Prayer Journal

Thursday, December 18, 2003

Perhaps you've read a book or seen a movie about con-men. In every movie I've seen, the con-men wind up getting coned in the end. It makes for a good drama, but it's also sad when you consider most of us will get coned before this day is over.

It's true! Most of us can't see an actual trap set for us even though we're confident it's out there. Scripture says that even the devil walks around looking for someone to "con" (1 Peter 5:8). Solomon thought it silly that anyone would reveal his trap to the one he wants to catch. While that may be true for a bird, but it doesn't always apply in the case of a birdbrain!

Now, I'm sorry to call you a name, but stop and think about it for a moment. Haven't we all been duped at some point and played a sucker in a con game? I know I have.

A brother and I were talking last night about trying to convince a member of a cult that they'd been duped. I admitted my lack of tolerance for such a devout cult member. They know the Holy Scripture just well enough to debunk it! They know enough about Jesus to convince themselves he is nothing more than a prophet or teacher. And they rationalize their cause by mentally overlaying their morality on the Bible falsely believing they'll get a pass on God's judgment of their sin.

Paul told the Thessalonian brothers that at some point, God will send a powerful delusion to men that will lead them to believe what the world is telling them. (2Th 2:10) Paul said they'll perish because they refuse to love the truth and thereby miss God's salvation. Satan played the con-man of the ages and those he tricked are too blind to see the truth of God's word.

Please understand this: I am not an apologetic. That is, I'm not a person who argues Christianity trying to convince a birdbrain that they've been duped. Now, I thank God for people who can do something like that, but I can't. I'll ask if they will accept the fact that the Bible is the divine word of God. If they won't after a few minutes of discussion, then turn out the lights - the conversation is over in my thinking. I figure I might need the breath I'm using later.

Have you been duped? Have you been trapped in the sticky wick of rationalizing God's word to your own way of thinking? If so, Scripture says a bird has more sense than you. By the way, I apologize for calling you a birdbrain. I inadvertently defamed the good name of a bird by comparing your brain to theirs.

Just Thinkin'... WebServant

Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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