Have you ever come face to face with the unknown? That’s where we find the disciples as they leave the temple for the final time with Jesus. Here at the beginning of this chapter, Christ preached this prophetic sermon in the close of his ministry for the direction and encouragement of the believers. Jesus begins with a caution.

The disciples expected to be let into the secret of when these events should take place but Christ had to first establish the foundation of their curiosity. His opening sentence was “watch out that no one deceives you.”

Jesus expressed here that we must be grounded in foundational truths and these must first be well absorbed into our hearts and minds before we dive into the things that may be difficult to understand.

Christ has warned us that there will be deceivers in the last days that rise up and seduce people away from the Lord. In order for us to discern the counterfeits, we must first know what is real. Thankfully, we are given the manuscript of truth, the Word of God that is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. God has so graciously provided these instructions to keep us close to Him. There’s no better way to know the truth than to abide in it and let it become everything we build our life on.

Jesus wanted us to know that the main purpose of prophecy is to build a framework where we see that all of history belongs to him. It is “His-story” and it unfolds by his authority. We already know the end is good and we win, yet like the early church we live in the in-between days where there are hard and difficult times. Will we remember what Jesus said? Let us choose to boldly commit to abide in the Word of God, to become lovers of it and nothing less. We may not know what tomorrow holds but we can place our trust in the one Who holds it.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Deliver me from any lies my heart may have conceived. Sanctify me by Your truth for Your Word is the truth. Teach me to abide in Your Word, keep me from having “itching ears” and give me hearing ears that faithfully obey You. Don’t let me be misled or deceived in any matter. Let me be so filled with Your truth that there is no room for the lies of the evil one. I entrust myself to You. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

What foundation are you building your life on? Are you a faithful student of the Word of God? Do you spend time with your Heavenly Father each day, praising Him and seeking His guidance? Do you attend church regularly? Do you learn from godly mentors who hold you accountable? If you answered no to any or all of the above, start today to build your life on a stronger foundation. During these end times, it is imperative that you grow closer to God so that you may be able to stand against the enemy and all his tactics. Begin to mature in your Christian walk today.