My grandson's chicken coop was invaded by rats. Attracted by the feed, they had moved in. He asked for my help and we set out a couple of traps. After a week, though, we had not caught a single one. Then a farmer friend offered some advice. "No rat," he said, "will touch an exposed trap. You must disguise it with food. Fill a pan with meal and place the trap in it. Cover it well with meal so it is completely hidden." It worked! The next morning we had a big fat rat.

All this reminded me that the devil knows this trick too. He carefully disguises his trap with truth. Nowhere is it better seen than in the numerous false cults and religions in the world today. All set their traps of error in a pan of meal. Many quote the Bible and preach a certain amount of gospel truth. They talk about prayer and Jesus and the Bible. But under the layer of truth is the trap of error.

This is the age of deception. The Bible therefore warns us to "test the spirits" (1 Jn. 4:1) and beware of deceivers (2 Tim. 3:13; 2 Jn. 7). The only antidote against the clever deceptions that come in the name of Christ (Mk. 13:5-6) is to know your Bible. Be rooted and grounded in the truth (Col. 2:6-8). "Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Th. 5:21). Beware of Satan's traps.  — M.R. De Haan