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The Tangled Web of Deceit in Our Hearts

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We cannot hide anything from God beloved! He will search your heart to find your true motives. Then according to our actions, He will give us what we deserve. Take the rich young ruler. He approached Jesus in a smug attitude asking what he must do to earn eternal life. Jesus instructed him to follow the commandments, to which the rich man said he had since he was a child. Jesus then looked into the man's heart and saw that he loved money more than God and here was Jesus' response:

 

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Mark 10 21-22 (NKJV)

 

Where is the deceit you might wonder in this case but realize that when the man approaches Jesus he is trying to justify himself before God. He had adhered to the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law. He had allowed money to be ahead of God in his life. God asked him to lay it down and then follow Him. Just like God asked Abraham to lie down Isaac before Him, God will look into our hearts and ask us to lay down the thing we have placed before Him in our lives too.

 

The rich ruler approached God with the intention of justifying himself. He would walk away further apart from God. Ananias and Sapphira approached the Holy Spirit within them with utter disdain. They would pay for it with their lives. We can even look to how Jesus Himself was brought up on charges that would lead to His crucifixion and see the role deceit played:

 

Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. Matthew 26: 3-4 (NKJV)

 

Even the so-called holy are not exempt from the temptation of deceit. Political maneuvering and backstabbing are not unnoticed by God. Treating the anointed of God with improper respect is equally noticed by a just God.

 

Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. Matthew 26: 59-60 (NKJV)

 

We sometimes miss the small details when reading the Bible but these verses actually indicate that the chief religious leaders sought false testimony against Jesus so they could recommend crucifixion! Talk about pretending to represent God on one hand and acting deceitfully on the other!

 

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Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to (more...)
 
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