"The Sermon!"
Ambassadors for Christ
Deception is not a topic to take lightly, brush over, or disregard. The Lord gives warnings throughout the Bible to be watchful of deception. Not just from the enemy, but also from those within the church forsaking truth, and those who’ve linked arms with the enemy to lead people into the detriments of sin.
Over the last few years, we’ve watched falsehood, deceit, and the enemy’s schemes spread like wildfire all while trying to unravel our churches from the inside out. My prayer behind this devotional is that your eyes will be opened to the importance of understanding what God says about deception, that you’ll see places in Scripture that confirm the commands to stand firm and to hold our positions against evil. We’ll go through the call to take up the armor against such deception and to hold all things up to the Word of God, to know the foundation of our faith offered through Christ, and lastly that you will feel equipped and emboldened to stand firm in your faith against deception.
"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58
Day 1: Stand Firm on the Foundation of Our Faith
We are finding ourselves in a very rocky generation. A generation of people that seem to be easily tossed to and fro. A generation that appears to be deluded by the persuasiveness of the world and has decided to choose their fleshly feelings over the unchanging truth of God and His Word.
You might be asking, “How did we get here? How have so many people turned so far from the truth?” Personally, I deeply believe it’s because people stopped being reminded and pointed to the love and knowledge we are to have for God, His Word, and His commands over our life.
Day by day truth becomes more countercultural, repulsive, and undesirable to a world that rejects any sort of authoritative truth. It continues to be deluded by the world and unfortunately is paired up with the movement of “feeling-led-faith”. We in Christ can no longer sit back and let the truth of His Word be muddied and we must praise God this watered-down truth hasn’t taken over us. We in Christ must pull up our bootstraps and face this deception head-on. We must dig our heels into what God says about the shackling sin of deception, learn how He commands us to safeguard our hearts, and how we can stand firm while pointing others away from this deceit going on all around us.
I wanted to start this devotional by revisiting the truth of our foundation. The substance behind why the world cannot delude or defile the incredible gift of faith we have through Christ!
We’re going to start with Paul’s letter he wrote to the church of Colossae. We see here that he boldly made it a point to address why the church needed to have a firm foundation, understanding, and to have “knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ” (Col 2:2)” So that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” Colossians 2:4.
Paul knew there would be people, not only in his day but in our day too, that would seek to delude the truth and lead those who claim Christ astray. He knew these deceivers would have persuasive arguments; ones that would entice the sinful desires of our flesh, or cause those who aren't firm in their faith to stumble.
We see from this letter alone, a firm warning from Paul to know what you believe and why you believe it. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” Colossians 2:8.
To stand firm in truth, we must know the truth for ourselves. It can’t just be taught from afar but must be implanted in our hearts through our pursuit of what God’s Word says. Then, once we know the truth of God’s Word for ourselves, we must love it, honor it, and desire to obey what it commands of us. Through this pursuit of God’s heart for truth, we see the beauty of the gospel, His desires for us, and have the ability to stand firm in Christ while fighting against the deception of the world.
Scripture Reading
Colossians 2:6-15 esv
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, as I begin to study your word and seek Your heart in standing firm against deception, I pray that I will lean into the conviction You place on my heart. Father, reveal to me my blind spots and soft spots that I’ve allowed the world to influence. Lord, thank you for sending Your son to take my place so that I could be made right with You. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Day 2: The Deception of the Enemy and Protecting Your Heart
The “deception of the enemy” is a topic we, as believers, must tackle. This topic seems to be one that many believers prefer to avoid at all costs. Whether driven by fear or false hope, perhaps they think if they don’t seek to study the enemy’s deception, then perhaps it won't be something that affects them.
What I can tell you, is that will not be the case. If you live for Christ, the enemy will strike. He comes to do three things: to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The word "deceived" is mentioned 48 times alone throughout Scripture. Clearly, we must seek understanding from the Lord in our desire to be alert to Satan’s tactics.
We know we will face these battles and attacks while living in the world. God’s Word makes that undeniable in Ephesians 6:12, “There is a battle going on in the heavenly places and a war waged against us taking place in the unseen.” We also know for Satan to execute his wicked plans he must use deception to lure a person in. An example of deception, and a story that I highly recommend taking time to study, is the life of David. David was the man after God’s own heart, he was anointed King, and the man who also fell deep into the detriments of being deceived.
In 2 Samuel 11, we find David being consumed by lustful desires. Instead of turning to God in his weakness and disobedience of the mind, he fell into deception and commits adultery with Bathsheba, being blinded by the lie in the moment that he could go against God’s commands with no repercussions. Not only did this choice wreck his heart in conviction to God, but his lustful deception also led to the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, and the consequential death of the child she and David conceived together in sin.
We can see from this example that deception always stems from the enemy’s schemes. In that moment, he banked on the opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy multiple lives through luring David to sin while David’s guard was down. You see, deception is always partnered with a false belief that you are justified in making the sinful choice. Deception in action causes us to disregard the realities of what the sin will cost us, and we all know that sin will cost us something.
Here are a few ways to spot deception and safeguard your heart from it:
- Is what you are believing able to withstand being held up to the Word of God? “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” 1 John 4:1
- Is what you’re believing based on feeling or based in God’s truth? “ ...By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6
- Do you feel conviction from the Holy Spirit for what you are partaking in or entertaining? “When the Spirit of truth comes He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13
Ways to safeguard your heart from deception:
- Seek first the Kingdom of God - if you’re feeling uneasy, go to scripture before anything else! “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
- Take the time to grow in your knowledge of the Word. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
- Love and honor God’s truth in your life. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
- Follow through with the convictions the Holy Spirit stirs up in your heart. “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Titus 1:9
From these examples in Scripture, we see all the more why we are called to “be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). By God’s grace, this is why He has given us His Word. He has equipped us for the deception that will come and the battles we will face. The knowledge of God, love for His Word, and strength we have through Christ will always be more powerful than any deception of the enemy we face! May we always seek the heart of God above all else, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Him, and be ready to stand firm in the truth of what God desires for us.
Scripture Reading
Colossians 2:8-12 esv
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word. As I lean into you for understanding about the schemes and deceptions of the devil, build up in me a bold, firm faith. Father, I ask for growth in my obedience and convictions. I pray for the desire to hold everything up to what your Word says. I ask for my eyes to be opened and for me to be attentive to the leading of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name, amen.
How’s Your Heart?
Proverbs 4:23-27
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity.
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead.
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[a] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left.
keep your foot from evil.
Perhaps no book in the Bible has more practical wisdom and advice about how to think about and live our life on a daily basis than Proverbs. Proverbs is the “Do” and “Don’t” book of the Bible; it’s filled with admonitions about what to do if we wish to have a life marked by goodness, honor, integrity, confidence and virtue. Proverbs also speaks repeatedly of what not to do if we wish to avoid ruin, shame, unhappiness and disgrace. The wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs makes it plain that while human civilization has advanced in innumerable ways in areas ranging from science to technology, at the same time, human beings have changed very little in the last several thousand years. The issues people struggled with then are still issues today. Areas in which people are tempted and fall, often to very public embarrassment, haven’t changed much either.
Perhaps no book in the Bible has more practical wisdom and advice about how to think about and live our life on a daily basis than Proverbs. Proverbs is the “Do” and “Don’t” book of the Bible; it’s filled with admonitions about what to do if we wish to have a life marked by goodness, honor, integrity, confidence and virtue. Proverbs also speaks repeatedly of what not to do if we wish to avoid ruin, shame, unhappiness and disgrace. The wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs makes it plain that while human civilization has advanced in innumerable ways in areas ranging from science to technology, at the same time, human beings have changed very little in the last several thousand years. The issues people struggled with then are still issues today. Areas in which people are tempted and fall, often to very public embarrassment, haven’t changed much either.
The human heart is mentioned over 800 times in the Bible. In the scriptures, the heart refers most of the time not to a vital organ that is constantly beating and enables us to live. The heart is seen as the center of emotions, feelings, moods, and passions. The heart functions as the source of thought and reflection (Isaiah 6:10; Mark 7:21-23). The heart understands (Deuteronomy 8:5; Isaiah 42:25), provides wisdom to rule justly and wisely (1 Kings 3:12; 10:24), and discerns good and evil (1 Kings 2:44). The heart also represents the idea of our will and conscience (1 Samuel 24:5; 2 Samuel 24:10). The request for a pure heart is the desire for a new and more perfect conscience (Psalm 51:10; Matt. 5:8). Since the heart is the center for decisions (2 Sam. 7:21), obedience, devotion, and intentionality, it represents the total person. Listen to Proverbs 4:23-27,
“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Put away from you crooked speech and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”
Proverbs 4:23 tells us that perhaps the most important thing we can pay attention to in life is what is happening in and with us. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. The Bible’s view is that our heart and the capacity to choose is at the center of who we are. Three times in the passage from Gospel of Mark 7:20-23 that we heard earlier in the service, Jesus says, ““It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come… All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Jesus had a very clear-eyed view of humanity. One that is more realistic than he’s sometimes given credit for and Jesus is direct in his teaching that our outward speech and behavior have their source in the choices that come from inside us.
Jesus certainly knew Jeremiah 17:9-10 which states, “The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the LORD test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” Next month the movie Noah starring Russell Crowe is being released. The story of Noah begins in Genesis 6:5-6 which says. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”
When I hear these ancient words I think Jeremiah is correct that the heart can be hard to understand. We can look around the world and wonder if much has changed since the days of Noah because the thoughts of many hearts still seem inclined to evil. Jesus and Proverbs offer us a different path. In the verses from Proverbs, did you notice the progression in human behavior? Proverbs talks of our heart, speech, eyes, and our feet. This progression from inner desire or thought to outward speech and action reflects that our actions have their origin inside us. We may think about something, talk about doing it, look to see where we may do it, and then we go there. Sometimes when we find ourselves in a bad place we wonder, “How did I get here?” You can look at Proverbs 4:23-27 and say, “Well this is exactly how it happened….” This progression can take place slowly over time or in a matter of seconds or minutes. Another way of stating Proverbs 4:23-27 is, Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Guard your heart because it shapes your thoughts and words. What you think is usually what you say, although most of us don’t say all we think. What we say and do affects our life’s direction.
If you look at the screen behind me, right now it’s blank. There’s a sense in which our lives are like a screen that makes visible some (but not all) of what’s going on in our heart. And it isn’t a Silent Movie. If our heart is filled with selfishness, our speech and our behavior will likely reflect that. If our heart is filled with love, our speech and behavior is likely to reflect that as well. On Friday evening I officiated at the wedding of Caitlin Spaulding and Matt Van Gelder. In the ceremony I read the familiar words of 1 Corinthians about love. We can forget that Paul’s powerful words from 1 Corinthians were not initially directed to a love struck bride and groom. They were delivered to a congregation whose hearts weren’t exactly right. What Paul says love is – patient, kind, rejoicing in the truth; bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things – is what the Corinthians were lacking in and failing to do with each other. What Paul says love is not – envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, insisting on its own way, irritable, resentful, and rejoicing in the wrong – is how the members of the church were behaving with one another. They weren’t guarding and keeping their hearts the way Jesus would have wanted them to; we want to get it right.
When we keep our heart with all vigilance, we’ll allow God and even other people to shape our heart and the love, speech, and actions that flow from us. Henri J.M. Nouwen wrote about our hearts, “There is a twilight zone in our hearts that we ourselves cannot see. Even when we know quite a lot about ourselves-our gifts and weaknesses, our ambitions and aspirations, our motives and our drives-large parts of ourselves remain in the shadow of consciousness. This is a very good thing. We will always remain partially hidden to ourselves. Other people, especially those who love us, can often see our twilight zones better than we ourselves can. The way we are seen and understood by others is different from the way we see and understand ourselves. We will never fully know the significance of our presence in the lives of our friends. That’s a grace, a grace that calls us not only to humility, but to a deep trust in those who love us. It is the twilight zones of our hearts where true friendships are born.” When our heart is touched it leads us to speak, look, and act differently.
The love of Jesus Christ is what can truly transform the human heart. This is the love that God pours into our hearts and we in turn love God and Jesus, and others as well. When we let God love us, we will have love to share with others. It all begins in our hearts.
How do we keep our heart well? One of the best summaries of how to do it is found in Psalm 16:7-9, “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.” Note how many aspects of the self are referred to: the mind, the heart, feelings, the soul, and the body. The key to having a glad heart and a joyful soul is stated in verse 8, “I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Like David, Helen Keller wrote about having a faithful and joyful approach to life, “Deep, solemn optimism, it seems to me, should spring from this firm belief in the presence of God in the individual; not a remote, unapproachable governor of the universe, but a God who is very near every one of us, who is present not only in earth, sea and sky, but also in every pure and noble impulse of our hearts.”
In Psalm 86, David, prays, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.” Psalm 86:11-12
This prayer asking God for guidance and the confident thanksgiving that follows says so much. What God needs from us is a willing heart. Do we have the desire to learn the ways of the Lord so we may walk in them? David asks for an undivided heart. For a heart that is pure, that’s not focused on nor distracted by many things. Our physical heart is divided into four chambers. The blood comes in one way, drops off the bad stuff, picks up the oxygen and goes out the other way. Our physical heart is divided so it can fulfill the function it must in order for us to live.
Spiritually speaking, however, a divided heart is a recipe for spiritual disease and weakness. We can pray for an undivided heart to revere, to hallow, to treasure God’s name and God’s presence in our life. When we give thanks to the Lord we do so with our whole heart, and not half-heartedly. The Bible spends a great deal of time talking about the human heart because we live from our heart. The condition of our heart influences our thoughts, our will, and our spirit – every aspect of our life. What is in our “heart” matters more than anything else for who we become and what becomes of us. Keep and guard your heart well for from it flow the springs of life.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” That is a goal worth striving for, now and always. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.
Prayer:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23–24a).
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14)
Blessing: Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Questions for Reflection or Discussion
What do you think Proverbs 4:23 means in urging us to keep our heart with all vigilance? How do we do that?
In Matthew 5:8 Jesus states, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Why is purity of heart important? Is it attainable? What do we do when we experience moments when our heart or motives are less than godly?
Verse 24-27 are examples of being vigilant about our behavior. Verse 24 addresses our speech; what do you do to strive to speak in a God honoring way? How aware are you of your words, tone, and assumptions in your speech?
Verse 25 deals with what we look at – where our eyes gaze and linger – how does this aspect of life deal with purity of heart? What can we do to be watchful regarding what we look at in our daily living?
Verses 26-27 uses our feet as an image for the whole body and the importance of staying on God’s path and not getting sidetracked into behavior that is unhealthy, unhelpful, and ungodly. How do you treat your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit?
Pastor David May
05/28/2022
Deception
Deception is not a topic to take lightly, brush over, or disregard. The Lord gives warnings throughout the Bible to be watchful of deception. Not just from the enemy, but also from those within the church forsaking truth, and those who’ve linked arms with the enemy to lead people into the detriments of sin.
Over the last few years, we’ve watched falsehood, deceit, and the enemy’s schemes spread like wildfire all while trying to unravel our churches from the inside out. My prayer behind this devotional is that your eyes will be opened to the importance of understanding what God says about deception, that you’ll see places in Scripture that confirm the commands to stand firm and to hold our positions against evil. We’ll go through the call to take up the armor against such deception and to hold all things up to the Word of God, to know the foundation of our faith offered through Christ, and lastly that you will feel equipped and emboldened to stand firm in your faith against deception.
"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58
Day 1: Stand Firm on the Foundation of Our Faith
We are finding ourselves in a very rocky generation. A generation of people that seem to be easily tossed to and fro. A generation that appears to be deluded by the persuasiveness of the world and has decided to choose their fleshly feelings over the unchanging truth of God and His Word.
You might be asking, “How did we get here? How have so many people turned so far from the truth?” Personally, I deeply believe it’s because people stopped being reminded and pointed to the love and knowledge we are to have for God, His Word, and His commands over our life.
Day by day truth becomes more countercultural, repulsive, and undesirable to a world that rejects any sort of authoritative truth. It continues to be deluded by the world and unfortunately is paired up with the movement of “feeling-led-faith”. We in Christ can no longer sit back and let the truth of His Word be muddied and we must praise God this watered-down truth hasn’t taken over us. We in Christ must pull up our bootstraps and face this deception head-on. We must dig our heels into what God says about the shackling sin of deception, learn how He commands us to safeguard our hearts, and how we can stand firm while pointing others away from this deceit going on all around us.
I wanted to start this devotional by revisiting the truth of our foundation. The substance behind why the world cannot delude or defile the incredible gift of faith we have through Christ!
We’re going to start with Paul’s letter he wrote to the church of Colossae. We see here that he boldly made it a point to address why the church needed to have a firm foundation, understanding, and to have “knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ” (Col 2:2)” So that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” Colossians 2:4.
Paul knew there would be people, not only in his day but in our day too, that would seek to delude the truth and lead those who claim Christ astray. He knew these deceivers would have persuasive arguments; ones that would entice the sinful desires of our flesh, or cause those who aren't firm in their faith to stumble.
We see from this letter alone, a firm warning from Paul to know what you believe and why you believe it. “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” Colossians 2:8.
To stand firm in truth, we must know the truth for ourselves. It can’t just be taught from afar but must be implanted in our hearts through our pursuit of what God’s Word says. Then, once we know the truth of God’s Word for ourselves, we must love it, honor it, and desire to obey what it commands of us. Through this pursuit of God’s heart for truth, we see the beauty of the gospel, His desires for us, and have the ability to stand firm in Christ while fighting against the deception of the world.
Scripture Reading
Colossians 2:6-15 esv
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, as I begin to study your word and seek Your heart in standing firm against deception, I pray that I will lean into the conviction You place on my heart. Father, reveal to me my blind spots and soft spots that I’ve allowed the world to influence. Lord, thank you for sending Your son to take my place so that I could be made right with You. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Day 2: The Deception of the Enemy and Protecting Your Heart
The “deception of the enemy” is a topic we, as believers, must tackle. This topic seems to be one that many believers prefer to avoid at all costs. Whether driven by fear or false hope, perhaps they think if they don’t seek to study the enemy’s deception, then perhaps it won't be something that affects them.
What I can tell you, is that will not be the case. If you live for Christ, the enemy will strike. He comes to do three things: to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The word "deceived" is mentioned 48 times alone throughout Scripture. Clearly, we must seek understanding from the Lord in our desire to be alert to Satan’s tactics.
We know we will face these battles and attacks while living in the world. God’s Word makes that undeniable in Ephesians 6:12, “There is a battle going on in the heavenly places and a war waged against us taking place in the unseen.” We also know for Satan to execute his wicked plans he must use deception to lure a person in. An example of deception, and a story that I highly recommend taking time to study, is the life of David. David was the man after God’s own heart, he was anointed King, and the man who also fell deep into the detriments of being deceived.
In 2 Samuel 11, we find David being consumed by lustful desires. Instead of turning to God in his weakness and disobedience of the mind, he fell into deception and commits adultery with Bathsheba, being blinded by the lie in the moment that he could go against God’s commands with no repercussions. Not only did this choice wreck his heart in conviction to God, but his lustful deception also led to the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, and the consequential death of the child she and David conceived together in sin.
We can see from this example that deception always stems from the enemy’s schemes. In that moment, he banked on the opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy multiple lives through luring David to sin while David’s guard was down. You see, deception is always partnered with a false belief that you are justified in making the sinful choice. Deception in action causes us to disregard the realities of what the sin will cost us, and we all know that sin will cost us something.
Here are a few ways to spot deception and safeguard your heart from it:
- Is what you are believing able to withstand being held up to the Word of God? “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” 1 John 4:1
- Is what you’re believing based on feeling or based in God’s truth? “ ...By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6
- Do you feel conviction from the Holy Spirit for what you are partaking in or entertaining? “When the Spirit of truth comes He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13
Ways to safeguard your heart from deception:
- Seek first the Kingdom of God - if you’re feeling uneasy, go to scripture before anything else! “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
- Take the time to grow in your knowledge of the Word. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7
- Love and honor God’s truth in your life. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
- Follow through with the convictions the Holy Spirit stirs up in your heart. “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Titus 1:9
From these examples in Scripture, we see all the more why we are called to “be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). By God’s grace, this is why He has given us His Word. He has equipped us for the deception that will come and the battles we will face. The knowledge of God, love for His Word, and strength we have through Christ will always be more powerful than any deception of the enemy we face! May we always seek the heart of God above all else, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Him, and be ready to stand firm in the truth of what God desires for us.
Scripture Reading
Colossians 2:8-12 esv
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, thank you for the gift of your Word. As I lean into you for understanding about the schemes and deceptions of the devil, build up in me a bold, firm faith. Father, I ask for growth in my obedience and convictions. I pray for the desire to hold everything up to what your Word says. I ask for my eyes to be opened and for me to be attentive to the leading of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Pastor David May
05/28/2022
Battle is the Lord
Proverbs 21:31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.
Only God gives victory in the battles we face, the challenges we face, the trials we endure, and the decisions we make. We have a responsibility to do all kinds of things. In other words, to prepare the horse for the day of battle, but only God can give the victory. Oh, doesn’t this cultivate humility in us? God, we cannot do anything without you. To you belongs the victory. From you comes everything good. There is nothing good we have apart from your hand. So, God, we must confess our need for you in every way, in everything that we do and who we are. God, we need you. We need you for every breath we breathe, we need you for every trial we endure, we need you for every decision we make, and we need you for every task we accomplish.
Deuteronomy 20:4 "For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory"
Psalm 108:13 "With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes" The meaning of "the battle belongs to the Lord" is that we should step aside and let God move.
Too many storms have passed your way
And you're all washed out 'cause it rained on your parade
Seems nobody cares about you anyway
Now you're living your life like a castaway Search for strength inside, was it all in vain
'Cause the deeper you dig you find more and more pain
Don't let your tomorrow be like yesterday
'Cause I spoke to God, I called out your name
And on your behalf, I just asked
If He would be there for you wants you to be blessed, don't live life in distress
Just let go, let God, He'll work it out for you
I pray that your soul will be blessed
Forever in His hands, for you deserve His best, no less Enter a place where you never have to cry
Never have to live a lie, never have to wonder why
Never want for nothin', you're always satisfied
In the peace that His arms will provide He will erase any guilt or shame
Any bad habits you got, you won't wanna do 'em again
Yes, we all can change, I can testify
See, I spoke to God,
Be blessed from the bottom of your feet to the crown of your head
Your life be blessed, your family be blessed
Your finances be blessed, and everything about you
Give it to Jesus, give it to Jesus.
~SO~
Always remember with Christ we have hope, In His guidance there is Victory
For you I say, "Be blessed",
Pastor David May
03/28/2025