A WARNING FOR THE LAST DAYS
Beware of Deception

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
— Matthew 24:24 (KJV)

Jesus gave us a warning that we cannot afford to ignore.

We are living in a time when deception is everywhere. The enemy has always been a deceiver, but Scripture warns us that as the last days approach, deception will become even more powerful and convincing. Jesus said that false Christs and false prophets would arise and perform great signs and wonders—so convincing that, if it were possible, even the very elect could be deceived.

Notice something important: Jesus didn't say deception would always look evil.

Sometimes deception looks good.

Sometimes it sounds spiritual.

Sometimes it comes wrapped in Scripture.

Sometimes it comes from someone who knows how to say the right things, use the right words, and even appear to have spiritual authority.

That is why we must be careful.

Not Everything Spiritual Is From God

We cannot judge something simply because it looks powerful, emotional, supernatural, or spiritual.

The Bible tells us:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.”
— 1 John 4:1 (KJV)

We are commanded to try the spirits.

Test them.

Examine them.

Compare what is being taught with the Word of God.

The question should never simply be, “Did it make me feel something?”

The question is:

“Does it agree with the Word of God?”

God will never contradict His Word.

Deception Can Be Very Convincing

Jesus didn't warn us about deception because it would always be easy to recognize.

He warned us because deception can look convincing.

The enemy is not interested in making error look like error. He wants error to look like truth.

Paul warned the church:

“For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)

That should make us stop and think.

If Satan can present himself as an angel of light, then we cannot depend only on appearances.

We cannot depend only on personalities.

We cannot depend only on charisma.

We cannot depend only on miracles.

We cannot depend only on what is popular.

We must know the Word of God.

Know the Word for Yourself

One of the greatest protections against deception is knowing Scripture.

Don't just know what somebody says the Bible says.

Read it for yourself.

Study it.

Pray over it.

Hide it in your heart.

The Bereans were commended because they didn't simply accept what they heard. They searched the Scriptures to see whether those things were true.

“They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
— Acts 17:11 (KJV)

That is the kind of Christian we need to be.

Don't believe something simply because someone has a title.

Don't believe something simply because someone has a platform.

Don't believe something simply because thousands of people follow it.

Search the Scriptures.

Don't Trade Truth for What You Want to Hear

There is another warning we need to take seriously.

Paul told Timothy:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”
— 2 Timothy 4:3 (KJV)

There will be people who don't want truth.

They want something that makes them comfortable.

They want something that confirms what they already believe.

They want a message that never challenges them, never corrects them, and never calls them to repentance.

But God's Word doesn't exist to simply make us comfortable.

Sometimes truth comforts us. Sometimes truth corrects us. Sometimes truth convicts us.

And we need all of it.

Stay Close to Jesus

The answer to deception is not fear.

The answer is Jesus.

Stay close to Him.

Stay in His Word.

Stay in prayer.

Stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Stay humble enough to receive correction.

And don't allow the noise of this world to become louder than the voice of God.

There are going to be many voices competing for our attention.

Many opinions.

Many teachings.

Many personalities.

Many movements.

Many things that will claim to have the answer.

But Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
— John 10:27 (KJV)

Know His voice.

And knowing His voice requires spending time with Him.

This Is Not a Time to Play Church

This is not a time to become careless with our faith.

This is not a time to simply follow the crowd.

This is not a time to be spiritually asleep.

This is a time to wake up.

We need men and women who know the Word.

We need Christians who can recognize truth from error.

We need believers who will stand when standing isn't popular.

We need people who will love Jesus more than they love acceptance.

And we need a church that is more concerned about being biblically right than being culturally accepted.

Let Us Be Watchful

Jesus gave us the warning because He loves us.

He told us ahead of time what was coming so we would not be caught unaware.

So don't live in fear.

Live in discernment.

Don't become suspicious of everyone.

Become grounded in truth.

Don't chase every new teaching.

Chase Jesus.

Don't be impressed by everything supernatural.

Be anchored in Scripture.

Don't allow deception to pull you away from the truth.

Know the Word.

The enemy may be a deceiver, but Jesus is the Truth.

The enemy may bring confusion, but God is not the author of confusion.

The enemy may try to imitate the things of God, but there is only one Savior, one Lord, and one truth.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
— John 14:6 (KJV)

Church, this is a warning:

Guard your heart.
Know your Bible.
Test what you hear.
Discern what you see.
Stay in prayer.
Stay close to Jesus.

Because in these last days, deception will be real—but so is the truth.

And the safest place we can be is anchored in the Word of God and walking closely with Jesus Christ.
Candy Houser

When the Minstrel Played
“But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.”
— 2 Kings 3:15 (KJV)
There are moments in life when we need more than an answer—we need the presence of God.

In 2 Kings 3, the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom were facing a difficult situation. They had gone into battle, but they found themselves without water. They needed direction. They needed a word from God.
The prophet Elisha was called upon, but before he spoke, something interesting happened.
He said:
“But now bring me a minstrel.”
And then Scripture tells us:
“And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.”
There Is Something Powerful About Worship

Elisha understood that he needed to get his spirit in the right place to hear from God.
The music wasn't magic. The instrument wasn't the source of the power. God was.
But worship helped create an atmosphere where Elisha could quiet the distractions around him and become sensitive to the voice of God.

Sometimes we come into church carrying the weight of the week.
We bring our problems.
We bring our disappointments.
We bring our unanswered questions.
We bring our worries about our families.
We bring burdens that nobody else even knows we're carrying.
And then the music begins.
A song is sung.
A piano begins to play.
Hands are lifted.
Voices begin to worship.
And somehow, in the middle of it all, our attention begins to shift.
We stop looking at the problem and start looking at the One who is greater than the problem.

There Is Something Powerful About Worship
Changes Our Focus
Notice that the situation had not changed yet.
The water had not appeared.
The battle had not been won.
The answer had not yet been revealed.
But something changed inside the atmosphere.

The minstrel played, and the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha.
There are times when we don't need God to immediately change everything around us. Sometimes we first need Him to change what is happening inside us.

Worship reminds us:
God is still God.
He is still faithful.
He is still in control.
He has not forgotten us.
He has not abandoned us.
He is still worthy of praise.

Never Underestimate the Ministry of Music
This passage should remind us that music is not simply a "warm-up" before the preaching.
A song can minister to a broken heart.
A piano can help calm a troubled spirit.
A worship service can help someone who walked through the doors discouraged find hope again.

A singer may never know what someone in the congregation is carrying—but God knows.
The person singing may think they're simply singing a song, but God can use that song to reach somebody who desperately needs to hear it.
The minstrel played—and the hand of the Lord came upon him.
What a beautiful reminder that what we do in worship matters.

We Need Worship Before We Need Answers
Perhaps one of the greatest lessons in this passage is that sometimes we want the answer before we're willing to worship.
We say, "God, show me what to do."
But God may first be saying, "Worship Me."
We say, "God, fix this situation."
And He may be saying, "Trust Me."
We say, "God, tell me what's next."
And He may be saying, "Get your eyes back on Me."

Worship doesn't mean that our problems aren't real.
It means our problems are not bigger than our God.
What If We Came to Church Ready to Worship?
What if we stopped waiting for the perfect song?
What if we stopped worrying about who was singing?
What if we stopped worrying about how loud or soft the music was?
What if we stopped judging the worship and simply entered into it?

What if we came into the house of God saying:
"Lord, I'm here for You."
Maybe the person beside you needs the worship more than you realize.
Maybe the person singing has been fighting a battle all week.
Maybe the person playing the instrument has been praying for God to touch someone.
Maybe the person sitting quietly in the back is one moment away from giving up.
And maybe God wants to use a song to remind them that He is still there.

Let the Minstrel Play
There will always be moments when life feels dry.
There will be battles we don't understand.
There will be seasons when we don't know which direction to go.
But when those moments come, let's remember the words of Elisha:
"Bring me a minstrel."

Let the worship rise.
Let the songs be sung.
Let the instruments play.
Let hearts surrender.
Let the congregation lift its voice.
And most importantly, let us make room for the presence of God.
Because sometimes, right in the middle of our uncertainty, worship opens our hearts to hear what God has been trying to tell us all along.
The minstrel played.
The hand of the Lord came upon him.
And the word of the Lord followed.

May we never underestimate what can happen when God's people truly worship.
Worship Him before the answer comes.
Praise Him before the breakthrough comes.
Trust Him before you understand.
Because He is worthy—not just because of what He does, but because of who He is.
Candy Houser

Yesterday, what started as an ordinary moment with a crossbow quickly turned into something terrifying.

Don’t Walk Away—Draw Near

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the people who are slowly walking away from church.

Not because they don't love God.

Not necessarily because they have stopped believing.

But because somewhere along the way, they became hurt, disappointed, discouraged, offended, or simply tired.

And my heart hurts for them.

I know what it feels like to go through difficult seasons. I know what it feels like to be disappointed by people, to feel misunderstood, and to wonder why things happen the way they do. But through every season of my life, I've learned something that I don't want to forget:

People may disappoint you, but Jesus never changes.

That's why I want to say something today—not as someone who has everything figured out, but as someone who genuinely loves the Lord and loves His church.

Please don't walk away.
If you're hurt, come closer.
If you're discouraged, come closer.
If you're disappointed, come closer.
If you've been offended, come closer.
If you're tired, come closer.

Don't let what happened to you pull you away from the One who can heal you.

We are living in a time when I believe we should be drawing closer to the Lord—not farther away. Scripture tells us that as we see the day approaching, we should be encouraging one another and gathering together “so much the more.”

And that message feels especially important right now.

Because I see people pulling away when we desperately need to be pulling together.

I see people becoming distant when we need to be drawing near.

And I can't help but wonder:

What if the very time we are tempted to walk away is the time we need God—and His people—the most?

Don't Let Hurt Become Distance

Sometimes people leave because someone hurt them.

Sometimes they become disappointed in a leader. Sometimes they disagree with a decision. Sometimes they feel overlooked or unappreciated. Sometimes they become frustrated with people in the church.

And let's be honest—the church is made up of people.

People are imperfect. Leaders are imperfect. We are imperfect.

But our faith was never supposed to be built on the perfection of people.

Our faith is built on Jesus.

If you allow every disappointment with people to create distance between you and God, eventually the enemy will use that hurt to isolate you.

And isolation is dangerous.

When we stop gathering with God's people, stop worshiping, stop praying, stop reading His Word, and stop allowing others to encourage us, it becomes much easier to become spiritually cold.

What began as, “I just need some time away,” can eventually become years of distance.

Don't let a temporary hurt create a permanent distance from God.

We Are Not Living in a Time to Drift
Look around us.
We don't need another reason to become spiritually distracted.
We need to become spiritually awake.
Jesus told us to watch.

Paul warned us about the last days.

Scripture repeatedly calls us to remain faithful, steadfast, sober, watchful, and ready.

The answer isn't to retreat from God.
The answer is to run toward Him.
When the world gets darker, we need more light.
When confusion increases, we need more truth.
When fear increases, we need more faith.
When people are falling away, we need to hold on tighter.

When the culture pulls us in one direction, we need to know what the Word of God says and stand on it.

Come Closer

If you've been drifting, come back.
If you've been hurt, bring your hurt to Jesus.
If you've become discouraged, let the Lord strengthen you.
If you've been offended, don't allow offense to steal your relationship with God.

If you've stopped attending church, come home.
If you've stopped praying, start again.
If you've stopped reading your Bible, open it again.
If you've lost your joy, seek His presence again.
You don't have to have everything figured out before you come back.

You don't have to pretend that everything is okay.

Just come closer.
Jesus is still calling.
His arms are still open.
His mercy is still available.
His grace is still sufficient.
And His church still needs you.

Don't Go Away When You Should Be Drawing Near

We are living in a time when we need each other more than ever.

Don't allow disappointment to separate you from fellowship.
Don't allow offense to separate you from worship.
Don't allow people to separate you from Jesus.

Don't allow the imperfections of the church to make you forget the perfection of the Savior.

The answer isn't to walk away.

The answer is to draw closer.

Closer to Jesus.
Closer to His Word.
Closer to prayer.
Closer to worship.
Closer to the people of God.
Closer to the cross.
Closer than you've ever been before.

Because the Bible doesn't tell us to forsake assembling together because the day is approaching.

It tells us to do it “so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

So if you've been thinking about walking away, stop and reconsider.

If you've been drifting, turn around.
If you've been standing at a distance, come closer.
The days ahead aren't a time to move farther from God.
They're a time to get as close to Him as we possibly can.

Don't walk away.
Draw near.
Stay faithful.
Stay in His Word.
Stay on your knees.
Stay close to Jesus.

Because we don't know how much time we have—but we do know this:
Jesus is coming again.

And when He comes, I want to be found faithful, watching, worshiping, and ready.

You Can’t Discuss the Ocean With a Frog

They Only Understand the Pond. Remember That.
There’s a saying that has been on my mind:

“You can’t discuss the ocean with a frog. They only understand the pond. Remember that.”
At first, it sounds funny. But the more I think about it, the more truth I find in it.
Sometimes we try to explain something to people who simply don't have the perspective to understand it.

You see the ocean.
They see a pond.
You see possibilities.
They see limitations.
You see where God is taking you.

They only see where you've been.
And sometimes, no matter how carefully you explain it, they still won't understand.
Not Everyone Has Seen What You've Seen

A frog can live its entire life in a pond and never know the vastness of the ocean exists.
That doesn't mean the ocean isn't real.
It simply means the frog's experience has been limited to what it knows.
People can be the same way.

Some people have only experienced a small circle. They've never stepped outside of it. They've never dreamed beyond what they've always known. They've never understood what it means to trust God when the path ahead isn't clear.

So when you start talking about something bigger, they may not understand.

When you say, “I believe God is doing something new,” they may question you.

When you say, “I believe there's more,” they may tell you to be realistic.

When you begin walking in a direction they don't understand, they may even criticize you.
But here's something important to remember:
Their inability to see it doesn't mean God didn't show it to you.
Stop Trying to Prove the Ocean

One of the hardest lessons in life is learning that you don't have to convince everyone.
Sometimes we spend far too much energy explaining ourselves.
We explain our decisions.
We explain our dreams.
We explain our calling.
We explain why we're changing.
We explain why we're no longer comfortable staying where we used to be.
And sometimes, we keep explaining because we desperately want someone to understand.

But there comes a point when you have to realize:
Some people aren't rejecting your explanation. They simply don't have the capacity to see what you're seeing.
And that's okay.
You don't have to make the frog understand the ocean.
Just keep swimming.
God Has Called Us to More
As believers, we should never allow someone else's limited vision to become the boundary of God's plan for our lives.

The Bible says:
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
— Isaiah 55:9 KJV

God sees what we cannot see.
He knows what we don't know.
And sometimes He will lead us into places that other people don't understand.
Abraham had to leave what was familiar.
Peter had to step out of the boat.
Moses had to walk toward a sea that looked impossible.
The disciples had to follow Jesus without knowing exactly where the journey would take them.

Faith has never required us to have everyone's approval.
Don't Shrink Your Ocean to Fit Someone Else's Pond
This is where we have to be careful.
Don't shrink what God is doing in your life simply because someone else is uncomfortable with it.

Don't make yourself smaller so someone else can feel bigger.

Don't abandon your vision because somebody else can't see it.

Don't stop growing because someone preferred the old version of you.
And don't let criticism convince you that obedience is rebellion.

There is a difference between listening to wise counsel and living your life according to someone else's limitations.
We should always be humble enough to listen, pray, examine ourselves, and make sure our motives are right.
But once God has given you direction, you don't need permission from everyone around you to obey Him.

Sometimes the Pond Is All They've Ever Known

Here's the part that deserves grace.

We shouldn't become arrogant because we see something someone else doesn't.

Remember: we all have ponds we haven't outgrown yet.
There are things God is still teaching every one of us.
There are places where our understanding is limited.
There are areas where we haven't yet experienced the depth, breadth, and greatness of what God can do.

So don't look down on the frog.
Just don't ask the frog to define the ocean.
Let God expand your understanding.
Let Him enlarge your vision.
Let Him stretch your faith.
Let Him take you places you've never been before.
Some People Will Understand Later

Sometimes the people who don't understand you today will eventually see what you were talking about.
Sometimes they won't.
Either way, your responsibility is the same.
Keep walking.
Keep loving.
Keep serving.
Keep growing.
Keep praying.
Keep obeying God.
You don't have to win every argument.
You don't have to answer every accusation.
You don't have to correct every misunderstanding.
And you certainly don't have to spend your life trying to convince someone who has already decided they don't want to see.

There is freedom in realizing that.

The Ocean Is Bigger Than the Pond
Maybe you're standing at the edge of something God is calling you toward.
Maybe you're entering a new season.
Maybe you're dreaming again after a season when you stopped dreaming.
Maybe God is opening doors you never expected.
Maybe people around you don't understand.
Remember the ocean.
Don't allow someone else's limited perspective to determine the size of your faith.
Don't confuse their inability to see with God's inability to do.
And don't spend your life trying to explain the ocean to someone who has only ever known the pond.

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is smile, pray for them, love them—and keep moving forward.
Because the ocean is still there.
It's still vast.
It's still deep.
And it's still waiting to be explored.
So go where God is leading you.
And remember:
You can't discuss the ocean with a frog.
They only understand the pond.
Don't shrink your ocean to fit their pond.

Today we will be reading the Scripture John 3:16

In this scripture....

Pray with me.....