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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
Delusions are damning deceptions that occur in ill-prepared minds. I remember an old adage that says, “An idle mind is the devil's workshop.” While that is not scripture, it reflects a biblical principle.
Paul said “...The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2.9-12). The mind that receives the “love of the truth” is not an idle mind.
Even as I write this message, a TV program is running to my right side. A man dressed in “clergy robes” is declaring himself to be the Master Prophet and he has a panel of others beside him who are also declaring him to be the Master Prophet. I don't know the names of the people who pay for his TV time, but I know something about them; they are people who choose to be deluded and whose minds have effectively been turned over to Satan to work his will. The most damning and deceptive part of this whole process is the fact that it “seems so right.” There are “signs” that confirm the error into which they are being led. How is this possible? There is one common thread that links all who walk this slippery slope; all of them make a conscious choice to ignore the principle of absolute truth and trade it for subjective evidences that confirm what they want to believe!
The word of God is absolute truth, not subjective theories or “warm and fuzzy” feelings. The confirmation of God’s word and of His prophets was not subject to being duplicated; imitated yes, duplicated absolutely not! The dead were raised, prison doors flung open, chains fell off, seeing eyes of the enemy of truth were blinded, the lame were made to walk, and the list goes on. The pseudo miracles of today’s Doctors of Deceit are pathetic when compared one-to one with miracles of God’s true prophets.
For instance, a very short time ago I saw a woman on TV testifying to the healing power of the prophet on whose show she was appearing; she was ecstatic because she had been healed. And of what had she been miraculously delivered? It was a buzzing in her ear! Now there is the issue! Does such a miracle confirm anything? If so what? How would anyone know that she had been healed except by her own testimony? The former blind man of John 9 gave visible witness of the power of Jesus as he walked through public places. The former lame man of Acts 3 was more than adequate witness as he leaped and jumped in the very place where he had lain crippled for many years. The corpse of Dorcas had been lovingly washed by her friends and made ready for the funerary exercises (Acts 9.36-43). Could anyone doubt the power possessed by Peter after he raised her from the dead and presented her alive to the very people who knew beyond any shadow of doubt that she was indeed dead? Compare that to a buzzing in the ear, or a headache, or nebulous pain in the back, or any number of non-verifiable ills and the miracle workers of today come up far, far short!
The Love of the Truth is a love which moves one to look behind the smoke and mirrors and to find the true God revealed in the Scriptures. The Love of the Truth tests others (see 1 John 4.1-2) and even tests itself (2 Corinthians 13.5). The Love of the Truth refuses to accept any doctrine as valid unless it comes from the confirmed word of God – the Bible!
Questions:
1. Does absolute truth exist? Are you absolutely sure?
2. How does the Bible relate to absolute truth? Is the truth of the Bible objective or subjective?
3. How do YOU see the miracles of the Bible comparing to the supposed miracles of today?
4. What spiritual truth yet needs to be revealed or confirmed that is not contained in the Bible?
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