Be Wisely Discerning – The Presidential Prayer Team

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. – Matthew 24:24

In today’s world, it is difficult to know who is telling the truth and who is not. Who has reliable sources? Who is putting forth lies as facts so they can grasp more power? Whose “truth” is actually true?

You are not the only one who questions what is going on in the world. Nearly two thousand years ago, the disciples asked Jesus to tell them what they should look for as the sign of His next coming and what to recognize when the “close of the age” was near (Matthew 24:3). Jesus’ reminders to them are the same for you. You must be wisely discerning and know what is true from God’s standpoint, or you will be questioning your beliefs… as the enemy would prefer you do.

As the end of the age draws nearer, Satan will pull out the stops to deceive you. As John MacArthur writes, he will use the “turmoil of the times to undermine the confidence of the [believer] and to persuade them to follow a false Messiah… they will be emotionally drained and utterly vulnerable to the subterfuge of the false christs and prophets, were it not for God’s gracious provision.”

God has given you the playbook by which you can know the direction you are to take. Be in His Word daily and spend time communing with the Lord. He will give you encouragement when you are discouraged, comfort in times of grief, protection in times of danger, relief in times of extreme pressure… when you will rely on Him for help. But you won’t know that He is your helper if you don’t know Him!

Those who truly know God will not be led astray. Be one of them!

Today’s Verse: Matthew 24:24

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-15

2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ²not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, ¹²in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹³But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. ¹⁴To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.