It sure seems like deception is all around us these days. The reason we sometimes think in that way is because it is literally everywhere we turn!
William Casey was the CIA Director under President Ronald Reagan for six years. He became famous for his response to a question he was asked by the President. Here is the background to his legendary quote:
“As he did to all the other secretaries of their departments and agencies, Reagan asked what he saw as his goal as director for the CIA, to which he replied with this quote, which I recorded in my notes of the meeting as he said it.”
I am always curious to learn about the goals of others. Their long-range plans can tell you a lot about them. What are they striving for? What is the purpose of their existence? Are they thinking in a temporal way or an eternal way?
From Mr. Casey’s reply, we can see what his goal was. Here is his famous quote:
Now, this is really interesting to me. In this ministry, we deal with truth. We have to. Too much rides upon it. If you don’t know the truth, you cannot make correct biblical decisions down here or make correct decisions about eternity.
One thing we all hate in the long run of life is when people lie to us. We hate when we find out that someone has deceived us. We thought we could trust that person, but then we realized we could not.
We seem to have it ingrained in us that we can trust our government, and they won’t steer us wrong. That would be nice, but fallen human beings happen to make up the government.
How would you like to wake up each and every day, knowing your job is to deceive the public? To deceive the people who pay your bills? Deceive the people who are taxed to fund your paycheck?
First of all, what a terrible job that would be! I would never, ever want a job like that, no matter how much it paid. Secondly, it would make you wonder what else you could or could not trust your government or any government for.
At least Casey was being honest! That is one good thing we can take away from his answer. He was honestly telling us that it was his job to lie to us! Just think about that for a second.
His quote was made public at the time he said it. Why wasn’t it the biggest story in the news cycle for weeks and months afterward? Or is it possible that the mainstream media is also in on the ruse to deceive the American people?
Galatians 6:7,8
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Proverbs 10:9
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Ephesians 5:6
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
1 Peter 3:10
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Matthew 24:4
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
And those are just a few of the verses that warn about deception! We may not take lying very seriously down here, but God takes it very seriously now and will take it seriously on the day we stand in front of Him.
What it really comes down to for many people is that the ends justify the means. So if I can come to the conclusion that the end result is good for me, my family, my business, or my country, then whatever means I use to get there will be okay, since the end result is for the betterment of others. Umm, no. God doesn’t work that way. If the end result is good or godly, then the means or pathway to get there should be good or godly as well! Simple. And, of course, that would be a very simple and biblical way to go through our lives.
None of us wants ill-gotten gain. Do things the right way. Do them the way that God wants them to be done. If you err, don’t err on the side of deception. Err on the side of truth, and you can rest in knowing God will always take pleasure in that.
I was reading a book by Kevin Shipp called From the Company of Shadows. He is a former CIA officer who wrote about the corruption in the CIA. I am intrigued by the deception that goes on in our government, so I wanted to see what he had to say. Now remember, in this ministry, we TETE (Test Everything and Test Everybody). Shipp is a former CIA officer. That means he deceived people for a living! Some of what he wrote is really fascinating. So is he now telling the truth? That is something one has to decide when reading a book by a person like this.
He had a very interesting section on Mr. Casey that got my attention:
“After this meeting (Mr. Shipp was guarding the door of Mr. Casey when he was hospitalized), a fascinating event occurred. Chuck Colson, former White House Counsel and Watergate figure, now an evangelist and head of Prison Fellowship Ministries, was checked into the same hospital and had undergone major surgery for stomach cancer. As a nurse attended to Colson, she mentioned William Casey was in the same hospital and terminally ill. She asked Colson if he would like her to find out if Casey wanted prayer. Colson told the nurse he would. This nurse conveyed Colson’s message to Casey, asking if he would like Colson to pray with him. Casey responded that he did. Shortly thereafter, Colson visited Casey in his hospital room and the two prayed together. At the end of his life, William Casey became a Christian. It was an inspiring event. I am sure it was the subject of Sophia Casey’s prayers as she sat alone in the sunlit sitting room in their home. Those of you who are secularists will have to bear with me during this account. I hope I am not offending anyone. I have to accurately describe these events exactly as they happened.
“After Colson’s visit, Bill Casey became a changed man. Formerly a gruff man who did not suffer fools lightly and regularly reprimanded the agents, or anyone else for that matter, for even small mistakes, he became a kind, gentle man. During his last days in the hospital, although he could not speak, he went out of his way to attempt to communicate to the agents and nurses how much he appreciated them and what they were doing. Some of the agents were shocked at the change. An agent, and close friend of mine, who accompanied him as he was transported back to his home in New York relayed to me Casey spent his last days requesting by gestures his nurse come into his room and read the Gospels to him as he lay in bed. On May 6, 1987, William Joseph Casey passed away in peace, leaving the legacy of a true American patriot.” (Kevin Shipp, From the Company of Shadows, p. 46,47)
Even people who live a life of deception really want truth. They want to know what the truth is. Remember, you can’t deceive someone unless you know what the truth is! Once you know it, you can choose to either live by it or deceive people all day long.
You know, when Mr. Casey met Jesus, he regretted his life of deception. Deceiving others is no way to live. But the good news is that the Lord Jesus Christ can forgive any of the deceptions or bad motives we have ever had. Remember, we are all one heartbeat away from eternity. Live a life of no regrets and completely enjoy that first face-to-face encounter with Jesus!
Until the nets are full,
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People overseas and here at home are being equipped with truth!
