Beware of Fake News

Happy Sunday. In Paris, France, November 1749, an edict was issued that all beggars and vagrants found in the streets of Paris, whatever age, sex, it didn't matter, they were to be arrested, taken to prison, detained as long as it was deemed necessary. Nicholas Renee Berier was the man in charge of enforcing the edict, and he wanted instant results to clean up the streets. He paid police officers a reward for the number of arrests they made.

He also ordered that those arrest be take arrested be taken immediately to prison without first going to the commissioner to the court anything. As it turns out, many sons and daughters of the trades people running errands for their parents and even children playing in the street were hauled off to jail completely innocent. No trial, no clues, and rumors started to fly. Some reported that the children were sent to the colonies as slaves or even as soldiers.

The darkest rumor was that a rich prince had leprosy and to cure his disease, he bathed in the blood of children. That one caught on. In May of 1750, thousands took to the streets of Paris to riot and protest. They broke windows, forced down doors, stoned public buildings, looted shops for weapons with which to fight.

A constable called Le was seen trying to arrest an 11-year-old boy. The crowd rushed to the scene, freed the boy, and then chased the constable through the city and beat him to death. He was not the only casualty. O over the course of the revolt, at least 20 rioters were killed in an unknown number were injured and on both sides.

Fake news is not a new phenomena. It's been around as long as time. People are so easily manipulated. Gullible is a word that comes to mind.

Our verse for today is Proverbs 14:15. The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps. A modern translation puts it this way. Only simpletons believe everything they're told.

The prudent carefully consider their steps. There are so many lies out there. We must be careful what we choose to believe. Scripture warns us in John chapter 8.

Jesus says this about Satan. He does not stand in the truth because there's no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature. For he is a liar and the father of lies.

Today, the lies of the devil are alive and well. What are a few lies that we might believe if we're not biblically grounded? Well, the first that comes to mind, we've talked about this before, is the prosperity gospel lie. It's very popular today.

It goes something like this. If you have enough faith, and often donate enough money to the preacher who you're listening to, if you have enough faith, if you do that, you you'll have a great life. No sickness, no financial problems, not a worry in this world. And that sounds good, but it is far from biblical.

The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps. Another lie people fall for is that God just wants me to be happy. People often say this when they're about to be disobedient. If personal happiness is your priority, you'll not put others first.

You'll not be a servant. You won't listen to scripture. Second Timothy 3:4 says that these people are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. That's a lot of people today.

The path to the greatest joy is following God's plan for your life. Another lie that's easy to follow is that everyone goes to heaven. I'd love that to be true. It would make life so much easier.

However, the Bible is clear. There is heaven and there is hell. If there was only heaven, there'd be no need for Jesus to come. We'd not need salvation.

The devil would love believers to fall for that lie because if we believe that everybody went to heaven, there be no need for missions or even any need for living like scripture teaches. You could just live what you want. Some people actually think that they can live like hell and end up in heaven. The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps.

Another lie that folks believe is that church is not important. I've heard people say that their church is in their deer stand or in the woods or at the beach or at the lake or in a chair. While God indeed is everywhere and in all of those places, he has specific instructions for believers to be in church. People don't grow from teaching in the woods.

They don't serve others. They don't tithe. This ties nicely to the verse we looked at last week, Proverbs 14:12. There's a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.

Today, I've just scratched the surface. With the advent of artificial intelligence, we're confronted with lies that look like the truth. We must seek the truth. The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps.

There's so many lies out there. Be careful. Be clever. Consider your steps.

Pray with me. God, help us to seek the truth. In doing that, help us to know the truth. Help us to be familiar with your word so we don't fall for things that are just so outlandish.

Father, thank you for telling us that the truth will set us free. Help us to know it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

God bless. Have the best week.