DEVOTION #55 “TRUTH OR DECEPTION” Part 2
Jan 14, 2024 06:45:12 #
Greetings and Happy Sunday, all Fishing Stagers and guests!
Today we are going to continue with the devotion “Truth or Deception” that we started last week. As Christians, we believe the terms GOD, GOOD, and TRUTH kinda go together. We also believe that the opposite of these might be SATAN, EVIL, and DECEPTION.
I think Satan, who IS evil, would like to deceive and confuse us into believing that there is no difference by making us believe what I would call “half truths”.
Over the years, there has long been a trend of people saying, “I don’t live for God or go to church or…….. because……. You can fill in the two blanks with any number of words, but I would like to insert a few of the quotes I have heard the most often.
I will label these quotes as
“DECEPTION”, because I really believe it is Satan that tells us these things, and many of them have a “half truth” hidden somewhere in the statements. Where that applies, I will speculate on what the “half truth” is, and then give a Bible scripture that is a “TRUTH”, to show the “DECEPTION” of the quote, that Satan wants us to believe.
1. Deception: “Look what God let happen to my spouse/friend.” “What good God does this?”
God is not the only power at work on the earth. Satan is also doing his thing - he wants you to think it is God who sends bad stuff our way!
1. Truth:
”Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
James 1:17 NLT
”So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.“
Matthew 7:11 NLT
(about Satan)
…he was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.“
John 8:44 b NLT
”Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.“
1 Peter 5:8
God gives us good things - Satan wants to kill us and blame God!
2. Deception: “I’ve heard a preacher say …. yada yada yada…. All preachers and churches want is my money”.
Half Truth: There ARE bad preachers and bad churches out there, just like there are bad “everythings” - there’s a bad apple in every basket! That does not, in any way, mean they’re ALL bad!
2. Truth: Almost every person that has said that to me, does NOT go to church, and has NEVER helped support any church with their tithes like the Bible teaches.
”Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!“
Malachi 3:8-10 NLT
”Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.“
Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
”Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”“
Luke 6:38 NLT
I’ve put God to the test my whole life, and He has ALWAYS been faithful to His promise.
3. Deception: “I believe if I live a good, honest life… I’ll be fine.”
OR “The “Golden Rule” is my
religion - that’s what I live by.”
Half truth: All Christians should practice goodness and honesty every day of their life. The Golden Rule is an excellent thing to practice around everyone.
However, according to the Bible, those two qualities, or the Golden Rule are not even mentioned when it tells the prerequisites for salvation, so none of those things will secure your eternal life in Heaven.
3. Truth:
”If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.“
Romans 10:9-10 NLT
”And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Luke 13:2-5 NKJV
”Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.“
John 14:6 NLT
”God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.“
Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
It is not what we do on earth that gets us to Heaven - It’s what Jesus did on the cross. We just have to have the faith to believe it.
4. Deception: “I’ve read the Bible;
I never read a book more than
once.”
Half truth: If you’ve “cracked the book”, you’re ahead of someone who hasn’t, but as most people who have studied the Bible for years would agree, you can read the Bible every day of your life, and still not know all it holds.
4. Truth:
”I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.“
Psalms 119:11 NLT
Memorize scriptures that will give you strength when Satan tempts you.
”Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.“
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
The more of God’s word you know, the better you will be able to face life experiences daily.
5. Deception: “I’ve prayed before and nothing happened, so I don’t pray anymore.”
“God must be too busy to hear
me or answer my prayers.”
Half truth: God does hear and answer prayers, but according to the Bible, there are actually several things that can hinder or even keep your prayers from being heard or answered.
5. Truth: Unconfessed or unforgiven sin can keep our prayers from being heard.
”If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.“
Psalms 66:18 NLT
”If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.“
I John 1:9-10 NKJV
”Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.“
James 5:16 NLT
In the scripture above, the word righteous does not mean perfect; it means “in right standing with God”.
In other words someone who has accepted Christ as their Saviour, or a “believer”, or Christian.
Another reason God may not hear or answer your prayers is because of wrong motives.
”Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.“
James 4:2b-3 NLT
So, in closing I want to say to everyone: God is real, but so is Satan. Which will YOU choose to believe? The truth of God’s word, or the deception that Satan wants you to believe. There are rewards that accompany truth, and there are consequences that follow deception! In many cases the
“Deception Road” may be the smoothest or widest one to travel, but it will ultimately lead to a fatal crash! Of course, the choice is yours, but everyone must choose one or the other…
The following is a video message from Pastor Allen Jackson, titled
“The Triumph of Truth” and goes right along with this devotion topic.
At the end of the video, Pastor Allen invites the viewers to make the choice mentioned above and to accept Christ as your Saviour.
If you have never been saved, or if you have, and would like to re-
commit your life to God, today would be a perfect time to do that and secure your eternity in Heaven.
I hope this devotion has blessed and inspired you, and please enjoy the video message. May God bless you all. 🙏🏻
https://www.youtube.com/live/2bH_Wqb3-aM?si=27RZjJ2Zx6m7C4NA
Today we are going to continue with the devotion “Truth or Deception” that we started last week. As Christians, we believe the terms GOD, GOOD, and TRUTH kinda go together. We also believe that the opposite of these might be SATAN, EVIL, and DECEPTION.
I think Satan, who IS evil, would like to deceive and confuse us into believing that there is no difference by making us believe what I would call “half truths”.
Over the years, there has long been a trend of people saying, “I don’t live for God or go to church or…….. because……. You can fill in the two blanks with any number of words, but I would like to insert a few of the quotes I have heard the most often.
I will label these quotes as
“DECEPTION”, because I really believe it is Satan that tells us these things, and many of them have a “half truth” hidden somewhere in the statements. Where that applies, I will speculate on what the “half truth” is, and then give a Bible scripture that is a “TRUTH”, to show the “DECEPTION” of the quote, that Satan wants us to believe.
1. Deception: “Look what God let happen to my spouse/friend.” “What good God does this?”
God is not the only power at work on the earth. Satan is also doing his thing - he wants you to think it is God who sends bad stuff our way!
1. Truth:
”Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
James 1:17 NLT
”So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.“
Matthew 7:11 NLT
(about Satan)
…he was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.“
John 8:44 b NLT
”Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.“
1 Peter 5:8
God gives us good things - Satan wants to kill us and blame God!
2. Deception: “I’ve heard a preacher say …. yada yada yada…. All preachers and churches want is my money”.
Half Truth: There ARE bad preachers and bad churches out there, just like there are bad “everythings” - there’s a bad apple in every basket! That does not, in any way, mean they’re ALL bad!
2. Truth: Almost every person that has said that to me, does NOT go to church, and has NEVER helped support any church with their tithes like the Bible teaches.
”Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!“
Malachi 3:8-10 NLT
”Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.“
Proverbs 3:9-10 NLT
”Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”“
Luke 6:38 NLT
I’ve put God to the test my whole life, and He has ALWAYS been faithful to His promise.
3. Deception: “I believe if I live a good, honest life… I’ll be fine.”
OR “The “Golden Rule” is my
religion - that’s what I live by.”
Half truth: All Christians should practice goodness and honesty every day of their life. The Golden Rule is an excellent thing to practice around everyone.
However, according to the Bible, those two qualities, or the Golden Rule are not even mentioned when it tells the prerequisites for salvation, so none of those things will secure your eternal life in Heaven.
3. Truth:
”If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.“
Romans 10:9-10 NLT
”And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Luke 13:2-5 NKJV
”Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.“
John 14:6 NLT
”God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.“
Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
It is not what we do on earth that gets us to Heaven - It’s what Jesus did on the cross. We just have to have the faith to believe it.
4. Deception: “I’ve read the Bible;
I never read a book more than
once.”
Half truth: If you’ve “cracked the book”, you’re ahead of someone who hasn’t, but as most people who have studied the Bible for years would agree, you can read the Bible every day of your life, and still not know all it holds.
4. Truth:
”I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.“
Psalms 119:11 NLT
Memorize scriptures that will give you strength when Satan tempts you.
”Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.“
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
The more of God’s word you know, the better you will be able to face life experiences daily.
5. Deception: “I’ve prayed before and nothing happened, so I don’t pray anymore.”
“God must be too busy to hear
me or answer my prayers.”
Half truth: God does hear and answer prayers, but according to the Bible, there are actually several things that can hinder or even keep your prayers from being heard or answered.
5. Truth: Unconfessed or unforgiven sin can keep our prayers from being heard.
”If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.“
Psalms 66:18 NLT
”If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.“
I John 1:9-10 NKJV
”Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.“
James 5:16 NLT
In the scripture above, the word righteous does not mean perfect; it means “in right standing with God”.
In other words someone who has accepted Christ as their Saviour, or a “believer”, or Christian.
Another reason God may not hear or answer your prayers is because of wrong motives.
”Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.“
James 4:2b-3 NLT
So, in closing I want to say to everyone: God is real, but so is Satan. Which will YOU choose to believe? The truth of God’s word, or the deception that Satan wants you to believe. There are rewards that accompany truth, and there are consequences that follow deception! In many cases the
“Deception Road” may be the smoothest or widest one to travel, but it will ultimately lead to a fatal crash! Of course, the choice is yours, but everyone must choose one or the other…
The following is a video message from Pastor Allen Jackson, titled
“The Triumph of Truth” and goes right along with this devotion topic.
At the end of the video, Pastor Allen invites the viewers to make the choice mentioned above and to accept Christ as your Saviour.
If you have never been saved, or if you have, and would like to re-
commit your life to God, today would be a perfect time to do that and secure your eternity in Heaven.
I hope this devotion has blessed and inspired you, and please enjoy the video message. May God bless you all. 🙏🏻
https://www.youtube.com/live/2bH_Wqb3-aM?si=27RZjJ2Zx6m7C4NA
Jan 14, 2024 08:04:35 #
Jan 14, 2024 08:50:37 #
Randyhartford wrote:
Greetings and Happy Sunday, all Fishing Stagers a... (show quote)
Quite the informative write up this morning Randy. I will be listening to the video later today.
On a unrelated note to the deception and truth mentioning. Check out the movie on Amazon " The Cokeville Miracle ".
It is a true story about prayer and it's power.
Jan 14, 2024 09:34:39 #
1Oldboat42
Loc: Kearney, Nebraska
My wife and I read this together and shout another loud AMAN!! Your scriptural responses of truth should be an excellent reference guide for all of us as we answer the "challenges" people throw at us.
Blessings to you brother.
Blessings to you brother.
Jan 14, 2024 10:55:40 #
Jan 14, 2024 11:00:13 #
plumbob wrote:
Quite the informative write up this morning Randy. I will be listening to the video later today.
On a unrelated note to the deception and truth mentioning. Check out the movie on Amazon " The Cokeville Miracle ".
It is a true story about prayer and it's power.
On a unrelated note to the deception and truth mentioning. Check out the movie on Amazon " The Cokeville Miracle ".
It is a true story about prayer and it's power.
I think you’ll enjoy the video, Bob. I always like his sermons and learn something. I also get a kick out of his humor. He’s a HOOT! 😂
We’ll check that movie - sounds like a good one. Thanks. 👍
Jan 14, 2024 11:23:13 #
Fishing Couple wrote:
My wife and I read this together and shout another loud AMAN!! Your scriptural responses of truth should be an excellent reference guide for all of us as we answer the "challenges" people throw at us.
Blessings to you brother.
Blessings to you brother.
Thank you for your encouragement, Joel! God has given us all the answers and weapons to fight and defeat “the deceiver”.
Even technology with the internet, Bible apps like multiple translations, Strong’s Concordance, etc. make it so much easier and faster to do research than the old paperback Strong’s and Parallel Bible! 😂
God is good… 🙏🏻
Jan 14, 2024 13:12:28 #
Randyhartford wrote:
Greetings and Happy Sunday, all Fishing Stagers a... (show quote)
Yes, Truth will triumph over deception
Quite the standing ovation when he spoke on abortion.
Thanks Randy
Jan 14, 2024 16:04:56 #
plumbob wrote:
Yes, Truth will triumph over deception
Quite the standing ovation when he spoke on abortion.
Thanks Randy
Quite the standing ovation when he spoke on abortion.
Thanks Randy
I think it’s interesting how he assimilated abortion with King Herod killing all the babies. He does that now and then to show how closely the Bible is intertwined with current events.
Jan 14, 2024 16:09:29 #
Randyhartford wrote:
I think it’s interesting how he assimilated abortion with King Herod killing all the babies. He does that now and then to show how closely the Bible is intertwined with current events.
I noticed the intertwining in previous videos too. Makes the Bible even more relatable that way.
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