Luke 21:8 “And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.”

Are you being deceived? This is a valid question you should ask yourself. With so many voices, ideas, and opinions competing for our attention, it can be demanding for anyone to sort truth from fiction. In the last days, the Bible tells us many will be deceived (1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4). Are you one of them? Throughout the Scriptures, we are warned against the dangers of deception, not only in the end times but also in our day-to-day living. The most potent tool of the enemy is deception. The very definition of deception means that those who are deceived do not know or believe they are deceived. So, it is very important that we, as believers, are on guard against this trap from the enemy and diligently seek after the truth found only in God’s Word. Truth makes us free from deception. One thing you need to know right off is this: anyone can be subject to deception (Matthew 24:24) No one is immune. In fact, thinking you cannot be deceived means you are already deceived. Knowing how easy it is to be swept away into deception, Paul strongly warned us to “take heed” in 1 Timothy 4:16. Do not wait until something comes up before you try to figure out if it is truth or deception. Be ready for it. Spend quality time in the Word of God. Scrutinize every idea, thought, opinion, and doctrine, with the standard of God’s Word. When you compare everything to the Word of God, you will guard against deception. Finally, to guard against deception, you have got to live by faith. That is what will keep you out of deception. There will always be challenges in this world. Even we, as believers in Christ, will face the challenges. But one thing is different for us. We know the truth, and the truth we know shall make us free (John 8:32).

Colossians 3:13 NIV “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Every human has been deeply and profoundly hurt at some point in relating with others and has struggled with forgiveness. I believe the majority of the world’s population, Christians and Non-Christians are struggling with forgiveness. When someone hurts us, our natural response is to strike back. Rather than forgive, we want to pay back the pain, shame, and suffering.  Rather than let go, we cling to resentment, rage, and retaliation. Sincerely, there are people who have been truly wronged and mistreated by others from their own family, church family, best friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and relatives. Though they know God has instructed us to forgive, but they are asking themselves some tough questions: What if it hurts too much to forgive? What if the other person is not sorry? How can I let someone off the hook for doing something so wrong? But a quick reminder: forgiveness is a decision, an act of your will that results in true freedom. And I want to pint you to the ONE who was offended the most and forgave the most, the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows your pain, He knows your need, and He know how best to empower you to forgive, even when you feel it is impossible (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 5:7). Hand over your situation to Him (Jesus Christ). You hurt yourself when you live with deep-rooted bitterness. The best gift you can give yourself is to forgive others. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose!

Matthew 28:6 KJV “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

On the morning of Jesus’ resurrection, the angel uttered these words to Mary Magdalene and the “other” Mary who was with her: He is not here, for he has risen. No, of course the Lord Jesus Christ is not on the cross. He is also not in the grave. He was raised from the dead and he is now in heaven, sitting on the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). He is set on the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Hebrews 8:1, Ephesians 1:20-21). This is a hope-filled statement. Our hope is not in the crumbling world system, but rather in the One who defeated death for us and will return to take us home for eternity! Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is alive forevermore (Revelation 1:18). But is He alive in you? Is Christ’s light shining through you and visible around you so much that darkness cannot stand your presence? Is Christ’s life being lived through you so that men can see and experience His good works through you? Can He manifest His power through you in tangible ways? Is Christ’s love being expressed through you so you can love the unlovable; that you can look into people and have compassion on them instead of looking down on people and despising them? Jesus Christ is alive. But can you show with proof that He is alive in you? That is the critical question you and I need to answer as we celebrate His resurrection.

Ephesians 5:11 NLT “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”

Deal with the cause, the consequences will be taken care of. It is time to confront darkness, so the consequences of the reign of darkness can be taken care of. We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to manifest the boldness and love of God through us. We are living in a culture where we are labeled as intolerant, narrow-minded, and judgmental when we speak up for truth. As Christians, no matter what, we should not tolerate sin. We are to confront sin by speaking the truth in love.  We need to compassionately and lovingly explain the truth. Apostle Paul warned the believers in Ephesus, “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them” (Ephesians 5:11 NLT). The Lord Jesus Christ also warned, “Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness” (Luke 11:35 NLT). We Christians are dealing with very serious issue; that of eternity. We have to tell people the truth. It may be difficult. It may be uncomfortable. It may separate us from some people and groups. But we have to tell the truth. We love to tell people that God loves them and has compassion on them. And of course, that is true. Yet we are reluctant to say they are sinners who are separated from God, or believers living sinful lifestyles. We need to tell the truth. People need to hear the truth. Yes, it is easier to blend in to avoid offending anyone. But do we want to offend God? If we do not tell the whole truth, then we will offend God. Every believer is called to declare the whole counsel of God. He has called us to preach the gospel and to be His witnesses. Our common enemy is the devil; let us unite to confront him and his evil works!