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Wednesday,
December 3, 2008
The Great Pretender
Galatians 6:3-4 For if a man think
himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. (4) But let
every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself
alone, and not in another. (KJV)
Have you ever tried to be someone, or
something you are not? Reminds me of that old song, “I am the great
pretender, pretending to be someone I am not”. When you look at verses 3
and 4 in Galatians, you see that they go hand in hand together. If someone
is deceived and trying to put up a false front it is because they are more
concerned with pleasing man than pleasing God; which as the song goes they
have become the great pretender. You know, even though many think they are
fooling others, of course it goes without saying God is not fooled, the
only person they really are deceiving in the end is themselves.
Proverbs 26:11-12 As a dog returneth to
his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. (12) Seest thou a man wise in
his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. (KJV)
Not a very pleasant picture being painted
in the above verses. Quite frankly when dealing with eternal salvation, I
sure would not like the fact that a fool would have more hope than me if I
choose to continue in the deception. If your motives are really pure then
you will find that it is much more vital to please our Lord than to seek
man’s approval. Basically what it comes down to is, are you trying to build
yourself up, or are you truly seeking to build others up? If your motive is
the latter, then you will be speaking and teaching others what the Lord has
done on their behalf and not pointing them to man or his works.
Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise
thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. (KJV)
Do you need someone else’s approval
besides God to know that you are one of His? Many judge their works and
ministries by testimonies or other people, puppets is another way of
putting it, those that mimic and say things to keep in good standing with
man despite what God says. If you need someone else’s approval for serving
the Lord, or you are waiting for a pat on the back from mankind, then it
would be safe to say you have already fallen into the realm of deception,
deceiving yourself more than others.
James 1:22-26 But be ye doers of the
word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a
hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his
natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso
looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being
not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed
in his deed. (26) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
(KJV)
Some people are actually humble in the
beginning of their walk with the Lord, but somewhere along the way they
take over and deceive themselves into thinking salvation is based on their
works and no longer it being based on the Lord working with them. These are
people that have had the eyes of their understanding opened to the realm of
the Spirit only to forget who and what got them into the kingdom of God,
and are now deceived again, the latter end is actually worse than the
beginning. We see in conclusion in verse 26 that it is not what goes into a
man that defiles him, but it is what we allow to come out of the heart and
through the mouth. So if a man is deceived and walking in darkness, then
the words they speak will no longer be Spirit, nor will they be bringing
forth life.
1 Corinthians 3:18-21 Let no man deceive
himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him
become a fool, that he may be wise. (19) For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own
craftiness. (20) And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that
they are vain. (21) Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are
yours; (KJV)
I see too many people glorying in other
people and their so called wisdom and not the Lord’s. In fact some of these
big name ministers come off like God takes orders from them, and that if
they weren’t around nobody would get saved. Contrary to popular belief or
so called wisdom, God does not need us to get His message out, however it is
a privilege and honor to be used of Him and allow His living Word to flow
through us. Keep in mind we are not doing God any special favors when we
serve Him.
2 Timothy 3:13-15 But evil men and
seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (14) But
continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured
of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; (15) And that from a child thou
hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (KJV)
Remember the Lord said we need to come to
Him as a child with the mindset of, He being our Father and we His
children. However in these last days it seems that many have gotten the
order reversed, deceiving and being deceived. Remember what got you into
our Lord’s kingdom in the first place, grace through faith, not of works so
none can boast?
1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)
You know, instead of spending so much
time and effort trying to cover up your faults and lower nature, try coming
clean before the Lord and His people, and try not to be something you are
not, again deceiving yourself. It just might take some humility; the
channeling of all that effort you put into the cover up should now be put
into learning to overcome your lower nature so that you can partake of the
new divine nature in Christ.
Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is
not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (8) For
he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (KJV)
The Bible says that we should earnestly
contend for the faith; and like Paul described also, that he was like a
fighter who knew how to keep his body in subjection to the Spirit. So the
question for today is, ‘are you truly a contender, contending for the
faith, or are you a pretender, deceiving yourself’?
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