Deception - Today, many are in deception. Everyone believes they have the answer to the problems, and the other side is deceived. However, there is only one TRUTH and those who walk in that truth are not likely to be deceived.
The only remedy for deception is the Love of Truth. 2 Cor. 11:3-4 tells us “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches ‘another Jesus’ whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit, which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.” One of the biggest deceptions today is that there are many paths to God. Oprah and many other thought leaders, commonly profess this lie. However, just because you say it many times, It is not necessarily truth. The continued repeating of specific phrases or statements does not make something true. That is a tactic the devil has used for a very long time and it is still in play today. It is also a tactic the media uses to mislead and cause confusion. The partial truth of this premise is that there ARE many ways to God, but only one leads to life, the others lead to God’s judgement. Jesus told us that He was the way to Life in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me." Then we see the judgement in Romans 14:11 that Paul reminds us "For it is written, As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." At some point, every single person alive or dead will come before God at the judgement. One of the biggest reasons we have so much deception today is that hard, biblical truths are no longer taught or preached regularly. If we truly understood and really believed, that one day, we will all have to stand before God, then we would probably live our lives very differently. But let’s get back to Jesus words and breakdown John 14:6. I AM – means to exist, to be present, to stay or remain This is a declarative statement of his existence and the authority He carried. It is also interesting because God told Moses in Exodus 3:14, ‘And God said to Moses I AM THAT I AM, tell the children of Israel “I AM hath sent me.”’ In this statement Jesus made at the last supper to his disciples, they knew this story of Moses and were fully aware that Jesus was declaring his deity, being the Son of God. He was declaring that He was the ‘I AM!' The Way – course, journey, way of thinking, direction In this instance, Jesus wasn’t saying he was one of many ways. Keep in mind, there were other religions and belief systems of the day that declared many gods which also meant there were many paths to whatever end a particular belief system espoused. The Greek and Roman culture was very prominent in the area and had the beliefs of many different gods who performed many different acts. Jesus was openly professing that all of those were invalid and that He, Jesus Christ, was the ONLY way. Only through Christ, can we have the direction we need, and the way of thinking we need to journey and move toward the blessings He has for us. The Truth – only truth, reality of truth, basis for everything Here Jesus was declaring that He was the source of truth. Today, many have no strong foundational beliefs, and their belief systems change with the seasons. This leads to weak belief systems and few, if any, core values. If you don’t know what you truly believe, you will believe whatever sounds good at the time. But many of the things being promoted today make no sense in light of real truth. However, when you have a strong faith and belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, these beliefs bump up against those standards and at some point, either stand or fall. But if you don’t have a sure standard, the lies stay with you and before you know it, you are off into a false belief system that will ruin your life. Remember, at the beginning I stated that the only remedy for deception is the love of Truth. Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 regarding the 2nd coming of Jesus, ‘Let no one in any way deceive you, for ‘it will not come’ unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.’ The great apostasy today is not people falling away from the church, it is the church, culture, and the world falling away from the truth. This is clearly seen in the Methodist denomination. Charles and John Wesley started the movement. They were the catalysts of a great revival where many were brought to salvation in Christ and they never steered away from hard truths. They stood against the false teachings of the day and changed the world at that time. However, over time, many of the Methodist churches have moved into such apostasy that they go against some of the most basic of biblical values. I know there are some good Methodists who love Jesus, so I don’t put everyone under the same blanket. But a denomination that denies the value of life at its most vulnerable, has walked away from the truth of the word. But that is for a different blog. The Life – literally and figuratively, the completeness of life Jesus is stating here, that He, is the one that gives life. Remember God breathed into Adam, His breath of life. Every soul born has that same breath. Jesus is the giver of breath. The figurative side means that in Christ, we can have real and genuine life, active and vigorous, blessed and absolute fullness of life. That only comes through a relationship with Him. Without this life, we are left struggling, lacking, fearful, and burdened. Our only hope for a truly blessed life on this earth is with Jesus. No One – means no living person, nobody This needs no further explanation. Every single person alive on this earth, or who has passed, will have, or has had this opportunity. There have been many arguments throughout history regarding this belief, but it is true. Comes to the Father – has access to God Almighty This goes back to the ‘paths to God’ statement. God loves us and has given us a path to Him through Christ, and Jesus is explaining this to his disciples. But by Me! – end of argument. There is only one way to eternity with God the Father, and that is through Christ Jesus. You can make all the excuses, arguments, etc., you want, but if you do not make Jesus Lord of your life, you will never be able to have access to Father God. That is the only way. I’m not saying that, Jesus said it. John 14:6 "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by me." At the end of the day, you must decide if you believe what Jesus said. Not what I’m saying or any one else out there, but what Jesus said. This is the basis for everything else in your life. You cannot know the best way to navigate your life, you cannot know the real truth completely, and you cannot have fullness of life without Him. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, then all you have to do is pray. Ask Him to forgive you of your sin of denying Him. He is waiting on you to reach out to Him and His arms of forgiveness and love will wrap around you. Then make him Lord of your life, which means He is the director and navigator of your life. It is that simple. Then pursue Him, pursue Truth, by studying the Bible and spending time in prayer every single day. If you need help with that, please reach out to me. If you have slipped away from your devotion to Christ, turn now and repent and give your life more fully to Him. Don’t wait another minute. Deception is rampant and a relationship with Christ will keep you in truth and away from the deception of the enemy. It is your choice, today, choose absolute truth, choose life in Christ.
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AuthorI'm a wife, Mom, grandma, teacher, friend... Lived a while and still have some living to do. Archives
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