"But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless."
Jeremiah 7:8, New International Version

In chapters two through six in the book of Jeremiah, God explains in great detail the sinful state of the people of Judah.  Idolatry, greed and lawlessness were running rampant.  When you read it it sounds a lot like the condition of the United States right now, but hey, who am I to judge?  I'm a sinner saved by grace, doing my best to navigate this imperfect world I live in, as a foreigner would a strange country.  Like many of you, I'm bombarded with ideas, comments, situations, suggestions, and temptations that seek to do nothing but diminish my faith in God.

There have to be other people dealing with that ... I can't be the only one.  Some statistics I heard recently point to the fact that a lot of people are facing that sort of deception.  I don't remember the exact numbers but about 85% of America professes to be Christian in their beliefs, yet only 17% attend church on a regular basis.  Do you have to attend church to have a strong relationship with God?  No.  I've heard of people who live in countries where converting to Christianity is an instant death penalty, so they have to keep their relationship with God to themselves.  That being said, we don't face those sort of obstacles in America.  We can worship freely and openly, and yet some people don't take advantage of it.  I guess if it works for them, great.  It wouldn't work for me though ... I need that sort of accountability.  I need that weekly interaction.  I need the sort of foundational teaching you get at a good, Bible believing church to equip me to handle the deceptive words directed towards me.  You might be strong enough on your own; I'm not.

Two couples, each with two kids about the same age, started out going to church each week as a family.  Over time, Family A eventually stopped going to church.  As the kids reached their teen age years, one of them became rebellious, and started drinking and smoking pot around the age of 15 or 16.  Family B continued going faithfully.  Sure, they missed a weekend here and there, but they were consistent with their attendance.  Their kids grew up and developed their own strong relationships with God.  They did things that every teenager does, but they each have a wonderful relationship with God that was fueled by the foundation of gathering with like minded people on a regular basis.  Two kids were affected by deceptive words, and started pursuing worthless things.  The other two kids, living in the same town, attending the same schools, were able to stay strong in their faith.

The Bible describes satan as the Deceiver, the Father of lies, and a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  In past blogs I've touched on a few foundational beliefs of the Christian.  Here's another one: satan is real ... just as real as Jesus.  You can't get away with following Christ without acknowledging that evil exists.  His goal is to recruit as many people to join the ranks of hell as he can, and he's good at doing it.  He's clever at combining a little bit of truth with a lot of 'un-truth' to get us to do things.  He's not picky either.  He'll deceive both Believers and unbelievers.

Judah was affected by his deception, so God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn them to turn from their ways.  Who has God sent you?  Have you listened?  Please don't waste your life on the pursuit of the worthless.  God has so much He wants to give to you.  Give Him a chance today.  If you're fortunate enough to live in a country where you can attend church, consider doing that as part of strengthening your relationship with Him.  God bless you.