"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." —Hebrews 3:13
Oh listen my friend, Satan is a beautiful liar. The Devil's business is sin, and he's an expert at destroying people's lives. Sin will always cost you more than you intended to pay, it will take you further than you intended to go, and it will keep you longer than you intended to stay. The Devil always shows young people the neon lights, the glamour and the good times; but he never shows them where sin leads... death, destruction and damnation!
So many young people have learned the hard way
that all of Satan's apples have worms. You cannot eat at the Devil's
table without getting food poisoning. You cannot warm yourself at the
Devil's fire without getting burned. Satan shows us the neon lights of
Sin City; but he doesn't show us the graveyard. Satan shows us the
booze, women and good times; but he doesn't show us the deadly
auto-accidents, the incurable venereal diseases and the lifetime of shame
and regret that often accompany sin.
The Devil is a Beautiful Liar!
The Word of God tells us in 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4, "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." Ironically, most religious people are woefully ignorant of this truth. All around the world today, people are falling prey to Satanic deceptions which appear to be of God; but they are not. This includes false religions, false prophets, false teachings, false christs and false bibles.
The Word of God informs us in John 8:44 that Satan is not only a big liar, but also the father of all liars. We read in John 10:10... "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Satan wants to destroy us—to kill, steal and destroy our life. The easiest way for Satan to accomplish this is by leading us into sin. James 1:15 says, "...sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Sin brings death—physical, emotional and spiritual death. Sin causes sickness in all of these areas.
Satan repackages sin to make it look appealing, just as a master fisherman disguises his deadly hook with cleverly placed bait. So oftentimes, we don't see that razor-sharp hook until it's wedged into our mouth and we're being reeled in for the slaughter. With the invention of condoms and other contraceptive devices, fornication and adultery have spread to epidemic levels in America. Although the rate of venereal disease has decreased, the divorce rate and sexual sins are skyrocketing. Romans 1:32 warns us that sin brings God's judgment! America is a land of adulterers who love adulterous movies, adulterous late night shows and pornography. This is apostasy, i.e., a departure from God and His Word. Do not be deceived my friend, God will judge sinners!
Satan convinced Eve that there would be no
consequences for her sinful action; but the Devil lied. Eve was their
first feminist, who disobeyed God and then influenced her husband to disobey
God. They were punished by God for their sin. Carefully notice
what Genesis 3:6 says... "And when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, and that it was PLEASANT TO THE EYES..." Is this not the
neon lights of Las Vegas? Is this not the physical beauty of a whorish
woman? Is this not the wealth and prosperity promised by greedy con
artists today? There's a popular saying when you go into the ocean...
"If it's pretty, don't touch it, because it's probably poisonous."
Please consider the words of Proverb 20:17... "Bread of deceit is sweet
to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel."
What you pay for sin in cents, it will cost you in dollars. Satan is
an expert liar, who makes sin look irresistible; but in the end, you will be
sorry and you'll pay for it dearly.
The Pleasures of Sin Only Last for a Season
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
Just as Moses, each and every Christian needs to commit their life to God. Moses saw the wickedness being committed in Pharaoh's house day-after-day, but in his heart he feared God. When Moses came to years (i.e., became a man), he wanted out of Pharaoh's house, and chose to live for God instead. Where are you at in life? Are you still young, living in the cesspool of iniquity? Or have you come to your senses, deciding to live for the Lord Jesus Christ?
Please understand that holy living is not required to be saved. Romans 4:5 plainly states... "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." We are saved by faith alone in the Son of God. Eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15;6:23), paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:18,19). I am not talking about that. Many deceivers are preaching a false gospel today which require people to give up their sins to be saved. Can anyone give up their sins? No, of course not. Even the best of Christians are still prone to sin, and do. Certainly, a believer in Christ should have a desire to live right, and God commands us to do so; but the gift of salvation is not conditioned upon anything more than our sole faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
Moses didn't become a Christian by leaving Pharaoh's house (i.e., a life of sin). Moses left Pharaoh's house because he was already a Christian and God had been dealing with his heart, and now Moses wanted to live for God. You don't get saved by coming out of a life of sin. You get saved by coming as a sinner to the Savior. Once we are in Christ (i.e., saved), then God deals with our heart and helps us makes the necessary changes if we yield to Him (2nd Corinthians 5:17; 1st Peter 2:2; Romans 12:1,2).
We read in Ecclesiastes 12:1, "Remember now
thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the
years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them."
Go ask the folks rotting away in some nursing home if they are having fun.
Go ask the man with incurable disease caused by sin if it was worth it.
Go ask the woman who lost her pretty face in an alcohol-related accident if
she still enjoys getting drunk and partying. You see, sin only lasts
for a season. Oh, the deceitfulness of sin! The Devil always
pays with counterfeit money.
America is Doomed Because of Sin!
America could be converted and brought back to God; but she won't be, because America's churches are spiritually dead, dried up and dysfunctional. Even the best pastors today are woefully ignorant concerning the evils of the Communist New World Order, the sinister involvement of the Bush Administration in orchestrating the 911 attacks, and the forming police state in America. Every pastor in America should be crying aloud against these evils, rallying their congregations to spread-the-word. Psalm 94:16, "Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" If America's churches aren't proclaiming the truth, then who will? Sadly, there are more heathens rising up against the evildoers nowadays than Christians! The average pastor is simply making a living, trying not to offend his big-tithers and playing church. America is going to Hell and few Christians seem to care.
There is much we can do, but it needs to be done publicly. The church in Acts was very visible in the community. The Apostle Paul stated in Acts 20:20, "And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house." The truth needs to be preached outside of the church walls. Your community should know where your church stands on various important issues, including: salvation, the deity of Jesus, abortion, homosexuality, evolution, witchcraft, et cetera. Churches have the freedom of press and should mail flyers to the homes within their community every so often. Some people will get mad; but some will thank you and be reached for Christ. People need the truth. If you want to bring flyers directly to people's homes, place it with a rubber-band on the door-handle, as it is illegal to open anyone's mailbox.
Perhaps you feel that it is your churches' responsibility to "fit in" within the neighborhood, and you don't want to shove the truth down anyone's throat. If that's the way you feel, then you are an idiot. Satan is shoving Devilution down children's throats every day in the public school system. Homosexuals are shoving their vile lifestyle in our face every time they parade up and down America's streets. Beer companies are shoving their booze advertisements in our face everywhere we go, deceitfully touting the disclaimer "Drink Responsibly," while the blood of millions of victims continue to cry out to God from the ground. Satan has been shoving lies, deceit and sin in our face for a long time; now it's time for us to awake to righteousness and fight back. The fastest way for Satan to gain control is to do nothing. This is exactly what Hebrews 3:13 is warning us about... "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." When we allow sin into our life, it is like cancer—it grows and spreads until it becomes malignant, bringing death. Most people with cancer don't find out until it's too late. This is why cancer screening has become so popular nowadays. The Bible instructs Christians to look after one another. Jesus taught this lesson by washing His disciple's feet, and then asking them to do likewise.
Man's heart is desperately wicked and extremely
deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). This is why sin is so deadly. Sin is
so deceitful that the Israelites were committing adultery, murdering,
stealing and worshipping idols, while claiming it was God's will... "Will
ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense
unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand
before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are
delivered to do all these abominations?" (Jeremiah 7:9,10). This
is America today! We claim to trust in God; but we spit on His Holy
Word by legalizing murderous abortion, adulterous pornography, covetous
gambling and the thieving Federal Reserve System. We claim to be "one
nation under God" while we worship music and Hollywood idols. Woe unto
the United States! Woe unto the wicked! Woe unto the sinful
world!
Conclusion
Go to your local prison if you want to see the reality of sin. Ask the man who is serving 50-years in prison for armed robbery if it was worth it. Consider the man dying of AIDS. Ask the drunkard who lost his wife and children if Bud is Weiser. Consider the prostitute who has lost her beauty, health and dignity. Only a fool would glorify the pleasures of sin which in reality only lead to misery, pain and judgment. Oh, the deceitfulness of sin!
Consider the mother whose children were taken away because of her sinful carelessness and neglect. Consider the brainwashed public school child, who is sinfully taught through evolution that there is no Divine Creator. And then we foolishly ask why our kids are so immoral? This is the deceitfulness of sin. Educators sincerely think that children can grow up void of God and yet still have morals. It is impossible. Oh, how America has been deceived by Satan!
So many parents today fail to see the dangers of Harry Potter and The Golden Compass, both of which sinfully promote demonism and glorify witchcraft. Satan has deceived the masses to accept witchcraft as harmless. It is these same parents who see no harm in Rock bands like Led Zeppelin (who are Satanic to the core). American society is saturated with demonic influences today; but the average person is walking in utter darkness and cares not.
Do not be deceived friend, there is a penalty on sin, and that penalty is death (Romans 6:23). Many people get confused between Spiritual Death and the Second Death. We were all born spiritually dead because of the sin-nature passed down to us from Adam (Romans 5:12). This is why we need to be "born-again" in order to go to Heaven. Ephesians 2:1 says, "And you [every Christian] hath he quickened [made alive with the Holy Spirit], who were dead in trespasses and sins." Every unsaved person alive today is already spiritually dead; BUT they haven't been cast into the Lake of Fire yet, which is the Second Death (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8). You don't have to die the Second Death. You must be born again.
