Real or Fake
by Malcolm Wood
There’s a TV series running in the UK at the moment called ‘Fake Britain’. These programmes show how items, which aren’t genuine, are readily available in shops, stores and on line. These false products include children’s toys, designer fashion items, cosmetics, sports equipment, cigarettes, wines and spirits, pharmaceutical drugs, and car insurance. Producing these fake items is big business on an international scale, and the authorities often intercept container loads of these articles, destined for sale in Britain, at a lower price than the real thing!
The danger is it’s difficult to distinguish the false from the real, as they’re made, packaged and labelled to look like the genuine article. But they haven’t passed the quality and safety controls required for sale in this country. This is particularly important for children’s toys, electrical equipment, and drugs. The consequences of using fakes could be devastating. We consumers need to be very discerning as we make our purchases.
As Christians, in these days, we need to be even more discerning over matters of our spiritual care and well being. Jesus warns His disciples against widespread deception in the end times many times. ‘Jesus answered and said “Watch out that no one deceives you”’ (Matthew 24:4). He makes it clear that deception’s not only possible for us Christians, but quite likely. As Johannes Facius says in his book ‘God’s Prophetic Agenda For the End of Days’, the main function of Satan in the last days is to deceive, and if it wasn’t for God’s extraordinary divine protection, the whole of the Body of Christ would be led astray (see Matthew 24:24).
Much that’s new is being introduced into certain areas of the Body of Christ in these days, and although we must never reject things just because they’re new, (remember God often wants to do a new thing in us and through us), new things must always be Bible based, and God-honouring rather than man-honouring. One of our greatest needs at this time is true spiritual discernment, so that with God’s help we can distinguish the true from the false.
Those who have the responsibility for identifying false currency are trained by spending much of their time looking at the genuine article. They’re so familiar with every minute detail of the real thing that identifying the fake becomes a lot easier. Doesn’t it follow then, as we spend time getting to know Jesus better (the genuine), and His word (the truth), we too will be better equipped to spot the fake?
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to get to know You and the truth of Your Word better, so I can see what the enemy’s doing to try to deceive me and lead me away from the truth and a close relationship with You. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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