SERMONETTE #20                                        09 June 1985
Rainbow Revelations
Fellowship
                                                        

                    "The Devil's Playground"

While passing through the Mojave Desert on  the  way  to  Las  Vegas
there  is  a  town  called Baker just past Barstow.  A breath taking
sight catches the eye of the traveler  at  this  point  called  Soda
Lake.    Although  it  is a dry lake there is the illusion of water.
This mirage is created by the sun's reflection off the flat  bed  of
this  barren  plain as is common in desert regions.  This phenomenon
can usually be seen during certain periods of the day  depending  on
the  angle  of  view  and  the  lighting  from  the sun.  This plain
stretches  for  miles  with  sinister  looking  mountains  in    the
background like unto 'sentinels'.  Furthur into the background is an
extension called 'The Devil's Playground'.  It is very beautiful  to
behold  but  dangerously  deadly if one ever strays out there alone.
The Indians who inhabited this region were very superstitous of this
area.    They claimed that spirits of the departed roamed this plane
at night and the cryes of these could could be heard echoing through
out  the  night.    On  nights  of the full moon, appiritions were a
common occurance.   This  place  was  labeled  'taboo'.    As  being
strictly  off  limits,  those  who  wandered  off into this area and
managed to return were never the same.  They were labeled as  'loco'
by  the  tribe.   They were excommunicated for violating the 'taboo'
and were forced, with a few provisions, to wander in to the  desert.
Death  was  imminent  for  these  souls.    This was the penalty for
treading on dangerous ground.  Today there still exists reports from
the  locals  and travelers at night of seeing strange lights in this
area.

The point of this little tale has a counter-part.  The  counter-part
is  this whole world which is labeled by St.  John in I John 5:19 as
"the whole world lieth in wickedness".  This "spirit of the air" now
permeates  the  whole  atmosphere of space.  (EPH 2:2) All the drugs
illicit sex, satanic music, occult practices, witch craft, violence,
TV  and  movies that program all these satanic "toys" are labeled as
'Lucifer's territory' or "the devil's playground".  The only  excape
from this dangerous plane of existance is th take refuge in the Word
of God.  This Word educates us to see through all the deceptions  of
the  'god  of this world'.  The strange lights seen by the minds eye
are the deceptions of Lucifer who comes as an 'angel of light'  with
glorious  promises  to  all  who will fall down and worship him.  He
knows the weakness of man and that almost all will sell their  souls
to  enter  his  playground.   We are all under the influence of this
powerful vicious entity.  Only one has withstood his test  and  that
is  Jesus  the Master.  He refused to gaze into the 'brillant light'
or bend a knee to this master sorceror.  If we follow the directions
of  this  same Jesus who is the God that all men ingrorantly worship
under various names, He will deliver all who are weak and  we  shall
triumph over the world.  (I JOH 2:15-17) We will hear the 'voices of
sin' calling to us in the darkness of the plane of  ignorance  which
is  this present evil world, but we shall know them for exactly what
they are.  (REV 13:13) Our playground is the 'Paradise of the  Mind'
for  we  who have escaped the dry areas where there is no water.  In
our playground there is a never ending water supply that springs  up
out  of our innermost being into eternal life.  (REV 2:17, JOH 4:13-
14) Unlike the devil's playground where there is a price to  pay  in
the  end, God's playround is open to all and the admittance is free.
When those in error see their plight and come to Jesus, He does  not
cast  them  out  to  die  or  suffer  in  the wilderness of sin, but
welcomes all with open arms and the angels rejoice in heaven.   They
are  fed and clothed like kings and a party is given in their honor.
Their names are written in Heaven's great  infallable  computer  and
listed  in  the  'Book  of  Life'.  Those who refuse God's provision
receive nothing more than the 'mark of the beast' and are cast  into
outer darkness being stars that wander for ever.(JUD :13)


AFFIRMATION :  I can see through the waste land of evil and all it's
illusions for what they really are; illusions that fade in the light
of Christ.  I now behold the overall error in a panoramic  view  and
thank  the  Lord  that  the old simple direction sign inscribed with
these words 'Jesus Saves' is really true and  a  sure  direction  to
someday  meeting  Him  who is the Great Spirit in the 'playground of
God at the end of the rainbow.



COPYRIGHT (c) 1985 by Michael A. Tanous