2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
In 1941 the United States and Japan were in negotiations to resolve their difference as the rest of the world was at war. The special delegation of Japanese ambassadors, ostensibly sent on this “peace” mission, arrived shortly before the massive surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, in which 2,403 Americans were killed, 1,143 were wounded, eighteen ships were sunk or grounded, and 300 planes were destroyed or damaged. President Franklin Roosevelt called it a “date which will live in infamy.”
The ambassadors from Japan must have been good actors, carefully trained to set the Americans at ease and completely assuage any suspicion of their nations’ true intentions, thus disarming their enemy with subtle subterfuge.
So, we wonder, how does a serpent, or a dragon, appear as an angel of light? Or how does a self-centered charlatan or a brilliant narcissist transform himself into a “Christian” preacher or a modern “prophet”? Or, how does a power-hungry government official, or a billionaire philanthropist, or a “qualified” medical professional present himself as a servant of mankind, with a comprehensive program for benefitting humanity? …when, in fact, they are bent on destruction…
1 Thessalonians 5:3 warns us of last day’s deception: “For when they shall say, “Peace and safety” then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” In the end, the deceivers will deceive themselves, but meanwhile…
The devil may have horns, but he will somehow adorn them to look like halos. Beware. Yeshua said, “I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; Therefore, be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Remember, the enemy may pretend to be your friend, but his deception may have devastating consequences.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Over the past few years, some leaders who once inspired many have fallen into scandals that have brought harm and confusion to the body of Christ. In moments like these, it’s easy to feel disillusioned or lost, as if the work of God depends on human vessels who have failed us. But I’m reminded of how Elisha responded when Elijah was taken from him. His eyes were not on the departing servant but on the living God. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he cried — not, “Where is Elijah?” That cry holds a lesson for us today: our hope and strength are not in human leaders, but in the God who works through them—and who remains faithful even when men falter.
The day before Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the ancient stones of the Western Wall and placed a prayer in its crevices. He chose Numbers 23:24—a verse that declares a timeless truth: God calls Israel and His people everywhere to rise with strength, purpose, and courage, no matter what challenges they face.
When we read the Beatitudes, we catch a glimpse of Yeshua’s heart and the values that define His Kingdom. His words unveil the kind of life that God calls blessed—marked by humility, mercy, purity of heart, a hunger for righteousness, peacemaking, and faithful endurance in the face of suffering.
We often celebrate beginnings—new chapters, breakthroughs, divine appointments. But in God’s economy, every true beginning requires a holy crossing. Before the Hebrews could enter the Promised Land, they had to leave Egypt. Before they entered the Promised Land, they had to cross over the Red Sea. And before Abraham could receive God’s promises, he had to obey a single command: “Leave.”
When the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years, they traversed a rugged, unpredictable landscape — mile after mile of mountains, valleys, rocks, and desert sands — as they journeyed from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land.
For many, God remains a theory—an idea borrowed from tradition, deduced from the cosmos, or tucked quietly into the corners of a creed. He is believed in from afar, but is rarely encountered. Even among believers, it’s not uncommon to live with a distant reverence for God while lacking a vibrant, personal communion with Him.
God has always longed for intimacy with us. He formed us for Himself–to walk with Him, to know Him, to delight in His Presence. This is the very heartbeat of creation: relationship, not religion. Yet sin drove a wedge between us. A veil was drawn, shutting out the light of His face and placing distance where there was once communion.