Proverbs - 7 - (Proverbs 12:2)

A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord condemns a crafty man. (Proverbs 12:2)

Ever seen crafty believers? If you have been a believer for quite a while, it's possible that you have encountered many.

It's true that they are saved and are worshipping the Lord but some of their older traits have yet to leave them. Not really a new creature yet. The old things have not passed away.
In Psalm 18 we read the following:

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. (Psalm 18:25, 26)

Truly, the Lord deals shrewdly with the crooked.
In the book of Acts, we read of a man named Simon who had practiced sorcery in Samaria, but when he saw the miracles that God performed through Phillip, he himself believed and was baptized. He even joined Phillip in his ministry, so as to say. But later on when he saw believer's receiving the Holy Spirit when Peter and John placed their hands on them, he offered them money to get the power. He was sternly rebuked by Peter who said,
"May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. (Acts 8:20,21)

Sadly these days, this is what many who are in the ministry are trying to do. Trying to buy the power of God with money and when they do not succeed, they settle for counterfiet powers which seal their fate.

These are the ones, who will in the end tell the Lord,
'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' (Matthew 7:22)

But the Lord will have only one answer for them and that is:
'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:23)

Better be faithful and blameless and try to keep ourselves pure, for that is what God desires from us.