Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Weekly Devotional 01-11-21 Be Not Deceived
As we begin this new year and in consideration of the signs of a perhaps soon rapture of the church, I thought it good to repost a devotional written back in 2009 titled, “Be not deceived”. Perhaps I should repost this often as each month many more readers are discovering the works of “Transforming Power, the Work of God on Behalf of Man” and all that has been written or is being written, is new to them. That being said, please consider:
Certainly claiming to be a Christian (a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ) and being a Christian are not necessarily the same. A person who claims to have become a Christian and yet does not live differently than he or she did before that becoming, according to Scripture, is greatly deceived.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote: “17 This I say, there-fore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. 26 ‘Be angry, and do not sin:’ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
5:1 1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 There-fore do not be partakers with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 4:17-5:17).
Each of us will sin from time to time (see 1st John 1:5-10) but when sin is a way of life, a lifestyle, one should take stock of himself and seriously ask: What is it that interests me? Does my life reflect a commitment to the Lord? What in my life would He find acceptable? Do I live to satisfy the desires of the flesh or to honor Him?
In another letter Paul wrote: “7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Galatians 6:7-8).
Well, I pray that this little work has a least caused you to consider your relationship with the Lord, or lack thereof as it has caused me to re-examine my life. I am sure that at the end of this life you would much rather hear “enter into rest my faithful servant than to hear, depart from me I never knew you!”
Steve
stevelampman.com / stevelampman@comcast.net
Oscar Leske
www.UnderstandingtheSignsofOurTimes
And
Lian Muan Kim
Koinonia Baptist Seminary – Yangon, Myanmar