VERSE:
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
—Deuteronomy 13:1-3

THOUGHT:
According to this text, God has, in the past, allowed false prophets to perform miracles in the name of false God’s. It says that God allows this in order to test the commitment of His people. At this time, the Israelites all had a profession of faith and love for the one true God, but if they were easily swayed into serving other gods because of the signs and wonders performed by a false prophet, it proved that their faith and love were superficial. Their faith was not based on knowledge. God has revealed Himself to us in His word, which is the gauge by which we measure the difference between true and false prophets. The validity of a person’s testimony of God is not measured by miracles, but by the truth of His words as tested by the Word of God.

APPLICATION:
Know God’s word. Don’t give the enemy any chance of deceiving you. Remember, no one knows that they are deceived. Don’t be captivated by signs and wonders, but rather test everything you hear by the Word of God.

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. I pray that you help me understand it so that I can test everything I hear by what you have said. I pray that you keep me from being one who is easily deceived for ignorance of your Word. In Jesus’ Name I pray, AMEN!