Have You Ever Been Deceived?

Have You Ever Been Deceived?

No one - at any time - wants to be deceived. But it happens - and oftentimes to the best of people because they let down their guard. Let's examine the Scriptures to see where most people fall into this snare.

Proverbs 6:25-26 says - "Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life."

Here we have a situation where a man is deceived by the charming beauty of a woman - "a whorish woman." She catches or ensnares him with her wanton glances. Like the women in the East, she paints her eyelids so that they appear to glimmer with an indescribable lustre. What he doesn't realize is that her sensual glances are like arrows or fiery darts which have the power to wound, kill, captivate, and destroy him. With one look, she steals him away from any instruction or wisdom he may have had. Not realizing the danger of a single look, he falls into her trap and ends up committing adultery with her. Deception - in this case - leads him down the road to poverty and beggary.

Proverbs 26:24-25 says - "He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart."

Here is a situation where a friendship begins. One man thinks that the other is his friend. At least, that is the way it seems.

Little does he realize, that the so-called friend is really his enemy - a hypocrite. Actually, this deceiver is holding a grudge in his mind and retaining hatred in his heart against him. With his lips, he pretends friendship so that the hatred that is hidden in his heart will not easily be detected. Hidden in his mind is the mischief that he intends to pull on his neighbor as soon as he can catch him at an advantage.

By all appearances, you would think that this dissembler is the most wonderful person to have around. He is so gracious and fair in his speech - constantly giving good words to the man who he calls "friend."

Yet, it doesn't take very long before his "true colors" are seen by all. He has "seven abominations" in his heart - meaning that he has many projects of mischief against his friend which he labors so craftily to conceal with his fair speech.

Deception came - in this case - through the flattery and fair speech of a so-called friend who was out to "cut the other man's throat" - so to speak.

Proverbs 31:30 says - "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

Many people have been deceived in this situation - thinking that a woman's greatest qualities are "favor" and "beauty." Nothing could be further from the truth!

Many women have displayed "favor" - a graceful manner, demeanor, or deportment - only to later be revealed as having an ill-natured or depraved mind and impure or deformed soul. The reality of the transitoriness of "beauty" hits home when sickness, old age, or death occurs. The elegance of shape, symmetry of features, and the beauty of the countenance soon become as nothing.

Many men have been deceived by these delusory or soon-fleeting qualities in women. And many women have deceived others - while giving a false representation of themselves or by using "favor" and "beauty" to cover up a deformed and wicked soul.

Have you ever been deceived?

How about in these three particular situations?

Have you fallen prey to the enticements of "a whorish woman" - only to find yourself on the road to poverty and beggary as a result?

Have you been deceived by a so -called friend who spoke kindly to you - while all along pretending friendship - only to find out in the end that he was out to ruin or destroy you?

Do you judge a book by its cover? Have you favored certain ones - whether male or female - because of their graceful demeanor or physical attractiveness - only to find out in the end that this was all a cover-up for an ungodly and wicked soul?

Let this message be a warning to you to never let down your guard - for surely the moment you do - you will be deceived!

May God Bless His Word.

Connie

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