Satan's deception and patience in corrupting our churches can begin in the most subtle ways as he did with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan's greatest deception is convincing the vast majority that neither he nor God exist...
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:2-4).
Most of us were taught during our early years that we must take pride in our accomplishments and be self-efficient and to rely on our own understandings, trusting our own instincts or ideas to achieve our goals in this life. And it is with this worldly wisdom that most of us have chosen our spouses, friends and careers which we believed would fulfill our desires only to find out that most of our choices hasn't brought the happiest and joy we thought they would.
However God's WORD teaches us to not rely on our own understanding by telling us: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it (Jeremiah 17:9)?
When we first come to God most of us have a great deal of pride and arrogance thinking that we know much more than what we actually do and we are convinced that we can serve God and still maintain our independence in making all the right decisions in our lives.
The more we read God's WORD, with humbleness and a repentant heart, God gives us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Ephesians 1:17), giving us discernment concerning the schemes of the enemy to corrupt the Biblical doctrines of our Faith. The Holy Spirit guides us into the realization that our self-sufficiency is only an illusion designed to hide from us the truth of our enslavement to sin.
Sadly many Christians today will pray to God asking that their own desires might be fulfilled pertaining to choosing the right spouse, friends and careers rather than asking God for His guidance in making these choices, thus we see just as many divorces in the Christian community as we see in the non-Christian community, along with this comes business failures, turmoil and unhappiness all around us.
Satan's desires are to kill, steal and destroy all that belongs to God and the subtleness of his methods are great as we have seen in most churches today with they're acceptance of abominations such as; abortion, homosexuality and even same sex marriages and other strange doctrines in order to entices the non-believers through their doors.
Godly wisdom tells me that Satan's wisdom in his use of deception is far greater than most men on earth can imagine. Most likely that statement angers many but just step back for a moment and look at our churches all across United States today...
The disrespect shown in many of our sanctuaries is clearly disregarded by our pastors and elders in allowing, and maybe some actively participating in adultery, sexual perversion including homosexuality and same sex marriages and most likely even pedophilia in our congregations. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (1 Corinthians 6:9).
Nearly every church will claim to accept the casual dressed, thus we see men wearing hats in our sanctuaries during the services, and many young ladies and even young mothers wearing short shorts, and/or showing bare shoulders which may very well distracts young men from hearing God's WORD. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array (1 Timothy 2:9).
Today most of these churches are more concerned about money and the numbers coming through the front doors and being trendy, having a light and music show to dazzle the congregation....
The lies and deception is great, judgment is coming to those who continually walk in disobedience to God's WORD. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (2 Corinthians 113:5)?
