Monday’s section of this week’s lesson asks how we can keep from being deceived by Satan? Satan is a narcissist. Narcissists gaslight their victims by creating illusions that appear to defy what is true. Satan tempts us by creating illusions that appear to defy what is true. He has to make us doubt Bible truth before he can deceive. There is no need to fear or be deceived if we trust the Bible even when Satan’s illusions contradict it. Let’s look at how the serpent deceived Eve. 

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:2-5 NKJV

The serpent  subtly and casually called God a liar when he said, “You will not surely die.” In order to deceive Eve, Satan had to make her doubt God’s Word.

If we believe God’s Word we will not be tricked into sin. We barely left Psalms, but if we can go back again for another quick visit we will see,

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 NKJV

The Bible, which is God’s Word, protects us from deception. It concerns me when people will say that science or archeology has proven the Bible to be true. Why does this concern me? First of all please don’t misunderstand me. The Psalmist says nature testifies of God’s greatness and love. True science goes right along with the Bible, but when we make the Bible appear to rely on science or archeology for validation, we are giving science and archeology authority over and above the Bible. If I am in traffic court, and the police officer is assuring the judge that my testimony is true, then that must mean the police officer has more authority and merit than I do, because I am relying on his or her validation. The Word of God does not seek to be validated by man. Mankind, human philosophy, science and archeology hold no authority over the Bible and are not qualified to declare God’s Word valid or invalid. The Bible stands on its own merit and gives but does not receive validation. 

Photo by William Earnhardt

A few years ago I was grading some 7th-grade math papers, when a 7th-grade math whiz came up to me to ask me if I had graded his paper yet. He wanted to know if he had missed any answers. This 7th-grade math whiz was so good, I told him, “Are you kidding me? I use your paper to see if the answer book is right or not!” Of course I was using a little humor in telling this student how great he was at math. If I am letting the student decide if the answer book is right or not, it must mean I think more of the student than the answer book.

If I let an archeologist or human philosopher tell me if the Bible is right or not, it must mean I think more of the archeologist or philosopher  than  I do the Bible. Science and even certain philosophers may present great tools, however, I do not let philosophers and archeologists tell me if the Bible is right. I let the Bible tell me if they are right.

Some people think they are smart to question God’s Word. However the Psalmist says,

Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever. Psalm 131:1-3 NKJV

When the Bible presents ideas too great for us to understand, Satan suggests the ideas are actually foolish, when in reality they are just beyond our human comprehension. Human pride loves to cast aside as foolish the things it can’t explain or comprehend.

Instead of becoming skeptics of God’s Word when we find something we don’t understand, it is wiser to be like David and trust God’s Word like a small child trusts its mother. After all, we will never be able to explain everything about God. If we could understand and explain everything about God, He would cease to be God and would be just like us.

When I was a child, my parents did a lot of things I could not understand until I became older and grew up to be like them. While I can grow up like my parents did, I can never grow up to understand and explain everything about God and His Word. If I could be like God, He would not be much of a God. The fact that we  cannot explain everything or even validate everything in God’s word demonstrates that it is greater than we are. If human evidence and philosophy could validate the Bible, then the Bible wouldn’t be any more inspired than the humans validating it. As Paul exclaims regarding the greatness of God,

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:33 NKJV 

Peter tells us some people think they are being smart when trying to bring the Bible down to their own level when in reality they are twisting it to their own destruction. 

…….which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 2 Peter 3:16 NKJV

While we cannot explain everything about God, He gives us plenty of evidence to believe His Word. As you well know, Adam and Eve did die because of their disobedience. God’s Word, in time, proved to be true. Daniel 2 contains a prophecy spanning well over a thousand years and so far every detail of that prophecy has proven true. Even the part that says, 

As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. Daniel 2:43 NKJV

In this prophecy the Bible says Europe will never be united into another one-world empire. During World War II many thought Hitler would form another one-world empire, but they were wrong, and God’s Word proved true. As I have illustrated in a previous article, “Every Word of God Proves True.” If what we see, hear or feel contradicts what God’s Word says, we can be sure what we see, hear or feel is wrong. This is why we cannot afford to give more merit to skeptics, philosophers, scientists or archeologists than we do the Word of God. Instead we must,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

In order for me to make you believe 1+1=3 I must make you doubt the math answer book. If  I can make you doubt your math textbook, I may be able to deceive you. Narcissists all know that in order to make you believe their lies, they have to first gaslight you, causing you to doubt what is actually true. Narcissists gaslight their victims by creating illusions that appear to defy what is true. Satan tempts us by creating illusions that appear to defy what is true. He has to make us doubt Bible truth before he can deceive. There is no need to fear or be deceived if we believe the Bible even when Satan’s illusions contradict it. 

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Daily Lesson for Thursday 4th of April 2024

What Jesus did for us on the cross enables Him also to intercede for us in heaven. Our resurrected Lord is our great High Priest, providing everything we need to be saved and to live in God’s kingdom forever.

Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com

The text says that He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, NKJV). And it adds, “Let us therefore come boldly”—that means confidently—“to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV).

To state it very simply, Jesus presents us before the universe as clothed in His righteousness, saved by His death, and redeemed through His blood. Everything we should have been, He was. In Christ there is no condemnation for the sins of our past. In Christ our guilt is gone, and through His mighty intercession, the grip of sin on our lives is broken. The chains that bind us are loosed, and we are free.

“When the great sacrifice had been consummated, Christ ascended on high, refusing the adoration of angels until He had presented the request: ‘I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.’ John 17:24. Then with inexpressible love and power came forth the answer from the Father’s throne: ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’ Hebrews 1:6. Not a stain rested upon Jesus. His humiliation ended, His sacrifice completed, there was given unto Him a name that is above every name.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 501, 502. Jesus wants more than anything else for us to be with Him in heaven. The desire of His heart, the reason for His death and intercession, is to save us. Do you have a special need in your life? Tell it to Jesus. Where there is sorrow, He brings comfort. Where there is fear, He brings peace. Where there is guilt, He brings forgiveness. Where there is weakness, He brings strength.

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