Avoiding the Spiritual Pitfalls

Beware of False Prophets

When Christ instructed his disciples in his Sermon on the Mount he gave them a warning. This warning was a reiteration of a warning given by Moses and repeated by many of the apostles. What was the warning? Beware of False Prophets even ones who do miracles! Jeff Patton examines the scriptures to get a complete picture of the danger posed by these wolves who masquerade in sheep’s clothing. Can you spot one? Do you know what their defining characteristic is?

Beware the Devil’s Devices

We first meet the Devil’s devices in the garden of Eden. There he sowed doubt in the minds of Adam and Eve with his crafty insinuation. “Is it true that God has said…” He first undermined their trust in God as a God of truth. Then, he appealed to their desire to be wise and live forever, with the infamous, “You shall not surely die!” As the Father of lies he obscured the truth that only God could give eternal life as a gift. And though it was ‘true’ that the tree of knowledge would ‘open their eyes’ and give them knowledge, he used this to deceive.

Beware — Balaam and the Church

Balaam and the church, what are the lessons for us today? The world is full of irony, like the former KGB head, Vladimir Putin, championing moral conservatism, or the Catholic church espousing religious freedom. Jeff recounts this very old story of double-mindedness, as seen in the biblical account of Balaam.

Beware Discouragement — Don’t Give Up

In a world that is contrary to biblical values we are warned of the reality of the adverse environment and its effect of “wearing out the saints,” and thus discouraging, undermining, and frustrating our efforts to serve God wholeheartedly. Are we aware of this danger in our lives and are we prepared to face and overcome the challenge of being “worn out” by the daily difficulties.