Monday – February 29, 2016
Another month is nearly spent and another week is beginning at least for the Sunday people. It is time once again to receive, prove (search the Scriptures), assimilate, and do the God’s Word that is presented today. This is also a Leap Year hence a 29th day in a month that usually has 28 days. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and History.com these leap years occur every four years. Reportedly the Egyptians were the first to recognize the need for a leap year. Next the need was recognized in Europe and by Julius Caesar so their calendar was adjusted to a twelve month calendar of 365 days with a leap day every four years and this was called the Julian calendar. The real year is actually 365.242 days therefore with the Julian calendar, which was introduced in 46 B.C. there was an 11 minute surplus causing the calendar to be off course by one day every 128 years. To fix this Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 introduced the Gregorian calendar (the one we use today). In this model a day was added every four years except for years evenly divisible by 100 but not by 400. Although this calendar is not perfect it will not need to be adjusted for some 10,000 years. Ordinarily on the Gregorian calendar the day of the week advances by one day for a given date each year except in the leap year it advances by two days. For example Christmas fell on Tuesday in 2001, Wednesday in 2002, and Thursday in 2003 but leapt over Friday falling on Saturday in 2004. Now we all know a little more about leap year.
We have just concluded an extensive but not exhaustive study of Spiritual Warfare. I say this because the whole Bible is teaching us how to think, talk, and act like Him. Since the Garden of Eden there are demonic spiritual forces that bombard us daily with ideas that are not God’s to pervert or corrupt our thinking. The serpent was successful in the Garden and is all too frequently successful now. We must be on guard to identify the perverted ideas of our enemies casting them down and destroying them with the Word of God at their introduction before any roots in our thinking are established. It is the good fight of faith day in and day out for the glory of God and to advance the Kingdom of God. Now let’s move on in the Book of Colossians.
Colossians 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
In verse one the Apostle Paul has told the people of Colossae and Laodicea that he is in spiritual combat for them, all of them, even the ones who have never seen him. As the Apostle Paul continues writing he has not left the topic of Spiritual Warfare. To appreciate that Truth let’s jump to verse four.
Colossians 2:4 (KJV)
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
Let’s look at this verse in a couple of other Bible Translations to perhaps see this Truth from a slightly different angle. AMP is the Amplified Translation and MSG is the Message Translation.
Colossians 2:4 (AMP)
4 I say this in order that no one may mislead and delude you by plausible and persuasive and attractive arguments and beguiling speech.
Colossians 2:4 (MSG)
4 I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.”
The word ‘beguile’ is an active word, a verb meaning to entice, to lure, to woo, to charm, to captivate, to mesmerize, to hypnotize, to fascinate, to enthrall, to attract, to put under a spell, or appeal to. It is an idea that is interesting and appeals to our flesh which is the sensations of our physical body, and the portion of our mind which is unrenewed to the Word of God. These ideas, these words are convincing and persuasive. This is when we must all be a Berean.
Acts 17:10-11 (KJV)
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Accent added by author)
Each of us must ask ourselves honestly are we Bereans or do we look to be spoon fed swallowing all that sounds good hook line and sinker. Where do these enticing words come from? The messenger is not the source. Like when I teach the Truth I am not the source, God is the source, I am the messenger. In this case of enticing words, beguiling words, the source is the world and the devils, the messenger all too frequently is Church leadership.
Until tomorrow know you are blessed by The Blessing.
By Pastor David R. Wood
