October 28, 2022 ~ Devotions: "Harvest"

  And So I Continue . . . . . .  

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and 

tell of all thy wondrous works.   Psalms 26:7  

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Even in the early days of the church, there were those who would be called "false teachers". Men who deceived God's people in to believing that everything they said was truth. Today's modern language some would call this behavior, "Gaslighting".  What does that mean? In the dictionary this is a person who will manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.  I had a psychiatrist explain it to me this way one day. You are sitting beside or across from a gaslighter over a coffee table. There is a candy dish on the table and while you are talking, they quietly slide the candy dish closer to you. They continue talking but, in a moment, they burst out, "Why did you move that candy dish?" - and you in confusion say, "I didn't touch that dish!"  "Yes, you did I saw you myself!" They carry on like this until you begin to question yourself to the point that YOU apologize for moving the candy dish.  You say that's crazy, that could never happen.  Yes, it could. It happened to me, and it happened in Paul's day to God's people.

Paul is trying to rein in the church at Galatia and warn them of these false teachers whose main goal was to dissuade the Galatians from communicating with their honorable pastors, and faithful ministers of the Word. To support them as they were taught; but the false teachers have been able to deceive the people into believing they ought not to support the men of God who shared the true Word of God with them. Paul called them what they were deceivers to the people. He warned the church to continue in the faith, there is a punishment for disobedience to God and the Word. These men mocked God and convinced the people of "their spirituality" and that all they said was true, and the people blindly followed them.

As we continue our journey here on earth as Christians, and till His returning, we should ever be cautious of those who would deceive us into believing other than the Word of God. Men wax glorious and tell great stories, but the true Gospel is kept out of their great "messages". They have deceived men from the beginning of time, to believe everything that comes out of their mouths is truth, until we become so enamored with them that we would believe all that they say. Be careful Christian that you never let your guard down to those who do not preach the whole counsel of God.  There is a punishment to the sinner, there is a literal heaven and a literal hell. There is a day when ALL will be judged.  Make sure of your own salvation. Read your Bible, study on the Word you know is true and if a man begins to tell you otherwise from a "pulpit", pray and ask God to give you clarity of mind and soul. Then obey God not man!  Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Lord, help us to be wise, studied up, aware, and faithful to You. Amen.

With love and prayers,

LKMilam

Linda K Milam

Missionary to America and Around the World