Deception

Good afternoon.  I hope your day has been as blessed as mine.  After talking about martyr yesterday I felt like God was telling me to write about deception today.  No one likes to be deceived and unless someone is joking with you, it really hurts your feelings when it happens.  Being deceived has a way of making you feel vulnerable, which no one likes.  It gives you a sense of insecurity.  So why do we deceive people?  Is it to get what we most desire?  How about just to make someone feel bad?  The world is full of deception and we as Christians have to stay on guard.  Deception goes all the way back to the beginning of time, to The Garden of Eden.  We all know the story of the serpent, a.k.a. Satan; deceiving Eve. "Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Genesis 3:13  This one trick changed the course of our lives forever.  It should come as no surprise when we are deceived by others.  Our children learn real quick how to lie so they can stay out of trouble.  It's human nature, it's the flesh, we are sinners at birth."Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death." Matthew 10:21 Jesus was talking to his disciples in the book of Matthew so they would know exactly what to expect of people. We as parents can only correct our children and teach them that it is wrong to deceive others.  As they grow up we need to make them aware that people will deceive them. 
    Sadly, this world is turning away from God and therefore making it easier for a little deception to get you to the top of the ladder.  It use to be if you worked hard you would get to the top of the ladder, but now you have to watch it because the person at the top may be the best deceiver, not the over achiever.  "You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me," declares the LORD" Jeremiah 9:6  There is not a lot that has changed from Jeremiah's time when it comes to deception.  People are more creative than they use to be and will try to scam any person, but Christians seem to be an easy target.  Don't fall prey to the deceivers of this world.  Stand strong in your faith, help others as we have been commanded and let your light shine.  Do not be discouraged or afraid of those who deceive but instead keep doing what you know is right.  "When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge" Proverbs 14:32  Remember the wicked will pay for their wrong doings but that is for God to judge.  We will have a place of refuge today, tomorrow and for eternity. Thank God the great deceiver has already been defeated, that happened when Jesus died and rose again. Don't let this world, as full of deception as it is, bring you down.  Until next time may God Bless you and Keep you.