Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.
Mark 13:5
The disciples asked Jesus about the end times and it’s
interesting to me what He said to them.
There is no doubt in my mind that we are living in the end
times. This week in our weekly bible study as a church,
Mark 13 was the main focus. There are a few things that stood
out in that lesson that I would like to share with you.
In talking about the end times, Jesus warns us against being
deceived. In the end times the enemy will try and deceive as
many people as he can. Are you deceived?
Before you answer the question I want to ask you another question,
How does one know he or she is deceived???
Jesus made it very clear that in the end times the enemy would
try his very best to deceive us. We are in the end times so the
enemy is at work trying to deceive us.
Just last week God uncovered deception in my heart. The thing
about deception is this, it’s subtle. It creeps in like a thief in the
night without a trace. That is what happened to me.
I was deceived about the way I thought about life. I had a way
of looking at life that was wrong but I didn’t even know it!
Who knows how long I was deceived. All I know is that it was
years!!!!
Yep, that long and I didn’t even know I was deceived. Anyway last
week on my off day as I was spending time with God reading
His word, the light came on! It was like scales fell off my eyes
and for the first time I saw clearly. I saw right through the lies
and deception. I couldn’t believe I never saw it.
Jesus knew how real the danger was. How many times in that
passage does He warn us to watch and be alert??!!!!
“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform
signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
Mark 13: 22, 23
How do you guard yourself against being deceived?
Be in the spirit, be in the word constantly, pray
as much as you can! I wasn’t doing these things that much.
Yes I would pray but not enough.
I would read my word but not enough
The word of God will expose deception in our lives.
Watch what you listen to and what you see. Left unchecked
you will be deceived. Let me give you an example:
Things in my country are critical at the moment. People are losing
their jobs, corruption is at an all time high. Things don’t look
good.
The enemy is deceiving people by making them believe the
situation is hopeless. Christians are not tithing because things
are difficult but they have been deceived. God is the One who
provides for us and makes a way and that is why we can tithe
in the most trying of times. He is the God who makes a way in
the wilderness! But see how easy deception comes.
We need to watch and be alert! We can all be deceived. No one
is exempt.
I encourage you to look at your life and ask the Holy Spirit to
reveal any deception that is in your life. Remember what I said
in the beginning. It is hard to detect deception.
Anything that does not line up with the word of God is deception!
As I end I will leave you with this;
What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’
Mark 13:37
photo credit: google images
Rolain
kingspeech 