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
Always ask, ‘What does the Bible say?’
Jesus was rough on Pharisees: ‘Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness’ (Matthew 23:28 NLT). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening?
Psychologists say the strongest influence on our present is often our past. But Paul said: ‘… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT).
You can learn to love by thinking loving thoughts. By focusing on the other person’s needs, pains, difficulties, goals, and desires, not just your own. The old saying goes, ‘It’s easier to understand someone when you walk a mile in their shoes.’ Hurting people tend to hurt other people. If someone is hurting you, that person may be doing so because they are hurting. How can you love them? By looking beyond their faults and seeing their needs. The least lovable people are often those who need love the most. The people we would prefer to ignore are the very ones who need huge doses of love.
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