DECEIT Earlier this week, a friend and I were discussing how utterly deceived much of America seems. I told her how about watching American Idol in its infancy. In those shows, they showed some of the terrible auditions. I recall being shocked at how these people truly believed they could sing. It was as if they were under some strange deception. I also recall thinking this must be how the deception of which Scripture warns us may be. When I was a teenager, I used to go to my Sunday School teacher’s home to study and discuss the end times. We would discuss Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 about deception which, “if possible” would deceive even the elect. Well, as a teen, my imagination was not broad enough to picture what I saw on American Idol. Several years have passed since watching those shows with the bad auditions, and again, I am utterly shocked how deception has spread like a cancer in our country. It is like people are in a fog or mindless. Almost like they are programmed. People fully believe the lies. Today I want to speak with Christians. Look, we can no longer believe the media, the government, society. There is no social morality. We must take this moment in time to be driven to THE BIBLE and THE TRUTH, JESUS CHRIST. He warned us. He said the days will be shortened to help us. I dare say Christians are faced with the temptation to participate in deceit these days. Think about it. When we share something on social media which we have not investigated to be factual, we maybe bearing false witness. We may be sharing something sharing something intended to be deceitful. We should guard ourselves and our relationships with the Lord. Even as I write this, I am reminded of the verse, “So take care how you listen” (Luke 8:18a). How…interesting word. Just for reference, how means “how, in what way.” No surprise here. Friends, just look back one verse to 17, “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor secret that will not be known and come to light.” I could just stop there, and wish you a wonderful day. Of course, those who know me, know I cannot leave it there. Now, let us get an understanding of deceit. When I studied The Lexicon Aide, this was the transliteration; “Craft, deceit, fraud, falsehood, guile, treachery, ill-gotten wealth.” Granted, most Christians have not seemed to defraud people for ill-gotten gain. Yet, I wish you to seriously consider other portions of this transliteration which may apply. Let us start with fraud. Fraud does not simply apply to illgotten wealth by inducing another to give up their money. No, It can also be a way of presenting something in a misleading manner. Let me give you an example. Over 20 years ago, the Lord had me study verses like Isaiah 45:2 “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight.” He wanted me to get an understanding of what it means to “make the crooked places straight.” I learned that crookedmeant fraudulent. He then spoke to me that His leaders have been defrauding His people for years. He later brought me to understand that not teaching the whole Truth of God’s Word, hurts people. We teachers are responsible to those whom we teach. To not give them the full picture, is defrauding them. Robbing them of the fullness of life in Christ. When thinking of deceit, the first thought I have is a sneaky kind of falsehood. That would be lying in a way to prevent detection. We Christians are not perfect; however, if we confess and repent, we are forgiven. So, why are we afraid of detection? Perhaps pride. Perhaps hypocrisy. We try to cover up our sin. That in itself is falsehood. That is deceit. Guile is crafty cunning. When I think of this, I think of misleading someone with the intent of harm. Yet, when I think of scam telephone calls, I think of just that. Someone has put great thought and effort into devising a scheme to convince people to be robbed of their hard-earned money. Again, most Christians do not fall into this category. Yet, some “ministers” have. People are selling healing, oil, holy water, etc. for exorbitant amounts of money. There are rip-off artists who are in churches. 2 Corinthians 11:13 warns us, “For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” Then there is treachery. That is an intentional betrayal of another. If you carry unforgiveness for another, you may fall into this deceit. You may wish ill-will and take a hand in such. But, hopefully, this is not common among Christians. So, why am I writing about this? Mostly due to the conversation I had with my friend. Partially because we Children of the Most High, need the reminder to guard our hearts and minds. I once was reading this prophecy of Christ, “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth” (Is. 53:9). I then asked myself, “Can you say that? Can you say deceit is not in your mouth? It does not take much to have deceit in your mouth. I once did a teaching showing in Scripture that your tongue tattles on your heart. Well, just look what God says about our hearts. “The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Friends, that is a problem. If our hearts are deceitful, our mouths will be deceitful. In what situations might we find ourselves being deceitful? Well, sometimes people ask us poignant questions about things we wish not to share so we answer in such a way as to not reveal what we do not wish to say. We may want to leave a gathering early. Rather than doing so we “make up an excuse” to leave. At work, I have found when one makes an error, they will lie to cover it being their error. I hope you will take time to consider the many temptations to be deceptive you face in day-to-day life. I have even known a minister in counseling say one thing to one person about the other, but then something totally different to the other person. Why? What purpose does that serve? Just be truthful, or say nothing. Consider this…if we engage in telling “little white lies,” does that make us more susceptible to be deceived by others? I cannot say for certain, but I believe it opens us to the possibility. After all, I already mentioned what Jesus said in Matthew 24:24, “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” It is clear here that it may be possible for us to be deceived. I believe that may be the root for the great “falling away” discussed in 1 Tim 4:1. Honestly, I suggest we are already seeing people falling away from the faith. We are at least seeing entire denominations doing so. If we are misleading, can we be misled? Look at 2 Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and impostors ... See Signs of Life- Page 16 GLAD TIDINGS 7 APRIL 2025 Signs of Life from The King's Highway Evangelistic Ministries SARA GOLDSTEIN Salvation Prayer If you have not made Jesus Christ Savior and Lord ... pray the following prayer in faith, and Jesus will be your Lord! Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” and “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9). You said my salvation would be the result of Your Holy Spirit giving me new birth by coming to live in me (John 3:5-6, 15-16; Romans 8:9-11) and that if I would ask, You would fill me with Your Spirit and give me the ability to speak with other tongues (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:4). I take You at Your Word, I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins, for coming into my heart, for giving me Your Holy Spirit as You have promised, and for being Lord over my life. Amen.
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