Always ask, ‘What does the Bible say?’
Devotion: Term 3, Week 1
Paul writes: ‘Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified’ (Acts 20:30-32 NKJV). When someone claims ‘special revelation from God’ that doesn’t line up with what Scripture teaches, don’t buy it! Do what the Bereans did: ‘Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true’ (Acts 17:11 NIV).
Whose teachings did the Bereans put under the searchlight of Scripture? Paul’s! No leader, regardless of the size of their following, is beyond such scrutiny. Indeed, good leaders welcome it. ‘But doesn’t God still have more to say to us?’ you ask. Yes, and when you take your last breath, you still won’t know everything. Does God have new and effective strategies for reaching the world with the Gospel in this age of technology? Yes, and we must embrace and utilise them in order to reap the final harvest.
But we must never compromise when it comes to God’s Word, Acts 20:30 says, ‘Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, …’ Sometimes the greatest threat to truth comes from those we know, love, and have worked with, who have wandered off track. So, what’s the answer? It’s simple. Always ask, ‘What does the Bible say?’ and make that your benchmark.
SoulFood: 2 Sam 7:18 – 11:27 Luke 7:11-23 Ps 118:1-9 Pro 18:4-6
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2024
Other Devotions
Devotion – Get into the Right Environment
When you encounter someone who tries to ‘cut you down to size’, remind yourself they are probably trying to cut you down to their size. So, what should you do? Love them, but don’t be overly influenced by what they say. As a rule, instead of staying where you’re tolerated, go where you’re appreciated!
Devotion – Get into the Right Environment
When you encounter someone who tries to ‘cut you down to size’, remind yourself they are probably trying to cut you down to their size. So, what should you do? Love them, but don’t be overly influenced by what they say. As a rule, instead of staying where you’re tolerated, go where you’re appreciated!
Devotion – How To Have Peace
Jesus said His peace is a gift. That means you don’t have to work for it and you cannot earn it. You cannot psych yourself up for it, and you cannot try really hard to obtain it. No, it’s a gift you must accept by faith. Jesus also said that His peace is unique from what the world provides. In the last 3,500 years, the world has only been free of war for 286 of them—that’s less than 9 per cent. This world’s peace doesn’t last.