Boasting boosts deception. It bankrupts the truth. When you are proud and self-righteous, you are deceived. (James 4:6)

I am deceived. You are too. No one’s thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and feelings, are completely aligned with truth.

Every time you lie or twist the truth away, you are spreading deception. When your beliefs shove aside God’s love and compassion, you are deceived. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

If you are listening to, trusting, or even spending time with people who you know lie, you are being deceived. When there is no distinction between your politics and your religion, you are deceived. (John 18:36)

If you don’t verify the validity and veracity of what you hear, you will believe much that is untrue. Test what you hear. (1 John 4:1)

When you trust in and rely on human pride, power, and might instead of on God’s Spirit, you are deceived. (Zechariah 4:6) When you hear the Bible taught but don’t do what it says, you are deceived. (James 1:22)

Bible-twisting preachers are dangerous. There are lots of them nowadays. Search the Bible to test everything that you hear preached. (Acts 17:11) Avoid any preacher whose teaching doesn’t align with the Bible.

Beware. People who brag about promoting Christian values but lie and do other ungodly things are using Christianity for their own purposes.

When a church has a stage, it’s probably staged. When it has a platform, it probably follows a rigidly set form. When a church seats people in rows that all face the front, it probably focuses on one man speaking up front instead of on keeping people’s attention on listening to Jesus who rose from the dead.

When unscheduled voices aren’t allowed to speak as Jesus prompts them to, the Holy Spirit is quenched. When the Sunday program rarely, if ever, provides any places or spaces for people to “spur one another on to love and good works” and to actively “encourage one another,” Hebrews 10:24-25 is being ignored and disobeyed.

No mere human being fully understands God. We are all deceived to some degree. Lord, search my heart and show me where I am deceived. Help me to align more fully with You and Your will wherever I am deceived. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Deception
Reduction:
Don’t follow
The path of
Temptation.