Walking Rightly in the Days of Deception

We live in perhaps some of the most difficult days in recorded history.  We live in some of the most insecure times in human history.  The days we live in are unsettled, many of us are concerned as to what will happen.  No one knows tomorrow morning with the stock market will do.  From day-to-day we have no idea what our retirement or stocks will do.  We have no idea what oil speculation will do to prices at the pump.  We have little idea of what our economy is going to do, and when you look at the world economics certainty is a word seldom used.  No one knows what can happen militarily in our world.  From North Korea, to India, over to Iran, across the Middle East, we simply do not know what will happen if any or one of these countries becomes a nuclear power. 

Consider what Paul told Timothy.   ^NIV 1 Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

The question can be asked why did they fall away?  It is because they are paying attention to the wrong things.  Paul says they are following, they are looking at, and they are paying attention to deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  This word, “follow” is in the present tense and means to look at it and to continue to look in its direction.   Many times I am concerned by what we as Christians pay attention to.  I'm concerned moreover as to what we give our ears to, and what we continue to go back to.   Who we listen to on TV, and what we listen to on the radio, and yes even the books we read have a huge impact on our lives.  

Please heed this warning today:  Just because it is emotional does not mean it is good sound theology! 

Who you listen to is important: that is why these people have fallen away.   They have been paying attention to the wrong person. The word for “deceiving” is the word we get our English word planet from!  The ancients would look at the sky and see the stars they are fixed, they do not move.   Planets move across our skies.  The planets wandered across the heavens.  And what Paul is saying in this passage, is that these are spirits who have wandered out of the orbit of truth, and this is what they're listening to: Deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.

As you live in this world my caution for you is to be very careful as to who you listen to.  Do not be deceived but stand firm rightly dividing the word of God.