Posts Tagged ‘deceit’

Truth

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Our grandkids recently spent two days with us. When their folks came to collect them, their mom told 3-year-old Anna to put her shirt and socks in the suitcase that was in our bedroom. I happened to be in the bedroom but wasn’t aware that Anna was under orders, so I didn’t pay much attention to what she was doing when she dashed in and out.

Several minutes later, Anna’s mom walked into the bedroom. “Did Anna put her shirt and socks in the suitcase?” she asked me. “I don’t know,” I said. “I didn’t see her do it.”

Anna returned at that exact moment and overheard my statement. She stopped short and looked at me. “Grandma,” she commanded in her pipsqueak voice. “You need to tell the truth.”

I may chuckle at my granddaughter’s observation, but I agree wholeheartedly. I do need to tell the truth. Don’t we all?

Sometimes we struggle with speaking the truth, especially if we think coloring it might benefit us or cover a mistake. Sometimes our human emotions overrule our sense and make it difficult to discern the truth let alone speak it. Occasionally a painful truth is so difficult to bear that we’d rather deny it exists. Or we’re scared to speak the truth lest others take offense.

Thankfully God’s words are always truthful. They never change based on feelings or circumstances, and we never have to question their integrity or wonder if He’ll keep His promises. Psalm 119:160 says, “The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.”

Why is truth the essence of God’s words? Because God’s character is truth itself. There isn’t so much as a pinch of deceit in Him, therefore He cannot lie. Just a wee bit different from the lot of us, I’d say.

The very essence of God’s words is truth. Let’s pray that others can say the same for our words.

Master of Deceit and Fraud

Friday, June 25th, 2010

It’s no joke that Satan is our enemy and that his mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Sometimes he uses blatant means to accomplish his goal. Other times he’s more subtle.

Paul pegged it when, on one occasion, he looked a sorcerer in the eye and said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:9,10)

Satan is a master of deceit and fraud. He loves to take what God deems good and then pervert it for his purposes. This is especially true for sex. God designed it as an intimate gift to be shared between husband and wife. But Satan – the enemy of all that’s good – has perverted it. He’s twisted it into sexual abuse, addictions, adultery, and more. He deceives men and women into believing that lust is actually love, and that they have a right to fulfill their sexual needs whenever they wish and with anyone they desire.

What happens? Chances are good that they’ll pick up a physical disease. But they’ll also experience emotional and spiritual sickness – guilt, shame, fear, a hardened conscience, and distance from the God who loves them and wants the best for them. Presto! Satan has achieved his goal.

Satan’s also a master of deceit in the financial department. While God deems work a good thing and has promised to provide for our needs, Satan feeds lies about financial insecurity. Men and women believe those lies and work harder to save more (or to pay off the credit debt that they’ve incurred after believing the lies about needing more stuff). Before long, their work consumes them. They have neither time nor energy for their families or for God. They neglect prayer, Bible reading, reflective time and fellowshipping with other believers. And they sure can’t afford to tithe! Voila. Mission accomplished.

How can we detect this master of deceit and fraud? By being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 12:9 says that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit when he looked that sorcerer in the eye and exposed him for what he was. The deeper our walk with God, the more sensitive we’ll become to evil and the less likely we’ll be deceived by the enemy. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

In what other areas of life does the enemy pervert the true ways of the Lord?