THE NARROW PATH TO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD - DAY 58

by Rev. Robert John Cericola, Carroll, OH - EUA 

Day 58

Are You Deceived?  

Matthew 24:4 (AMP) Jesus answered them, Be, careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].

Many years ago, a pastor friend was lake fishing with two friends when suddenly he had a severe heart attack. His friends quickly drove him to a nearby hospital where a renowned heart surgeon examined him and rushed him into surgery. During the heart surgery, the pastor came out of his body and the surgeon pronounced him dead but continued the surgery to practice his surgical skills.

The pastor, now out of his body, was watching from the operating room ceiling when suddenly he was quickly drawn through complete darkness into a seat in a large auditorium. At the front of the auditorium stood a sixty-foot long wooden stage with a velvet red curtain as a backdrop.

As the seats in the auditorium filled to capacity two people walked to the middle of the stage and pointing to the red velvet curtain addressed the audience saying, “we told you in-order to enter paradise you must renounce Jesus Christ and accept our god. This is your final chance! Renounce Jesus Christ and you can go behind the curtain.”

Instantly massive doubt-filled questions overpowered the pastor’s mind! Have I been deceived? Is Jesus really the Son of God? Maybe Jesus is not the Savior? Maybe these people are right?

“No, No, No, this is a deception! Jesus Christ is God’s Son! He is my Lord and my Savior!”

         

As faith arose the doubtful questions disappeared, and pastor began to hear people throughout the auditorium denouncing Jesus Christ as their Savior.  He tried to stand and shout against the deception, but he was locked in his seat and could not speak.

Suddenly the seats were unlocked and everyone in the auditorium were launched forward toward the open red velvet curtain and a lake of fire.  A putrid stench of burning flesh arose from the lake as those that renounced Christ flew past pastor into the fire screaming, “help us we have been deceived!”

The curtain closed and pastor was again locked into an auditorium seat watching another couple from a different religion walk onto the stage and challenge people to denounce Christ. The massive doubt-filled questions again flooded pastor’s mind causing him to rethink his commitment to Christ. Suddenly faith arose! “No, No, No, this is a deception! Jesus is the Son of God, He is my Lord and Savior!” Again, pastor heard people denounce Christ and tried to warn them but could not.

The seats unlocked and thrust everyone toward the stage and the fiery lake behind the open red velvet curtain. The putrid stench of burning flesh filled his nostrils as he listened to the people scream, “Help us we have been deceived!” The curtain closed and pastor was back in his seat.

On his third approach to the lake of fire Jesus appeared to him and said, “My people are being deceived go back and warn them.” After Jesus spoke, pastor came back to life as his body was being removed from the operating room. 

There are many humanistic deceptions being spewed into the world that are designed to keep people from Christ and dilute those that have received Jesus as Lord and Savior. Only those that have developed a relationship with Jesus and Father God will be able to stand against this onslaught of deception, so stay on the Narrow Path and build your relationship.

Ending thoughts

Have you been diluted by humanistic views? Ask the Lord and He will show you and help you cast off any deception.