The greatest deception may not be what is overtly dark and the things and people that actually look evil, the greatest deception is probably compromise. When Christians compromise, it leads to the greatest loss, and that is, in my opinion, possibly the greatest deception.
Satan is not someone who has a preference over a particular method or device. He is not more into rock music than pop music, not necessarily into devil worship and child sacrifices more than family quarrels and unforgiveness. Whatever he does and incites, as long as he is able to steal, kill and destroy, he reaches his goal, he is happy and he wins.
Jesus made this point when He said, “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.” (Mt.7:15 CSB)
Wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are many like that. They say they are believe in Christ – they look like us, talk like us and do what we do – only thing different is that there isn’t a real change of heart and devotion. They are still devoted to their own carnal desires, worldly thinking, self-indulgence, and personal agenda. They are puppets of the devil without realising it. They are deceived and they deceive others.
Deception eventually leads a self-professed believer to live a life that isn’t truly Christian. He or she goes to church, serves in church and even leads God’s people, yet deep down they are not truly converted and the evidence is that they love the things of the world more. When God’s way is in their way, they choose the way of the world – their own way.
It is so true that a tree is known by its fruit. If our true devotion is towards something or someone other than God, the true nature of our fruit – what we produce and become, will be evident eventually. A bad tree is not a tree that produces little or no fruit. A bad tree is one that produces bad fruit and bad fruit could be in abundance! Just think about a durian stall for instance, there are usually more bad than good fruit. That is why knowing how to choose a good durian is a skill or art!
When we think $3 worth of God is good enough, we are deceived by the father of lies. I’ll end with this quote by Wilbur Rees from his book Three Dollars of God:
“I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.
Not enough to explode my soul
or disturb my sleep,
but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk
or a snooze in the sunshine.
I don’t want enough of God
to make me love a black man
or pick beets with a migrant.
I want ecstasy, not transformation.
I want warmth of the womb, not a new birth.
I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.”
twcdaily.com 