Tag: deception

2 Peter 2 – Twice

Job 42

Psalm 103

2 Peter 2

-Today, for a devotion on 2 Peter 2, why not post 2 devotions? And how about 2 devotions from 2 brothers serving in Minnesota….

Here’s a devotion by J.J. Fletcher, originally posted Thursday, October 13, 2022

Peter draws to attention the fact that in the history of Israel, false prophets arose among the people and the same thing will happen in the church age… False teachers will arise, so we must be on the watch. If many will follow, we must be watchful and call out these false teachers as to prevent as many people as we can from falling into these destructive teachings. In thinking of what modern teachings this applies to we could put “Word of Faith” or “Prosperity” teachings into this category. We could also think about the many “liberal” denominations that reject the sexual ethics of scripture and the “evangelical” teachers that often seem to conflate (at least in the way I see it) being a Christian with voting for a particular political party. We need to make sure that we stand in the word and do not allow ourselves to be deceived and exploited, but also we must stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22) and do what we can to keep others from being deceived and exploited.

Peter then delves into ideas concerning judgment and preservation of righteous people standing up in the midst of wickedness. If God will rescue Noah and Lot, will he not also rescue some of us from perishing in this present age of wickedness? Of course, God does not keep all of his people from perishing (for reasons that are known to him and not us… i.e. Stephen and many of Jesus’ disciples), but he does in many instances deliver his people out of dire straits. Not only will he in many instances rescue us, but those who stand in wickedness stand in punishment. While we may not see the unrighteous handled in ways that we desire, we must recognize that God deals in his own ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Peter then writes of the ways of deceivers and references Balaam (see Numbers 22 to begin his story) as he is pointing out many of the traits of these wicked opponents of God.

Peter states that those who depart from the corruption of the world and come to Jesus, but then depart from him and return to deception are worse off than they were at first. Can we wrap our minds around that? It’s better to have never known Jesus than to come into that saving knowledge and then depart from him. That makes it all the more important for us to keep in Christian community and to have people who can speak truth into our lives when we stumble and fall short in our pursuit of righteous living. The self-deception that comes from a lack of self-control is more than just a minor issue, it can cost us everything (abundance now, but more importantly, that abundance that we can embrace in the coming Kingdom).

We just got a new puppy about a month ago, so when I read Peter’s reference to a dog returning to its vomit, it gives me an all too clear visual of what that means. Our dog ate a couple of our children’s socks and had a miserable night (gagging constantly) and then when my wife took him out in the morning he proceeded to puke them up (it was Sunday morning, so in the rush of things getting ready to leave for church, the socks remained on the ground). When I took the dog out after several hours in the kennel, what did he do? He went right for one of the socks and tried to eat it (I got rid of it this time). Later that day (or the next), he got lucky(?) and ate the second sock… I’ll spare you the details of the next morning… The socks were bad for my puppy (he got lucky all things considered), but that did not stop him from going after them. Sin can be the same way for us, even though things are bad for us (and even when we absolutely recognize this), we often return to it (or at the very least are enticed by it) which makes it ever more important that we stay vigilant (constant vigilance!) in abiding in our lord Jesus, because without his advocacy and without the helper that he will send, i.e. the spirit of God, his father) , we are done for.

-J.J. Fletcher

Reflection:

1. What do I need to be most on the guard for? What types of deception might entice me to neglect my faith in Jesus and his kingdom message?

2. Why do the promises of false teachers often sound so sweet? Do they play around with scripture and make it sound like it is saying something that it is not? What can we do to limit the voices of deception that are lurking not only in the shadows, but out in the limelight?

And here’s a devotion by Joel Fletcher, originally posted October 15, 2023

“For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.” 

2 Peter 2:21 (ESV)  

An idea stitched through today’s readings is that the God of Heaven prefers human behavior that is good and has an aversion to human behavior that is bad (to put it mildly). The Maker of mankind pays attention to both the wicked and the righteous (Proverbs 15:3). God sees all that happens on earth and, although all bad is wrong from His perspective, there seems to be a certain kind of action that uniquely draws His ire: people, who “speak on behalf of God”, using their influence to persuade others to evil–such people are called false prophets and false teachers (Jeremiah 23:16-17, 2 Peter 2:1). How do we avoid becoming like these people and live in a way that pleases our Maker? 

Looking through the whole of scripture, one will discover that nearly all the people God employed for His purposes displayed humility (or were first humbled), while those whom God rejected or stopped using were dragged down by pride. When Jesus ministered in Judea and the surrounding regions, he embraced people who were stereotypically seen as bad (or, unrighteous) and opposed those who were known (and self-described) as good (or, righteous). While it is true that those whom Jesus befriended did bad things and those whom Jesus antagonized did good things, the defining distinction between the two was humility (in the former) and pride (in the latter).  

The religious leaders of first-century Jerusalem saw themselves as righteous men who had things figured out–they needed no one to save them. The outcasts, meanwhile, longed for salvation–both from the Roman overlords and their own sinfulness. In other words, the people who embraced Jesus saw him as a doctor and themselves as the sick, while those who rejected him, saw Jesus as an instigator and themselves as the people preserving the peace. If one denies they have a problem, one cannot get the help needed.  

There is a conundrum for the Christian: we are called to do good works (Ephesians 2:10) and to represent Christ on God’s behalf (2 Corinthians 5:10), but we are also warned that one who has claimed to be a Christian (maybe even one who has been an effective evangelist) can come to a place where, because of their pride, it would have been better if they had “never known the way of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:21). How do we avoid this state, while being faithful to our calling? 

From what I see from scripture, the best antidote to getting on God’s bad side is to live in, with, and by humility. First, by fearing, above all (with reverence, awe, and worship) Yahweh. Second, by recognizing Jesus as the only way to the Father, to life eternal, and to the good life. Third, by recognizing that, while this knowledge radically changes lives, it doesn’t make one superior to anyone else. 

You can, with great fervor, study your Bible for countless hours every day, and do all the spiritual practices prescribed or implied by the text, but it won’t make you any better off…unless you are aware and live as though you need a doctor and view Jesus as that doctor. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day didn’t recognize the great physician because they didn’t acknowledge their sickness. If we want to make sure we don’t go down that same dead-end road, if we don’t want to get scolded or labeled as a false teacher, we must take our humble medicine every day.  

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you realize your need for a doctor and Savior? How does Jesus provide what you need?
  2. What happens to those who once knew they needed Jesus, but then are puffed up with pride and go their own way?
  3. What steps can you take to stay humble (or first become humble)? In what areas of your life do you most frequently run into the problem of pride? How can knowing this help you in the future?

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You for Your words of truth, love, and warning. Help us to be devoted to who You are, what You desire, and to Your Son and Coming Kingdom. May we not be led astray by false teachers, covetousness, or returning to our sin and past selves. Help me see and speak and represent Your truth. Give me a heart of humility that magnifies Your name and boasts only of Christ and all he has done, is doing, and will do for his faithful, truthful church. Is his name I pray, Amen.

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Cold War

Leviticus 12-13

*Psalm 10

*Matthew 24

  Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

          Does anyone remember the “cold war”?  It was a time in our history where we publicly acknowledged that even though we weren’t “weapons hot” in direct combat with an opponent, we were still actually fighting in a secret war.  The term was a little misleading because while there was all sorts of nefarious activity going on, it was mostly kept out of the public eye, or fought in other places.  The exact number of men who died during the Cold War is not definitively known, as the conflict was primarily geopolitical and indirect, involving proxy wars, political repression, and nuclear threats rather than direct large-scale battles … However, estimates of total deaths linked to Cold War-related conflicts range from (according to a Quora analysis) 10.8 million to 25 million. Stop for a moment and think about that.

            We are similarly involved in a spiritual “cold war” right now. People are dying as you read this, because most of us are too scared to acknowledge that it is going on, and those who understand that it’s going on are too scared to get directly involved.  Fear is one of the greatest tools used by our enemy(ies) to keep us in line, and from becoming a threat.  We’ve been divided into different “denominations”, and told that we should only socialize with folks who think exactly like we do, because we (insert your denomination here) are the only ones who have rightly understood scripture and everyone else is wrong, and therefore, the enemy.  Even though we are told repeatedly in scripture that our standard of measure is our love and unity, not necessarily agreement mind you, but love and unity. We never even stop to think about the hard, cold fact that the first tactic in almost any military incursion is to isolate, misinform, divide, and conquer.

            Our reading today of Psalms 10 lets us know that this isn’t a new problem.  This has been going on since just after the creation, but if you pay attention, you can see that it’s ramping up now.  Our reading of Matthew 24 gives us an idea of what more is coming, and how it all ends.  Whenever my wife sees something on the news that is shocking and appalling, and gasps “Can you believe that?” to me, I always respond by saying “It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”.  We know that when our King returns, it will get better…but it’s going to be tough until then.

            “Why do You stand afar off, O Yahweh?…” (Ps 10:1, LSB).  Sometimes it seems that way, but know that He does not.  That is a deception by the enemy.  If you are alive, right now, it is because the breath of your God is in your lungs.  He is with you, and beside you, all around you, and within you.  God tells us directly (through Jesus) that the tares must be allowed to grow alongside the wheat (Matt 13:24-30), and also that it is through many trials and tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).  We’re at war, did you expect a cake walk?  Toughen up, soldier.  We have a mission.

            “For the wicked boasts…and the greedy man curses and spurns Yahweh.  The wicked…does not seek Him.  All his thoughts are ‘There is no God.‘” (Ps 10 3-4, LSB).  It becomes easier to do what you know is wrong if you deny the fact that there is a Creator, and that this Creator will one day bring forth His justice, His salvation…His Yeshua (seriously, look it up.  The name Yeshua, or “Jesus”, means the “Salvation of God”).  Many people turn to alcohol or drugs to help them forget this, even if it only works for a little while, and then you need more.  Foolishness.  God will judge the earth, so every action you take in your lifetime should be to offer a good accounting of yourself during that judgment, if you are wise.  We will be judged by our fruits, we need to get to planting.

            “He sits in the places…where one lies in wait; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.  He lies in wait…to catch the afflicted…and the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.  He says in his heart, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.” (Ps 10:9-11, LSB).  Folks, this is still going on right now.  I knew some of those guys.  They’re bad guys. 1 Peter 5:8 depicts the devil as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Whether or not you believe in a personal Adversary, understand that there are bands of men doing this right now for a livelihood, in your town.  Stay alert, and live a righteous life.  Shema!  If you succumb to your vices, they will consume you.

            “O Yahweh, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will cause Your ear to give heed.  To give justice to the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror” (Ps 10:17-18 LSB).  If you have read and believe in the scriptures, you know how this story will end.  No matter how bad it looks right now, we know that we have a hope.  We await the salvation of God, His Yeshua, to come and judge this earth in righteousness and equity, to “break the arm of the wicked (Ps 10:15) and to seek out his wickedness until none is found”.

            “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated…and at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  Many false prophets will arise and will deceive man.  And because lawlessness is multiplied, most peoples love will grow cold.” (Matt 24 9-12, LSB).  God have mercy, it’s going to get worse.  If we are hating each other, or betraying each other, or our love grows cold…we will have lost the battle, and we will die forever.  Guard your heart above all else, because when your love grows cold, so will your life, and your hope for a life in the kingdom.  Do all that is within your power to prevent this, seek ye first the kingdom of God, love Yahweh God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Don’t you see that your enemy is trying to kill you right now?  Wake up, and FIGHT!

            We have some specific signs and indications that tell us of the coming of the Son of Man in Matthew 24:29-31. There is a reason that at this time “the tribes of the earth will mourn” (Matt 24:30), because the time has come, there is a God, and the judgment of the wicked has come upon them. No man knows the time or the hour (not even Jesus at the time), but only the Father (Matt 24:36); but we see in the parable of the fig tree in Matt 24: 32-39 that when we see these things, we should understand that the time near. 

            My friends, look around you.  The time is near.  Now is not the time for distractions and diversions, but for a redoubling of focus and effort. Our king is returning, and soon!    Do not think proudly that you have already attained admittance into the kingdom, but humble yourself before God, ask God for wisdom, pray, fast, read scripture, do all that you can do to restore and renew your relationship with your God.  If you do, who knows?  Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the earth who have worked His justice, Seek righteousness, Seek humility.  Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger (Zeph 2:3, LSB).

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. As Christians, how can we fight in this war? 
  2. What are some of our offensive weapons?
  3. What are some of our defensive weapons?
  4. Are we utilizing them effectively, and why or why not?

PRAYER

Father God, thank you.  You have given us life, breath, and all things.  Our enemy seeks to destroy us, Father protect us.  Lord God, may your will be done in my life. When you return to judge the earth, have mercy on me on that day, and let me humbly seek to please you until I go to rest in the ground to await You.  Please grant me wisdom, and grant me Your spirit to guide me and protect me.   May the lips of all of Your creation offer you up the praise that you deserve, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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The Cheater is Cheated

*Genesis 29-30

Proverbs 15

Matthew 7

– Devotion by Steve Mattison (IN)

Jacob had run for his life to get away from his brother, Esau, whom he had cheated.  In Genesis 29, Jacob arrived in Padan Aram, his mother’s ancestral home, and went to a well.  Jacob was there not only to get away from his brother but also to look for a wife.  This was his lucky day.  He found his first cousin, Rachel, at the well.

After Rachel told her dad, Laban, he invited Jacob to live with them and work for him.  After spending a month working for Laban, Jacob’s uncle, Laban asked what wages Jacob would like as he continued to work.  In Genesis 29:18, we’re told, “Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your daughter Rachel.’”  (Remember, he had only known her for one month when he said this!)  Jacob must have been head over heels in love, because in Genesis 29:20, we read, “So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.”

At the end of the seven years, Laban held a big wedding celebration. When Jacob woke up the next morning, Rachel’s older sister, Leah, was lying beside him.  Laban had tricked Jacob into marrying the wrong sister!  After complaining to Laban, Jacob agreed to work another 7 years for the wife he really wanted, and married her a week later.

Jacob had tricked his father and had cheated his brother.  Now, Jacob was tricked by his father-in-law, who would continue to cheat Jacob repeatedly for 20 years.

This is an example of a principle that we see demonstrated throughout scripture, and we see in our lives today.  Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.”  

In his early life, Jacob was opportunistic and deceitful – only looking out for himself.  After working for Laban for 20 years of hardships, Jacob grew to recognize he didn’t have to cheat to get ahead, but understood that God was looking out for him (See Genesis 31:38–42).

This isn’t just a story about a historical character and his family.  These principles still hold true for us today.  Even though God will forgive us when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9), we will still suffer from the natural consequences of our actions.

There is an easier way.  We can save ourselves a lot of pain and trouble by just following God from the start.  But we each have to make that choice for ourselves.  What’s your choice?

Reflection Questions

  1. You might not have tricked your father or cheated your brother or son-in-law in such grandiose ways as Jacob and Laban did, but carefully consider your ways. Are there times you have been at least slightly deceptive or not totally truthful in trying to make yourself look better, others look worse, or get what you want?
  2. Have you seen the “reap what you sow” principle in someone else’s life? Did it help them or hurt them? Why? How about in your life? What have you been reaping and why? What are you currently sowing?
  3. In what ways do you think you are currently following God? Are there any ways in which you are still just doing your own thing, looking out for yourself?

Prayer

Dear God – I praise You for You are truth and righteousness. You are never deceived. You see me and know me and You still love me and desire what is best for me – You! I confess the times I selfishly lie, cheat, deceive, or misrepresent myself, others or the truth. May I put my full confidence in You. Help me follow You better today than I did yesterday. In Your Son’s name I pray.

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Gotcha!

Joshua 9-11

When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly. They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Please make a treaty with us… Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s decision. 15 So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them. Joshua 9:3-6;14-15  (CSB)

“Be skeptical of everyone, including the skeptics”. I don’t know where this quote or phrase came from, but I often find myself in that mindset. Why? Because of stories like this. There are those out there who would try to deceive and use this deception to take advantage of others. I used to get calls and emails all the time at the church from people who were looking for money to help with something. There was always a story about why they were in this tough situation. The second half of that quote also resonates because sometimes people just like the status quo or throw cold water on other people’s ideas.

Maybe some of those people were deceptive, and maybe some of them were genuine. I don’t know. What I do know is that there were occasions where I would try to give something, but there were times that I did not. I did my best to discern who was authentic, but I couldn’t really know. What I could do was pray about it and see if God gave me a push in one direction or another, but if he didn’t, I’d need to make a choice. In situations of meeting needs or requests, you can’t help everyone, we have finite resources. I do think it is important not to be dismissive of every request because there are people who genuinely have needs and come to churches as a last resort.

When the Gibeonites came to Joshua and the men of Israel, they did their best to pull one over them, and it worked. The leadership did appear to be skeptical and questioned the Gibeonites, but they neglected to check with something powerful that they had at their disposal: access to Almighty God! Rather than checking on what God wanted them to do, to seek wisdom in this situation that some of them even thought might be a little fishy, they made a knee-jerk decision and swore a treaty to do no harm.

Don’t you think that it would have been wise to consult God when there were treacherous peoples all about the land? The Gibeonites got their protection, but they found themselves indentured to the Israelites because of their shenanigans. I guess that beats death? Some might disagree.

When faced with big decisions, we should come before God and seek wisdom. Especially when we are the leaders of his institutions. Whether leading the Israelites four millennia ago or leading in Christ’s Church today, when we face big decisions (skeptical about what is going on or not), we must always ask what God would have us do. We have scripture to guide us, as well as the Spirit of God that will guide us when we are earnestly seeking after him. When we see leaders fall or make ruinous decisions, we can probably rest assured knowing that they did not honestly seek God’s will and input for that decision. Unless God is intent on making a statement with you like he did with Hosea, he is not going to tell you to make decisions that would be considered dubious by wise observers.

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you think of a time that not seeking God’s decision burned you? How did you respond or recover after?
  2. Do you find yourself to have a healthy level of skepticism, or do you often find yourself being a bit too Pollyannish? Is there value in both? What are some of the drawbacks of each of these traits?
  3. Do you think Joshua and the leaders learned something from this experience?
  4. How do you think it best to navigate people who are too extreme on the scale of being too trusting or distrusting? What can we do to be a good emissary of Jesus in those situations?
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Knowing God

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 6-7

POETRY: Psalm 147

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:28-37

What is one thing that you just adore, something that, when people see it, they think of you? For me, it’s manatees or anything cheery yellow (preferably not a yellow manatee!); when my kids draw a picture for me, their masterpieces regularly feature one or both of those things. When I see libraries, LEGO, monkey bars, and giraffes, I automatically think of my four children, respectively. And I can almost always predict what my husband will choose from a menu before I even hear his order: the most diverse combination of tastes ever imagined in one entree, or anything pumpkin – preferably together. 

My family is my tribe. We know each other so well that, when given choices to make for one another, we often don’t even need to ask the other which they would choose. 

Nehemiah knew God well. He was in such deep communion with God all day long for much of his life that sometimes he didn’t even need to take time to think about how to respond in tricky situations. Prayers are woven into the narrative of his book, nonchalantly immersed within the historical account; Nehemiah’s heart was so aligned with the heart of God that the next step was clear and he was able to answer quickly and confidently.

Sanballat and Tobiah, who had been conspiring to sabotage the wall-erecting project all along, attempted a new approach – requesting a “friendly” meeting in another town. Four times they invited Nehemiah to join them, and four times, suspecting a sinister scheme, Nehemiah replied, “I am doing a good work and I cannot come down!” (6:3) When that attempt failed, they made false accusations against him, threatening his reputation and leadership. Nehemiah prayed that God would strengthen his hands (verse 9). Then the antagonists hired a prophet – a spiritual leader – to give contrary advice to Nehemiah, but guess what? Nehemiah was so in tune with the One True God that he didn’t even need to pray about it or stew in confusion about this prophet’s words; he was so confident in God’s laws and the work God had called him to do that he already knew what God’s response would be. This potentially confusing situation did not derail him; he saw right through the deception and kept focused on God’s instruction. 

I want to be so in tune with God on a regular basis that I can confidently make the right choice when trials and confusion come my way! 

Here are correlations between our other passages and Nehemiah: 

Psalm 147:2  “The Lord loves the righteous, and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” The plans of the wicked were definitely frustrated in today’s Nehemiah story! 

In the John reading today, Jesus died and was buried – a very sad day for his followers. But we now know that was the beginning of something much more wonderful: the fulfilling of a promise, the forgiving of sins, the saving of humanity! Likewise, the residents of Jerusalem who have experienced the death of their faith, dreams, and security, will be experiencing renewed joy, faith, and wonder with the rebuilding of their city.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection: 

  • How well do you know God? Do you know HIM, or know ABOUT Him? What steps can you take to know him better today? 
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Where Does Your Allegiance Lie?

Revelation 13

Monday, November 28, 2022

Multiple times throughout the book of Revelation Jesus is referred to as faithful and trustworthy. In chapter 12 we are introduced to a deceptive dragon and in 13 his beast minions that also deceive. 

We are all given a choice. To follow what is faithful and true or what is deceptive and false. 

When painted so clearly it seems silly that some would actually choose the latter. Unfortunately, if you look around, we see Christians dabble in the ways of the world. They straddle the fence of what is right and wrong. 

Those who straddle will be deceived. Right and wrong becomes muddied. Black and white becomes gray. They will slowly drift further from what is faithful and true and more in line with the way of the world. 

Vs. 8 describes those who fall into that trap:

“And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭13:8‬ ‭

A few verses later is the mark of the beast. A time when a clear choice will have to be made. Will you be branded and continue to live a worldly life that takes your name out of the book of life? Or will you maintain your allegiance to Christ even if it means severe persecution, being cut off from buying goods and even possible death? 

That day may come in our lifetime; it may not. You do not have to wait until then to make your choice. 

Like Joshua (Joshua 24) – choose for today whom you will serve – as for me, I will serve the Lord. 

Where does your allegiance lie? 

Choose today! Choose to follow what is faithful and true and stay vigilant to not be deceived. 

-John Wincapaw

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you think of a time when you were deceived by Satan or by “the world”? What could you do differently to not be deceived next time?
  2. Because of the evil, deception and difficult times John writes that God’s people will need what 3 characteristics (see Revelation 13:10 and 18). What grade would you give yourself in each of these areas? What can you do to strengthen yourself in each area?
  3. How has Jesus shown himself to be faithful and true?
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Abiding in Truth

2 John

Thursday, October 20, 2022

For such a short letter, John really packs a lot into it.  The greeting, which, if I am being honest, often gets skimmed, offers some insight into what the letter contains.  He mentions truth or the truth four times in the greeting alone.  I think his point is that truth matters.  So, what is the truth that he is talking about?  Verse 9 talks about abiding in the teaching of Christ.  This is the truth that is empathized in his greeting.  Verse 7 says that a deceiver is one who does not confess (believe) that Jesus Christ came in the flesh – that he was a real man who lived on this earth.  No one likes to find out they were deceived, tricked, or made to look foolish because they believed a lie.  The truth is that Jesus is the Son of God, he did live on the earth, he did preach a message of the coming kingdom, he did die for our sins, he was raised up, and he will come back.  We are to abide in that teaching, in that truth.  

I looked up abide and was surprised at the many definitions it has.  Here are a few:

  • to accept or act in accordance with
  • to remain in a stable or fixed state
  • to continue in a particular condition, attitude, or relationship
  • to be able to live with or put up with

Not only are we to abide in this truth, but to NOT abide in it is to NOT have God.  That is a scary thought!

John provides a warning to us in verse 8 to “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward”.  He warns us because there will be “many deceivers” – many people who won’t be abiding in the truth about Jesus.  The only way to know if you are being told the truth or if you are being deceived is to “test everything” (I Thessalonians 5:21).  In order to do that, we need to know the truth ourselves.  We need to “test” what we are being taught against what is in God’s word, the Bible. 

  • Todd & Amy Blanchard

Questions:

  1.  Have you ever been deceived by someone?  How did you learn about the truth and what steps have you taken so you aren’t deceived in that way again?  
  2. How can you apply that to being watchful with regard to your faith walk (walking in the truth)?
  3. Being aware that knowledge of the truth prevents deception, how can you share your knowledge to help keep others from being deceived?
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Potty Talk

Titus 1

Thursday, September 15, 2022

POOP.

That was the very first word my then-4-year-old son taught himself to write, all on his own. (Proud homeschooling mama here…)

Like many boys his age, he was fascinated with all things disgusting. It was rare for even a few minutes to pass – especially at supper time! – without him making reference to some sort of bodily function, and laughing hysterically at the mere mention of it while the rest of us just prayed it would stop. My other son, now four years old, has followed suit and is also obsessed with preschool potty humor. To him, every funny noise is flatulence; every repulsive smell must be lingering from the bathroom, and it is all hilarious. Even if we explain that the sound was just a balloon releasing air or the smell was simply spoiled food, he entertains himself for a long while with the (pleasant?) thoughts of bodily functions in the house. He cannot seem to get his mind away from potty talk. 

As humankind, we, too, can become stuck in thought patterns or ideas and continue to feed those beliefs. In verses 15 and 16, Paul writes to Titus, “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” Now, I am not at all implying that innocent preschoolers have corrupted consciences; that was simply a humorous and relatable example about what happens when our minds are focused on one kind of thing. However, there are many people who continue to feed, to themselves and others, lies and negativity and unpleasant thoughts, which are contrary to God. As believers, we are called to live pure lives, demonstrating the redemption of Jesus’ sacrifice. We can claim to know God, but if we deny him by living without pure motives, we have lost our testimonies and are guilty of corrupted minds. Paul calls those kinds of people “detestable, disobedient, unfit for doing anything good.” Ouch. I don’t want those labels assigned to me. When my mind begins to dwell in negativity, judgmentalism, or even perversion, God often brings these lyrics to my mind: 

Give us clean hands; give us pure hearts. 

Let us not lift our souls to another… 

Oh God, let us be a generation that seeks, 

seeks Your face, O God of Jacob. 

In this book of Titus, much like he did in 2 Timothy, Paul is addressing the issue of “meaningless talk and deception” among rebellious people. Such tendencies must have been rampant then as they still are today. He calls believers to rebuke people who demonstrate this behavior so they will be “sound in the faith.” He also sets high standards for leaders within the church in verses 6-8: “An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” 

Whew! I’m glad I’m not expected to follow such stringent guidelines, aren’t you? Not so fast. Though these qualifications are given to a specific church, they can still be applicable guidelines for our church leaders – and attenders! – today. Since our leaders are also human and prone to stumble like the rest of us, we must continue to pray for them as they seek God and lead His people. And, as Christians aiming to honor God and constantly growing in our faith, we too should aspire to live up to similar expectations as we serve and connect with our local bodies of believers. I’ll close with this verse that seems to fit with this passage and is a good reminder about how we should think (and therefore how we should behave, since our thoughts influence our actions): 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.

Philippians 4:8-9

-Rachel Cain

Reflection Questions: 

With which of the qualifications in verses 6-8 do you most struggle? Pray for God to help lead you to overcome it. 

Most of us who are reading this claim to know God, but have denied him by our actions at times. What are some ways you have done this? Ask God for His strength to live fully for him.

2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload

Does the Truth Matter?

2 Thessalonians 2

Saturday, September 3

This chapter comes with some very big warnings.  From the very beginning of the chapter to the very end, it is full of warnings not to be deceived.  If this was such a big problem 2000 years ago, how much bigger is it now?  We need to heed all of these warnings because just like the Thessalonians, we also have others trying to deceive us in every step of our lives.


 To be able to keep from being deceived, we must first know the truth.  In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, ‘“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”’  According to these verses, the very first thing we need to do to keep ourselves from being deceived is to hold to Jesus’ teaching.  To do this, we need to first know what Jesus taught and to obey it.  When we hold to the teachings of Jesus, we are really his disciples.  Then, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.


In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul writes that the Thessalonians were “saved… through belief in the truth.”  The Thessalonians not only knew the truth, they also believed it.  For this reason, they were saved.  We also can be saved when we know the truth and choose to believe in it.  But, if you choose not to believe in the truth, there are serious consequences.


In verse 13, Paul writes, “[S]o that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”  It is a matter of life or death, whether or not you believe in the truth.  If you believe in the truth, you can be saved and have eternal life in the kingdom.  If you do not believe in the truth, however, you will be condemned and will perish.


Verse 15 says, “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”  Paul has told us what our choices are.  The choice to believe in the truth or to not believe in it.  He urges us, then, to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings.  When we hold fast to the teachings, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.  It’s not a trivial decision!  It is life or death, so choose the truth!

-Kaitlyn Hamilton

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. How can you be sure you are not being deceived?
  2. How are you following Jesus’ teachings, not the pastor or creeds or traditions, but following Jesus’ teachings?
2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload

False Advertising

2 Corinthians 11

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Have you seen anything advertised lately that you really wanted to try? Keep this in mind. We will revisit it at the end…

     Paul in this section of the letter to the Corinthians is defending his apostleship- not by means of hearsay, but through the proof of his testimony to Christ. Through the actions of his ministry, he has demonstrated his devotion to his faith. In the latter part of the section, Paul lists out the persecutions he has suffered. He does this not for the sake of attention or for puffing up his chest. He does it to demonstrate what the life of a true follower of Christ can look like. He does so to prove through his actions, and not the empty clanging of his voice, that he is an apostle of Christ.

     Paul does make a point to call attention to the “false advertising”, if you will, of others. He even makes the statement in verse 14, “…for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

Both before and after this powerful statement of warning, Paul also mentions the servants of Satan and the deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ and servants of righteousness. Their beautifully spun words are to create an illusion that they are something that they are not. They are to deceive and steal away those who would come to Christ.  

Going back to that product you saw advertised, what about the product appealed to you? Was it the products testability that spoke for its reliability? Or was it the colorful design and exaggerated wording? We are in a world that is saturated in advertising and overrun with so many products trying to steal our attention from the others.

It is the same with who we put our trust in. Sometimes the advertisements of Satan are much more appealing. It can be difficult to choose the beautifully created bowl of fruit over the decadent devil’s food cake. But in the end, one nourishes and sustains us and the other satisfies us for only a moment.

-Hannah Deane

Application Questions

  1. In what ways do you see Satan working to convince the world and Christians that what God said is good is actually bad, and what God said is bad is actually good? How does evil try to look good – masquerading as an angel of light?
  2. What lies of Satan have you believed?
  3. How can we protect ourself from being deceived by Satan as Eve was?
  4. What role does knowing and loving the truth play in fighting temptation? What truths do you find in Scripture that can help you be strong and wise against temptation?
2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload