Focus
As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.
Read
Paul’s Charge to Timothy
10 Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions, and my sufferings, the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have known sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Reflect
The first part of today’s passage sums up my assigned group of eVotions perfectly. We have looked at greedy disputes & vengeance, the need for patience, arrogance and criticism, pride, and now – finally – deceit.
Deception is all around us. We all suffer with aggravating “robo” phone calls, spam e-mails, text messages, and even letters that offer us “good deals” that will make us rich. Too often people fall for these fraudulent contacts. Have you watched the TV shows featuring a person who fell for one of those scams? The most popular seem to be a fake love interest that drains all the savings the victim had.
What makes these successful? Well, to finish out with this last eVotion, the reasons are we tend to let our guard down and become vulnerable to being greedy, impatient, arrogant, prideful, and fall for the deceit. We start trusting in ourselves and stop letting God’s Word lead us. When things of the world keep us from seeing clearly, we aren’t trusting God’s Word to guide us.
How do we avoid being deceived, especially spiritually? Surround yourself with people who trust God, seek His guidance, and trust His timing and do likewise. In return, be the person who encourages others to do the same. May God bless you as you grow stronger in your faith and share with those around you.
Pray
Lord help us to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” in this world. Give us wisdom from your Holy Spirit that we might be protected from evil and grow in our faith. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Go with God!
