ARE! The scriptures are full of assurances as they tell us of God's character. They tell us God does NOT change. They tell us God does NOT lie.

He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind. 1 Samuel 15:29

To declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:15

For I am the Lord, I do not change. Malachi 3:6

In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time. Titus 1:2

One last scripture, from The Message, by Eugene Peterson, Hebrews 6:13-18:

When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have - bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee - God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.

We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.

I do not know about you, but I WANT THE REAL DEAL. I WANT WHAT IS REAL, TRUE AND UNCHANGABLE!

O God, Dress me in your armor so I will not believe lies nor be deceived by false prophets. Allow my grip on your promised hope to be strong so I will never let go, always trusting in Your unchanging truth. Amen