Sleight of HandJer 6:14They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 60 verses later we read:

Jer 8:11For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. What takes place to cause these people to become so deceived?

Deut 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

Who gives this false peace? They have healed slightly...

Jer 6:13 ...the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

Jer 8:10 ...every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

Sleight of Hand

(Jer 6:14; 8:11)

They heal SLIGHTLY...

Jer 8:20-22 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

I. Sleight of EducationJer 6:21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

Jer 8:6-8 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and

the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

Wrong order, you should follow the law not the law follow you.

Isa 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

1Cor 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Education from any source but God’s word is entrapment.

If the Devil can’t fool you with information he will use entertainment.

II. Sleight of Entertainment Jer 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

Jer 6:19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

1Cor 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

2Cor 6:14-15 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Sleight of Education

Sleight of Entertainment

If entertainment doesn’t entrap you the Devil will offer the competition of life; for a spiritual man his treasure is not of this world, for the carnal man it is about what can be consumed here and now.

III. Sleight of Enrichment

Illusion of Riches

Jer 6:13-14 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Illusion of Righteousness

Jer 6:20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

Prov 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much

more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Mal 1:10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

Sleight of Education

Sleight of Entertainment

Sleight of Enrichment

Shame always accompanies sin. Laughter may hide the blush of sin until God is the one laughing (Ps2:4; 37:13; 59:8; Pr 1:26)

IV. Sleight of EmbarrassmentJer 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Jer 8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Jer 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

Ps 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Ps 37:13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

Ps 59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

Prov 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

Conclusion: The Sleight of hand you are fooled by, reveals your focus.

Gen 3:1-6 1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the

woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

The deceiver shows up but doesn’t show his hand

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

There were two trees in the “midst” (2:9) she Interprets the fact in light of her interest. Embellishes the facts “neither shall ye touch it”Decreases the severity “lest” “ye die”.Now who is the Deceiver?

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: This serpent can’t be all that bad, look he can quote God’s word better than Eve “surely die”

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Sleight of Education- “eyes opened”Sleight of Enrichment- “be as gods”

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Sleight of Entertainment- “pleasant to the eyes”10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Sleight of Embarrassment- Ashamed to be caught “because I was naked” not because I sinnedWhen David returns after the death of Absalom at the hand of Joab; David ask Amasa (Absalom’s General) to join the Generals staff. David gave command for Amasa and Judah to appear for a parade review in three days. But Amasa was working a side deal with Sheba (David’s enemy) and didn’t arrive within the three-day appointment. Act II- Joab goes to find Amasa:2Sam 20:8-10

8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

Sleight of hand, it just fell out, Joab would have a good excuse now for having an unsheathed sword in his hand.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

Sleight of Entertainment- I’m interest in you and your health

10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him

therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Sleight of Education- The shrewd soldier Amasa ignores a sword in the hand of a known killer. “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1Cor 1:19”David gives a perfect description of the victim of Sleight of hand: ...Died Abner as a fool dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters 2Sam 3:33-34

Will the allure of the Devil’s Sleight of hand be your demise?

Jer 6:16-17 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

Jer 8:3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

Jer 8:5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

Being deceived is only deadly if you refuse to repent.

Jer 3:12-13 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. 13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God...

Reformation is not RepentanceHos 7:16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

John 11:43-44 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. New Boss 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes:

and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, No debt to the Deviland let him go. New service to preform

Sleight of Hand

(Jer 6:14; 8:11)

I. Sleight of Education

II. Sleight of Entertainment

III. Sleight of Enrichment

IV. Sleight of Embarrassment