While in Paris on our honeymoon in 1980, Harold and I walked by a bakery window and we saw some delicious looking pastry’s. So we went inside and picked out a couple of them along with some hot coffee.

But,

We were so disappointed! They didn’t taste anything like they looked. They looked so good but they tasted awful!

I had a similar experience in 2011, once again while in a foreign country. It was at the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera Theatre in Moscow, Russia. It was intermission time and I decided to buy a desert. I picked out a cute little cake that looked yummy, but as soon as I paid for it I realized it was way too expensive. I wondered why was this desert was so expensive? As I cut the first slice I suddenly realized that the cake was topped with caviar! I discreetly sat it down and left it there for anyone else who might be brave enough to eat it!

So the French pastries just didn’t taste very good.

And,

The Russian cake was an expensive mistake on my part.

But,

In both cases, my eyes had deceived me.

And now,

Living in today’s world, I think it’s safe to say that many of us have been noticing an increase in deception, and I’m not talking about French pastries or Russian deserts.

Deception such as the origins of Covid-19, the so-called Covid-19 “vaccine,” and the alarming subsequent increase of sudden-death among young healthy individuals.

Deception involving the mainstream media in their deliberate silence of the above.

Deception involving politicians, regardless of political party affiliation, and a several of our three-letter government agencies.

Deception concerning our God given gender and sexuality; a governmental push towards transgender indoctrination of young children.

Deception involving thousands of missing children. Deception concerning the so-called “climate change.”

And, worst of all,

Deception in mainline churches that boldly declare that homosexuality is not a sin, that abortion is perfectly fine, and that allow women to preach to men, all in direct defiance to God’s word. Churches full of progressive pastors who defile their Sunday morning pulpits by drawing more attention to themselves than God; putting on “Christian” rock concerts or entertainment productions, rather than preaching the inerrant, infallible word of God.

The Bible talks about deception in the last days.

The kind of deception that goes directly against God and His word.

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 1 Timothy 4:1

Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Matthew 24:11

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

The more corruption, falsehoods, and deception I see going on in the world today, the more I am reminded that this world is not my home.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:20

In the meantime, what should Christians do?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

And

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2