My own version of Screwtape:

Something to Think About for April 23, 2014:

Something To Think About, Lies, 4/23

It is absolutely clear that the more time one spends on the road, the more likely he is to have an accident.  The car that stays in the garage will never hit the guardrail.  So, the faster I drive the quicker I will get to my destination, thus spending less time on the road.  Therefore, driving as fast as I can is the safest way to go. I love spinning out that flawed syllogism.  If my presentation has the necessary element of apparent sincerity, and if the listener has the requisite desire to believe--dare I say gullibility, there will be a couple of seconds between when I finish my presentation, and the point where the listener says, "Naw!" in which there is a look in the eyes that says, "Maybe he's got something, there."  I've been there.  For a moment in time I almost believe the unbelievable. Satan is the master of this game, only with him it isn't a game, it is a deadly exercise.  If he can get me to buy into one of his flawed narratives long enough, I become invested in it.  Once I have skin in the game, I come to defend a line of reasoning that just a short time ago I almost proclaimed ridiculous.  At this point I begin to promote error.  I rent billboards to spread my message:    "DRIVE FASTER.  IT'S THE SAFEST WAY TO GO!   Let me give you a real example: I'm a preacher.  I have the incredible privilege of sharing God's word with people, of seeking to persuade people to bring their lives into conformity with "Thus saith the Lord," and in that way giving them the opportunity to reap the blessing that comes from living a God-centered life.  One of the necessary ingredients to preaching is having somebody to listen.  Here is where the "Drive faster" error comes in.  Satan can present it with such smoothness that it looks just like the truth.     You are preaching God's word, right?      Uh, Yeah.      It's a good thing that people hear God's      word, right?      Sure.      More people will come if they like you, if      they think you are cool, smart, relevant        (substitue any number of words, here.)      If you promote yourself it's a good      thing. . .  C. S. Lewis wrote a classic little text, that, though technically fictional, is absolutely real.  The Srewtape Letters is about the games, that are deadly serious, that Satan plays in our minds.  He convinces husbands or wives that violating their wedding vows is really a good thing.  He passes out arguments about justifiable lies like M&Ms.  "They owe you." is a favorite line of his.  He can convince old preachers that John the Baptist's observation that "He must increase and I must decrease," or the Apostle Paul's realization that he was strongest when he was most aware of his weakness, has "nothing to do with me," or this situation, etc. etc. Thankfully, no one has ever really bought my "Drive faster" line of reasoning.  Satan is better at it.  He doesn't give his line of reasoning accompanied by a smile.  If he had a mother, he could lie to her with tears in his eyes. Here is what I need to remember.  I can't out argue Satan.  He's smarter than I am.  He's been at this for thousands of years.  What I need to do is hold to the truth.  It's stronger than he is.  After he has been condemned to eternal damnation, God's truth will go on and on. It's STTA.

Getting Rid of the Trash:

Most every Friday something happens that greatly improves my home.  It is not an addition, or a repaint, and it doesn't involve anything new.  The trash truck comes and hauls away several bags of stuff, some of it well on its way to rotten. As I saw the truck go by my picture window this morning my mind went back to a couple of houses I'd been in over my six decades of life.  I remember one where I had to turn sideways to slide betweèn piles of stuff.  I had been to the door of one house a number of times, but when I finally entered I understood why I had never been invited in.  I stepped over a heap of stuff to arrive in the living room.  A good half a pickup truck load of stuff lie between the chair where the lady of the house sat and the TV.  The pile reached to just below the line of sight.  Not only was every other piece of furniture in the room covered--as in at least a foot deep--with paper, etc., but there was no open place big enough for a chair.  I took a chair from the kitchen and put it on the floor furnace.  I was very glad the heat didn't come on.  In another house I was afraid to sit--the chairs were encrusted with well-aged and various remains--and I'll spare you the smell of another that nearly knocked me down. Thankfully my experience with that kind of trash and filth has been limited.  Far and away most houses I have been in have been clean and welcoming.   Not so with many of the lives I have observed.  People hoard trashy and destructive material in their hearts.  In fact everyday, via the internet and other media they pile yet more trash into their minds.  Like real world hoarders, from time to time they will think about cleaning out the mess, they may even throw out a few items, but they soon grow weary, a new temptation distracts them, and they settle back into the filth. I'll not insult you by acting like dealing with such a problem is easy or quick.  It isn't, but it can happen; in fact I'll assure you it will happen if you seriously turn to the Lord. The Lord is in the trash business.  He takes it away.   It's Something to Think About. Explore the Good News here.  A great place to start: