Galatians 5:7-9–You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9  A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Being 37, I’m old enough now to see some friends that seemed to have very promising futures in their early twenties, now struggling to hold life together.  Though still young enough for God to turn things around, it was shocking to see how 10+ years can drastically change your life.

I remembered this young man was very intelligent, in college and pursuing his degree at the time.  But when I saw him, he was obviously “strung out” on drugs and homeless.  I wondered, who or what persuaded him from his course?

Paul here is distraught over the people who were “running well” for Christ, and time revealed that they have adopted a “new truth”, that would eventually permeate their life, as leaven does bread, and effect it drastically for the worse.

Ask yourself what is it that you maybe justifying and rationalizing as “truth”, but really it is evil like leaven.  Leaven is in small measure, but it eventually permeates the whole loaf of bread.  A lie is much like that, especially a lie we want to believe.  Embracing a lie takes time to bring results. I pray that you fight and submit your heart to what is the truth, because time will eventually reveal the drastic consequences of living a lie.  Remember Satan is the father of all lies and has no other desire than to destroy us with a lie (John 8:44).