Words from the Rock
If anyone tells you, “There [Jesus] is, out in the desert,” do not go out; or, “Here he is, in the inner rooms,” do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:26–27 NIV
Jesus is well aware that scam artists and charlatans have been around since the beginning of time, and he knows there are more to come. He also understands that many frauds will get involved in religion. So he warns you not to be deceived if someone tells you they can take you to see Jesus. You don’t need to join a special group or go to a special place to be with Jesus. Those are the lines of a trickster.
There are several reasons people set up religious scams. Some frauds just want to get rich, and they know how to pick out people vulnerable to scams—people who are spiritually lost and desperate enough to believe they can buy their salvation. Other tricksters are so full of themselves and their false ideals that they hope to gather a following.
Some people have been tricked and don’t realize it. Jesus doesn’t want you to be deceived. He wants you to beware if someone suggests that giving money or services will secure your spot in heaven. He wants you to be skeptical if someone offers to “take you somewhere” to find Jesus. Don’t forget that you have Jesus’s Spirit to guide you—and that quiet discernment will help you to suspect when something’s not quite right.
Jesus promises that when he comes, you will know it. In the same way you can hear a boom of thunder and see a flash of lightning in the sky, you will know without a doubt when Jesus shows up. It’ll be a big deal! Anyone who tries to tell you differently is probably trying to trick you. Don’t fall for it.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Teach me how to be wise and not fall for anyone’s tricks. I know I can trust you and that you make yourself known in ways that are indisputable.
Amen.
Final Word
Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.
2 Corinthians 4:18 CEV
Stone for the Journey
When my eyes are on Jesus, I cannot be tricked.