deceive*

Ephesians 5:6 "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. I try to keep a positive attitude. But when I read this scripture it puts me in mind that we do need to be watchful what we take in. We have a society that tells us being good is good enough. The Bible tells us "all have sinned", it also says "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." I grew up in a legalistic church and I try to watch myself that I don't return to the same legalism. I have to believe the Bible and accept it, but I want to have a spirit of love in the things I say and do. There is only one Jesus, that died on the cross for you and me. We learn about him from the Bible, from Preachers, from other Christians. It may sound legalistic when we quote Hebrews 10:25, "Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together...", but it is an important part of being a Christian that we meet with other believers for our edification and theirs. We would grow cold and be easy to fall for deceit when we don't stay close. There are all kinds of things that would try and separate us and isolate us from other Christians. Sometimes a hurtful word or action can be directed towards us. Sometimes it can just be life, that draws us away. We need Jesus and other Christians. That verse continues ... "and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." We have to be closer to that day then we were when I started this Christian life. We live in a society that has drawn away from God and the Church. There are so many things that can compete with Church on Sunday Morning. We even have good preachers on television on Sunday morning. But we must not allow this to draw us away and isolate us from other Christians. We must not allow anything to come between us and our God. We can be deceived with vain words, we are human. To me, vain words would be words that have an element of truth in them. I want to be in fellowship with other Christians. I need it, we all need it. This Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for the training I had. I am thankful for the teaching I have had thus far in my life. I am thankful for that night in January 1984 when God got my attention thru a preacher. It was God that touched me that night, it was the reinstatement of a journey that began when I was a young child. I had gotten off track, I had been deceived, but God was watching over me. We each have to give an account of our lives someday. Let us be careful that we can give a good accounting on the day we stand before God almighty. We begin this life with God at some point, and we grow. We do not know it all or learn it all in one brief moment, but it is just like a child growing up, we learn all thru life. We all need a good church home where we can be fed good things. God Bless, LVZ.