3 Gals and a Cup of Coffee | Lesson 19

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.  - Jeremiah 3:8

[PDF copy available here] 

     Once upon a time in a land full of coffee houses, there came three friends to have a little girl time and a delightful cup of "anything-you-can-imagine" coffee.  Mrs. White Lies arrived first.  The eldest of the three and always priding herself on her punctuality, chose the seats for her friends and went to the counter to order.  Next followed Mrs. Hypocrisy, a round lady, full of information of all sorts and ready to point out the fault in those she's encountered in her week.  Mrs. Hypocrisy orders a large coffee and she would like it: decaf, sugar free, non-fat, with a splash of soy milk ,,  also known as a Why Bother.

     Now Mrs. White Lies and Mrs. Hypocrisy sat chatting waiting for the always tardy Miss Waylay. Miss Waylay was new to this little group and added the needed flair the other ladies desired; but were too cowardly to admit.  These three had met some time ago at their local church and all had a shiney facade of a Christian life.    Miss Waylay made not excuses for her lifestyle nor her beverage choice: a large 3-berry blended Rebel energy drink,  She ordered and soon joined her friends.

"Oh," said Mrs. White Lies, "Our last lady's conference was simply wonderful!  It catered to all my desires.  Oh, pardon me, I meant to say, wasn't that worship band amazing?  The stories from the speaker really touched my heart.  I just love getting together with so many ladies that have the same goals as I do."

"I couldn't agree with you more.  I stopped by the book table and snatched up some great summer reading.  Didn't you just love the decor?  So shabby chic." replied Mrs. Hypocrisy.

"What did you think, Miss Waylay?"

"Oh, it was okay.  I was kinda bored actually.  It's incredible how those ladies at the other table were all talking about their secret love affairs.  Did you notice that there wasn't a one of the attenders who brought her Bible? "

"Uh huh.." agreed the other two.

"I just use my phone. I just love that app...I can read, listen, and even take notes on my phone.  It's such a space saver. Well, it's there if I need to look up something.- but hey - it looks cool" retorts Miss Waylay.

Finishing her large order Double Torture (a vanilla mocha with 2 extra shots), Mrs. White Lies asked, "Do you gals remember what the key note speaker talked about? Something about the good Samaritan... Well, it was nice, anyway?

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Sound familiar?  Do you think these three ladies are pretty typical characters at the local church?  The church that Jesus very adamantly declared was supposed to be God's House of Prayer and it had been turned into a den of thieves.

READ:

• Luke 19:46
• Mark 11:15-18
• Luke 10:25-37
• Matthew 7:1-5

DEFINE:

• Hypocrisy
• Liar
• Thief
• Backslider
• Waylay
• Accost
• Rebellion
• Repentance

In this lesson, we are looking at the next four types of person who fear not God:

   4. The Liar -- in the little story you will notice that our eldest coffee shop friend is Mrs. White Lies.  Do you honestly think that God has a color coded system for types of lies?  Or is it just lies. period.

The sin of lying is a common sin, and it walketh in several guises.  

• the profane scoffing liar
• the cunning artificial liar
• the hypocritical religious liar

But none of them all have the fear of God, nor shall any of them, they not repenting, escape the damnation of hell -- "ALL liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." (Revelation 21:8)

    5. The Unchanged Rebel -- Miss Waylay is this type of person who cried unto the Lord God for help in the time of her calamity, and when she was delivered returned to her former rebellion. 

    6.  The Devil's Advocate -- She is also the type of person who seeks to overthrow God's people or to turn them from the right path.  The type of person who claims to be a Christian and yet enjoys laying ambush, accosting, or challenging the stance of a Christian with the intent of overthrow.

    7.  The Hypocrite -- to say one thing and live another, to have knowledge of the truth and not walking in the light of it, or to be a hearer only and not a doer of the word of God.  

Any and all of these people could be considered the backslider.  A backslider is someone who has at some point in his/her life realized the need for a Saviour and gave their heart to Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father.  But as time went by, they 'slid' back into their old ways and changed not.  They sought not God to be their strength to stay OUT of sin.  They got lazy in their Bible reading, in checking their heart before the LORD, were comfortable with the local churchy club, and just really didn't want to stay committed to God and his ways.

Bunyan warns to consider the backslider and guard your own heart that you not fall the same way. 

The strong warning is that if those that take not warning when they see the hand of God upon backsliders, are said to have none of the fear of God, have they it, think you , that lay stumbling blocks in the way of God's people, and use devises to cause them to backslide?

Again, I cry out to the LORD for my own heart!  If in any of these points I have fallen and have not the fear of God -- I repent!  I want no part of this in me.  

 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  - I John 1:8-10