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?’
One day when Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, was scheduled to preach to three hundred inmates at San Quentin prison, a lockdown was called and most of the prisoners were confined to their cells. To the few who were allowed to attend, Colson decided to go ahead and give the complete message he had prepared.
The Bible says, ‘… the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits’ (Daniel 11:32 NKJV). This Scripture is not a licence to be arrogant and insensitive to the feelings of others, or to have an overinflated opinion of yourself. It means that when you understand God’s Word, God’s ways, and God’s will, you will be confident in who you are and in what God has called you to do.
Sometimes the people who irritate and hurt us do so because they themselves are in pain. They’re dealing with issues we don’t know about.
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