Title

Stop Being Deceived

Scripture
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.”
(Mark 13:5)
Devotional
The warning of our Lord is neither trite nor is it to be ignored. We are living in a time of great deception. The enemy knows that his time is short. He has pulled out all stops. He is the master deceiver. We must be aware of his devices. He thrives on complexity, confusion, and uncertainty. This world without Christ is duped by his scheming. Mankind has been deceived into believing that there is no Creator. We have been deceived into believing that life is no longer sacred, and that marriage is not necessary for procreation. We are being deceived in these last days into believing all sorts of lies. Therefore, we must have a foundation in which to believe. That foundation is the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Christians must live a Spirit-filled lifestyle. We must be people of the Word. Without Christ, without His Spirit, and without His Word, we are going to be deceived. Let us heed His timely warning. Let us not be deceived any longer.
Thought For The Night
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
 
Evening Text
Mark 13:5: And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.”
Looking for Answers
Evening Study Guide
Defining:  “The believers who first read Mark’s Gospel were being persecuted and were tempted to give up and compromise their witness. This… was just the encouragement they needed to remain faithful to the Lord,” Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament
 
Referencing: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the  basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ,” Colossians 2:8
 
Applying: Lookout for the signs of deception: anger, jealousy, greed, self-righteousness, compromising truth, and usurping ambitions, to name a few.