The fake versus the real

Mark 13:19 -37

Movie special effects amaze me! There are things that can be done now that look so real. However as time passes you can tell the difference more clearly. I remember seeing some action movie in the 70’s the hero was driving a car so fast it seemed that the actor had an amazing gift for handling a car. As I saw the same movie twenty years later I could tell the backgrounds in the driving scenes were all fake and the actor was simply a good actor. As I matured, I am able to tell the difference between the fake and the real.

In this story Jesus is talking about many coming and proclaiming that they are the Christ or as some others interpret it, many will claim to be representatives of Christ but will perform false miracles. How are we to tell the difference? The magicians of Moses time could perform miracles. In my travels around the world I have seen many amazing “false signs”. How do we know what is real and what is fake? Just like my movie experience, we must mature in our walk with Christ so we are not easily deceived. We can determine the fake from the real because of an intense relationship. Signs and wonders are more easily accomplished than what you may think but real relationship is a long process.

Some times people will say something about someone I know very well that is totally out of character. Because of my relationship with them, it is easy to let it go because it does not align with their character. I know them, I know apart from a major breach in character the things they are said to have done are not true. It is the same with God. Often He is maligned, blamed for things He did not do. His character is brought into question, I know that is not the God I know. Other times people will say something is God, some weird phenomenon like a psychic or an astrological reading, things that are in direct violation of His character and nature. My relationship with him enables me to know the difference.

What about you today? Where is your level of trust or knowing God? Are there things that you have been told about God that you believe that are simply not Biblical? Is God the same yesterday and today? Is God an angry God or a loving one? Don’t simply follow the crowd, build a relationship with Him, by spending time in prayer, reading His love letter, the Bible, and with people you know who do know God.