Tag Archives: 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Recognizing Lies That Defeat??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 24

28 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by in Abiding In Jesus, Choices And Consequences, Confidence, Consider Your ways, Liars, Lies That Defeat Us

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 24.  Recognizing Lies That Defeat???

 

We talked last week about the regeneration that Jesus imparts on us when we are born again; and while many of us came to Jesus after falling for the lies of the enemy for years, there are still lies that the enemy uses to make us impotent in our service to our Lord.  That’s what I want us to talk about today—the lies that catch us off guard, the lies that get us distracted from our focus on Jesus, the lies that challenge God’s Word, and the lies that our culture is constantly bombarding us with; yet the power, truth, and love that is the bedrock of our faith still stands—even when our eyes have been diverted by the lies!  Our God reigns, and you can count on HIS faithfulness!

“The LORD reigneth,

he is clothed with majesty;

the LORD is clothed with strength,

wherewith he hath girded himself:

the world also is stablished,

that it cannot be moved.

2 Thy throne is established of old:

thou art from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their waves.

4 The LORD on high is mightier

than the noise of many waters,

yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Thy testimonies are very sure:

holiness becometh thine house, O LORD,

for ever.”   Psalm 93:1-5

I love the picture that the Psalmist paints here of the wondrous might, sovereignty and faithfulness of our God; and because HE is faithful in all, ruling over all, and in HIS majesty is our total confidence, we don’t have to settle for lies—we belong to the true God of all—Father, Son and Holy Spirit!  As Jesus said:

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

Our God is God, and He is in charge—HE reigns, He doesn’t lie!!!

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters,

and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,

Alleluia:

for the Lord God omnipotent

reigneth.”   Revelation 19:6

We can have confidence because our Lord Jesus IS “the way, the truth, and the life”, and we don’t have to settle for lies!  But by the same token, we also need to remind ourselves over and over again that our enemy is subtle, deceitful, tricky and ever seeking our destruction.  But Jesus our LORD, IS LORD!

“The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come

that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:10-11

Jesus gave His life for us—the enemy always wants to destroy—for he is the great imitator and perverter, while our Lord gives abundant LIFE!  You can rely upon the “truth” of God’s Word, His person, and His character—you and I don’t have to stay in “the pits”, we simply have to run to our God!

“The name of the LORD

       is a strong tower:

the righteous

 runneth into it,

and is safe.”  Proverbs 18:10

That’s for we who have placed our faith and trust in God to receive the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice that Jesus made for all who will believe; and we can count on HIM, we don’t have to be tricked by the lies of the devil.  We can be victorious by keeping our eyes on Jesus.

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:

7 Casting all your care

upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober,

be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast

in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished in your brethren

that are in the world.”  1 Peter 5:6-9

We can have victory in Jesus, but we must pay attention—we must take Peter’s advice, being “humble….careful….sober(right focused)…vigilent” as we “resist stedfast in the faith” the enemy of our souls! I want to help us focus (myself included) on the security that we have IN Jesus—to know Him and His truth more and more as our life-line at every turn.

“And ye shall know

the truth,

and the truth

shall make you free.”  John 8:32

We are made free because of His sacrifice and by the power of His Holy Spirit who births us into HIS kingdom, as His children—sons and daughters of God!

“And now I am no more in the world,

but these are in the world,

 and I come to thee.

 Holy Father,

keep through thine own name

those whom thou hast given me,

that they may be one,

as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world,

I kept them in thy name:

those that thou gavest me

I have kept,

and none of them is lost,

but the son of perdition;

that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee;

and these things I speak in the world,

that they might have my joy

fulfilled in themselves…

….21 That they all may be one;

as thou, Father,

art in me,

and I in thee,

that they also may be one

in us:

that the world may believe

that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me

I have given them;

that they may be one,

even as we are one:

23 I in them,

and thou in me,

that they may be made perfect

in one;

and that the world may know

that thou hast sent me,

and hast loved them,

 as thou hast loved me.”    Portions of John 17:11-23

All by the power of The Holy Spirit “translating” us into God’s kingdom, out of the power of darkness.

“But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe

on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:12-13

As Paul said so powerfully:

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance

of the saints

in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”  Colossians 1:12-14

Redemption is ours, bringing with it the power to live a victorious life in HIM, Jesus; forgiveness of our sins, meaning we don’t have to be intimidated or put down by the accusations of the enemy of our life, our work and our effectiveness. We can have victory because Jesus bought the victory at Calvary, giving us liberty, power, deliverance and confidence—all through HIS blood!

“There is therefore now no condemnation

to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life

in Christ Jesus

hath made me free

from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do,

in that it was weak

through the flesh,

God sending his own Son

in the likeness of sinful flesh,

and for sin,

condemned sin

in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness

of the law

might be fulfilled in us,

who walk not

after the flesh,

but

after the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1-4

Victory for all who will receive Him and walk in HIS Spirit!  We don’t have to live and walk in light of our past, but in the victory that God has provided in Jesus!  We do NOT have to “order our steps” in light of the accusations of the devil, but according to God’s Word!  Amen and Amen. We don’t have to accept the lies that Satan throws at us–for we are God’s, delivered and paid for- but we must recognize and resist the enemy’s lies, as we walk in Jesus’ Spirit, not our flesh!  My past is forgiven!  My future is HIS!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh……

25 If we live in the Spirit,

 let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:16- & 25

And just a few reminders of the enemy that we face—remembering that he is a defeated foe, and a liar of the first order!

“Ye are of your father the devil,

and the lusts of your father ye will do.

He was a murderer

from the beginning,

and abode not

in the truth,

because there is no truth in him.

When he speaketh a lie,

he speaketh of his own:

for he is a liar,

and the father of it.”  John 8:44

And his first schemes and lies were the same as they are today—challenging the Word of God, the heart of God, the goodness of God, and calling men, women, boys and girls, to doubt God and the truth of HIS Word/Words!

“Now the serpent was more subtil

than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

And he said unto the woman,

Yea, hath God said,

Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent,

We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree

which is in the midst of the garden,

God hath said,

Ye shall not eat of it,

neither shall ye touch it,

lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman,

Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know

that in the day ye eat thereof,

then your eyes shall be opened,

 and ye shall be as gods,

 knowing good and evil.”    Genesis 3:1-5

Satan is still challenging God and His Word.  Will you be as gullible as Eve, or will you “stand fast in the evil day”?  We must know the Word of God, in order to “resist stedfast in the faith”!  Satan doesn’t play by the rules—his rules change according to the situation (remember situational ethics), who do you think promotes that ideology?  Here are some truths that you need to know!

“For such are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

transforming themselves

into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel;

for Satan himself is transformed

 into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing

if his ministers also be

transformed as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end shall be

according to their works.”    2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Remember—we win.  Don’t let the liars, deceivers, the perverters of God’s Word lead you astray, discourage your journey, or stop your growth in HIM, but continue to keep your eyes on the prize, knowing that your sins have been forgiven and covered in His blood, so press on in power, confidence, and truth—for our God IS truth and HE is coming soon.  Ready or not HE is coming!

“Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come,

that ye shall be scattered,

every man to his own,

and shall leave me alone:

and yet I am not alone,

because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”   John 16:32-33

May we ever press on IN Jesus and His promise of an eternal future with HIM!  Amen and Amen!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things

which are behind,

and reaching forth

unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark

for the prize

of the high calling of God

 in Christ Jesus.”   Philippians 3:13-14

Look UP—not around!  Press on dear ones!  Press on!  Amen!!!

Subtle Dependence??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #545

03 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Father of lies, Subtle Dependence

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #545  Subtle Dependence???

 

“Not that I speak in respect of want:

for I have learned,

in whatsoever state I am,

therewith to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased,

and I know how to abound:

every where

and in all things

I am instructed

both to be full

and to be hungry,

both to abound

and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me.”    Philippians 4:11-13

We are living in a day and time when people, even good godly people, are falling into the trap of placing our trust and dependence on things other than God—namely the government.  We live in an age of ‘entitlement’—I am entitled to _____!  You fill in the blank!  We are being led by our culture—through the media, TV, movies, music, political banter, and a “subtle” encroachment into our hearts and minds, causing us to accept things that we once would have questioned.  And even if we question them now, we hear the reasoned arguments that confirm our “entitlement” to a specific provision.  But I want to share a few thoughts that might help us all (me included) to reconsider some of our current ideology.

“Now the serpent was more subtil

than any beast of the field

which the LORD God had made.

And he said unto the woman,

Yea, hath God said,

Ye shall not eat of every tree

of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent,

We may eat of the fruit of the trees

of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree

which is in the midst of the garden,

God hath said,

Ye shall not eat of it,

 neither shall ye touch it,

 lest ye die.

 4 And the serpent said unto the woman,

Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know

that in the day ye eat thereof,

then your eyes shall be opened,

and ye shall be as gods,

knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman

saw

that the tree was good for food,

and that it was pleasant to the eyes,

and a tree to be desired

to make one wise,

she took of the fruit thereof,

and did eat,

and gave also unto her husband

with her;

and he did eat.”   Genesis 3:1-6

Here we find the ‘great deceiver’ encountering Eve in the Garden of Eden, (and yes, I believe in a literal 6 day creation, a man and a woman who were created in perfection, and the fall of man and woman into sin—requiring a Redeemer to save and deliver them from the penalty of sin—death—through JESUS!) appearing to her in the form of a serpent, leading her to disregard God’s commands for the “more” that she would have if she acted on her own!  The same tempter who comes to us today, with the same lies—tempting us to doubt God, His goodness, and His integrity!  And He is a ‘liar’ extraordinaire!  Yet his tactics haven’t changed—he is always trying to convince us that God is not sufficient.  And while he even appears to us as a purveyor of truth and provision—he IS a liar.

Satan’s tactics are to distract us from truth, with things that sound good, causing us to doubt and misrepresent God.  Even Eve added to what God had told Adam, when she said they couldn’t “touch” the tree!  (See Genesis 2:16-17)

We must be careful to believe God and His Word, yet to do that we must know HIM and HIS Word in its contextual truth!  Satan is an expert at twisting God’s words!  If you’ll remember he used God’s Word when he was tempting our Lord, but Jesus always came back with the truthful context of The Word, not isolated snippets of truth (which is what we often hear and do ourselves sometimes!). Be aware of what you are listening to and believing.

“For such are false apostles,

 deceitful workers,

transforming themselves

into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel;

for Satan himself is transformed

into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing

if his ministers also

be transformed

as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end shall be

according to their works.”  2 Corinthians 11:13-15

God knows truth because He is truth, and all things will be judged according to HIS Word—both the spoken/written Word and the living Word—Jesus!

“For the word of God is

quick,

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul and spirit,

and of the joints and marrow,

 and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things

are naked

and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”   Hebrews 4:12-13

We will all give an account before God, and when we do, will our defense be the devices of men or The Word of God and the truth by which we have chosen to live, trusting in Jesus?  Even as Solomon told us many years ago:

“The thing that hath been,

it is that which shall be;

and that which is done

is that which shall be done:

and there is no new thing

under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said,

See, this is new?

it hath been already of old time,

 which was before us.”  Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

There certainly is “no new thing under the sun”, so we must learn to recognize the difference between God’s truth and the subtle lies of the enemy of our souls!  I’ll share a couple of examples of what I’m talking about.  Many years ago I was in a conversation with some friends, some younger and some older, and the topic came up regarding the widowed marrying again, and one lady said (half-jokingly, then but it has become reality today), “I won’t give up my $$$ pension to marry, I’d just ‘shack-up’ and keep my money!”  Well we’ve come to see that to be the mindset of many ‘seniors’—even those who claim the name of Jesus, who now refuse to ‘marry’ because it would cost them a ‘pension’, so they ‘shack-up’ instead.  Well, I simply ask, where is our confidence?  Is it in the government or our God, who calls that adultery?

Another example is from a recent conversation about caring for elderly parents, and the options of government benefits.  The subject turned to the elderly and Medicare/Medicaid, and how to ‘shelter’ their money so the government will pay for their care, instead of using their own money to care for them.  The conversation led to some statements to the end that ‘they’ needed to ‘shelter’ their money by giving it to their children so the government couldn’t take it to care for them; claiming that they had ‘worked hard’ to earn that money, land….etc.!  Well, I ask, what did they earn that money for if not to care for themselves? Instead we have often allowed ourselves to fall into the mindset that I ought to keep what’s ‘mine’ and let the government care for my parents!  I know that’s dangerous ground to walk on, and I’ve walked that path, and not always made the right choices.  But it’s something that we need to examine in our own hearts (and God knows our hearts and what our circumstances are!).  And while I agree that there are great inconsistencies in how our government uses the resources that our tax dollars provide, we must make sure that our personal vision, our ‘biblical worldview’, has not been skewed by the greed of our government, and the injustice of how it often spends the ‘public largess’!  The care of those in our family is something that Jesus said was not to be relegated to others (See Mark 7:10-12).  And while we often need help to accomplish ‘care-giving’, we must not allow greed a foothold into our hears, with the defense that ‘everyone else is doing it’ or ‘they owe it to them/me’ (See Luke 12:13-21)! Our confidence must be in God not man!

I pray that this will spark in each of us the desire to seek God’s face and His will in our own choices and ‘world-view’!  For it is God who provides for His own! And because HE does—“I can do all” things rightly!

“I can do all things

through Christ

which strengtheneth me….

19 But my God shall supply

all your need

according to his riches in glory

by Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:13 & 19

And the verse that sustains and calls me to that “higher plain”!

“Trust in the LORD

with all thine heart;

and lean not

unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways

acknowledge him,

 and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise

 in thine own eyes:

fear the LORD,

and depart from evil.”  Proverbs 3:5-7

May we truly be purveyors of truth and confidence in JESUS, not deceived by the subtle lies of the enemy of truth, nor misplacing our confidence!

“Be not deceived;

God is not mocked:

for whatsoever a man soweth,

that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth

to his flesh

shall of the flesh

reap corruption;

but he that soweth

to the Spirit

shall of the Spirit

reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary

in well doing:

for in due season

we shall reap,

 if we faint not.” Galatians 6:7-9

Amen and Amen!

Redefining Christianity??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #526

25 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in Lies, Redefining Christianity?, Righteousness, Stand Fast, The Father of Lies!, Truth

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #526    Redefining Christianity???

 

“Woe unto them

that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them

that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:20-21

Isaiah warned those in his day of “woe” that would come upon those who lived and walked diametrically opposed to God and His way; and that message is as apropos today as it was those thousands of years ago, for “there is no new thing under the sun” (See Ecc. 1:9)! We are living in a time when men and women, boys and girls of all ages are determined to defy God and call it ‘ok’! The popular but false refrain says, “I’m ok, you’re ok, we’re all ok!” Well, my friends, we are NOT ok! When a willful people, make a deliberate choice to say that it’s not ‘ok’ for a state to impart the death penalty to convicted criminals, but it is ‘ok’ to kill a real, living baby in the womb right up to the time of delivery, we have totally gone over the edge. We are those people who are right “now” calling “evil good, and good evil”—and those who cry out against it are being ridiculed, marginalized and disregarded as everything but good and righteous.

My heart aches for the lives that will be taken—murdered—due to this horrendous ‘law’! I think of Isaiah and Jeremiah who were the ones called to deliver difficult messages to the people they loved—they didn’t hate their people they were broken hearted for the blindness of those who do not want to see—those who have been blinded by the lies of the enemy of their souls, “the father” of lies, Satan! And yes he is real, and he is busy at work around us at full throttle.

“For such are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

transforming themselves

into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel;

for Satan himself

is transformed

into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing

if his ministers also

be transformed

as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end shall be

according to their works.”    2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Those who are caught up in the destructive, life-taking lies of the enemy, not only push their evil agenda, many of them call themselves “Christians”, while promoting the wickedness of the darkness. Paul warned us about these times, and we must commit ourselves to dig into The Word, equipping ourselves for the battle that we are in; while recognizing that we are quickly becoming the enemy of the majority of those around us. They are on a full frontal attack against God, Jesus, righteousness and goodness (biblical goodness, not the imitation that the world is offering!), and we must be aware, prepared and “strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might” (see Eph. 6:10-18)! They won’t tell the truth and they don’t “play fair”!

“This know also, that in the last days

perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,        

covetous,

boasters,                                   

proud,

blasphemers,       

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,                                

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,      

trucebreakers,                    

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Oh, my friends, if we are followers of Jesus, and living in obedience to Him and His Word—we will be ‘despised’, and we are on many fronts already. But we must stand fast and follow our Lord into the fray—in HIS power and way, not our own! Jesus Himself told us to be prepared for the lies, and even the church in many cases today, has so compromised the gospel and The Word of God that most don’t even know what a “Christian” really is. Even here in Oklahoma there are billboards all around us advertising that the ‘advertisers’ are “Christians” who understand that abortion is ‘ok’—call ‘us’ not those who call it ‘murder’! Jesus hit the nail on the head.

“And Jesus answered and said unto them,

Take heed

that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come

in my name,

saying, I am Christ;

and shall deceive many.”   Matthew 24:4-5

Jesus didn’t say a ‘few’ would come, but that “many shall come” saying that they are speaking for HIM! But The Word is the test—not popular polls and opinions! Jesus told the false religious leaders of his day, that they would believe a lie rather than HIS truth—it’s still true today!

“But I know you,

that ye have not the love of God

in you.

43 I am come

in my Father’s name,

and ye receive me not:

if another shall come

in his own name,

him ye will receive.

44 How can ye believe,

which receive honour

one of another,

and seek not the honour

that cometh from God only?”   John 5:42-44

The standard is God’s not man’s! Who are you believing—the true One or the ‘father of lies’? The Word will reveal it in the end.

“For the word of God

is quick,

and powerful,

and sharper

than any twoedged sword,

piercing even

to the dividing asunder

of soul

and spirit,

and of the joints

and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts

and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest

in his sight:

but all things

are naked

and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”   Hebrews 4:12-13

And as Paul said to the Philippians, “think on these things”! I know this is a bit lengthy, but it is on my heart and I had to share it with you all today. May God bless you with “ears to hear” and a heart tuned to HIM! Precious Lord, please “deliver us from evil” that we may once again be the recipients of your blessings! ‘Nuff said!

Amen and Amen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Counterfeit Faith??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #505

02 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by in Faith, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, Knowing God's Word, Living Right, Seeing Truth, SIN, Spiritual Warfare, The Only Way, The Word, The Word Or The World?, Truth is True

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #505      Counterfeit Faith???

 

We’ve talked recently about ‘people of faith’, and I’d like to take a bit of a turn today. I’ve been seeing a lot of billboards, ads and social media input lately that I want to call our attention to because genuine believers are often gullible and naïve when it comes to what we hear and see, especially when it claims to be from “people of faith”. What I want to call us to consider today is ‘the counterfeit’: just because it “walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, and even have feathers like a duck”, it may not really be a “duck”! Just like Jesus reminded us, not every thing that says, “baa baa” is a real “sheep”!

“Beware of false prophets,

which come to you

in sheep’s clothing,

but inwardly

they are ravening wolves.”   Matthew 7:15

Counterfeit sheep–Jesus warned us that we must beware of whom we listen to, trust, and believe—especially in regard to faith. The issue with “people of faith” is that some claim one thing but have an agenda that is 180 degrees opposite of what they are ‘selling’ (or giving away!) and their real goal is to lead people away from biblical, authentic, and righteous ‘faith’ in the ‘blood of Jesus Christ…..that cleanseth us from all sin’!

We need to be careful and always aware that there are a lot of claims floating around from so-called ‘people of faith’ who are pushing a ‘faith’ in a ‘gospel’ that is totally foreign to the biblical Gospel that calls sin sin, and calls people to repentance and faith in Jesus alone, as the Only Way to God–the only way to be saved from sin, and its penalty (death and hell) to live a pure and holy life before God and man. These counterfeit ‘people of faith’ promote (in Jesus name) everything from abortion and sexual immorality to a debauched life and almost anything that is the opposite of a holy, righteous lifestyle conformed to biblical standards! Scripture calls us to examine things before we jump into them, for not every ‘spirit’ that speaks to our hearts and minds is from GOD!

“Beloved,

believe not every spirit,

but try the spirits

whether they are of God:

because many false prophets

are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 

Just because something sounds ‘good’ on the surface, we need to ‘dig a little deeper’ into the source, whether it’s a sign on a billboard, or a cute ‘meme’, or an invitation to something ‘new’ and/or life changing! We must recognize that Satan is extremely busy these days, and we must inform ourselves of the things we encounter, always being ‘ware’ before we join or support anything or anyone who claims to present some new “ministry”. Checking out the “facts” before we contribute our time, money and energy into something that may turn out to be diametrically opposed to the very Savior whom we love and want to serve.

It’s important to know The Word, so that we can recognize the false when it comes along—and my friends, it is coming along in boatloads today—on TV, radio, books, newspapers, billboards and of course on social media. We must be sure we are trying every ‘spirit’ to see if it is “of God”, for not everyone is speaking (or writing) truth!

“For such are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

transforming themselves

into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel;

for Satan himself

is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing

if his ministers also be transformed

as the ministers of righteousness;

whose end

shall be according to their works.”    2 Corinthians 11:13-15

I don’t mean to belabor the point, but we must, we simply must know truth to “…withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand…” (See Ephesians 6:10-19) We must keep God’s Word before us and examine the things we see and hear before we buy into what may be lies—as the old adage sums up so aptly, “look before you leap” (or believe, or follow or give!)!

“Wherefore by their fruits

ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of my Father

which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me

in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied

in thy name?

and in thy name

have cast out devils?

and in thy name

done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess

unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.”    Matthew 7:20-23

We must “try the spirits” that call to us every day and examine them in light of The Word, not the by the “cutesy”, eye-catching pictures, ads and slogans that they are using to mislead people—even genuine people of faith. We need to take special care as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are coming, beware of who you give your money to—you can check them out online to see how much of their ‘donations’ go to the people or causes they claim to be collecting to support and relieve—you might be surprised. I’ll simply leave you with the words of Jesus:

“Behold,

I send you forth

as sheep

in the midst of wolves:

be ye therefore

wise as serpents,

and harmless as doves.”   Matthew 10:16

Amen and Amen!