Self Deceived

One of the questions that I hear pastors and teachers say most often is, “How can people attend our worship services and Sunday Schools regularly and still not give of their time, talent, and money?”

Let us examine how the Bible answers this question.

NKJ James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

If we have not made the decision to do (i.e. demonstrate obedience by putting into practice) everything we learn from the Bible then we set ourselves up for self deception.

NKJ 1 Samuel 15:1 Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.' "

The Word of the Lord was to destroy the Amalek’s, including all of their animals.

NKJ 1 Samuel 15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Saul did not carry out the order to destroy everything of the Amalek’s, saving their king and the choice livestock. However, he had destroyed thousands of people and their animals. He was probably 99.9% obedient. How obedient do you have to be? How faithful does your spouse require you to be? Would 99.9% faithfulness be pleasingly sufficient for your spouse? We know better than that.

NKJ 1 Samuel 15:13 Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD."

In Saul’s mind he had completely fulfilled the Lord’s order to destroy the Amalek’s. The Amalek’s were no longer a threat to anyone. Furthermore, the fact that Saul was elated to see Samuel reveals the depth of his deception.

NKJ 1 Samuel 15:10 Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 "I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.

NKJ 1 Samuel 15:16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Be quiet! And I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak on." 17 So Samuel said, "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? 18 "Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19 "Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?"

In God’s eyes, Saul had been disobedient.

NKJ 1 Samuel 15:20 And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

In Saul’s eyes, he had carried out the intent of God’s order to destroy the Amalekites. So how can there be people that come to our church thinking they are disciples of Jesus but do not tithe their money, time, talents, etc.? Because they have not chosen to be doers of the word but are hearers only and are self deceived. They are completely convinced, just like king Saul, that they are being 100% obedient to God.

NKJ 2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

This deception is from Satan the god of this age. Choosing not to do all of what the Bible says is the same thing as choosing not to believe the Bible. For example, we hear a sermon on tithing. Then we start rationalizing, God understands that I have a large family and wants me to take care of them so not giving all of the tithe is permissible for me. Certainly, He understands that the children are important (1Timothy 5:8). If you asked this person if they tithed then they would say yes without hesitation. However, that is not what the Bible says concerning tithing. We must trust God in our giving that He will provide for our family. This deception is rooted in a lack of the fear of the Lord.

NKJ Exodus 20:20 And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin."

NKJ Proverbs 16:6 In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

It is the fear of the Lord that will keep us from being deceived and bring us out of deception. We have become a people devoid of the fear of the Lord. We think we are accomplishing great things for God and the reality is we are deceived. Millions of souls pass into Hell everyday while in Jesus name we play.

NKJ Exodus 32:6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

The Israelites ran from the presence of God. God in His glory appeared on Mount Horeb which revealed the holiness required of those approaching Him. The Israelites ran back to camp. They asked Aaron for a “seeker friendly God” to worship as they had in Egypt. Aaron formed a Golden Calf from their earrings of gold. The saddest part is that they had a feast unto this golden calf with the correct name for our God – Yahweh. Here is your Yahweh that delivered you with an outstretched hand and bore you on the wings of an eagle. God, help us! We have become just like them! We have chosen not to go into your presence to be transformed into Your image but have rather made you into our image. Oh God, teach us the fear of the Lord!

NKJ Psalm 34:9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. 11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

Article Source: http://www.faithcycleministries.org/Articles

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