Easily Deceived

"Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon,

bow as they are lowered to the ground.

They are being hauled away on ox carts.

The poor beasts stagger under the weight.

Bot the idols and their owners are bowed down.

The gods cannot protect the people,

and the people cannot protect the gods.

They go off into captivity together.

Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,

all you who remain in Israel.

I have cared for you since you were born.

Yes, I carried you before you were born.

I will be your God throughout your lifetime--

until your hair is white with age.

I made you, and I will care for you.

I will carry you along and save you.

To whom will you compare me?

Who is my equal?"

Isaiah 46:1-5 NLT

I get caught up in worldly mindsets without consciously realizing what has happened, bowing to the gods of science and education, tolerance and "love".  I slightly adjust my views, my thinking, until it lines up with popular philosophy.  I'm still a Christian, I mean I still believe in God so everything's okay, right?  Or should I be concerned?  

Impotent.  Whatever I trust in, extol, fight to the death to defend; if it is outside of Jesus Christ it cannot save me.  As good as it may seem, if it's not from God it will do nothing to stop God's discipline, the shaking He allows in order to draw mankind back to Him, the wake-up call necessary to get the attention of those who have fallen asleep, drugged by the world's anesthesia.  I'm a fool to trust in such nonsense.

Yet it makes sense to my mind, easily slipping into my consciousness without detection.  And before I know it I'm believing ignorance is the enemy and education will save us from what ails society without ever considering the impact Jesus Christ can make in the hearts of man.  Or I'm buying into the mindset that love comes in many shapes and sizes and I must be tolerant of the latest deviancy, failing to ever reach out with the Gospel of grace, empowered by True Love.  Or I am caught up in the belief that scientific advances can cure cancer, wipe out world-wide hunger and end global warming instead of getting on my knees and enlisting the help of the One who holds all power in His hands.

Whatever I trust in apart from God is impotent to make any lasting change or bring about salvation.

Faithful.   While I'm off "saving the world," getting caught up in following empty theories or chasing rabbits down meandering trails, God is busy holding all things together, reaching out to the lost and caring for His image-bearers.  Whether or not anyone ever acknowledges it, He is faithful to give life and breath to millions of people.  We depend upon His grace, never being able to think a thought or take a step without Him.  

Yet countless many fail to realize their dependency upon Him.  How many times has He saved, shielded, protected?  How often does He give good, bless, provide?  Still, many think it is by their own hand, due to their own smarts, because of their wise planning that such bounty has entered their lives.  Meanwhile, God continues to care for His children, even those who haven't yet given their lives to Him through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Even if few ever acknowledge so, God is faithful to take care of His creation.

Deception.  In ancient days, people bowed down to Bel, Nebo, Ashtoreth, Molech and Baal.  Many sacrificed to them, giving of their children, their purity, their livelihood, believing such "gifts" would appease the wrath of these gods and deliver them into the good graces of these deities.  Yet they were deceived into believing these impotent gods would somehow make their lives better, bringing meaning and favor into the emptiness of their souls.  Many died waiting for such foolishness.  Today man is more evolved and is all but immune from such idol worship.  Or so goes the common belief.

Yet how many bow down to the god of women's reproductive Rights, the Right to choose, or the Right to her own body and have killed millions of defenseless children as a result?  What about the god of Lust?  Countless bow before it's altar of pornography, both soft and hard, mainstream and sordid, contributing to the explosion of human trafficking and the sex trade.  Then there's the god of Love that we all desire to bow before, leading to a low view of the pure form and the wide acceptance of Gay marriage.  And so we see, nothing has really changed all that much from the days of ancient society.

Mankind has been deceived into idol worship even though no one calls it as such.

It's easy to conform to the thinking of this world, slowly drifting away from God's best for me and His ongoing transformation process.  As I do, I risk worshiping other gods, even if I wouldn't label it as such.  I place my trust in the impotent, even though God is the only One with the power to save me and the rest of mankind.  Even if He is never acknowledged as the One who truly cares, He is faithful to hold all things together.  Still, I am easily deceived by the same gods who lured the Israelites away from God.  Yes, I am firmly in God's grip through faith in Jesus Christ, yet I have to admit how easily deceived I am.  I must never forget how much I depend upon His grace, and keep my eyes on Jesus who is always at work perfecting my faith.  It is only in Him that I can stand firm!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stand firm on the Truth.

How do I get sucked into popular mindsets, unintentionally worshiping at an altar I never wanted to bow before?

When am I ignorant of God's faithfulness in my life?  How can I intentionally acknowledge His constancy?  

Enticed!

"But I have a few complaints against you.

You tolerate some among you 

whose teaching is like that of Balaam,

who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel.

He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols

and by committing sexual sin.

In a similar way,

you have some Nicolaitans among you

who follow the same teaching.

Repent of your sin,

or I will come to you suddenly

and fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

Revelation 2:14-16

The throne was deceptively alluring, and he who sat upon it appeared as powerful and majestic.  Yet there was something off; something not quite right about this king.  When he opened his mouth, lies sprang forth.  At the gesture of his hand, evil flourished.  A simple nod of his head and troops dispersed, carrying out his wicked plans.  Satan ruled in that dark place.

I live in a place not so different from where the church at Pergamum existed.  Jesus described the place these believers lived as, "a city where Satan has his throne." (v 13)  As such, it was filled with many temptations, lures and deceptive teachings.  While those believers stayed loyal to Christ in many ways, they fell into the Evil One's deceptive traps in others.  

I, too, must heed the warning given in this passage and stand firm against the enticing power of Satan in this dark world.

Sex

It's used to sell children's clothing, describe anything deemed as attractive and devalued to be a recreational activity experienced between friends.  It is also used as an accepted tool of influence for females and a favorite theme of thought and speech for males.   Even more disturbing, it is a common topic of conversation among youth as they negotiate the tricky terrain of intimate relations between same-gender partners.   There is no doubt that sex is a god in today's western culture.

As one who was bought at a price, my body is not my own.  Jesus paid for it in blood when He died on the cross, taking my punishment as my Savior. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)  As a result, the kind of sexual corruption witnessed throughout this age defiles the temple of God, which is my body.  When I adopt the same base attitudes toward sex accepted by this world, I tarnish His holy image.

Therefore, it is important that the only god I worship is the One True God.  I can honor Him by refusing to watch television shows depicting sexual sin, standing against the infusion of sensual clothing into my home, and esteeming purity for myself and my family.

Satan uses sex to entice me into his realm where God's temple is defiled, but I can stay loyal to Christ by keeping Him on the throne of my life.

Tolerance

One of the most irritating aspects of summer are those pesky mosquitoes who seem to enjoy making humans miserable.  Recently I discovered that, after multiple stings, it is possible to develop a tolerance to the effects of this insect's saliva: The immune system simply stops perceiving this foreign substance as harmful and instead accepts it as safe.

While I don't want to be stung enough times to test out this theory, I do know it is possible to build up a tolerance to sin and false teachings.  I live in a world where open-mindedness is revered and absolute truth is mocked.  It is all too easy to give in in order to get along.

Sometimes I find myself listening to a persuasive talk show host describe her new-age views and wonder if maybe it's not so dissimilar to what the Bible teachings.  Other times, it is the sins that appeal to my desire to be comfortable that suck me in.  From time to time I even find myself caving into popular teachings of self-sufficiency or working my way to heaven.

Satan deceives me into thinking tolerance of all beliefs and practices is vital to getting along, but I can stay loyal to the teachings of Christ by extending grace and love instead.

Concession

She thought she could have the best of both worlds by hanging out in the bars where her friends congregated while still abstaining from the alcohol that threatens to rule her life.  Instead of finding bliss, however, she only crashed and burned.

Just as an alcoholic cannot expect to surround himself with drinks and not succumb to it's lure, I cannot expect to stand firm in my faith when I place myself in a similar kind of jeopardy.  In the same way a Diabetic stays away from sweets to avoid the potentially deadly temptation, I must physically keep myself away from that which lures me from loyalty to Christ.

I can't expect to enjoy the sins I know from which I must repent and worship God at the same time.  Honoring God with my life means I hold His values as dear to my heart, valuing His opinion of my intentions as more important than my own pleasure.

Satan deceives me into thinking I can give into temptation and still worship God, but I can stay loyal to God's call for me to be pure by standing firm against Satan's lies. (James 4:7)

I live in Satan's realm, but that doesn't mean I must give into his teachings.  Instead, I can stay true to what I know of God's kingdom by refusing to place sex on an altar, holding an intolerant attitude toward worldly ways, and refusing to concede when it comes to sin.  In these ways, I will not be so easily enticed into the Evil One's schemes.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stand firm against the lure of adopting a culture of sex in my home.

How do I tolerate false teachings in order to get along with others?

When am I compromising my convictions in order to please my sinful nature?