Recently Brett and 4 of his leaders had the chance to attend the Celebrate Recovery Summit in Tennessee. This is an annual training event to meet with thousands of other celebrate recovery leaders. A chance to share ideas, get recharged, hear great speakers, listen to a great band. They all came back charged up with new ideas to take them into the next year.
Brett actually had a very new experience this year. He encountered bed bugs at his hotel the first night. The hotel was quick to move him to another room and give him instructions on how to get rid of them. Needless to say I was not excited about the thought of him bringing any of his new "friends" home with him.
When he arrived home I did all but make him strip down on the front porch and throw away all of his clothes. I wanted to do that, but didn't know if the neighbor's would think it was such a good idea. He did immediately throw all of his clothes in the washer and put his suitcase on the deck for 3 days. Thank goodness for the 90+ degree weather.
While reading up on bed bugs I found some similarities between bed bugs and Satan. Imagine that.
First, apparently bed bugs do not like the light and will disappear if you turn the lights on. Think about it. Satan hates the light. When we shine the light of God's word on our lives, with the truth Satan takes off running.
Second, according to Brett you don't feel bed bugs biting during the night. You only discover they were there the next morning when you break out with itching bites all over you. Satan is also sly that way. He bites with a lie, you might not notice the first bite but then you can't leave it alone. It continues to itch and fester till you scratch it. Leaving a sore and maybe a scar.
For me that can look a number of ways.
The lie - because some lady at a baseball game when I was 12 thought I was a boy I now look in the mirror and a lot of times don't like what I see.
The lie - jealousy - I want her life, I want her talent, that should be mine, why doesn't God give me what I want?
The lie - Finding my self worth in the things I do, or what people think of me.
You have to treat to get rid of bed bugs, we have to treat to get rid of Satan.
First step you have to remove the bed bugs. You have to strip everything away and spray for them. Same way with Satan you first have to strip everything away, admit you are a sinner and turn to Jesus.
Then you have to treat the bites. You have to put some type of cream or salve on them. Same way with the lies.
The lie of how I look - God says I created you, and you are beautiful to me.
The lie of jealousy - God says I have a purpose and a plan for your life that I have for no one else.
The lie of self worth - God says you are mine and I sent my Son to die for you. Your worth is found in ME and ME alone.
Bed bugs are a horrible, crawling thing that scatter when the light comes on. Satan is a horrible, crawling thing that scatters when we shed the light of truth from God's word on our lives.
Live in the light and you avoid the bed bugs. Live in the light and you avoid Satan's lies.
Ephesians 5: 8-9 "for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of the light - for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth."
Needless to say "Don't let the bed bugs bite" has new meaning at our house.
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