Tag: deception

The Great Scam

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S WORD5 Comments

Anyone who has been scammed would probably say theirs was the greatest. When we know we have been scammed, we don’t take it lightly. Though angry and humiliated, we admit we took the bait and attempt to recover our losses.

Recently I read a report about pastors scamming the members of their churches. One woman gave her pastor access to her funds, supposedly to help women who were cancer patients.

She lost all her money to a deceiver she trusted.

In the Garden of Eden, our inheritance from God was stolen from the first man. Future generations were left destitute of anything valuable in this life. Gone was any hope for a relationship with our creator who provided all His creatures needed.

The deceiver has continued to manipulate every generation, attempting to keep men from their legacy.

Yet, from the beginning, the same God had a restoration plan, its beauty and glory revealing a more significant inheritance. Through another man, He makes us aware of the scammer. He gives us the knowledge we need to recover the Kingdom He promises His children.

Still, false shepherds are claiming to care for their sheep who do not know God and mislead the flock. They are blind, leading the blind to destruction. We live in a world of deceivers.

In His Word, our heavenly Father gives us explicit knowledge of Himself and His kingdom. We have His promises for all of life here and in eternity.

Through His leading, we know who to trust and are free to enjoy our fellowship with Him and with His Son, Jesus Christ, the true Shepherd. He is our prophet, teaching us; our priest, interceding for us with the Father; and our King, knowing and ruling over all things, protecting and providing for all our needs.

The apostle Paul wrote these words: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Gal. 5:1

Simon Peter left us this truth: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Pet. 1:3-5

Dear Father, Paul prayed that we may be filled with a knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. We need this filling, knowledge of you, wisdom to live in this world without fear of deception and enjoy the inheritance you have given us through Jesus our Lord. Let us live in fellowship with you and Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit that we may be light and salt, a sweet fragrance of Christ, and fruitful for your name’s sake. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. 

Distracted, Detained, and Deceived

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYER1 Comment

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden. vs.9) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17

With the choice of Life or Death, I would think that our first parents would have immediately headed for the center of the garden.   Were they dilly-dallying, haphazardly making their way through the garden, tasting the fruit from the other trees, when they were stopped by the devil “who had the power of death?” (Hebrews 2:14) Was the tree of life not as attractive as the others?

Were they so caught up in their surroundings that they were totally unaware of the danger of disobeying God’s command?  I can relate.  We can be distracted by the many blessings that our heavenly Father bestows on us.  The things become our focus. We then, forgetting our intentions and our goal for life,  are detained, “staying too long at the fair.” Deceived by our own lusts (James 1:12-15)  we settle for what is easy and what looks good in this life, instead of moving on in pursuit of God and His holiness. (Hebrews 12:14)

In the middle of this wilderness Jesus Christ still waits.  He is that tree of Life to all whose hearts and minds are focused, and feast on Him.  We must pray for the diligence and discipline to keep our eyes on Him; for the Spirit of wisdom to enable us to recognize the distractions of the enemy and the world; and for perseverance to proceed to the goal—Christ, Himself.

 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God,
and of Jesus our Lord,
According as his divine power
hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
 2 Peter 1: 2-3

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