Tag: deception

Genesis: These Are The Generations (XIII)

Stumbling In The Face Of Blessings (12:1-20)

Neal Pollard

How important is Abram to the subsequent narrative of the entire Old Testament? From creation to the flood is at least 1656 years, and it is covered in six chapters. Abram’s lifespan is 175 years (25:7), and it is covered in 15 chapters (ch. 11-25)! In the first full chapter, this chapter, we see the development of Abram’s faith.

To say “development” is to point out that it needed to grow and mature. As this chapter and even later circumstances show, Abram wrestles with fear and anxiety when facing intimidation. Yet, God foresaw what his faith could become and chose this man to father the nation through whom His Son would come. 

A Commission (1,4-6,8-10). Let’s not dismiss the greatness of Abram’s faith to receive and obey such an incredible charge, a call to leave his homeland for a distant land (1). The commendation of Scripture is, “So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him” (4a). He was 75 years old, and while he would live another century he was at best middle-aged! Abram collected his apparently considerable possessions and the people of his household and traveled toward Canaan. The trek recorded here covers hundreds of miles, with Abram first going northeast well into modern-day Syria before heading southwest into the heart of what would become Israel. However, Abram goes on his own much further south into Egypt because of famine (10). This would prove a stumbling block in his journey of faith.

A Commitment (2-3, 7). God binds Himself with an incredible promise to Abram that requires divine ability to fulfill. There are several components to this promise:

  • I will make of you a great nation (2).
  • I will bless you (2).
  • I will make your name great (2).
  • I will bless those who bless you (3).
  • I will curse those who curse you (3).
  • In you all the families of the earth will be blessed (3).
  • To your descendants I will give this land (7).

As you can see, there are seven parts to what God promises Abram. Eventually, God will fulfill every one of them even though some would be long after this patriarch’s death. While we see obedient faith on this man’s part, we also see grace and mercy on God’s part through each stage of this mission.

A Concern (11-14). Perhaps it was a lapse of faith that caused Abram to head into Egypt for famine relief (there is no record of God telling him to go down there). His confidence is certainly shaken once he and Sarai get into this pagan territory. Knowing his wife’s beauty, Abram coaches her to mislead any who inquire about her by telling them he was her brother rather than her husband. Technically, they are half-siblings (20:12), but that was not the nature of their relationship. Sure enough, his concern was well-founded. The Egyptians, seeing Sarai, found her “very beautiful” (14).

A Compromise (15-20). Abram’s faith failed him in Egypt. By his influence, Sarai sells the lie. Because of it, Pharaoh takes her into his house (15) and gifts Abram with much livestock and servants (16). The Lord strike’s the pharaoh’s house with plagues, leading him to confront Abram (17-18). Not only did Abram deceive, but he also brought suffering on others and was the proper subject of rebuke from this pagan ruler. Pharaoh says, ““What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go” (18-19). God’s providence is still with Abram and Sarai, as they are allowed to leave unharmed and with increased goods (20). God shows grace and favor even when His people fell short.

While these words are written worlds away from where we are today, I think about some unmistakable parallels to our circumstances today. We have been given a commission (Mat. 28:18-19), one requiring faith on our part to follow. Yet, with that comes a divine commitment of help and His presence (Mat. 28:20). We are going out as sheep among wolves (Mat. 10:16), and being frightened and intimidated in carrying out our mission is an ever-present concern (1 Pet. 3:14-15). What we cannot do is compromise our faith! God is counting on us to faithfully represent Him to the world. However, isn’t it wonderful that God extends His grace and mercy when we do fail? This is not a license to give up and stop pursuing our mission! Abram doesn’t stop. Let us be thankful for God’s patience and faithfulness, even when we are not at our best. We can still be people of faith, even if we stumble along the narrow road.  

The Spirit Of Deception

Carl Pollard

In 1 John 4, we read from John some warnings concerning spirits. He says in 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” John tells us that not every spirit is from God. He goes on to say in verse 6, “We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 

These verses clearly teach us that there is the Spirit from God, and then there are spirits in the form of false prophets. These false prophets are from the world. The teachings of the apostles were and continue to be the standard for the church. John 13:20 says, “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.’ The one whom Jesus sends is His apostle. God sends Christ and Christ sends the apostles. Therefore, If you accept the apostles you accept Christ, and if you accept Christ then you accept God. We wouldn’t even know of Christ if it were not for the apostles. They were to distinguish these spirits by seeing if those speaking were speaking things that were of the apostles and God, or of the world (1 John 4:5). 1 John 2:25 says that these people were teaching things that were contrary to John’s teachings.

So what does all of this mean? Who is the Spirit of Deception? We can piece together through 1 John, that the Spirit of Deception is that which teaches against John. By doing so, the spirit of deception has gone against the Spirit of Truth. 

The Spirit of Deception can be described as someone/something that does not teach that which is in accordance to the apostles or God, it is that which does not obey the commands of Christ, and it is that which tries to mislead Christians. The Spirit of Truth is contradicted by the Spirit of Deception. We see in the early church that one of the gifts of the Spirit was discerning spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10). 

The Holy Spirit (Helper) was given to the apostles to help them remember what Jesus had taught them, to preach about Christ, to tell the world of its sin, to preach righteousness and judgment, and to bring glory to Christ (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7- 8,13-14). Demonic spirits spoke through false prophets to confuse and convert God’s people (1 Timothy 4:1ff). This spirit of deception was the reason for John’s writing. He says he is wrote, “concerning those who are deceiving you,” (2:26). He also said, “Children, let no one deceive you,” (3:7). The Christians John wrote to needed to learn how to distinguish these Spirits.

Sadly, we are still in the same circumstances today. People are still advocates of the devil. We find false teaching everywhere and it is up to us to test and discern between  what is from God and what is from the world. May we always be vigilant and wary of the teachings that comes from the mouth of Satan! 

Twenty Lies We Tell Ourselves (And God’s Responses)

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

Neal Pollard
  • “I did this by myself” (Deut. 8:17)
  • “I’ll do it tomorrow” (Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13)
  • “I’ve gone too far and done too much” (cf. Luke 15:13-24)
  • “I can’t do it!” (Num. 13:31; Phil. 4:13)
  • “Nobody will ever know!” (Ecc. 12:14; Rom. 2:16).
  • “I deserve this” (Luke 12:15-21;
  • “This feels right so it must be right” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25)
  • “I’m not good enough” (Eph. 1:6; Heb. 12:28)
  • “No one will miss me; I’m not needed” (1 Cor. 12:14-27)
  • “It won’t matter a thousand years from now” (Mat. 25:46)
  • “God is trying to keep me from enjoying life” (Gen. 3:4-6)
  • “I can quit anytime I want to” (John 8:34; Rom. 6:16; 2 Pet. 2:19)
  • “Everybody does it” (Exo. 23:2)
  • “I’m only hurting myself” (Luke 17:1-2; Rom. 14:13; 1 Cor. 8:9-13)
  • “If God loved me I wouldn’t be going through this” (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6)
  • “I can’t help it” (Rom. 8:13; 1 Cor. 9:27)
  • “I was born this way” (1 Cor. 6:9-11)
  • “It’s too late for me” (Matt. 20:6-9)
  • “I don’t need help” (Ecc. 4:9-12)
  • “Nobody cares about me” (Rom. 8:35-39)

“Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom” (Psalm 51:6)

via Pixabay (creative commons)

All the Time in the World 

Friday’s Column: Supplemental Strength

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Brent Pollard

1969 was a landmark year in many respects. Most notably, the year saw a man walk on the moon. Of much lesser note, 1969 witnessed George Lazenby take on his sole (some say, forgettable) performance as the iconic spy, James Bond. I am not a Bond fan, seeing as nothing is entertaining about an unrepentant philanderer. Yet, I do enjoy music. Thus, I am familiar with this Bond movie because of its soundtrack, which featured a Moog synthesizer for the first time in its main theme. Louis Armstrong recorded the love theme for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The song was titled, “We Have All the Time in the World.” It was Armstrong’s last studio recording. 1Sadly, he was too weak to play the trumpet during the piece, performing only the vocal. 2

The love theme belies the movie’s sad ending well. Music composer, John Barry, chose Louis Armstrong to do the vocal for the love theme precisely because he felt that Armstrong could deliver the titular line with irony. 3 The song’s title is Bond’s last spoken dialogue in both the Ian Fleming book and the film of the same name. I doubt I am spoiling a movie that is 50 years old by revealing its ending but provide warning that there is spoilage ahead.

With the sixth Bond installment, Bond is finally allowed to fall in love and marry. In the closing moments of the story, however, the antagonist kills Bond’s wife as they are heading out on their honeymoon. The movie’s love theme, as an instrumental, Armstrong’s vocal performance, and several reprises play prominently throughout the film’s score. Hence, this pretty false promise crashes down under the weight of reality in the end. Not even spies saving the world have time promised to them.  The atypical Bond ending makes it more of a cult favorite among fans of the franchise. It didn’t do well at the box office. Of course, that may likewise be attributable to Sean Connery’s absence from the screen. Critically, the movie is well received, with at least one reviewer considering it the third best film of the franchise. 4

I think this subject strikes a chord with me more because of it being Armstrong’s last recorded song than for anything otherwise related to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Armstrong is a man of declining health singing about having all the time in the world. I wonder if Armstrong had a sense that he was nearing his departure. In the final years of his life, Armstrong battled poor health but went against the advice of physicians by continuing to tour and perform. 5 I suppose one may chalk that up to dying doing what one loves?

But what of us? Do we ignore the stark reality of James 4.14? We are like the morning fog burned away by the rising noontime sun. And sometimes our lives are such that even if lengthy we may sound as Jacob speaking to the pharaoh: “The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life…” (Genesis 47.9 NASB). Even so, we act as if we have all the time in the world. Jesus reminds us that we have but a small window in which to do what we must (John 9.4). Yes, the night is coming. Perhaps, you have been putting off those things you know must be done to save your soul or improve your example as a Christian. Don’t listen to Satan’s sweet melody telling you about the time you do not have. Your only time is now.

“Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Corinthians 6.2b NASB).

 

REFERENCES

1 “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Soundtrack).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 June 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Her_Majesty%27s_Secret_Service_(soundtrack).

2 “We Have All the Time in the World.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Have_All_the_Time_in_the_World.

3 ibid

4 Hausmannsgate. “All 25 Bond Films, from the Best to the Worst.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 21 Nov. 2015, www.imdb.com/list/ls055107293/.

5 “Louis Armstrong.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Aug. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong#Death.

louis_armstrong2

When the Tempter Has You Out On A Limb

Friday’s Column: Supplemental Strength

brent 2020

Brent Pollard

 

You can learn much by observing nature. Not only can one know God by looking at nature (Romans 1.18-20), he can learn specific lessons on various topics by looking at specific aspects of God’s creation (e.g. ants teach industry, Proverbs 6.6-8). I was watching a humorous scene outside my office window recently and was reminded of this.

 Our household, despite being full of “dog-people,” has cats for “pets.” Let’s just say that we feed the cats and provide them outdoor shelter for keeping mice, moles, and snakes away from the house. In many respects, they’re feral but become domesticated long enough to eat the kibble we put out. And, if they feel like initiating it, contact resembling petting may occur. If there is one thing I don’t like about cats, though, it is their murderous nature. Even though well-fed, cats will kill for sport. 1

 This latter observation creates a conflict for someone who has always enjoyed feeding and watching birds as well. We had to give up putting out birdseed when the cats became a part of our household. At first, the birds avoided our house. Yet, kittens learn by watching adult cats. If adult cats don’t teach kittens how to hunt, they aren’t as successful at it. As the senior hunters have passed from disease and predation or gone fully feral, being chased off by other cats, the birds have begun coming back without our encouragement. Frankly, I think a few of those “birdbrains” must be rather smart.

 One such smarty was teasing one of our cats the other day. He or she served as a good example of the tempter. As Angelo, a cat with a pattern of “angel’s wings” on his back, was slowly climbing up a budding, dogwood tree, the bird did not fly away. Instead, the avian adversary just side-stepped further to the right out on to thinner branches. The higher Angelo climbed, the thinner the branch on which the bird rested became. It seemed as if the bird knew that if Angelo tried to pounce on him or her, he would go crashing to the ground while he or she would just fly away. Angelo really thought about his situation. It took him several minutes, but he finally understood that despite his prowess, continuing towards his coveted prize would lead to his harm. Thus, to his chagrin, he slowly made his way back down the tree to the safety of the ground below.

 Herein is the lesson from nature. The tempter will lure you out from “relative safety” in order to bring your desire close, only to ensure when you pounce on it, you will end up falling flat on your face (consider Romans 6.23). We must ensure we are aware of where we are (Hebrews 2.1-4). The branches upon which we make our way may grow thin quickly, depriving us of a solid foundation, and causing us to fall.

 Of a truth, no one ever sets out to fall, he just fails to appreciate the gravity of the situation. Keep your eyes on what lies beneath your feet (1 Corinthians 10.12).

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1 Traywick, Catherine. “Killer Kitties: Study Proves They’re Not as Innocent As They Look.” Time, Time, 9 Aug. 2012, newsfeed.time.com/2012/08/09/killer-kitties-study-proves-theyre-not-as-innocent-as-they-look/.

BEGGAR IN A BENZ

Neal Pollard

Melissa Smith contacted KGTV in San Diego, California, to make an interesting report.  She had watched a pregnant woman and her little boy beg for money at a local shopping center.  Many people gave the woman money.  Melissa happened to watch the woman, who held a sign reading “Please Help,” get into a car with a man driving a Mercedes Benz. A follow up story, a few months later, found what appears to have been the same couple driving a brand new Mini-Van that still had dealer plates.  The address for the Benz owner was an upscale apartment that rented for $2500 per month (10news.com). There are many people in legitimate need of financial help, and there are many more legitimate ways to contribute to their assistance than handing money out of a car window.

Yet, there’s an application I want to draw from this extreme case.  As incongruous as it is for a Benz owner in a fancy apartment to stand on a corner and beg, there is something more out of place.  In Colossians, Paul describes Christians as those qualified to share in an inheritance (1:12), attaining to all the wealth attached to that (2:2), partaker of all treasures (2:3), and owners of an unparalleled prize (2:18).  Do we ever live like spiritual paupers?  We do when we allow worry, doubt, immorality, fear, guilt, or any similar thing to cause us to live like and act like the impoverished world who has no access to these wonderful spiritual blessings.  We have a place in glory reserved with Christ (3:4).  We have no need to beg for the scraps the world can offer.  Let us live like the rich children of God that we are!