Inside Out: A 40 Day Journey to Transforming Your HeartSample

Deceived Heart --> Truth-Filled Heart

Just because someone calls themselves a Christian doesn’t mean they are one. This is true about “Christian” influencers, “Christian” writers, and “Christian” motivational speakers.  Many influencers are posing to be of the Christian faith to teach and indoctrinate the body of Christ in completely unbiblical ways. Romans 16:18 says, “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.” We must assess if our hearts are being deceived, even within the church itself. 

Our hearts may be deceived by the health and wealth gospel that says if we live in obedience to Christ, we will have no sickness, and riches will pour into our lives.  If we are sick, we must be living in sin.  This is a false gospel.  The Bible promises eternal riches to the faithful but suffering while on earth. We are promised persecution for following Christ and the Bible. We are not to hoard our wealth but to give it away for God’s Kingdom and purposes. 

Our deceiving hearts may try to look within ourselves to find a healing path. Popular teachers on the personality tool, “The Enneagram,” are filling Christian bookshelves with their new age philosophies that our “true selves” have no sin. They teach that we are deceiving ourselves to believe we are sinful and separated from God. Yet, 1 John 1:8 says the exact opposite. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Their view is that Christ was incarnated into creation, and since we are part of creation, every person is “in Christ,” and thus, the cross of Christ is unnecessary for our salvation.  Jesus says otherwise in John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” The Enneagram personality types were given to a man named Claudio Naranjo through “automatic writing.” Automatic writing is a form of spirit contact in which a person opens up a channel of communication from a supernatural source and allows the source to dictate the words.  This tool was created through channeling spirits. It was then introduced into the New Age Movement, which was next accepted into the progressive Christian church and then permeated the evangelical church.  This tool is far from Biblical, yet it is enticing young and old alike that are itching to learn “deeply hidden truths” about themselves so that they can be on the road to transformation.  Even if the tool seems useful on the surface, the end never justifies the means. We cannot use what came from evil for our good, especially not to transform ourselves into better people.  Only the Holy Spirit can do that. 

Watch out for the persuasive talk of people, even in your church. We can be too highly trusting of spiritual leaders or “Christian” authors, and we can slowly become deceived. There is only ONE SOURCE for truth: God’s perfect, unchanging, applicable Word. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” And 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Reading and applying the Bible is how we transform, not through outside, mystic tools handed down from other religions. We don’t need psychics, tarot cards, palm readers, mediums, the Ouija board, fortune tellers, astrologers, or enneagrams to help us know ourselves and our futures.  These modes of seeking truth will not set us free but will oppress us and distract us from the one true God and seeking truth in the Word only. John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’”

To have a truth-filled heart, we must be students of the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” We must know correct theology about God, man, Christ, and salvation. We must test everything that intrigues us through the grid of the Word of God.  Nothing is a substitute for the Bible when it comes to transforming our lives from the inside out. 

Take a Moment:

• Where might you have allowed outside wisdom to influence your faith and practices? 

• Why is it essential for us to evaluate everything according to Scripture? 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I do not want to be deceived by persuasive and popular teachers or ideologies. Please help me to handle the Word of Truth rightly. Only Your Word can teach me the truth about God, myself, Christ, and salvation. Help me read Your Word more than any other teachings so that I can see counterfeit gospels when they are presented to me. Help me to know the truth so that Your truth will set me free. Amen.