Decieved to Death - Daily Devotional May 18th, 210

Bible Reading - Numbers 27, Psalm 70-71, Isaiah 17-18, 1 Peter 5

Deceived to Death

Being deceived is such a bummer because when you are deceived you do not know that you are. It is usually a gradual process and by the time you are in full deception you actually begin to think everyone else is wrong (about whatever it is you want to believe) and you are right. So strong are your deceived convictions that you actually begin to go to those who will agree with you for all your counsel (2 Timothy 4:3-4). We can and need to avoid this place of deception because it is when we get here that we end up getting devoured by the enemy (the devil).

1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour" (Amplified). Peter is telling us to have a sober mind or a good mind, one that is free from things like deception. He is warning us to have this because our enemy (the devil) is waiting for his opportunity to destroy us. The picture here is one of a lion looking for it's dinner. If you have ever watched a lion hunt, what it will do is chase a whole heard until one of the heard lags behind or branches off on its own. Once the lion gets it's prey alone it pounces on it and devours it. Sounds very similar to what happens to us when we are deceived. We go out and do our own thing and look for people to validate what we are doing but what we are actually doing is putting our self in a position to be devoured by the enemy. We have deceived ourselves to death.

The deception can actually get so bad sometimes that we actually make it look good. It may be in a financial situation, we could be deceived in making dishonest gain and it may look like prosperity but in time it catches up to you and it all gets taken away. It could be in a relationship that we want but yet it is not a right one. We are so deceived that we begin to actually talk ourselves into it being ok to the point where we tell others things that are not true so they can falsely validate the relationship. This too ends in great destruction. The list goes on and on but the end result is always the same, we are deceived to death.

Deception can actually be colorful and look really good at times but it always ends in death. Isaiah 17:10-11 I believe gives us a snap shot of where the deception all starts. "For you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge;
therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger, though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain". Look at what this passage is saying. It is saying that even though what you are planting is seemingly pleasant and it is growing and blossoming does not mean it is a good thing. In this case that which is looking so well ends in destruction. Why did it end this way? Because it was all deception and just like in this passage how the one planting the plants made them grow so you make your deception grow. Also seen in this passage however, is the key to keep yourself from ending up in deception. We must never forget the God of our salvation and the rock of our refuge. We must always put God first and remember that He has a great life for us.

Today let's draw near to the throne of mercy and grace. Let's remember the rock of our salvation and not be deceived to death. Let's not have our dreams and ministries robbed by being deceived. Let's yield to God and to wise godly counsel.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Numbers 28, Psalm 72, Isaiah 19-20, 2 Peter 1

Dream Big
Ben