Post by Watchman on Sept 10, 2006 12:06:33 GMT -5
Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; Deuteronomy 11:16
Verse 16 gives us a clear teaching in preventing deception. God says, "Take heed to yourselves." What does this tell us? This means pay attention! Take care. Guard yourself. Watch out. We cannot just skip our way into the Kingdom of God. It will take a great deal of effort and perseverance.
Does not Christ tell us to "watch and pray always" (Luke 21:36)? But He does not say to watch only world events. One of the things that we have to watch most closely is ourselves! Are we on the solid foundation of Christ? Is what we are taught to believe found in scripture? Do we constantly 'prove all things'?
"Take heed to yourselves"—what we are allowing ourself to do; what we are getting involved in; who our friends are, how much time we are spending on this, that, and the other thing. How close is our relationship with God? That is what we must watch and take heed of. Are we still a friend of the world? It will ALL come down to worship. This is the FINAL HOUR!
....know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4
God wants us to jealously protect our spiritual growth. Guard that eternal life (Christ IN YOU! (Gal 2:20)) that has been built within us—by God's grace and our obedience.
Most of the time, people become deceived because they are not watching what is going on. They are in "la-la land"- to busy with the affairs of this life. Something intrudes into their lives, and they follow it because they have no strength to resist. Because it 'sounds good'. They have not been watching themselves. Are we in constant prayerful study of God's Word, or do we simply believe what someone else tells us is the truth?
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6
Many become entangled because they simply go along with what they are told by 'Ministers' they trust, or in what they were brought up to believe by their families. This is the path of destruction!
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12
For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
God's way requires constant vigilance. "Watch and pray always". Our guard has to be up against deception all the time. We have to have our antennas out, making sure that what we hear is true. Thus, if we become deceived, whose fault is it? Is it God's or ours? God says, "Take heed to yourself." He has shown us the way to live by the example of His Son. He has revealed it to us through His Holy Spirit. He has left nothing hidden that we need to know. So whose fault is it, if we get tripped up and turn from the clear truth of scripture and believe a lie?
For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Revelation 22:15
We are not going to be able to accuse God of it. So who is left? We are.
Verse 16 gives us a clear teaching in preventing deception. God says, "Take heed to yourselves." What does this tell us? This means pay attention! Take care. Guard yourself. Watch out. We cannot just skip our way into the Kingdom of God. It will take a great deal of effort and perseverance.
Does not Christ tell us to "watch and pray always" (Luke 21:36)? But He does not say to watch only world events. One of the things that we have to watch most closely is ourselves! Are we on the solid foundation of Christ? Is what we are taught to believe found in scripture? Do we constantly 'prove all things'?
"Take heed to yourselves"—what we are allowing ourself to do; what we are getting involved in; who our friends are, how much time we are spending on this, that, and the other thing. How close is our relationship with God? That is what we must watch and take heed of. Are we still a friend of the world? It will ALL come down to worship. This is the FINAL HOUR!
....know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4
God wants us to jealously protect our spiritual growth. Guard that eternal life (Christ IN YOU! (Gal 2:20)) that has been built within us—by God's grace and our obedience.
Most of the time, people become deceived because they are not watching what is going on. They are in "la-la land"- to busy with the affairs of this life. Something intrudes into their lives, and they follow it because they have no strength to resist. Because it 'sounds good'. They have not been watching themselves. Are we in constant prayerful study of God's Word, or do we simply believe what someone else tells us is the truth?
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6
Many become entangled because they simply go along with what they are told by 'Ministers' they trust, or in what they were brought up to believe by their families. This is the path of destruction!
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12
For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
God's way requires constant vigilance. "Watch and pray always". Our guard has to be up against deception all the time. We have to have our antennas out, making sure that what we hear is true. Thus, if we become deceived, whose fault is it? Is it God's or ours? God says, "Take heed to yourself." He has shown us the way to live by the example of His Son. He has revealed it to us through His Holy Spirit. He has left nothing hidden that we need to know. So whose fault is it, if we get tripped up and turn from the clear truth of scripture and believe a lie?
For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Revelation 22:15
We are not going to be able to accuse God of it. So who is left? We are.