Don't Be Deceived...

And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mark 13:5-6 

Deception is a device utilized by the enemy; this plow allows the Christian to feel at peace when surrounded by others who claim that same faith… In today’s devotional we are reminded of the importance of being vigilant in any and all situations because there are many who may be around you that are not who they say they are… When I read this passage I immediately think about Judas Iscariot (the disciple which betrayed Him) and the fact that Jesus had 12 disciples but 3 which He developed a more personal relationship with Him… Understand today that not everyone that speaks the name of Christ really is a child of God… I was once told that Satan spends his days in the church; not because he wants to be converted but because he wants to pull others from their faith… Those in the world are not of God and therefore Satan doesn’t have to worry about them… Understanding that Satan does attend church keeps me informed that I must be on guard at all times and as Paul tells the church of Ephesus “put on the full amour of God…” This battle we face is indeed NOT in the flesh but in principalities and darkness in high places… These high places can be in the pulpit, these high places can be positions of leadership; whatever the case may be, I know that I must stay alert and be vigilant at all times… Our focus verses today shine light on Jesus telling us to take heed… Don’t for a second let your guard down; don’t for the smallest window of time become complacent… The devil only needs a small window of time to tear you down… Look at David when he became King, his small window came in the form of Bathsheba; think about Sampson in all His might and how he let his guard down to Delilah, think about Solomon who was the wisest man to ever live but saw his kingdom divided and torn down before his very eyes, think about Peter who vowed to follow Jesus at all cost, but before the cook crowed he denied knowing the savior and left the courtyard weeping… This list can go on and on and on and we need to take note today that we must open our eyes to the will of God and not lean to our own understanding and comfort… Today’s message reminds us of two very important things; one, we must be careful with whom we associate ourselves with and second, we must study the word of God for ourselves and apply it to our everyday life… Mark informs us today that many people will come into our lives claiming to be of God, but the fruit that they bare is totally different… Jesus says take heed, be slow to except people into your inner circle (Jesus had 3 disciples that He was close too), but more importantly pray about every situation that you encounter! The bible records that the devil is a wolf in sheep’s clothing; he has the appearance of a loving character but is scheming like a wolf trying to destroy any and everything around him…

We must be careful that we are not destroyed, many have fallen by the wayside, many have been duped by the enemy and many have lost their focus and become conformed to this world! Mark is telling us that we must pray and pray without ceasing… Prayer is the key to changing situations; prayer is the way to turn things around and to establish a sturdy foundation upon Christ our savior! This country has gone astray not because of who has led us, but because we have forgotten who founded us and how powerful prayer is… You in your life will be destroyed if you don’t pray unto the only true and living God… Hosea 4:6 says that “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Many people are perishing because they don’t understand the traps they have fallen into… They haven’t prepared for this battle and so they are being destroyed… Take up your battle positions through prayer and regardless of how hard it gets continue to pray… We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that we must “pray without ceasing…” People don’t realize the avenue they are journeying down nor do the see that the road is a dead end… Today we are reminded to chase knowledge, go after wisdom; these are the keys to aligning yourself with God and avoiding the snares of the enemy… In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.  The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.  And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide).  We said an expert should know what he's talking about.  Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' The bible tells us to train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it… The only way to train your child is in the will, love and grace of God… This means you must study the word for yourself, you must know it for yourself and you must stay on guard and don’t allow people to strip you of the only way to truly live… Jesus says take heed because the broad way leads to destruction… So be careful today, if everyone is doing the same things that you are, be careful today if the actions being taken go against what God is telling you, be careful today because if any door is left open long enough the enemy will be invade that space and you will find yourself wondering how you fell so quickly…

BE BLESSED!!!