August 2, 2004

[Rev. Doc]

Deception

"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient."
Ephesians 5:6

Man for the most part can be a very gullible being. We have the tendency to be swayed by peers, power and possessions. We tend to be deceived by fast talkers. We must walk carefully in this life being more attentive to the Spirit's leading than the enticements of this world.

In late September 1864 Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest was leading his troops north from Decatur, Alabama, toward Nashville. But to make it to Nashville, Forrest would have to defeat the Union army at Athens, Alabama. When the Union commander, Colonel Wallace Campbell, refused to surrender, Forrest asked for a personal meeting, and took Campbell on an inspection of his troops. But each time they left a detachment, the Confederate soldiers simply packed up and moved to another position, artillery and all. Forrest and Campbell would then arrive at the new encampment and continue to tally up the impressive number of Confederate soldiers and weaponry. By the time they returned to the fort, Campbell was convinced he couldn't win and surrendered unconditionally!

Prayer: Ask God to help you not to be deceived but to stay focused on Him.

"You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time."
~Abraham Lincoln.