The Nature of Rattlesnakes

[Laela]

Last installment, Shimmie


The Nature of Rattlesnakes
Written by Mary Whelchel
January 6, 2011

We've seen so many leaders in politics and religion who have been disgraced by immoral behavior and loss of integrity, and we wonder how they could have gotten into such a mess. Well, I think many times they just thought the rules didn't apply to them. They considered themselves above the laws that the rest of us must live by.

Somehow power does that to people. But don't be fooled. Nobody breaks God's principles and gets by with it. If you see people who appear to be doing good while living in rebellion against God's laws, remember you haven't seen the end of the story yet. No one can live in opposition to God's moral laws and his principles and escape the consequences.

Remember the fairy tale? The girl was bitten by a rattlesnake because she didn't run away as soon as she saw the snake, she listened to his deceptive lies, she disregarded the nature of rattlesnakes and thought this one would be different, and so she picked it up.

What kind of rattlesnakes have you encountered lately? Perhaps it's a sexual relationship, or a matter of honesty. Maybe you think you can get involved in some occult stuff and not get burned. Maybe you're into pornography or music that is not edifying. Have you been ignoring God's Word and needed spiritual disciplines in your life? Those are some common everyday rattlesnakes that many of us confront.

Have you picked up any rattlesnakes lately? Think you can handle it without being bitten? Trying to rationalize away the dangers you're facing, and justify your behavior somehow? Well, the facts are you can't get by with it. Maybe some of those rattlesnakes don't bite as quickly as others, and you're thinking that you're getting by with it. Don't be deceived; sooner or later the poison will enter your mind and body and you'll know you've been bitten.

Well, perhaps that simple fairy tale will stick with you and help you remember that rattlesnakes never change their nature, no matter how good they talk or how attractive they look. As Christians in a world that is full of lots of rattlesnakes, we can avoid them by staying on the straight and narrow road, looking for and taking the escape routes which are provided when we do encounter a temptation, and running fast away at the first hint that we're in rattlesnake country.

Our testimony for Jesus Christ is at stake; our* ability to be used by God for eternal purposes is threatened. It's not worth it, believe me, it's not worth it. Stay away from the rattlesnakes.

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

@Laela I wish i could give you a double thanks for that....


by the way I was listening to Zac Poonen this morning, would you believe that he made reference to a 'snake', this can't be a co-incidence I've been hearing about snakes all week so immediately I began to pray to ask God to cover each and every everone one of my church members beginning from my pastors onward...my family and household and each of you ladies of prayer on the board...

I pray that he will not prevent our encounter with the snake of (lies, selfishness, doubt, fear, gossip, fornication, laziness, doubleminded-ness whatever or snake or snakes be) but that we are protected, that we wont panic and that He would give us strength to overcome...surely there is a lesson in the trials/temptation, it is 'us' that need to kill that/those snakes by the 'power that worketh' in us...

 

[Shimmie]

Last installment, Shimmie


The Nature of Rattlesnakes
Written by Mary Whelchel
January 6, 2011

We've seen so many leaders in politics and religion who have been disgraced by immoral behavior and loss of integrity, and we wonder how they could have gotten into such a mess. Well, I think many times they just thought the rules didn't apply to them. They considered themselves above the laws that the rest of us must live by.

Somehow power does that to people. But don't be fooled. Nobody breaks God's principles and gets by with it. If you see people who appear to be doing good while living in rebellion against God's laws, remember you haven't seen the end of the story yet. No one can live in opposition to God's moral laws and his principles and escape the consequences.

Remember the fairy tale? The girl was bitten by a rattlesnake because she didn't run away as soon as she saw the snake, she listened to his deceptive lies, she disregarded the nature of rattlesnakes and thought this one would be different, and so she picked it up.

What kind of rattlesnakes have you encountered lately? Perhaps it's a sexual relationship, or a matter of honesty. Maybe you think you can get involved in some occult stuff and not get burned. Maybe you're into pornography or music that is not edifying. Have you been ignoring God's Word and needed spiritual disciplines in your life? Those are some common everyday rattlesnakes that many of us confront.

Have you picked up any rattlesnakes lately? Think you can handle it without being bitten? Trying to rationalize away the dangers you're facing, and justify your behavior somehow? Well, the facts are you can't get by with it. Maybe some of those rattlesnakes don't bite as quickly as others, and you're thinking that you're getting by with it. Don't be deceived; sooner or later the poison will enter your mind and body and you'll know you've been bitten.

Well, perhaps that simple fairy tale will stick with you and help you remember that rattlesnakes never change their nature, no matter how good they talk or how attractive they look. As Christians in a world that is full of lots of rattlesnakes, we can avoid them by staying on the straight and narrow road, looking for and taking the escape routes which are provided when we do encounter a temptation, and running fast away at the first hint that we're in rattlesnake country.

Our testimony for Jesus Christ is at stake; our* ability to be used by God for eternal purposes is threatened. It's not worth it, believe me, it's not worth it. Stay away from the rattlesnakes.

Laela Rose

Thank you so much for making my week with these wonderful messages. I'm just blessed.

I do have to share that I had to acknowledge a 'snake' that almost everyone has fallen in love with, however, he's actions have proven contrary to the Word of God ... more than expected ... 'contrary' and this country has truly 'turned' for the worse.

 

[Prudent1]

Shimmie,
^^^ Do tell, but I believe I already know...

 

[Rainbow Dash]

Shimmie, I think I know too. Glad someone can see.

Sent from my LS670 using LS670

 

[Shimmie]

Shimmie,
^^^ Do tell, but I believe I already know...

Shimmie, I think I know too. Glad someone can see.

Sent from my LS670 using LS670

President Obama....

We were charmed. I fought for him, I wanted to 'believe' in him. Yes, I know he wasn't God, however I didn't 'listen' to others of our faith who warned us.

He has done 'more' to devalue the true meaning of marriage than any other person in leadership. And the sad thing is that he did not have to. He did not have to give so much 'yield' to the gay agenda.

Sadder, none of the candidates are worth trusting in either party. It's such a set up. I surely didn't trust McCain and Palin. That was a joke of jokes.

Yet, it was the perfect set up to be charmed

These messages on rattle snakes are not by accident. It is a warning to the Body of Christ, not to be mislead and to watch for and take heed to the rattle.

He reminds me of King Saul ... who even admitted that he 'yielded' to the people and not God.

Quoting the story above:

The girl was bitten by a rattlesnake because she didn't run away as soon as she saw the snake, she listened to his deceptive lies, she disregarded the nature of rattlesnakes and thought this one would be different, and so she picked it up.

What kind of rattlesnakes have you encountered lately?

 

[sidney]

@Laela I wish i could give you a double thanks for that....


by the way I was listening to Zac Poonen this morning, would you believe that he made reference to a 'snake', this can't be a co-incidence I've been hearing about snakes all week so immediately I began to pray to ask God to cover each and every everone one of my church members beginning from my pastors onward...my family and household and each of you ladies of prayer on the board...

I pray that he will not prevent our encounter with the snake of (lies, selfishness, doubt, fear, gossip, fornication, laziness, doubleminded-ness whatever or snake or snakes be) but that we are protected, that we wont panic and that He would give us strength to overcome...surely there is a lesson in the trials/temptation, it is 'us' that need to kill that/those snakes by the 'power that worketh' in us...

This right here!!!! I believe this 100%. The things we know that we do not do...that is where the deception is. Let's get rid of the little foxes that destroy!

 

[sidney]

Thank you Laela!!! It was indeed given in love!! And to echoe Shimmie and the others, thank you for this entire thread!

Thank you Sidney for sharing what God has put on your heart...this is indeed a powerful message and reminder, for all of us and I receive it in the Love it was delivered. Amein~

 

[InVue]

I am enjoying reading this thread. It reminds me of a sermon I heard years ago titled "We are living in a snaky land beware of snakes." I recall the pastor breaking this sermon down so well he applied the nature of various snakes to the behavior of humans. It was an awesome message. Amazingly its been on my mind for a few months now and then this thread...Interesting...

 

[Shimmie]

I love this thread...


Can't wait for Laela's next message. So powerful.

 

[Laela]

Genesis 3:1-24

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ...


To underscore what Sidney shared about the devil... this Scripture hits it on the head for me. It's because of satan's jealousy of man that he twisted God's Word, to get them to the fallen state that he himself was in.


-----

 

[Shimmie]

Genesis 3:1-24

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ...



To underscore what Sidney shared about the devil... this Scripture hits it on the head for me. It's because of satan's jealousy of man that he twisted God's Word, to get them to the fallen state that he himself was in.


-----

You ain't neva' lied.... Awesome Word Laela... Awesome Word

 

[Sarophina]

sidney, I needed those exact words. I've been struggling with vain imaginations and I know the only way to cast them down is refocusing on God and meditating on His word. TY sister for your post!

 

[sidney]

He is so crafy Laela, we all must take heed and evaluate what we "heard" against the scripture! Every word because he is so crafy and as been running his game on the saints for centuries! But we are not ignorant of his devices...

Sarophina, I'm glad irt blessed you. Satan deceived me too with vain imaginations...but praise God for exposing the enemy to all of us! Amen.

 

[Laela]

^^ Yes, Sidney... an Ear that is opened to the Spirit of God is deaf to the world... Amein~

 

[Shimmie]

Said the Rattlesnake:

"You knew what I was, when you picked me up ... "

 

[Shimmie]

This message although posted a year ago, is right on time today.

Thank you Lord for Laela. I love this message about the Rattlesnake.

 

[Laela]

Thank you Lord for Shimmie and Your Light that shines so brightly through her in this Forum... Amein~

 

[Nice & Wavy]

Thank you Lord for Shimmie and Your Light that shines so brightly through her in this Forum... Amein~

I am in agreement with this post 1000%! Amen!

 

[Shimmie]

Because this needs to 'heard' over and over .....


"You knew what I was when you picked me up"...


So much revelation and power are with those words.

We know who the devil is. We KNOW! Take heed to the red flags and warnings...

"You knew what I was when you picked me up"...


Laela, I loved this post from the very first day you shared it and I still have it's message living in my heart...

Thank you so much. I mean it. THANK YOU!

 

[Laela]

YW Big Sis Shimmie! Always a blessing..~

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

I guess I forgot about this post, here goes ...

okay I don't know what's going on but I have heard some kind of message on snakes every day and sometimes twice in one day about snakes for this week...

I have some thoughts too, that are slightly off topic...

We need to go back to the beginning...Eve wasn't afraid of the snake why do you think that was?

I beleive that the snake(s) and other animals could both walk and talk, that's why Eve wasn't afraid...


I'll be back to update with scripture...

Genesis 3
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”


Eve is neither alarmed or surprised that the snake speaks this tells me this was the norm for an animal to speak.

Genesis 3
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.

The snake must have walked as it was cursed to crawl on its belly...

 

[Shimmie]

I guess I forgot about this post, here goes ...






Genesis 3
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”


Eve is neither alarmed or surprised that the snake speaks this tells me this was the norm for an animal to speak.

Genesis 3
14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.

The snake must have walked as it was cursed to crawl on its belly...

I'm so glad you saw this message and posted again; here's why.

Do you know that I FINALLY got the answer to a huge question, yesterday when I was speaking to the Lord about an ongoing issue. And here you post the scene with Eve in the garden. That was one of three answers that God shared with me.

The other two answers were (a) Job's 'friends' and (b) when the enemy attempted to tempt Jesus after his 40 days/40 nights in the wilderness.

God gave me the answer I needed clarity for and He has just used you to confirm what He spoke to me.

I have both you Iwanthealthyhair67 and Laela for these posts. The two of you have blessed my heart so much.

And please... bear with me. I have to 'say' this again...

"You knew what I was when you picked me up"....

That just opens up so much revelation.

 

[Iwanthealthyhair67]

^^God is awesome like that ...



yes, indeed ..
"You knew what I was when you picked me up"....

 

[Incognitus]

Thank you Shimmie for bumping this thread.

"You knew what I was when you picked me up" -- It just resonates with me. After reading each installment, I had to sit in quiet reflection on my life.

 

[Shimmie]

Thank you Shimmie for bumping this thread.

"You knew what I was when you picked me up" -- It just resonates with me. After reading each installment, I had to sit in quiet reflection on my life.

Praise God!

Hi Incognitus...

Aren't those some powerful words. This thread is a year old and it still lives in my spirit. You definitely spoke the right word, 'resonate'.

This is the kind of message that makes you just 'Be Still and know that He is God' (Psalm 46:10)

God bless you, Precious one.

 

[Shimmie]

^^God is awesome like that ...



yes, indeed ..
"You knew what I was when you picked me up"....

Indeed, "Yes, Indeed".

Don't you just love it when God gives us a Word that won't let go? And if anyone can pray prayers of praise, Healthy Hair, you most certainly can.

 

[Incognitus]

Shimmie I read it several times and have already shared it with many people. After reading it last night, I went off to study my 6th day of 40 Days of Purpose (book). Lo ad behold, it mentioned several bible verses that were discussed in this thread and other CF posts I read earlier. Basically, I was reading the same verses over and over, through various different sources. All in one day. It all tied in to what I needed to hear!!! It's like the Almighty made sure I got his message! Not only have a picked up a few rattle snakes in my past, I have made them comfortable in my own home! Enough already! No more rattle snakes for me!

 

[Shimmie]

Shimmie I read it several times and have already shared it with many people. After reading it last night, I went off to study my 6th day of 40 Days of Purpose (book). Lo ad behold, it mentioned several bible verses that were discussed in this thread and other CF posts I read earlier.

Basically, I was reading the same verses over and over, through various different sources. All in one day. It all tied in to what I needed to hear!!! It's like the Almighty made sure I got his message! Not only have a picked up a few rattle snakes in my past, I have made them comfortable in my own home! Enough already! No more rattle snakes for me!

I love when God confirms His Word over and over. Your experience is one of God's most precious gifts... Him speaking to you 'one on one', confirming His Word just for you.

Thank you for sharing this Incognitus, it really blesses my heart.

Oh my Goodness, you just gave me a Word and I thank you for it, about making rattlesnakes comfortable in our home. It seems 'we've' all picked up a snake or two or three in our lifetime. I love what the Apostle Paul did to the snake that took hold of his arm. He should it into the fire and he let it burn, and...... Incognitus, he (Paul) suffered no harm, no ill attacks.

So this is for you, no ill attacks from any of the snakes... This is one of the assurances that God has given you in His Word.

It seems that there are some 'snakes' around you that want to see you 'fail in your faith in God', yet it will be their doubts in your faith that will fail instead. in Jesus' Name, Amen.

They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.

Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.

.....But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.

6The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

Act 28:2-6

 

[LoveisYou]

This thread is so timely. Thanks so much for posting Laela. I wish I had re-read it a few months ago....

You have no idea how much I needed to read it again.