Be Careful What You Believe!

God’s people have always been taught to be careful concerning what they believe and practice. While we must be sincere, sincerity alone is not enough. The apostle John warned Christians, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). The claim that a message is from God may be mistaken, even honestly mistaken. Individually, we msut search and examine God's Word for ourselves.

The advent of the Internet has made it much easier for false information to be spread. All it takes is a couple of keystrokes and a message can be instantly sent all over the world. Unfortunately, some people seemingly believe everything that is presented to them as being true.

Early Monday morning a good friend of mine received an email with information concerning the phrase “In God We Trust” being omitted from a new coin being issued by the U.S. Mint. Before noon my friend had sent this message to about fifteen people, including me. I looked over the message, and I was suspicious. If this were true, the various media outlets would have reported it. Instead of being content to merely consider this an unfortunate turn of events, I decided to do a bit of research into the matter. I went to a site on the Internet that has on a number of occasions provided me with accurate information concerning false information that has been reported as being true or has confirmed something I heard or read (www.snopes.com). As I expected, the information concerning “In God We Trust” being omitted from a new coin was false.

One reason for the division that exists in religion today is that some people are willing to believe and follow what they have been taught. But what if the person from whom the information was obtained was mistaken, even honestly mistaken? The example of the people of Berea is certainly commendable in that they searched or examined the Scriptures for themselves to make sure what they were being taught was true (Acts 17:11).

This is not a call for constant cynicism. But it is a call for us to make sure we have a faith that is solid and sure. Each day we are edging closer to eternity’s shore. This emphasizes the importance of being careful what we believe.

Our Daily Dose

One aspect of the difficulty of daily living is the reality that each day is different. We face a variety of challenges, questions, and problems in life. Also, it is possible for us to become distracted in our Christian walk.

The Psalmist reflected concerning his life, and here is a conclusion he reached about God’s Word, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The idea in this sentiment is that he did not want to imagine living one day without the benefits he received from God’s Word.

For the benefit of our spiritual lives, each of us needs to devote time daily to God’s Word. This should never be just a ritual, but it should be a natural part of our relationship with the Lord. Listed below are a few reasons it is so important that we devote time daily to God’s Word:

1. To Help Us In Remaining Close To The Lord. It is possible that the routine of everyday life may gradually lead us away from the Lord. There are the various responsibilities, activities, and pressures that we face. The Scriptures provide us with a spiritual compass. Here we are reminded of what is truly important. James gives the following promise to Christians, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Indeed, one way we can draw near to God is through His Word.

2. To Gain Strength For Daily Living. Such things as discouragements and disappointments invade our lives as Christians. If we are not prepared, these things can weaken us spiritually. This is another reason that a close connection with God through His Word is an important ingredient for abiding in Him. Even in the midst of difficulties, God’s Word can give us strength. The Psalmist David declared, “Remember the Word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction” (Psalm 119:49 & 50)

3. To Remind Us Of The Hope We Have In Christ. The apostle Paul exclaimed, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). The daily grind of life can cause us to lose sight of how wonderfully blessed we are in Christ. As we spend time daily in God’s Word, we are reminded of the hope we have in Christ. Even when there are disappointments, we have a thrilling hope, which is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19).

Start Counting

I have a friend in England who is in her mid-eighties. Although she's housebound and frail, she has an attitude of gratitude every time we talk on the telephone. One of her favorite hymns has always been, "Count Your Blessings." So I was concerned when she remarked one day, "I've stopped naming my blessings one by one." But then she continued cheerfully, "My blessings are so many, I'm weighing them ton by ton!"

author unknown

Take A Minute

A natural consequence of our fast paced society is the complaint of not having enough time. It is easy to utter the words, “I do not have enough time.” But the reality is that we have the same amount of time. The challenge is to decide how best to use our time. As the apostle Paul urged, “Redeeming the time” (Ephesians 5:16). This exhortation literally means using our time to its fullest advantage.

One way to begin making a wiser use of our time is to stop complaining about our lack of time! Let’s view each moment as a precious commodity. Each day is a precious gift from the Lord. To help us in being wise stewards of our time, it will help us to approach each minute as an opportunity. The following are some practical suggestions.

Take a minute to . . .

• Pray To The Father – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

• Help A Fellow Christian – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

• Ponder The Glories Of Heaven – “To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (I Peter 1:4).

• Make Sure Your Mind Is Properly Focused – “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

• Remember Your Influence Is Powerful – “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:13-14).

A Test Of Our Love For God

When asked, most people will admit their love for God. Among the reasons cited for loving God is the fact of His love for us. As the apostle John exclaimed, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10).

Cultivating a proper relationship with our Father in Heaven demands that we clearly understand what He expects from us. Most assuredly, it is one thing to declare our love for God, but it is another thing to manifest our love for Him. As the apostle John said, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (I John 5:2 & 3).

Loving God is the highest privilege that is granted to mankind. After all, there is nothing about any of us that makes us worthy of this exalted privilege. But the God whom we serve is loving, gracious, and merciful. Listed below are six questions designed to assist us in evaluating our love for God.

1. Do I give the study of the Bible a high priority in my life? (Psalm 119:97)

2. Do I spend regular time in prayer? (Matthew 7:7-11)

3. Do I sincerely love my brethren? (I John 3:17)

4. Does my daily life glorify the Lord? (I Corinthians 10:31)

5. Am I growing as a Christian? (II Peter 3:18)

6. Am I actively involved in serving the Lord? (Ephesians 2:10)

"He Loves The Truck More Than Me"

Hurt and heartache are realities often seen in today’s world. I recently saw these emotions in a vivid way. I was returning home from Oil City. Just before I reached the bridge on Highway 2 that crosses the Red River, I saw a car on the side of the highway. As I passed by the scene I saw some people on the side of the highway, two vehicles down the embankment, and debris scattered on the highway. It was clear there had been a wreck. I turned around and went back to the scene. After making sure that the appropriate calls had been made, I talked some more to the people.

At least one person had been injured to the extent that medical attention was needed. One couple, probably in their twenties, lamented that their truck had been totaled. In an attempt to comfort and help them put things in their proper perspective, I told them that the more important thing was that neither of them had suffered serious injuries. This was when the young woman said these sad words, “He loves me the truck more than me.” This was not a desperate attempt of making a joke. She was serious. Still I find myself wondering what would ever move her to make this kind of a statement.

The smell of alcohol was strong. After she made her statement, I was curious if the young man would speak some comforting and reassuring words to her, perhaps even put his arm around her. But he did not have much to do with her. As we stood on the shoulder of the highway she began to experience some pain in her stomach. Even then he did not express any concern. Did he care?

I have no way of knowing this entire story. I have many unanswered questions. Therefore I felt at a loss of what I should say to her. But I knew this young woman was hurting. I did my best to assure her that things could get better, and that I would be praying for her. I hope her story has a happy story, but I will probably never know.

Sometimes we get frustrated in our daily lives when the service at a restaurant is not what we desire or if the line at Wal-Mart is too long. But there is more going on in the world around us than these minor inconveniences. There are real people hurting. Unhappiness and frustration are daily realities for some people. This situation becomes sadder when children, due to their home environment, come to believe that this is the only way that daily life can be lived. Using the opportunities that are presented to us day by day, we need to be alert to opportunities of helping others in their times of hurt. It may be an encouraging and kind word that is spoken, a good deed that is done, or even just listening. Ordinary people can make a difference in the lives of others. And the result is that all of us will benefit.

Missing Heaven

It has been almost twenty years ago, but I still remember a certain afternoon in the airport in Memphis Tennessee. I was flying from Oklahoma City to Nashville. At Memphis I changed planes, and had about an hour between flights. After getting off the plane I had gone to the restroom, and then immediately I went to the gate for my connecting flight. I was keeping watch on the time, and I noticed that although it was almost time for my scheduled departure to Nashville, it had not been announced that my flight was boarding. Finally after patiently waiting for a few more minutes, I went to the person at the gate and inquired. The reply to my question concerning my flight was swift and certain, “Sir, the pilot is getting ready to close the door of the plane.” After quickly getting to my seat, I thought about how that I had come very close to missing my flight.

Indeed, more tragic than missing a flight will be for a person to miss heaven. I cannot imagine the horror of realizing for eternity that I had missed heaven. The reality would be that instead of an eternity characterized by glory and unending happiness, my eternity would be characterized by the indescribable agony of fire and brimstone (Revelation 20).

From time to time I have thought about how I almost missed my flight in Memphis. I thought I had been paying attention to the announcement for the boarding call. But apparently somehow I had not paid sufficient attention. This reminds me that many people have good intentions of making sure that heaven is their eternal home. They believe the necessary preparations have been made. But according to Jesus, at the judgment they are going to be shocked and surprised. As Jesus taught concerning the judgment, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23).

The greatest responsibility you and I have is to make sure we are prepared for eternity. Tragically, many people are going to miss heaven due to carelessness, neglect, and stubbornness. Thus the reality will be for eternity they will painfully regret their failure to properly prepare. As we are presently in the here and now, may we often reflect and personally apply the words of our Lord, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13 & 14).

Special Lessons From Special Children

A smile is usually on Stephen’s face. In her own unique way, Mary displays a vibrant enthusiasm. These are special children. They will never experience many of the joys of life that are available to most people. For example, they will never enjoy the satisfaction that comes from a meaningful career, nor will they ever help raise a family. But from these special children there are some special lessons that can benefit our lives. Please ponder these three lessons:

· Life should be lived with constant happiness. Stephen demonstrates an excitement about life. Though he is probably twelve or thirteen years old, he approaches coloring a picture or writing the letters of the alphabet with enthusiasm. On a recent afternoon, Mary enjoyed a few moments of excitement singing “The Alphabet Song.” The reality is that too often we count our burdens instead of our blessings. The apostle Paul commands, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). I hope that I will regularly think of these special children and Philippians 4:4 when life seems overwhelming.

· We need to be concerned about other people. Mary will often ask questions to adults. The temptation can be to be annoyed when there seems to be no end to these questions. I have chosen to believe that Mary would never want to be viewed as an aggravation. From her innocent heart, she is trying her best to show an interest in others. The apostle Paul reminds us, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others” (Philippians 2:4).

· Let’s approach the reality of heaven with a sense of excitement. Stephen and Mary easily become excited when the next activity is announced to them. While they become discouraged at times, I have noticed their discouragement is usually short-lived. Let’s be reminded that the reality of heaven should always bring excitement and glorious anticipation to our hearts. The burdens of life will be easier to bear as we remember this assurance of Jesus, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

While we struggle to explain why there are children with handicaps like Stephen and Mary, more often we need to pause and reflect on the lessons they teach us.

* The characters of Stephen and Mary are a composite of a couple of students I recently worked with in a classroom at an area school.