Tag: deception

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Truth Wins

Daily Reading

Revelation 13-16

Daily Thought

In the end, Satan gives us his best. Or worst. He launches his big guns against God and goodness:

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.” ~Revelation 13:1-2

The force of Satan appears ominous and terrible and issues a challenge: “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” (Revelation 13:4). This is the deception. Satan would have us look for someone “like the beast” because he would have us become like him, but he is a liar. Our Savior is nothing like the beast for Jesus is truth, and unlike the beast, he is “the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8). The power of God is in the sacrifice of the Lamb who conquered death, setting us free from sin and Satan, and rose again, the Lion of Judah, to call out a warning:

If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain. ~Revelation 13:9-10

To fear the power of Satan is to follow a liar into captivity and death. The faithful follow the Truth, “and they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” ~Revelation 15:3-4

Truth wins.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. ~Revelation 13:10

Daily Prayer

God, I love You completely. I hate evil completely.

May I live my life cherishing You and despising Satan. May I rid myself of all that he touches. Give me discernment to hear when it is his voice speaking, and I will reject what he says, for it is a lie. I will love truth and goodness, because all that is true and all that is good comes from You.

I love You. Completely.

Amen

Daily Question

What are the most powerful lies of Satan?

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Delight

Daily Reading

Psalm 36-39

Daily Thought

The serpent spoke to Eve, “Did God actually say…” (Genesis 3:1). That’s the voice of temptation and sin still talks to us, “transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart” (Psalm 36:1). We were made in God’s image, so we must be deceived to sin. “You will not surely die,” said the serpent. “You will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). The lie is not that we don’t know, but that God is somehow not the final word. Every sin is deception, “there is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.” (Psalm 36:1-2). We deceive ourselves that no one is watching, or that what we do does not matter–“Why can’t I if it doesn’t hurt anyone?” 

It does, and always God first.

Our best defense against sin, therefore, is not willpower, but worship, finding our delight in God’s delight, “for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). The fruit of the tree was delight to Eve’s eyes, but a lesser delight. Rather she would delight herself “in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4), transforming our corrupted desires as we “drink from the river of your delights” (Psalm 36:8). Drink often and drink deep and temptation’s flavor turns sour.

Daily Prayer

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep. 

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.

Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. ~Psalm 36:5-11

Amen

Daily Question

Can you sin without hurting anyone?