Having Discernment

We live in age of fake news or stories that people make up and try to pass them off as the truth.  Jesus warns us that in the last days that there will be many false teachers around.  There have been false teachers around even since the Church started and falsehood has been around since the Garden of Eden when the devil (the father of lies) deceived Eve and Adam into eating from the tree that the Lord told them not to eat from.

We as believers and followers of Jesus Christ must be very careful and test what someone says with the truth of God's Word, the Bible.  Just because a famous Preacher says something doesn't mean it is the truth even if he has thousands of people coming to his church to hear him.  We need to make sure that what comes out of the pulpit goes along with what the Bible says.  God's Word is the truth and God is never wrong.

We believers in Jesus Christ also have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to help us to remain in the truth and the Holy Spirit will help us to discern what is true and what is false.  There will be times, if we are paying attention, that someone will say something and the Holy Spirit will give us a nudge and warn us that something isn't right with what they just said.

Matthew 7:15-23 says,

"15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are 
ferocious wolves.
                                                                                                       

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one

who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

                                                                                                       

22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’

                                                                              

23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you

evildoers!’ "                                                 

We believers in Jesus Christ must watch out for false profits and make sure that we are following the truth of God's Word.  We need to listen more to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our walk with the Lord as well.

Here is the audio version of the sermon my Pastor, Dennis Ashley, preached at the First Baptist Church yesterday in Houlton, Maine entitled, "Jesus Teaches About Discernment".     

https://soundcloud.com/dcashley/jesus-teaches-about?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook


Lord,
We praise Your Holy Name.
Help us to be discerning in this day and age.
Help us to study and read our Bibles more regularly.
Help us to fall in love with Your Word and with You even more so.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus Name we pray,
Amen.