The Deception is Great!

“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who leads the whole world astray; he was cast out onto the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”  Revelation 12:9

 

The deceptions in the world are great, the trappings are many and if one considers, all around there are roadblocks put in place by the world that help ensure that it is lead astray.  Satan has been deceiving mankind since Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit.  That act right there caused all to be born into sin and all to have a need of a Savior to rescue them.

 

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”….  Romans 3:23

 

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”  Psalms 51:5

 

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to every person, because everyone sinned.”  Romans 5:8-12

 

We live in a time where things seem to be continuously getting more and more precarious on a weekly basis.  There are attempted attacks and terror acts taking place in Europe on a regular basis, shootings across the United States on almost a daily basis and an increasing in troubles throughout the world. 

 

While many are alarmed at the ongoing events there are another group who seems to quickly adapt to these changes and continue on, almost in an ignorant bliss, unaware of the aroma of death that fills the air of those without Christ, who are at current the walking dead. 

 

“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?  For we are not, as so many, peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ, in the sight of God.”  2nd Corinthians 2:15-17

 

By now most have seen the Pokemon Go hunters wandering around on street corners, their phones lit up as they scour to find these pocket monsters, but where is the man who is seeking and searching out God? 

 

“And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13

 

“Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come to be; that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.  Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and sobriety.  For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things are hidden from him, since this thing was not done in a corner.”  Acts 26:22-26

 

The Way of Life (John 14:6) is not hidden that a man cannot find it, but indeed the deception is great.  There are so many different avenues of distraction that in a person’s life they might seek to know the truth about their eternal destiny, they might ponder whether or not there is a God, whether or not there is a Heaven or Hell, whether or not Jesus really died on the Cross for their sins, whether or not there is Truth to the matter of Christianity that they hear about, but at the very second there is an opportune time, those thoughts quickly erode and they are once again entangled in their sin, unwilling to truly seek the Most High God whom they will stand before.  They need to accept Salvation through repentance and believing into Jesus Christ who paid the price for their sins and it is through Him, the only way to rectify these wretched bodies before a Holy and Almighty God!

 

“When anyone hears the Word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that which was sown by the wayside.”  Matthew 13:19

 

The other day I was driving home late at night from having worked and the police are parked in the middle of the highway, a man, looking lifeless, is laying in the road.  I followed up on the police blotter a few days later and read that he was taken to the hospital, having been drunk and fallen out of his friend’s truck, who had left him behind, because he had a warrant.  Then scarcely a week later I observe a young woman walking through the alley, unable to stand up without holding on to objects. 

 

A friend comes to her rescue and tries to assist her to get to their vehicle, but while doing so she falls and hits her head on a dumpster, laying there on the ground, passed out, with more friends coming along to drag her off, trying to comfort her.  Who is going to comfort these people when the wages of sin are due?  Who is going to comfort those without Christ as these souls stand before God Almighty at the Great White Throne judgment?  Indeed there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth as the hopelessness and despair of an eternal punishment are realized.  Not only they themselves, but those who observe them who they loved while walking under the sun, be also condemned to the Lake of Fire.

 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

 

“And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. And books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, out of the things which were written in the books.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one, according to their works.  And Death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15

 

“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrust outside.”  Luke 13:28

 

“And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Matthew 25:46

 

I wish that I could reason with everyone of them.  I wish I could tell them all about a Savior who loves them and a God who provided a solution to sin.  I wish I could tell them how greatly they are deceived, how everything is working against them, how they must forsake all, repent of their doings and follow Christ.  With tears I would cry out and beg them, plead with them not to continue on the path to destruction, but rather repent.  Repent!  Seek God while He may be found!  Stop the madness, why or why will you die?  Yet as I open my mouth they laugh, they argue, they consider me to be mad to live such a ‘shallow’ life.  Others taunt me that things are not as I say, that they are not that bad, that all ways lead to Heaven or this pastor says so-n-so. 

 

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their destructive ways, through whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.  By covetousness they will exploit you with well-turned words; whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction does not slumber.  For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those intending to live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the lustful behavior of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, his righteous soul was tormented from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds); then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust for the day of judgment, to be punished, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of defilement and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.”  2nd Peter 2:1-10

 

Yet should I consider these things and stop.  Should I not warn them that there is trouble around the corner, that their souls are at stake?  I press on, I continue for the sake of those who might listen.  For to me if even one person somewhere down the road repents and believes the Gospel, that is a job well done.  I once was a sinner in desperate need of Christ and I am thankful that someone took the time to point me in the right direction, to point me towards Jesus, my Lord and Savior. 

 

“Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”  Ezekiel 33:9

 

Consider the times, realize the vanities that fill your day and understand that the deception is great.  Satan is going to continue his battle for the souls of men and he is going to try to ensure that he can get as many people to go to Hell as possible.  Realize that you are being deceived, seek God before it is too late!

 

“For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, have now perished; nor do they ever any longer have a part in anything that is done under the sun.”  Ecclesiastes 9:5-6

 

“Say to them: As I live, declares the Lord Jehovah, I take no delight in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why will you die…”  Ezekiel 33:11a

 

Amen!