Growth in times of Deception—Two2Grow, Saturday, October 10
Growth in times of Deception—Two2Grow, Saturday, October 10
“And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.” Acts 17:11 NLT
“If the devil can’t deceive you, he can’t defeat you” is a saying that hits the nail on the head. The devil is a deceiver; he trades in lies, half-truths, and twisted worldviews. Jesus warned us that in the end times, deception will go rampant—even among God’s people (Luke 21:8).
So how do you know what is truth and what is error, and whether what you are listening to is a genuine word from God or a Scripture twisted to serve a hidden agenda?
Our Scripture today gives important instructions on how we are to live in an era of deception and dark motives:
1: Listen
Listened eagerly. That is, expose yourself to the preaching of the Word and listen with expectation. It is easy to fall into the temptation to be cynical and just shut down. Resist that temptation. A cynical attitude hinders you from receiving from God and doesn’t really help in discerning truth from error.
2: Study
Search the Scriptures. Once you have heard the message, don’t be a baby bird with its beak open and its eyes closed, eating whatever the mother bird puts there. Take personal responsibility. Study the Bible.
3: Share
Notice that listening and studying were group efforts, not just individuals doing it on their own. That means we should have study buddies with whom we can read and discuss the Word. If you don’t have one, pray for one. Emelie is my study buddy. We pray and talk about everything we hear, and we search the Scriptures together. Those conversations have been more formative for me than my over 10 years of full-time theological studies.
When you listen, study, and share, you will grow in your walk with God, and you will see how the Lord guides you deeper into the truth of His kingdom.
Father, thank You for wanting me to grow. Help me to fight cynicism and be an expectant listener. Help me to study Your Word and lead me to friends with whom I can share. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD
“If the devil can’t deceive you, he can’t defeat you” is a saying that hits the nail on the head. The devil is a deceiver; he trades in lies, half-truths, and twisted worldviews. Jesus warned us that in the end times, deception will go rampant—even among God’s people (Luke 21:8).
So how do you know what is truth and what is error, and whether what you are listening to is a genuine word from God or a Scripture twisted to serve a hidden agenda?
Our Scripture today gives important instructions on how we are to live in an era of deception and dark motives:
1: Listen
Listened eagerly. That is, expose yourself to the preaching of the Word and listen with expectation. It is easy to fall into the temptation to be cynical and just shut down. Resist that temptation. A cynical attitude hinders you from receiving from God and doesn’t really help in discerning truth from error.
2: Study
Search the Scriptures. Once you have heard the message, don’t be a baby bird with its beak open and its eyes closed, eating whatever the mother bird puts there. Take personal responsibility. Study the Bible.
3: Share
Notice that listening and studying were group efforts, not just individuals doing it on their own. That means we should have study buddies with whom we can read and discuss the Word. If you don’t have one, pray for one. Emelie is my study buddy. We pray and talk about everything we hear, and we search the Scriptures together. Those conversations have been more formative for me than my over 10 years of full-time theological studies.
When you listen, study, and share, you will grow in your walk with God, and you will see how the Lord guides you deeper into the truth of His kingdom.
Father, thank You for wanting me to grow. Help me to fight cynicism and be an expectant listener. Help me to study Your Word and lead me to friends with whom I can share. Amen.
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD