Monday’s 333 Devotional: “Divulging Deception”

God knew our propensity to go after the miracle. We are ever on the hunt for the new thing, the new experience that we leave behind the truth. And so, God tells us not to get carried away with the experience to follow after what is false.

“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ … you shall not listen … for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)

The Apostle Paul marveled that those who knew the truth could so easily be turned away from it. The church in Galatia was being seduced by a bunch of legalists who looked all righteous but inside were full of it.

Paul said to the church in Galatia, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?” (Galatians 3:1)

Just because someone says the name of Jesus does not mean they are worshipping or honoring the Jesus of the Bible.

Concerning these Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:22-23)

God is testing us to see whether we’ll keep His word or whether we’ll be led astray by following the experience rather than following God.

The Apostle John said, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)