Following Jesus – The Presidential Prayer Team

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons. – 1 Timothy 4:1

You may think of Satanism or something desperately wicked when you read today’s verse speaking of “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” However, going further into the chapter you see where these come from: “Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” These teachers banned marriage and certain foods. Paul states, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:2-5).

Some people who claim to teach the Word of God are actually devoted to deceitful spirits and the teaching of demons. Jesus also dealt with such teachers, the Scribes and Pharisees. He said they were like white-washed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones (Matthew 23-27).

Believers need to be on guard against false teachers. True righteousness stems from faith in God’s Son. Righteousness does not come by following rules, but by following Jesus. When you come to Jesus, He changes you from the inside out.

Next time you are tempted to feel unworthy because you do not strictly adhere to what you view as righteousness, remember that Jesus is your Savior and your Righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Do not depend on yourself to be right in God’s eyes, but look to Jesus and thank Him for His salvation. Ask for godly wisdom and discernment to live your life, knowing that you are accepted and blessed in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6). Pray for believers in the United States to shine with the love of Christ.

Today’s Verse: 1 Timothy 4:1

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

¹⁸For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. ²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”