How Can You Be Protected From Deception

"...for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." Acts 18:28 Could you do that? There is nothing as important in life as the Word of God. You will not survive spiritually if you don't feed yourself the Word of God daily. Some say they don't read the Bible because they don't understand it. But see it this way: when you eat a meal you don't worry how the nutrients, vitamins, and proteins are going to nourish you, you just eat. It's the same with the Bible. It is what nourishes your soul. You don't have to worry HOW it's going to nourish you, you just take it in every day and it will. If you don't, the effect will be the same as it would be if you did not nourish your body - you'll be spiritually weak and unhealthy. "...sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..." 1 Peter 3:15 Could you do that? If someone asked you, could you give a defense for your faith from the Scriptures? "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2nd Timothy 2:15 Put some effort into it, it's the most important thing in your life. Study God's Word. We are in "the last days," and Jesus said that that time would be characterized by deception and sure enough, deception is RAMPANT. Even people who would call themselves believers are falling for all sorts of deception. How will you not fall if you do not intimately know the Word of God? Satan is clever - do not underestimate him; spiritual con-men twist Scripture to deceive people. When they see Scripture being spouted they're convinced, and fall they do - by the multitudes - because they trust anyone who quotes Scripture. This is the day of the mega-churches which draw people by telling them what they want to hear. They use, actually mis-use, Scripture to preach the false gospel of prosperity, how to be successful, how to build your "self esteem," but they don't preach on sin or hell or picking up your cross daily to follow Jesus Christ. Other sects teach “religious” things one can do like walking the labyrinth, lighting candles, purposeful imaginations, “Christian” yoga (there’s no such thing), "religious" practices that satisfy the soulish desire to be "religious" - but that simply aren't true. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Then there is the push toward the coming one-world religion under the banner of "ecumenism" which will be the joining of religions for the sake of "unity," but it will be the false last-days global religion. Already the current pope has had Muslims in the Vatican reciting the Koran in his effort to bring mutual "tolerance" and mutual acceptance between all religions, creating a "unity" that is no more than Satanic heresy. You are NOT to join together with religions that worship false gods. "DO NOT be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?" 2nd Corinthians 6:14 "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11 If you don't know the Word of God you are spiritually blind and you will easily fall for any of these. When asked what would be the signs of his coming, the very first sign Jesus gave was "deception." "And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you.'' Matthew 24:4 He put this before all the other signs, the wars, rumors of war, earthquakes, famines and pestilence. As terrible as those things are, he put the danger of deception first. The ONLY way to not be trapped in deception is to know the Word of God so that you can spot heresy when someone twists Scripture to make it say what it doesn't say. If you don't know the Word of God, you just might be given over to delusion. "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned WHO DID NOT BELIEVE THE TRUTH but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:11 When you stand before the Lord, you will be judged on your response to the Word of God which he gave to us, the Holy Scriptures which alone are able to nourish your spirit. Begin now. Start nourishing your spirit with the nourishment God has provided for man - the Bible, the Scriptures, the Word of God - provided to nourish and guide mankind. And each time you take up that Bible, before you begin, pray for understanding, ask God to REVEAL his Word to you. And he will.