Louise Gevers

^“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God …”  2 Corinthians 10:5

Would you believe that Heaven = Disney World? If you were to believe the lyrics of a popular song that “heaven is a place on earth” and Your Dictionary.com which states that the “happiest place on earth is Disney World” you could, but would have to be excused for faulty logic! We don’t consciously believe the message of popular lyrics and catchy jingles that confront us daily, yet they usually influence us more than we realise. They slowly erode our minds and raise doubts.

In order to discern between truth and deception and to make wise decisions we need to be able to see through the froth couching subtle lies that the world broadcasts. From an early age our thought patterns, attitudes and philosophies are influenced by our family values, education, culture and the media. But we can choose what we allow into our minds. If we’ve learnt truth, we will not easily be deceived, but if we haven’t, we may fall prey to a popular deception. Sometimes we go with the better looking package without checking God’s Word.

A line in a contemporary worship song succinctly captures the nature of the problem of deception - a common human experience. “Innocence traded for a lie” first happened in the Garden of Eden and remains today. It’s that split second we ignore God’s way – we “suppress the truth” (Romans 2:18) and give in to someone’s clever reasoning or arrogant pretension; and that deed has consequences that can change our life unalterably. It’s the blueprint for all deception.

The truth is that the “father of lies” (John 8:44) is subtle and won’t arrive with horns and a tail if he is trying to win our mind and will. His approach will be with sweet, persuasive lies that appear desirable and irresistible. He supplies arguments and pretensions that will become weapons in our minds that we use against God’s truth. Paul recognised that. His direct approach and uncompromising words ensured that nothing remained to hold a higher place in his mind than Christ.

Do we treat falsehood this way? Seeing things for what they are will enable us to keep spiritually alert and not allow the devil a chance to gain a foothold in our minds. “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked …” (Psalm 1:1)

Prayer: Holy Father, Please help us to recognise that our society desperately needs the truth. Help me to always be connected to the truth through Jesus, who is the way the truth and the life. Help. Amen.