Politics and church history are littered with deceivers - people who claim what is not true, about themselves, others, the Bible or God.  Jesus is not talking to the crowds in these verses, but to the disciples, the future apostles.  His message to them, and through them to the church today and beyond, is to be at a high state of alert to identify deceivers.  Reject them and repudiate their false teaching (Proverbs 4:23-27).  It might seem harsh in these days of tolerance, but lies are like malignant viruses which can remain dormant for years, but be activated when we have low resistance of spirit, mind or body.

The greatest deceit is to pretend to be Jesus.  That is straight out of a Satanic masterclass.  Ever since the Garden of Eden, he has always liked pretending to be the authoritative mouthpiece of God (Genesis 3:1-5).  But the true voice of God is never in conflict with His written Word; and that is our constantly reliable reference point (Acts 17:11).  Deception becomes effective when we allow ourselves to drift from the Bible's authority to what we think or feel, or what society finds attractive (Hebrews 2:1).  It is not only a 'spiritual matter' either: Satan loves to stir up hostility wherever he can: he bizarrely delights in civil disturbance or international conflict.  Paul says we should pray for peace so that the gospel may travel freely, and churches be established (1 Timothy 2:1-4).  

A 'fallen' world with its disordered geology will produce earthquakes.  Disordered ecology will see famines; and disordered societies will be fighting (often these two are seen together).  None of this was God's design; it is the consequence of sin in the world.  And when neither is happening, people fear that they might!  Yet natural superstition and distorted religion likes to attribute disaster to God.  They suggest that these horrible events demand God's personal intervention or prove that He is powerless.  Believers may also be tempted to assume that any of these must herald the immediate return of Christ as a way out of their misery - although extreme suffering will make believers long for eternity even more.

But a disrupted world with dislocated societies are a sign of the return of Jesus - or at least a sign that this world will never be heaven ... and that we should seek a Saviour who is to come (Hebrews 13:14).  He will redress all wrongs and establish new heavens and a new earth which will be called 'a home of righteousness' (2 Peter 3:13).  The unsatisfactory world with its frustrating and disappointing relationships should make us long for Jesus to come back and sort it all out! Until then, let not us (nor our friends) be fobbed off by any substitute saviour.  Instead we wait in hope because the Scriptures have taught us to be patient, and we are comforted in our distress by the Holy Spirit assuring us of Christ's presence until He physically returns.  Whatever your pain, hold onto Christ for He holds onto you.