Don't Get Tricked!

Daily Reading: Matthew 7

Enter by the narrow gate.  (Matthew 7.13)

Devotional Thought: There are a lot of ways to get things wrong:

·      The gate to life is hard and narrow, but the gate to destruction is wide and easy.  Who wouldn’t choose the easy path?  Most do.  We must know the truth, or we too will choose what seems right but is deadly wrong.  Almost three millennia ago, the wise man wrote: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14.12).  We must not be tricked into thinking something is right simply because a multitude of people are doing it. 

·       There are certainly “false prophets” who are willing – in malice or with good intentions – to lead you astray.  We are bombarded daily by people telling us to abandon the old ways and adopt the new, more tolerant ways of today.  We must not be tricked into thinking that new is always better!

·       Jesus said that there will even be those who invoke his name to give legitimacy to their actions and teachings: Did we not prophesy in your name?  But invoking the name of Jesus is not enough.  Doing the will of Jesus is what matters!  We must not be tricked by those claiming to speak for Jesus, but who are advancing causes that are contrary to the clear teaching of the Bible.

If we want to get it right...

·       Take the time and make the effort to build our lives upon him.  When the storms come – and surely, they will come – then our lives will stand firm upon truth.  We will have the floods, the rains and the winds of today’s culture beating against our house of faith, but by the grace and strength of Jesus we will stand!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for who you are and for your Word.  Help me to build my life upon the Rock of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 89.5-13

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.