Forewarned And Forearmed

"Today’s Devotion” for May 13, 2005

Read: II Peter 2:1-22; II Corinthians 11:1-15

FOREWARNED AND FOREARMED

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you."(II Pet. 2:1a)

Most highly successful salespeople will tell you that buying is an emotional issue. Most buying decisions take place when the salesperson evokes a strong, emotional response in the prospect. While it's true that knowledge about a product, the pricing of the product, and a specific, logical need are all significant players in the buying decision, none of them can hold a candle to a skilled evoking of emotion to get the sale. The emotion that may lead to a "buying" decision may come in the form of pain avoidance or the gaining of pleasure. No matter how the salesperson makes the sale, there's always something that can lead a buyer into "buyer's remorse."

False teachers, prophets, and messiah's are all adept at eliciting emotional responses from us. These people press all the right buttons when we face them and they seek to tear us away from God's love and forgiveness in Jesus. They press all the right buttons - guilt, fear, desperation, despair, etc.- which lead people to start looking to themselves, rather than to God, for answers in the world. False teachers and false prophets have their own taped version of what they purport to be God's Will and Word. Reading Peter's words, it's not too difficult to draw up images and names of such persons that have operated in such a false manner, in the name of God, in our own culture. He describes them as being smooth talkers, people who prey on our emotions, and tend to present a picture of God and His desires for us, that sounds marvelous and tugs at the heart strings. Healing services that place an importance upon the "healer." Calls for extra special offerings for building grand buildings, religious theme parks, etc.; all reflect the false prophets and teachers about whom Peter is warning us.

We need to keep our heads and hearts in the Word of God in order to avoid being lured into the traps set by false prophets. Regular worship attendance with other Christians, being in the daily study of God's Word, receiving the body and blood of Jesus in the Lord's Supper, and being in constant prayer for those around us and for God's continual presence among us (Acts 2:42). No matter the hype, Jesus is the very presence of God among us and by faith in Him we are certain that our sins are forgiven. Firmly grounded in His Word we stand firmly in the face of Sin, death, and Satan. By God's grace we are blessed by the power of God's Word and Spirit in our lives, so that we are "forewarned and forearmed" to live in Him and through Him and to avoid all those things which seek to tear us away from His love..

Prayer: Father, it's pretty difficult to avoid the emotional things that false teachers bring up to turn me to their version of Your Word. Keep me diligent in my study of Your Word and send Your Spirit to help me grow in my knowledge of You. Lead me to focus on Your grace, mercy and love in Jesus. Let me be a defender of the faith and help me to help others avoid the traps set by the false prophets of our day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
********************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved