Don't Buy The Lie by Mark Matlock

The rest of the book title is ‘Discerning Truth in a World of Deception.’ This book tackles issues such as horoscopes, psychics, vampires, ghosts, and other ideas that can distract our attention from the truth. God’s truth.

Mark loved magic tricks and loved deceiving people through illusions. He was a junior member of the Magic Castle in Southern California at the age of 17. It’s all in fun, right?

The only problem is this continues on today. Psychics claim they can talk to your loved ones who passed on. They are able to get enough information from you to convince you that they really are contacting the dead and have a message for you. Even Hollywood plays into this role. Think about the movie, Ghost. The guy is murdered but hangs back until is girl is safe and then he moves into the light. It’s a great movie. But, it’s not reflective of scripture. Whenever you watch a movie or read a book, you must put it through the discernment filter. Mark suggests this: listen, learn, and compare it to scripture. The only way you will know the truth is by studying God’s word. Otherwise, you are opening yourselves up to deceptions that flood our world today.

Throughout the book, there are survey questions that are asked specifically to the teen crowd. For example, 21% of the teens surveyed believe that Satan is not a real being, but represents the conflict of good and evil (see page 57). That’s a big number!

It’s true that there is a hot debate among even Christians when it comes to watching movies or reading books that involve witchcraft or vampires. If you watch Twilight and it makes you want to be a vampire, research the idea of them and obsess about it, then it is keeping you from following Christ. And no, vampires do not exist so don’t look for them.

The key theme throughout the book is deception. We live in a big world of deceit. People fall for some things that are good but there are lies mixed in that keep them from the truth. Angels are good. But, they are not God. We are to worship God not Angels.

I would recommend the book for teens and youth pastors.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher (Zondervan). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”