Be Aware and…BEWARE!
Be Aware and…BEWARE
By Bud Hancock
Introduction
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” – Matthew 24:4-8.
We are in the midst of a deceptive attempt to steal our freedoms and liberties all in the name of ‘doing it for our benefit’. We are told that, unless we obey the government’s unconstitutional orders to “social distance”, “shelter in place”, “stay at home or at work”, as well as several other ludicrous commands, the government will not be able to keep us safe. In my lifetime, I have yet to experience the situation when government could be credited with actually providing my safety or security. Further, government should be given neither the authority, nor the responsibility to do so, especially if you are a believer in Jesus Christ.
We are living in a time when deception has become the modus operandi of the world. Governments of the world, and their agents, do not hesitate to use deception to convince their citizens that a certain agenda being pushed is “for their own good”. This was the strategy and tactic used by the Nazis, at the urging of Satan, to convince Germans that they would be better off if all Jews were eliminated. If the deception offered is not readily accepted, governments will then resort to other tactics, mostly fear-based, to reinforce the deception. The tactic worked so well for Satan in the 1930s that he has since used it many times to change the direction of entire nations, peoples and cultures. It has become so commonplace that many people are not even aware they are being deceived. In the US, deception is a common means of convincing people to buy certain products, travel to certain destinations and vote for certain candidates for public office.
The Perilous Times Are Here
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” – (2 Timothy 3:1-7 KJV)
Since God made sure that these words were included in the Canon of Scripture, we can be absolutely certain that they are true, and that the prophetic implications of them will become reality at some point. However, we are now much, much closer to their fulfillment than we were 10 or 20 years ago. So, in that case, what are we supposed to do. We must become so familiar with these warnings and exhortations from God that they become second nature to us and are constantly speaking to us, to our spirits. In other words, we must be aware of what God has told us, especially relating to the coming deception, how it works and what we need to do to protect ourselves from it.
All believers should be experiencing an awareness that we are entering into the perilous times mentioned in the Bible and many have expressed the belief that we are already living in the days Jesus was describing in Matthew 24. Jesus cautioned in verse 11 of that chapter that many false prophets would rise and deceive many. Along with that warning, He said that because iniquity will abound, the love of many would wax cold. In my mind, there is nothing more iniquitous than causing another person to believe a lie, especially one that may damn that person’s soul to hell.
Those of us who were born in the US and have lived here all our lives are quite unfamiliar with Christian persecution. Though it has been common among Christians in other countries, especially the undeveloped nations for many years, it has yet to really hit here. But that seems to be ending, quickly. Using the words of Paul to Timothy describing men in the ‘perilous days’, it is easy to see that we are surrounded by such people on every hand: They are our neighbors, our fellow workers, our so-called political and religious leaders and yes, even some of those that are regarded as ‘latter day prophets’. Jesus specifically spoke of these: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” – (Matthew 7:15 KJV). The reference to sheep’s clothing indicates they wish to appear part of a flock of believers, but their words and sometimes, their actions, do not agree with that. They are trying to deceive the true flock to get them to go astray.
Remember that Satan’s two weapons against people are deception and fear, and that deception works more easily against those who are unaware of the enemy, who and what he is and how he attacks. Actually, deception works much better when those being attacked are in a constant state of fearfulness. Fear prepares the human mind to receive lies as truth, especially when the lies seem to offer a way out of the state of fear. This is why God stated so many times in His word that WE SHOULD NOT FEAR! The reason the current round of deception has been so successful is that it has been leveled against a populace that has been placed in a fearful state based on the supposed deadliness of a virus. This attack has been used to deceive hundreds of millions of people around the entire world, and has been especially aimed at Christians.
I have spoken to many who are, or claim to be, Christians and who are constantly worried about contracting this Coronavirus. They have accepted the deception that ‘wearing face masks’ and practicing ‘social-distancing’ will keep them safe and protect them against the disease. Many local churches have succumbed to the demands of government to close their doors and keep their flocks locked down at home instead of regularly gathering to worship in an atmosphere of freedom, confidence and reverence for God. In other words they have publicly announced that they believe every word the leaders of nations have spoken, that unless they accept the government’s unconstitutional trampling of our God-given rights (and NO, those rights are NOT granted by any government), they are in extreme danger of dying from this virus.
Ironically, when the group of men who became known as the ‘Founding Fathers’ rose up against the tyranny of the British king, their ranks were fat with the religious leaders, the preachers, pastors and evangelists of that time who knew that, unless they stood against that tyranny, they would all face enslavement and destruction. They stood shoulder to shoulder with farmers, shop owners, tradesmen, statesmen, rich men and poor men, and refused to give in to the tyranny and deception.
However, those voices that today should be denouncing the fear that is allowing the deception to take hold seem to be oddly silent, seemingly afraid to tell their flocks and followers that they need to rid themselves of the fear and denounce the government’s attempts to steal our freedoms and liberties, leaving us little better than slaves and bondmen and bondwomen.
It seems that, because of the fear being pushed by government leaders and many ‘so-called’ medical experts, many have fallen victim to the lies and deception and have simply rolled over and played dead in order to……do what? Why would our revered religious leaders, those heads of mega-ministries, allow the government to drive a fearful, freedom-killing agenda without standing against it? Could it be the fear of losing their precious 501c3 status, and being faced with paying federal taxes on all offerings, tithes and other revenues coming into their churches and ministries? Whether this is the reason for such disgraceful inaction against the evil agenda or not, time will tell.
Those religious leaders, pastors, teachers and evangelists have a choice to make. They can continue to bow down to the god of money and keep their 501c3 status or, they can re-read God’s words to get the correct response to this political/medical event and begin to lead their flocks and followers back to the correct path. Those who know God and have heard and still believe what He has said in His word, should immediately begin instructing their flocks that no amount of medical advice, good or bad, can protect them against an enemy too small to see, and I refer to a virus; nor will giving in to unconstitutional restrictions and orders protect them from an enemy that can be seen, and I refer to an overreaching government.
As for the virus, the correct response is found in Psalm 91: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” (Psalm 91 KJV)
Deciding to accept and act on this passage of scripture as the Truth of God requires two elements. The first is commitment, the level of commitment that shouts: “no matter what man says, his words are not to be acted on when they contradict God’s words”. However, this commitment will not work without the second element which is an active faith, the faith that demonstrates what James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (James 1: 17-18 KJV). The kind of faith James was talking about is the faith that cause a man or woman, when confronted by an enemy whose only weapons are fear and deception, to stand strong and say as did the psalmist: I will not fear any plague or pestilence the enemy may send against me, for no evil befall me, neither shall any plague come near my dwelling.
When a believer decides to actually believe what God has said, and then act on it, the threats and coercion of governments have no power over him. He will become as bold as a lion and fearlessly act on and speak the truth, without fear, with deception having no effect on him whatsoever.
Conclusion
We are truly living in the perilous times as mentioned earlier in this article. But, as believers in God and His son Jesus Christ as our savior, our deliverer, our protector, our healer, we should absolutely NOT walk in fear. We must be aware that any fear that confronts us is NOT from God. Our refusal to buy into any fear-driven agenda, and our commitment to walk in faith will build an immunity against deception. This awareness of the origin of fear as a weapon must be kept active in our minds constantly, simply because we ARE in those perilous times. If we are aware, or as the dictionary defines it, ‘watchful’, we will be ‘wary’ and the dictionary offers that word as the meaning of ‘beware’.
Though this may sound somewhat redundant, Our Father knew what dangers would face us as we become believers and mature into strong Christians. God’s warnings against fear and deception were meant to keep us on guard against those dangers. He knew that Satan is a cunning, sneaky enemy whose only purpose is to steal, kill and destroy and he knows just how adept Satan is in using those weapons against us.
The apostle Peter also provides a warning that encourages us to be watchful, or aware and wary. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith,” (1 Peter 5:8-9a KJV).
It is up to us to use God’s words to build up our faith so that the fear used against us becomes ineffective. If we can stop the fear, we can also eliminate the effects of deception and walk in the freedom God intends for us.
Be strong and FEAR NOT!
Blessings!