Deception...So-o-o E-Z to Believe!

Italian police said a woman who collected $309,000 in benefits by claiming to be blind was busted when she was seen window shopping.

Investigators said the 66-year-old woman was photographed walking through markets in a town near Turin while crossing streets and window browsing without assistance, ANSA reported Friday.

Police said the woman, who claimed to be totally blind to collect benefits, also signed a receipt without even putting on glasses.

The police also said they sequestered the money in the woman's bank account and six properties belonging to her to ensure the government is reimbursed for the fraudulent benefits. -UPI, February 17, 2012

Deceive: "to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid"..."synonyms beguile, mislead, delude." (Merriam-Webster)

a. Deceive - implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness (e.g., tried to deceive me about the cost).

b. Beguile - mean to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness; it "stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving (e.g, was beguiled by false promises)."

c. Mislead - implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional (e.g., I was misled by the confusing sign).

d. Delude - implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth (e.g., we were deluded into thinking we were safe).

Adam and Eve were deceived in Eden. Israel was deluded by idols. The early church was plagued by heresy. False understandings of God, God's Word, and God's mission have threatened His people throughout history, and the list goes on and on...

From the above examples, when it comes to deception there is a clear contrast and choice before us (2 Timothy 3:12-17). God repeatedly warns us!

Do not be deceived by…

SIN - (Hebrews 3:13; Romans 7:11; James 1:12-16). Do not be deceived by sin that it satisfies our desires (lusts) - Titus 3:3; that it gives us lasting pleasure (Hebrews 11:25); that it brings no eternal consequences (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Romans 6:23); that it is not seen and punished by God (Galatians 6:7-8).

THE ERROR OF FALSE TEACHERS (Matthew 24:3-5,11,24-25; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 2:26). -"We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they have never deceived us." (Samuel Johnson) Do not be deceived by the error of false teachers that their teaching conforms to the faith (1 Timothy 4:1); that their teaching comes from Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3); that nobody can be sure about all truth (cf. 1 John 3:7; John 16:13; John 8:32); that they (teachers of error) are not deceivers (2 John 7-10; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

HUMAN WISDOM (Colossians 2:8). Do not be deceived by human wisdom in persuasive words (Colossians 2:4); empty words (Ephesians 5:6); smooth words (Romans 16:17-18).

RELIGIOUS FERVOR WHICH LACKS DIVINE APPROVAL (Colossians 2:18-19). Do not be deceived by religious fervor which lacks diving approval in the forms of testimonials, visions, experiences, emotionalism (Colossians 3:17).

THE INFLUENCE OF EVIL ASSOCIATIONS (1 Corinthians 15:33). Do not be deceived by the influence of evil associations where we live (2 Peter 2:7-8); where we work (Titus 2:9-10; Colossians 3:22-23); and where we play (1 Peter 4:2-3).

In Jeremiah 17:9, we have one of the best-known verses in the entire Bible. Here is a reality that we have to deal with. Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"

He (Jeremiah) is referring to the kind of justifications or rationalizations that human nature will go to in order to convince the person that it is okay to sin; that it is okay to not pay attention to the law of God; okay to say to the self, "It really doesn't matter. I am only one person."

Human nature is going to try to reassert its dominance in a converted person's life. It's interesting that this word that is translated into the English word "deceitful" from the Hebrew means "tortuous, twisted, convoluted." That's the way human nature is. It is tortuous and twisted in its thinking. It is convoluted, or confusing in its reasoning.

For most, we recognize that for us to acknowledge and yield to truth is going to be personally costly and we don't want to pay the price, so we allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking it really does not matter if I yield to the wrong thing this time. I will fight the battle the next time it comes up.

In the end, what it boils down to is this...Do we really believe Him enough to live by faith? The person who lives by faith is one who believes God's truth and responds in obedience to it. The person who does not, departs from His truth. Jesus warned us: "Take heed, that no one deceives you." (Matthew 24:4). Are you listening to His warning?

Prayer: Lord, help us not to fall for Satan’s deceptive tactics that have brought down believers throughout the church age. We seek You for strength and discipline. We search the Scriptures for discernment and the true revelation of who Jesus is; the Son of the Living God. It is in His name that we pray, Amen.

May God bless you always!

Miranda