Category: lies / deception

Zealously Affected #24

Sunday, March 15, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

I speak from personal experience. Attempting to reason with emotional people is, frankly, a total waste of time because emotions have no reasoning behind them anyway. (Remember how emotions respond to simulations rather than reality—sadness results from watching tragic and romantic movies, excitement comes with drama and adventure, anger stems from thrillers, fear results from horror shows, and so on.) It has been suggested that our decisions are made on the basis of 80% emotion and a mere 20% intellect! If true, no wonder our world brims with mistakes, failures, carelessness, and poor choices… especially since those short-lived emotions gave way to others, leading to additional faulty judgments.

For several years now, I have attended the various sporting events of my niece and my nephew. Parents get quite worked up when their child’s team is losing or being treated unfairly. Recently, at one such game, a mother of our group yelled at the referees, then a father of the opposite team screamed at her, and he next shouted at the referees, and she finally roared at him. How truly silly and utterly embarrassing! When emotions run high, ridiculous conduct is instigated; blasphemies and obscenities are uttered. Children notice this immaturity amongst adults, and they copy it when dealing with their peers on the court or field. I have even seen coaches throw tantrums—and, accordingly, their kids were just as asinine. Physical altercations were moments away! (This explains why police officers were stationed there.) Once, I spotted a hilarious sign at an athletic park entrance: “Our coaches are volunteers. No scholarships will be awarded here. What is most important is having fun.” Yea, here is reason. It is far more preferable to lose a game than lose a life!

Parents need to be sure they are ideal role-models for their children concerning the regulation of emotions. They need to be zealously affected in good things, and not zealously affected in evil….

Zealously Affected #23

Saturday, March 14, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

Recall the conundrum of the Galatian Christians. In today’s Scripture, they were “zealously affected, but not well.” To wit, their Law-based false teachers affected them so they became fervently supportive of man’s religious performance (discarding God’s all-sufficient work/Grace). Emotionally manipulated, they were no longer “zealously affected in a good thing;” that is, they had been brainwashed to reject God’s grace which they had originally received from Paul heartily! In short, they were “flip-floppers,” suddenly changing their opinion to match their situation which had also changed. By “warming up” to their false teachers, the Galatians then “cooled down” in their affection for Paul, thereby being excluded from the Lord’s spokesman to them. Once their Apostle wrote to call this to their attention, he foresaw how they would react to him most bitterly, regarding their friend and brother in Christ as their enemy (cf. Galatians 4:16). What an ABSOLUTE mess!

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Worshipping God goes beyond mere experiencing “good feelings” and involves more than simply “getting in touch with the spirit world.” Our praise of Him must align with “truth,” and truth is not found by searching our hearts or admiring ourselves. Truth is pinpointed in the words of God “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15), what the Holy Spirit says to and about us in Paul’s epistles of Romans to Philemon. We study the Bible from cover to cover, as it is all God-breathed or spoken by the Holy Ghost. Still, we make sure we understand that the Pauline Books define what the God of creation is doing at the moment. Regardless of how we “feel” about this or that, no matter what we “feel” about “him” or “her” (fellow people), here is the objective standard by which we (should!) determine the veracity or falsity of our experience.

This is the only way to survive our spiritually “perilous” world….

Zealously Affected #22

Thursday, March 12, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

“No one knows everything, no one is perfect, so I cannot possibly fault my ‘favorite’ Bible teacher for promoting lies.” “Yes, our pastor teaches false doctrine, but we cannot bear to send him away from our assembly.” No matter what we “feel,” the objective Holy Scriptures stand. May we obey them by faith.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18). “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).

“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Timothy 6:3-5). “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, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Zeal for the Lord indeed transcends all human relations….

NOTE: In order to bring you a special study tomorrow, we will temporarily break away from this devotionals arc….

Zealously Affected #21

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

Originating in the emotion-driven Charismatic Movement during the 1960s and 1970s, “contemporary Christian music” has now become a regular feature of “worship” services in nearly all local churches. Upon hearing these sounds, people report having “chills” or goosebumps (the technical term is “frisson”). With adrenaline released, an emotional spark or tingly feeling prompts physical reactions—lifting hands, tapping toes, swaying hips, waving arms, jumping, dancing, running, and uttering ecstatically. Although offered as “evidence of the filling of the Spirit,” we are not convinced… for we observe the same movements at nightclubs, worldly concerts, and sporting events (where patrons are “filled with the spirits”). Furthermore, compared to traditional hymns, the lyrics of contemporary Christian music tend to be shallow, the doctrine foolish and false. That means no Holy Spirit is working and God cannot possibly be glorified. Another spirit is at work, and emotions have tricked individuals yet again (“zealously affected, but not well”).

Christendom’s “scholarly elite” further threatens our spiritual welfare. Members of this party have emotional attachments to “church fathers,” seminary professors, and textual critics. They exalt the opinions of men and change the Bible text to agree with what they “think” God meant. Supposedly, God Himself sent them to recover/reconstruct His Bible that He “lost” over the centuries due to an accumulation of manuscript errors. After all, they heard this skeptic’s viewpoint in their “Christian” university classes for years. Now that they have graduated with their humanistic degrees, they pass on such error to us the naïve Christian community (programmed to worship “scholarship” too!). What unbelief (“zealously affected, but not well”)! “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

These emotional individuals are in leadership positions in our churches and schools, so indeed be on the lookout for them and promptly flee….

Heir by Position, Pauper by Practice #19

Friday, January 23, 2026

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice!

Consider these warnings. “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple [naïve, gullible]” (Romans 16:17,18). “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed [be careful, exercise caution] how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11).

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled [tricked] Eve through his subtilty [sneakiness, slyness], so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him…. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4,13-15).

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [corrupt, distort the meaning of], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16).

Beloved, let us beware of these false teachers, especially those who quote the Scriptures but do not “rightly divide” them….

Heir by Position, Pauper by Practice #18

Thursday, January 22, 2026

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice!

Colossians 2:10 pronounces, “And ye are complete in him [Jesus Christ]….” “Complete” means “lacking nothing, crammed to the full.” Such is our identity in Christ and entirely because of Christ. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). This is our spiritual wealth in Christ, that of Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:….” One of the dominant themes of Ephesians (advanced form of doctrine, building on elementary Romans) is “riches” (see Ephesians 1:7,18; Ephesians 2:4,7; Ephesians 3:8,16). Therefore, Satan seeks to reduce us to mere paupers!

After laying out Colossians 2:6,7—victorious Christian living—the Holy Spirit inserts a word of caution in verse 8. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” We should “watch out, be careful,” for Satan our adversary (enemy) will use whatever or whomever is necessary to draw us away from Christ (just as booty or treasure is carried off from a plundered building or town). Remember the Galatians’ move from the riches of grace to spiritual pauperism, “weak [inability] and beggarly [poverty]” works-religion (Galatians 4:9)!

Like in New Testament times, the Devil’s program is still extremely (!) lethal (!) in destroying Christian lives via “philosophy” (love of man’s wisdom), “vain deceit” (empty/worthless lies), “the tradition of men” (manmade ideas and practices passed down from generation to generation, which customs compete with and therefore distract from the Bible’s supreme authority), and “the rudiments of the world” (basic/shallow religious/philosophical/speculative systems, world religions). “And this I say, lest any man should beguile [trick, charm] you with enticing [appealing, tempting, attractive] words” (Colossians 2:4).

Such “enticing”—albeit deceptive—words have filled church history for 2,000 years now….

The Mighty Man #8

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

“Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually” (Psalm 52:1 KJV).

Let us see how Psalm 52 can teach us something about the past, the present, and the future….

Re-read the rest of Psalm 52, verses 5-9: “[5] God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. [6] The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: [7] Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. [8] But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. [9] I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.”

As David the Psalmist had faith in JEHOVAH God, so we ought to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as David was said to be like “a green olive tree,” so we have spiritual life and access to Father God through Christ: “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). We the righteous should not fear the so-called “mighty man”—those who fight against the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for He is the true Mighty Man and our victory in Him is certain. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:57,58).

Similar to how David praised God in the midst of trouble, so our Apostle Paul did and we should too: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:17,18).

The Mighty Man #7

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

“Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually” (Psalm 52:1 KJV).

Let us see how Psalm 52 can teach us something about the past, the present, and the future….

While we should always make distinctions between Israel and the Body of Christ, and differentiate between prophecy and mystery, we would also do well to notice similarities. For example, take Psalm 52. It is not to or about us, but it is for our learning. Certain principles are true no matter where we are on the Bible timeline: these are “transdispensational” or “intradispensational” truths.

Re-read Psalm 52:1-4: “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.” Did you notice the evil man, someone working against the God of the Bible, someone conspiring to lie and commit sin, someone not depending on the God of the Bible? This man is doomed to destruction. He trusts in temporary material wealth; “mammon” is his god, and it is impossible to serve God and money (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). We should not repeat his sins, as the Lord through our Apostle Paul affirms.

“Charge [Command] them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;…” (1 Timothy 6:17). “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;…” (Colossians 3:9). “That no flesh should glory [brag] in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:29-31). “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Let us go back to Psalm 52 to see David the believer’s viewpoint….

The Worst Human Invention

Saturday, February 8, 2025

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:17-19 KJV).

Sinners are “inventors of evil things” (Romans 1:30), including this….

What is the worst human invention? Nuclear weapons, taxes, money, television, and advertisements are some answers given. Yet, biblically speaking, the worst human invention is the idea that man is his own authority, his own creator (an absurdity indeed!). “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 1:25).

Read Jeremiah 17:5-10: “[5] Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. [6] For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. [7] Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. [8] For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. [9] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [10] I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Furthermore, man in his own deluded mind, in his own wicked heart, is obsessed with his own righteousness—which is but “as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) and “dung” (Philippians 3:8). How much better it would be to, “Believe [Rely, trust, depend] on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).












































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The Worst Human Invention “This I say therefore, and testify in
the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of
their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of
God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness,
to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians
4:17-19 KJV). Sinners are “inventors of evil
things” (Romans 1:30), including this…. What is the worst human invention?
Nuclear weapons, taxes, money, television, and advertisements are some answers
given. Yet, biblically speaking, the worst human invention is the idea
that man is his own authority, his own creator (an absurdity indeed!). “Who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 1:25). Read Jeremiah 17:5-10: “[5] Thus
saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his
arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. [6] For he shall be like the
heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the
parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
[7] Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD
is. [8] For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that
spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but
her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought,
neither shall cease from yielding fruit. [9] The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [10] I the LORD
search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his
ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Furthermore, man in his own deluded
mind, in his own wicked heart, is obsessed with his own righteousness—which is
but “as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) and “dung” (Philippians 3:8).
How much better it would be to, “Believe [Rely, trust, depend] on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). “Christ
died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1
Corinthians 15:3,4).

Deceptions and Distractions #5

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

“Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law” (Romans 2:17-20 KJV).

May we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to believe a lesson from Israel’s ancient history….

Like the phony pregnant female beggar distracting us from helping people who truly are underprivileged, so the fakers in religion use “sleight of men and cunning craftiness” (Ephesians 4:14) to divert our attention from what is really going on, what actually matters, what in fact is valuable. Counterfeits captivate our concentration.

There are multiplied alleged “aids to worship”—prayer beads, prayer wheels, icons, images, statues, and the like. There are so many “mediators to God”—intercessory saints and angels, a sinless perpetual virgin, and so on. There are multiplied supposed “teachers”—priests, “scholars,” church fathers, professors, and authors. Is it any wonder why the professing church is so greatly disoriented, deceived, and disabled? The primary factor is willful ignorance. We need to quit depending on people and start reading our King James Bible ourselves. We should start rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and stop making everything in Scripture the same.

Saints, let us be careful not to merely possess the rightly divided Scriptures, but to study them, and most importantly, believe them in our heart (not just our head). If we truly and consistently walk by faith in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, we will be right in the center of God’s will. The indwelling Holy Spirit will take those principles of grace and put them on display in our life. It will be the very life of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be neither deceived nor distracted! 🙂

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2).

NOTE: Brethren, this is our final original devotional for 2023, as our classic Christmas studies will now run the rest of the year.