Its a masquerade out there...

*** First off, a disclaimer- Yeah so, way back when I mentioned I'd try not to get too preachy on here. Sorry. My faith in Jesus is part of who I am and this blog reflects the things I think about. So... the subject is going to come. Such as now...

It's October. For many people that means Halloween, tricks and treats, ghosts and goblins, costumes and candy, mischief and masks.

Isn't it sort of a strange time of year? Everyone is making plans to be someone else. By the end of this month, the streets will be populated by ninjas, witches, pirates, fairies, and ex-presidents. All through a variety of masks... weird, huh?

Or is it.

How often do we wear masks?

I live in Nebraska, heart of football country. The University of Nebraska - Lincoln is my alma mater. I'm a big Husker fan, right? Not so much. I like to see the home team win, but I can't say I follow it closely anymore. Today there are just too many passions and interests competing for my time and energy to pay Husker Football much attention.

However, I still try to follow the stats. I check on the records of Nebraska and their opponents. Nebraska and football - for many people it goes together like peanut butter and jelly. It's what we do. What we talk about. Like the weather. So, I keep track so I can talk to co-workers and people I run into. I wear the mask of a Husker football fan.

But don't we all do this in one arena or another?

You're a Democrat. You're a Republican. There's certain points you have to follow. Certain ideals to hold up.

A prep. A geek. A jock. Even a scummer. We all have masks to wear. Masks to bear.

But, other people aren't the only ones we wear masks for. Have you ever prayed like this, "God, please don't let me fail at this! I'll do anything. I'll read my Bible everyday. I'll be better."? Really? If God does this one thing right now, you'll change your life forever. You will pursue more based on this one moment. Love Him more for it?

Looks a lot like a mask to me. This isn't pursuing the Most High as your goal. This is courting His favor. Loving the gift over the Giver. It certainly isn't living out Matthew 6:33

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

The problem is we don't stop with wearing masks in attempt to trick God. Many of us, quite successfully, wear masks to deceive ourselves.

The following link goes to an article about a man who wore a mask for a large portion of his life. Everyone he came in contact with believed that this was a good man. He began to believe it himself. He just led "another life" in which he did terrible things. I felt that was the gist of what the author was getting at - a good man, who happened to be capable of terrible things. I also think he blew that away in the final lines.

If you decide to read it, the article is pretty graphic.
http://www.esquire.com/features/favorite-teacher-0300

We all have skeletons in our closets. When we sin we like to brush it off, "the devil made me do it". The truth is we humans are capable of incredible evil, in the same way we are capable of amazing good. We have a dual nature. We are created to be the image of God, a reflection of His awesome truth, justice, goodness, love. But we are born into sin. Our inherited sin nature constantly battles our godly spirits. The reality is that we have both the Spirit of God and desires of the flesh within us.

However, we are not without hope. Jesus said -

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10.

Jesus promises a life lived "to the full". One not torn in two by the battling spirit nature from God and the flesh nature of the world. A life that if yielded to Him will experience love, hope, faith, joy, peace and all of those wonderful gifts of the Spirit. All He asks is that we turn to Him -

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it." Luke 9:24

So, this October consider a new mask to wear. Think of ways that you can wear your Jesus mask in the world. And if you submit to Him, He will change you, from the inside, to reflect the image of the Father. -

"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light... Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Romans 13:12,14

Peace.