Will Deceive Many (Part One) – Pat Higgins cgg.org

In Matthew 16:3, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for recognizing weather signs but ignoring the “signs of the times.” Could we be making the same mistake?

Our world is in rapid moral decline – corruption touches every institution. Jesus warned of days like these, comparing them to Noah’s time, when “all flesh had corrupted their way” (Genesis 6:12). As in Noah’s day, deception now defines our age. Misinformation, deepfakes, and digital manipulation make truth hard to discern. Christ warned deception would be a major sign of the end times (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24).

One of the clearest end-time warnings is to the church in Revelation 3 – Laodicea, the lukewarm church, deceived about its spiritual condition. This connects to Christ’s parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25). All ten awaited the bridegroom, but only five were ready when He came. All slumbered – but only half kept their lamps burning.

The parable warns us: spiritual sleep is a real danger. Paul echoes this in Romans 13 and Ephesians 5: “Awake, you who sleep… redeem the time, for the days are evil.”

Distractions and spiritual complacency define these times. The foolish let their light go out – neglecting prayer, study, and God’s calling. Christ urges us to seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33), to not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2), and to stay spiritually alert.

The wise remain close to God daily. Whether we are wise or foolish depends not on our group identity but on how faithfully we walk with God and respond to His calling.

#EndTimeWarnings #SpiritualAwakening #StayWatchful #ParableOfTheVirgins