AVOIDING* THE HALL OF MIRRORS
*OR ESCAPING
CHAPTER 1
There’s A Serpent in the Garden (2|2)
Pages 20-23 + Application on page 24
Hebrews 3:12-15 (NIV) Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Mark 5:39-43 (NIV) And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Romans 16:25-27 (NIV) Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Have you witnessed people set out to “deconstruct their faith” only to have the dominoes fall quickly to the point that they no longer follow God at all? What can we say to encourage and challenge those who have gone down this route?
“If God said eating from that tree would kill them, but this wasn’t the case, then God is either mistaken or not telling the truth. If He is mistaken, then He is ignorant, and if He’s not telling the truth, He’s a liar. Both of these are slanderous ideas, as they assassinate His character by presenting Him as less than He is; less credible, less able, and less trustworthy.” Have you read this scripture with either of these points of view? What would you say to someone with either of these points of view?
Have you been in a situation where you are privy to people being slandered and their character is being attacked? What did you do or not do?
Have you been the person on the receiving end of slander, and someone stood up for you? What was that like? Have you been the person on the receiving end of slander, and no one stood up for you? What did you do?