[Alternate Title: Be Not Deceived.]
WHOLEHEARTED / definition // fully or completely sincere, enthusiastic, energetic, etc.; hearty; earnest:
[Dictionary.com app]
When I am reading a good book, I often like to look into the author and see what their life is like. Where do they live? What is their family life like? I’m curious about the process of their writing…especially if it is a book that I am totally enjoying and agreeing with the contents.
I have a book that I have been reading (on and off) to see if it may make a good Bible Study book someday…if needed. I often read several books at once so it may take me a looonnggg time to finish up one. This particular one, I came back to recently after laying it aside for a bit. I have been encouraged by what the author has to say. A while back I looked her up on Instagram and what I saw wasn’t adding up with what I was reading. I wondered about it, but didn’t dwell there long; however, I have thought about it on occasion. After I picked the book back up, I decided to try again, hoping for better results. No…in fact, I couldn’t find any evidence that this person’s life was any indicator of the same person who wrote this book! I decided to go a little farther to try to verify what I was afraid might be the case. In fact, if the sources were accurate, it was far worse than I could have imagined.
It appears that this author has practically made a 180 degree-turn in her beliefs. (I have not finished the book yet, so still to be determined.). I actually teared up a little thinking of the tragic path that this life with great influence is proceeding down…and from the strong faith evident in the book to adopting cultural views over God’s. Honestly, it is hard to fathom that one could go from such faith and wisdom to a place so distant…thus this article…
The point of this post is to maybe rattle your cage—and mine—just a bit…to challenge us to remember and not forget…to check ourselves and see who, or what, we are pursuing, or following, perhaps, wholeheartedly.
God warned the Israelites to not be deceived…
“Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.”
Deuteronomy 11:16-17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/deu.11.16-17.ESV
“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”
James 1:16 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jas.1.16.ESV
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
Matthew 24:24 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.24.24.KJV
I have prayed for years that I would not be deceived. I have seen God bring people in my path that He used to help me see the big picture at times in recent years, I have no doubt.
“But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” [love this]
2 Timothy 3:13-17 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2ti.3.13-17.NLT
As Paul told Timothy, how many of us have, in fact, been taught and heard the “holy Scriptures” since childhood? We must continue in what we have been taught. We need to spend time in the Word; but we must also ask God to continue to guide us and show us…ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with His power and wisdom, that we might not be deceived. “Evil people and imposters” seem to be flourishing…seemingly deceiving, not only ‘themselves’, but ‘others’.
This author has over 500,000 followers on Instagram. (I did not become one of them.) Her views have strayed far from what the Bible teaches about love and marriage; life itself, such as the unborn baby; and even the creation of children that God designated as male or female. But how many are following her…maybe blindly? How many is she deceiving with the deception of what she has already been deceived to think is ok? How many blindly followed her teaching as “the gospel” but haven’t endeavored to read the Bible on their own, and then have continued to follow her down this destructive path?
Please, consider…
Who—or what—sways you and your beliefs and values? Who, or what, might you be blindly following after…perhaps, wholeheartedly? Who, or what, is influencing you? The news media? Friends? Family? Social Media? Success? Personal agendas? Or, The Bible? God? The Holy Spirit?
Steve always says that, “Right is right if nobody is doing it; and wrong is wrong if everybody is doing it.” We may want what we are doing to be right…or perhaps, a loved one; but just wishing it to be true (right) simply doesn’t make it so.
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
Isaiah 5:20 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.5.20.ESV
I know this is a somber and serious post, but when I read of this author’s change of heart, it was a reminder to me that we need to be guarded. We need the whole armor of God…lest we be deceived…and in the process, take others with us down the path of deception.
“You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.”
2 Peter 3:17-18 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2pe.3.17-18.NLT
I do, however, want to give you hope and something to celebrate without fear or worry…
I have been reading in Joshua, and I don’t always understand everything that took place concerning the battles and wars (and I talk to God about those things; trust His sovereignty; and He continues to give more wisdom and understanding). I do understand, however, that those who followed God “wholeheartedly” were rewarded. They were on the winning side. I hope that you, along with me, are on the winning side. With HIS help, we can remain there…and not be deceived!
“…For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’” [~Caleb]
Joshua 14:8-9 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jos.14.8-9.NLT
I proceed cautiously as I continue to read the book I mentioned above. I have gained from its contents; yet…I wonder…at what point did she begin to turn? Is any of that woven in here? I must read guarded…
“…nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/2ti.1.12.KJV
Simply Celebrate With Jackie 