Category: hoodwinked

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Hoodwinked or Free?

Galatians 5 When Christ was preparing the disciples for his departure, He told them that He would not leave them as orphans but He would send them the Helper, the Holy Spirit. to be with them always. The Holy Spirit would teach them the all things and bring to their remembrance everything Jesus had taught them. In addition, as Paul notes, He would come and fill us with the fruit that manifests the true family nature. Paul is wondering how this truth has been lost to these new believers.Today we wonder too when we see those who have been corrupted by the false legalizers who demand this or that. They deny the Christ who died to free us from the bondage of the Law. They come into our fellowship  and  insist that we must obey the OT rituals in order to be saved. Paul reminds them that because of that they have been hoodwinked

Where are you today beloved? Have you been hoodwinked by those who say they are Christians but they deny the Christ or are you demonstrating to them and to others the Fruit that only the Spirit can give? Does your life mirror that of Christ? Do we love as Christ loved? Are we gentle, kind and forgiving? What does our life show to others? 

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Bewitched or Hoodwinked?

Gal 3 How’s your Christian walk today? Are you walking by faith or the Law with its rules and regulations? 

This chapter is Paul’s “ouch” chapter to this church that he founded. Just as there was a TV show with that title; bewitched has the meaning of being led astray and that is Paul’s question to these Galatians. Sometimes we need a wake up call to really see where we have strayed and so Paul is using that as he is calling them back to the faith. He asks them several questions to alert them to where they are failing. He pointedly asked them if they received the Spirit by faith or by works. He asks them if their suffering was in vain or did it have a purpose?

Paul wanted these believers to rethink and return to their simple faith for which Christ died. The question is did they listen to Paul’s warnings? Do you listen when the Holy Spirit questions your walk? 

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Beware of False Teachers

Mark 12 Ignorance of the Word 

The religious leaders again sought to trap Jesus with their words but Jesus told them a parable about a vineyard and the owner’s slaves and son. It is interesting that these men who studied the scriptures thinking that in them they have eternal life have missed this important lesson that God was preparing to send His precious Son soon. 

How about us? Do we read and then walk away? What is the lesson Jesus is teaching here?

The OT scriptures foretold the coming of the Messiah and now He is here. The religious leaders listen to this tale and then walk away because they knew…get that…they knew He was talking about them! They had been given the promise of the vineyard with all its promises yet when the harvest time came they wanted to not share with the owner who is pictured as God. Over and over through the OT we see the vineyard populated but when harvest time came, they rejected giving of the truth to the Israelites. They wanted to keep them from knowing the truth! There are some religions today that say, only the priests or leaders can know the truth. This is heretical because 2 Tim 3:16 tells us the purpose of the Word. It is given to teach, to rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness. If you come across some of these leaders…run away from them. They are fools that are blocking the entrance into the kingdom of God from you. Pray for discernment so you are not hoodwinked!

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The Women of the World

Proverbs 7 Adultery

Solomon continues his teaching of his son (s) about the ways of the woman of the world. If anyone could instruct us in this topic it is Solomon. It is like reading his diary and he shows us the pattern of how this sin evolves and destroys the unsuspecting.  

Solomon gives us wise  instructions: “Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways—;” Notice it is the heart that is easily caught because it is deceitful and desperately wicked. [Jer 17:9] Sin begins in the heart and then follows its path to the loss of purity. 

Secondly, do not wander into her pathways. There are two paths of life, one that is wide and leads to destruction and the other is narrow which leads to life everlasting. The adulterous woman walks on the wide path and seeks followers, so be alert and choose wisely. 

And now for the reason: “For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims.” [Prov 7:26 MSG.] 

The lesson for us who are the aged is to read this and share its truths to the younger generation. 

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Are you prepared or deceived?

Satan is a deceiver

Ezekiel 28 Satan’s lie never changes. He has dangled this lie before men: “you will be like God.”  Like many, the rich man in Luke 16’s parable, the leader of Tyre, the leader of Babylon, and more, were captured like a fish, hook, line, and sinker. They trusted in their riches, position, power, and wisdom, and when caught, they died. Satan’s lie never changes. Have you fallen for Satan’s lie? Do you think all your riches, good works, and worldly wisdom will prove you are righteous? When you stand before God, He will ask one question: What did you do with My Son Jesus?

God says there is none righteous, no, not one. [Rom 3:10] Your one-way ticket to heaven is not through your works but through Jesus alone. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father but by Him.  [Jn 14:6]

Like Pharaoh’s magicians, the rich man of Luke 16:19-28 and the leader of Tyre, they saw the evidence of God in His creation. [Rom 1:20] However, they chose to believe Satan’s lie and now face an eternity apart from Christ. Remember this Satan may dress for a masquerade ball, but it is just that and no more. Don’t be hoodwinked by his schemes! [2Cor 11:14] Remember this: anyone who exalts himself shall be humbled.[Matt 23:12]

Remember and ask: Am I prepared to meet Jesus?

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Rehoboam’s foolish Decision

Be wise not foolish

2Chron 10-13 and 1Kings 12 Slow learners reap enormous consequences 

God had promised Solomon that HE would keep his kingdom strong if he was obedient to Him and honored him. What happened along the way is anybody’s guess, but this we do know: Solomon’s heart was drawn away by his idol worshiping wives. He fathered Rehoboam by Naamah, and she was an Ammonite. When Solomon died, Rehoboam reigned for 17 yrs. and although much of it was reasonably good, he was not a wise king initially. He did not listen to the wise leaders but was hoodwinked by his own “buddies” who were young like him. End of story, God sent trials into his life, and he failed many of them. The ten tribes of Israel left him, and thus the kingdom was divided. What are we to learn from his life? 

First, be holy as God is holy if you want to be blessed. Secondly, be strong and courageous. Thirdly, Pro 4:27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.  

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The Power of the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit is a changer of lives

Acts 9 The Conversion of Saul

As we read this story, we are drawn back to Jn 16:2 and the words of Jesus “They will put you out of the synagogue,…the one who kills you will think “they are” offering service to God.” Before this, the religious leaders did not think twice and plotted to kill Jesus and later Lazarus. As the Jews heard Saul share his conversion, they too plotted to kill him.  Is this any different than today? No, the unbelievers often do the same. The irony is that not one of them sees this as breaking the commandment: “thou shalt not kill.” Satan is a master of not only disguise but a master of lies. “Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature because he is a liar and the father of lies.”  [Jn 8:44] Satan’s one desire is to blind “the minds of those who do not believe so they [and you] would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.” [2Cor 4:4]

How easily we are duped or hoodwinked! Yet, the conversion of Saul is a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit. He alone can change our thinking, our relationship to God, and our way of life.

How has the Holy Spirit changed your life?

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“Blindsided by Men yet God gets the Glory”

Our mistakes

Joshua 9-10 Have you ever made a snap judgment only to find it blow up in your face? The Israelites did just that when the Gibeonites entered the Israelites camp and deceived them by wearing rags and carrying moldy bread, along with a tale of their journey. Their deception included meekly approaching the camp of the Israelites who accepted them at face value.

But as quickly as they deceived the Israelites, they now found out that their cleverness just might be their undoing and the Israelites will learn a hard lesson in accepting others without checking in with God. This unlikely friendship has turned the Gibeonites into enemies in the land and others seeing them as betrayers. Without Israel’s help, they would have been defeated. Even though the Israelites were not happy with the leaders for their rash decision to accept the Gibeonites, they fulfilled their promise of protection and God will use this experience to bring Him glory and teach the Israelites never again to accept others on what they see rather than checking in with God.

Remember the truth of Romans 8:28 “all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” God used Joshua’s error in not seeking God’s wise counsel regarding the Gibeonites to bring honor to Himself. God can and will use our mistakes to honor Himself. We often only see the cloud’s underside, but the silver lining, although hidden, will be revealed, so God gets the credit, not us.

When was the last time you didn’t check with God? Did you stop and give Him praise for how He used your mistake to bring about His good?

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“Trust God’s Timing and Plan!”

Trust God's Timing and Plan

Ge 27 to 29: Isaac and Rebekah were praying parents, yet they seemed to have become impatient in their old age.  Much like Sara and Abraham, they decided that God wasn’t doing things on “their” timetable, or surely God had forgotten the “plan.” Jacob is to receive the blessing according to the prophecy yet the seeds of deception which began in the Garden are still alive and well. “Isaac loved Esau…but Rebekah loved Jacob.” [Gen 25:28]That set the stage for the enemy to continue his web of deception and lies; hoodwinking us into thinking this is really what we should do. “Is it really true that God said…” [Gen 3:1] And so, Isaac and Rebekah took matters into their own hands. Surely God must remember that the firstborns are to receive the family and covenantal blessing, right? There is a warning here: God’s plans are higher than ours. [Is 55:9] Isaac’s plan to deceive will soon be circumvented by Rebekah’s, and the pattern will continue for years to come. What a tangled web we weave when we first set out to deceive.

How often are you and I, like Isaac and Rebekah, saying yes to God but later thinking God needs our help to complete the plan. How easily Satan can deceive us to follow his plan and not God’s. Isaiah reminds us that God’s plans are superior to ours. He tests us to see if we will wholly trust both the timetable and the plan! [Is 55:9-12] 

Principle: Don’t get out ahead of God.

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In a Pickle? Seek God’s Advice.

2 Chron 17-19  When in Doubt, seek God’s Advice.

Asa may not have been the perfect king, but it seems he did one thing right; he raised a godly son Jehoshaphat, who took his place. Each of us is responsible for following God or not but our parents have much to do with our path. Asa’s son cleansed the land and brought about many godly reforms. We aren’t told about his heart but we “know” him by his fruit. [Matt 12]

However, Jehoshaphat had one glaring fault: he allied with King Ahab, who was a narcissist to the core.  When Ahab wanted to fight a war, he urged Jehoshaphat to go to war with him. To his credit, Jehoshaphat wanted advice from a prophet before he went. Ahab, the ever-present fool, called in his false prophets who would agree with him whether right or wrong. Jehoshaphat was discerning enough to ask for a godly prophet to give his advice, which turned out to be accurate to the last jot and tittle while the false prophets’ words fell to the ground. Ahab was killed in battle even after disguising himself. Galatians 6 reminds us God will not be made a fool. 

Jehoshaphat, to his credit, called for godly advice before he set out. We should do the same. “But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” [James 1:5]

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