Lost In Deception
I was reminded recently by an old friend that in 1 Peter 5:8, Peter gave a firm warning about Satan: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Any volunteers? Who in their right mind would want to be devoured by a lion or worse yet, by Satan? Yet, look around, it’s everywhere. Or is it?
Of course an actual lion is not on the prowl, that would be too obvious and we’d figure that out. Although it might depend on whether or not it was a republican or a democrat that first screamed, “LION”!!!
What is Peter’s real concern here? What is it about Satan and this warning that frightens us? Anything?
Satan is often referred to as the father of lies. Maybe because of the lie he told Eve in the Garden, telling her that God had lied and really didn’t mean she would die if she ate from the tree in the Garden. Maybe he’s the father of lies because he told Jesus he could give Him the world if He’d serve him. The world was not Satan’s to give. There are countless other possible reasons Satan has earned this famous title.
How do we know what are lies and what are truths today?
- So much confusion.
- So much information.
- So much pain.
- So much suffering.
We have a source of truth. We have to be intentional about using it however.
I have heard the Bible referred to as the owner’s manual to life. Most owner’s manuals stay safely tucked away in a drawer, closet or glove compartment ready and waiting until the day we really need them. We often do the same thing with the Bible.
I once pulled out the owner’s manual for my car. I had began driving a new model about a year earlier. It has been an upgrade from my old car that I had driven for 10 years. There were some settings on this new one I just couldn’t figure out. I decided to give the owner’s manual a try. I mean, the answer had to be in the owner’s manual, right?
Unfortunately, after finding pages to reference in the index then looking at page after page, I was completely disappointed with the instructions I found. I finally told myself it was useless. I determined, unless I took the time to really read the manual, pulling out bits and pieces here and there gained me nothing. I put the manual back in its place and returned to fiddling with the settings in hopes of figuring it out on my own.
That is how many of us treat the Bible…we pull it out when we are seeking some direction only to find the we just can’t seem to get the insight we hoped for so we just put it away and go about trying to figure out our life on our own.
Unless we are willing to really read and understand, we may find the Bible to be not very helpful and maybe even misleading when we take verses or statements out of context or literally when they were intended to be figuratively.
So what do we do? How do we appropriately find guidance in today’s crazy world using the owner’s manual that God has intended for us to use?
Some options include:
– Dedicating time to reading the Bible every day. Maybe a verse, maybe a chapter, committing to daily reading and then just doing it.
– Study the Bible while reading. Get a good study Bible that will give you context and setting to better understand the verses and passages.
– Be dedicated to attending church weekly, taking notes and really looking to understand the message.
– Participate in a Bible study each week. There are many options: with a small group, joining Bible Study Fellowship, going on-line, through a video study and more.
– Find various Christian authors and read their various perspectives.
-Talk to other Christians and ask questions being curious to understand.
As you journey through whatever options you choose, continually pray for discernment and wisdom as God has promised He will give these to us.
We read this in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (NIV)
Finally be careful! If you hear a perspective that doesn’t line up with the Gospel of Jesus, it may not be Biblically accurate. 2 John 1:9 tells us, “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” (ESV)
Read the options available again and determine which one or ones you will do. It’s a journey of time and energy but well worth the outcome in being able to follow the owner’s manual for life.
Interested in attending church? Go to https://severnrun.com for more information.
Want to get connected? Find a small group by go to https://severnrun.com/connect
Have a question? Reach out to the team at The Church at Severn Run. You can do so by texting your question to 410-936-4252.
JW