This message was shared on 07/07/24 at First Christian Church in Wilmington, Illinois.

Pastor Ryan addresses the issue of deception and the essentialness of seeking divine guidance to navigate deceit-filled situations. He begins with a personal anecdote to illuminate further how easily we are deceived due to our flawed perceptions and self-interest. Pastor Ryan then shifted to discuss Joshua and the Israelites, underlining their internal struggles and God's grand plan of producing a Messiah through them after establishing a protective homeland for them. In the later part of his sermon, Pastor Ryan touched on the narrative from Joshua chapter nine, where the Israelites signed a treaty with the deceitful Gibeonites, exposing the value of seeking God's counsel before making decisions. The story is a potent reminder of the world's deceptive nature and the necessity of relying on God's guidance. Pastor Ryan buttressed this point by drawing parallels with a lack of communication in our relationships and neglecting dialogue with God. Listeners are assured that by staying connected with God and seeking His wisdom, they can resist the world's deception and act as reflections of God's love and truth.

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