About this time of year, I’ll be driving down the road with the air conditioner on and see a lovely field of powdery fresh snow. Snow? Texas snow, that is. Cotton. Those white acres of unpicked cotton look like a field of snow waiting for snowmen and snow angels to be made. At a distance, we can easily be deceived and imagine icy crystals. But we know better. How is it, then, that even though we think we have it all figured out, we can be so easily deceived at times?
Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly.
Colossians 2:8-9 (The Message)
Dazzling Deception. Sometimes it is pretty nice:
“That blouse is too big for you. You definitely need a smaller size!”
“Absolutely, those jeans look great on you!!
At other times, those lies makes you feel like a failure. That’s how deception sometimes works. Exciting appealing, thrilling, discouraging, depressing. But you must be careful not to let this deceit interfere with your ability to see the real truth.
When it is time for cotton to be harvested around here, the farmer uses a cotton stripper. This machine strips the entire plant, leaving a bare stem. Sometimes we need to strip things from our lives that can hinder us and deceive us so that we can see the truth.
Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (The Message)
It’s hard in today’s world to strip down, start running and keep our eyes on Jesus. I know we are in this world and no of this world, but we are just trying to survive down here. And sometimes we take our eyes off Jesus. When that happens, deception happens.
When people tried to deceive Jesus, he always responded clearly. He was truthful and his words were straight out of the Bible. We must remember to test dazzling words, arguments, and double talk in the same manner: with the words of truth from the Bible.
One more cotton comparison. After being stripped, the cotton is formed into a round bale
which has a plastic coating around it to protect it from the elements and help it get to the gin for processing. We, too, have protection.
Ephesians 6:10-18. Go read it!! Here is the condensed version:
Belt of Truth
Breastplate of righteousness
Shoes of peace
Shield of faith
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the Spirit
And –
pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
So, put that armor on, be protected against deception, and let everyone know who you are: a disciple of Christ.
Heavenly Father,
What a good, good Father you are that you have provided us with the Bible which is a lamp to our feet and a light to guide our path. You have also given us an armor so that we can stay strong and fight against the forces of evil in this world. Give us wisdom and discernment so that we can identify the lies and be able to thwart deception. And let us always give you thanks – for you give mercy and grace and love abundantly so that we may abound in every good work
Amen.
***Interested in an excellent Bible Study on Ephesians 6? The Armor of God, by Priscilla Shirer, is a 7-session Bible study that prepares you for the battles you will face as a follower of Jesus. This study equipped me to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. It can do the same for you.
