To The Dearly Departed

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart form the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;  1 Timothy 4:1-2

This is often a scripture used when someone is giving a sermon on prophecy and the end times.  It is often used in a manner as a warning to somewhat shock or evoke a fearful wonder at what is going to happen.  I myself have never really dwelt much on this scripture as this particular end time happening seemed long in coming.  I was wrong.  I was wrong in the fact that end time events don't just happen suddenly.  They kind of sneak up on you or at least that's what it may seem like.  In reality the preparations and stage settings for prophetic events begin years, decades, and even centuries earlier. 

I believe this particular prophetic event is one of the absolute oldest in it's beginnings.  The enemy, Satan , began the campaign of this scripture with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 

In the garden of Eden, nothing was withheld from Adam and Eve save for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Genesis chapter 3 recounts the event of the fall of man, with the deception of Eve.  The serpent beguiled or seduced Eve into questioning God's command concerning the tree. He did this by using two tactics that the enemy still uses today.  He questioned her in such a way as to cause doubt (or confusion ) about what God had said.  Did God really say not to eat of that tree?  Was that what God really meant?  Eve, speaking the Word of God back to him said yes, that is what God said.  It would be the Word of God, because it is what God said and commanded,  just not in written form as His Word the Bible. 

This is possibly the first instance of the Word being used against the enemy's deceptions.  Another would be when Jesus spoke the Word back to him in the desert wilderness when Jesus was to be tempted.  When Eve spoke the Word back to him, the next tactic he used was to slander God and put the seeds of doubt and mistrust in Eve's mind about God's intentions.  He, the serpent, said to her out rite that God did not want them to eat of the tree because He, God, knew that if they did, they would be like Him and He didn't want them to become as He was.  Basically the serpent told her that God wanted to keep them dumb so he could rule over them. 

Satan has been using these two and other tactics to deceive and seduce people away from God.  Many "Christians" and church denominations have fallen prey to his deceptions over the past decade.  There are ministers who preach an adulterated and heretical gospel.  Denominations that accept lifestyles that are blatantly contrary to God's word and His commandments.  What is troubling are the individual people who have been drawn away from God by either these same type deceptions or have left because of the effects of these and other things the church and church people have messed up. 

I have friend whom I have know since I was little.  My friend's family were of a denomination different than mine.  During our mid to late teens, my mother had an accident which prevented us from attending our church regularly.  My friend invited me to come to his church for a while.  The difference between our respective denominations was easy to see.  I believe that God was using this as part of His plan and destiny for me.  A whole new world was open to me.  I had a new desire and hunger for God.  I will say that where my denomination was hard lined, my friend's was open and where mine was open, his was a bit more hard lined. 

To make a long story short, my friend had some hurtful experiences from some church people and from things in his home and personal life.  These things I believe were the seeds of doubt and confusion being planted by the enemy.  My friend entered a local collage and was then subject to the secular humanistic teachings and beliefs of his professors.  These things watered the already planted seeds.  Today my friend, the one who God used to lead me to a higher place in Him and start me on His path for me, no longer believes in God.  He believes there is a higher power, but it is not the God that we understand created the universe and all that is in it.  It would take too long to explain exactly what he believes, but that is the sum of it. 

People leave the church or Christianity for many various reasons.  I believe some, like my friend, mostly from hurts and lack of understanding.  People will either be mad at God, not fully understanding that God did not cause what happened or that what they have seen is not how God truly is or they are not mad at God but dis-associate themselves with all things christian, which actually leads to their dis-association to God.  Still, there are others who want to believe, but make God in the image that fits how they want to believe and live.  Some ministers and denominations have chosen to accept, believe, and promote, ideas and lifestyles that the bible is against because of greed, fame, and the approval of men. All of these scenarios equate to having given heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

I want to encourage you.  Read, study, pray, and seek God for yourself.  Build a personal relationship with Him.  The Word of God admonishes us to get understanding.  Seek understanding and wisdom.  By these you will be able to stand when things are hurtful and not be led into error by false teachings.  I say this to strengthen those who may be in such a place or have been and as lifeline To The Dearly Departed.

In Christ,
Kevin