Spies are Everywhere

Luke 20:19-26 ESV

“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, ‘Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?’ But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?’ They said, ‘Caesar's.’ He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’ And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.”

In case you haven’t noticed, spies are everywhere. If you own a television or a cell phone or a smart phone or a tablet (android or apple) or a computer, you are being spied on. If you don’t believe me, pay attention to what ads you are getting and if they have any relation to anything you have just recently purchased or that you have done a search on or that you have had a conversation about with someone. 

Or it may not be ads, but you may have a conversation and then type in two letters in a search and it will bring up exactly what you were just having a conversation about. And this may not happen every time, but if you pay attention you should notice when it does happen. And then on social media it won’t be just ads, but it will be in “suggested for you” and things like that. But someone is always listening.

And it isn’t just listening. From what I understand they can see us through our electronic devices, so they can be watching us, too. And then they are asking other people to spy on us and to report us if we say anything that they find offensive or if it disagrees with the “official narrative” or if it is calling out liars and thieves and robbers in the government, in the media, or within the gatherings of what is called “church.”

So, read the book of Revelation and Matthew 24 and 2 Peter 2 and Jude 1, for they tell us what we can expect in the days to come. For all is being moved forward toward a one world order (the order of the Beast) and the false prophet. So not much at all can be trusted to be what it appears to be. Lies and deception are everywhere – in the government, the media, and in the gatherings of what is called “church.”

There are many parallels between what is happening in the government and what is happening in the “church” overall here in America. People are being trained (brainwashed) that if they hear certain words or phrases that they are to immediately respond with “conspiracy theory,” if it is anything related to the government, and with “works salvation” if it is related to the teaching of the truth of the gospel and the exposing of the lies of the enemy.

And within “the church” people are being trained to reject anything that calls out sin and calls for repentance and obedience to our Lord, for they call that being “negative.” And they are encouraging people to only desire what is “positive,” which is usually the “feel-good” stuff which makes people feel good about themselves even if they are living in sin. The prophets of old talked about this, too, didn’t they? 

For the people didn’t want to be confronted with the “Holy One of Israel,” but they wanted to hear “pleasant things,” things that made them feel good, and that did not confront them with their sins and which did not call them to repent and to obey the Lord and to have changed hearts. But in reality, telling the people the truth about repentance and obedience is positive and lying to them to make them feel good is negative.

Anyway, we have spies not only on our electronic devices, but they are family members, neighbors, people we meet on the internet, church people, pastors, friends, etc. who are being encouraged to report us if they don’t like what we say. Or else they are being encouraged to friend us and to try to bait us into saying something to where they can accuse us of wrongdoing. So, we need to not trust everyone or everything people do and say.

And then we need to use wisdom and discernment as Jesus did in answering the spies who were trying to trap him with his words. We need to learn to recognize when people are trying to bait us so that we don’t fall into their traps. Sometimes we just need to walk away or we need to just not respond at all, or if we do respond, we need the wisdom of God in what to say and in what not to say. And it is easier to do in writing than in person.

And this is something that I am still growing in and learning and I can’t claim that I have it down perfectly, but by the grace of God I know that I am improving and I am growing in this and I am learning to be wiser and to be more cautious and to watch out for traps and to not let myself fall into any of them. And so I can encourage you that this is something that can be learned and put into practice if we are willing. You’ll be glad you did!

Video Talk

https://youtu.be/dK3t4_Ol4vY 

Caution: This link may contain ads

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

Caution: This link may contain ads