1 John 4: 1 – 3
I read passages like this and I can feel the accountability God places on me. Then I begin to feel small so many people seem so much more knowledgeable than I when it comes to scripture and God’s word. How am I supposed to know?
I have listened to many different teachings and for the most part this is what I hear…. That we should
Pray
James 1: 5
If any of you lack wisdom he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him
Wait
Psalm 37: 7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him
Godly Confirmation
Church family, Pastors, mentors, trusted friends
Godly Provision
Is God providing the skills, tools, resources necessary to accomplish the task at hand
Focus
Does it cause me to step away from my responsibilities? God will never ask you to drop the ball on something he has called you to
Edify
Does it build up or tear down? Is it a potential growth opportunity or is it more of a shackle
Peace
Do you sense God’s peace –
Peace does not mean easy it means you have found comfort because you have chosen to rest in God regardless of the outcome or the effort involved
Listening to all of those it “feels right” it seems to make sense but then I run into scriptures like
Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD
And I begin to wonder, what if, what if there is more to it or what if that is not it at all? It doesn’t mean all of it is wrong or any of it is wrong I just think that it is worth looking into, after all it is a scripture that says …. Don’t believe everything you hear but that we should test the spirits to see whether they are from God. So even though there are some great messages out there about how we hear from God and decipher his voice from all the others that beg for our attention I think it is worth the effort to dig a little deeper and see, are they right is that how we discern God’s voice from all the others?
(it is at this point that I revealed the math problem) Show math problem
(we have a mathematician in our small congregation whom I had contacted prior to this teaching and asked her to give me a insanely huge math problem, I of course did not have the slightest idea how to solve this problem. I applied everything I had just taught as you will see below to solve the problem of course it made no difference I still was lacking in one crucial area ~ Knowledge ~ I used this illustration to bring the teaching to its conclusion)
How do I find this answer?
I can Pray and truth be told I should, I can wait and hope the answer just pops into my head chances are slim but ya never know God is much bigger than me after all.
I can ask others and hope they can help or at least tell me it looks like I am on the right track confirming in me that this is what I should do to find the answer
I do have the paper, pen, and a brain it looks like God has provided everything I need to be able to solve this problem
Now I need to make sure nothing distracts me and I remain focused (at this point I fumbled through the problem making it up as I went along coming up with my own answer)
As I was attempting to solve the problem I acknowledged that it was my responsibility to edify others teaching them all that I have learned through this process
I must admit this is a tough problem probably the hardest math problem I have ever encountered but I still feel good ~ I believe Gods’ peace is filling my spirit I am not worried
I have used everything I just shared with you to solve this problem is my answer the correct answer? Of course it is not
SOLVE
(at this point I invited our mathematician to come up front and solve the problem for us, and she did )
Why did it not work when I attempted to solve the problem? Because if I truly want to know the answer I need to be studied
She knew the answer because she had taken the time to study and learn the rules of engagement for this type of math problem. I could have very easily convinced all but one of you that I had solved this problem and because none of us know anything about this type of math we can either choose to believe the “teacher” or we can take our notes and go home and STUDY find out for ourselves if what we were being taught was in fact the truth.
Too many of us show up in church on Sunday and listen to what sounds like a good message and we never take it home and put it to the test. Is what the pastor teaching the truth? Is that REALLY what scripture says?
Guys if you want to know the truth
If you want to know if what others are telling you is the truth
You have to open up his word
God’s word is our ONLY truth anything outside of his word is mere opinion
To know God you need to know God’s word
If you are not reading and studying God’s word to decipher what you are being taught then you are no more than a spiritual speck of dust floating from one location to the next depending on which way the wind happens to be taking you at the time
Knowing that everything I have just said is good, we should pray and wait on the Lord, we should seek confirmation, provision it can not cause us to loose sight of what is important to God … all of it is good Godly advice but if we are not opening the word none of it matters. So how do we test the spirits? How do we know the difference between biblical truth and just good advice?
Bottom line…
(1) Does it match up with scripture?
Psalm 119: 105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
2 Timothy 2: 15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Are you willing to ask this question? Are you willing to do the research the leg work? We can not allow ourselves to become lazy regarding our Christian walk
2) ask yourself
does it cause you to become more like Christ?
1 John 2: 6
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did
With every new day we are presented with every opportunity to become more and more like Christ
Every step, every decision, every path, is an blessed opportunity to learn and grow to become more like Christ
3) what does it say about Christ?
The preacher, the doctrine it MUST have a right knowledge of Jesus Christ
He was not a spirit as some would have you believe
He was not just a great guy
He is not just another prophet
He is
The son of God
Became Man
Fully God
Perfect and without sin
He is the Messiah our ONLY Savior
Sent from Heaven
Died for our sins
Rose from the dead 3 days later
And currently sits at the fathers right hand interceding for us
If these 3 things are not present then we are no more testing the spirits than we are checking our oil when we drink a glass of water.
1) Does it line up with Scripture
2) Does it cause you to be more like Christ
3) What does it say about Jesus Christ
Please understand that all of the things I have offered you today should be used in our daily walk with Christ (prayer, waiting on the Lord, confirmation. Etc.) but NONE of them should be at the exclusion of Scripture
2 Timothy 3: 16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness
Will you pray with me
