Check All Things

Check All Things “We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.” Acts 15:24 Faith in God is a wonderful thing to have, as it can get us through many of the trials and troubles that all of us will endure at some point in our lives. By our faith we have become children of God and received our salvation. We need to have faith in the Word of God and trust it, but we always need to make sure that the Word of God comes from our own understanding and make sure that it is right, by verifying it ourselves in the Bible. Too often, however, we as Christians believe in the wrong things that we have heard from others and don’t verify it for ourselves. I have heard pastors, deacons and Sunday school teachers teach the wrong things even though they think they are right. People are quick to believe in gossip about co-workers, friends, neighbors, and our governmental leaders are a target for almost anyone. When we believe misinformation this can lead to slander, we can hurt others by judging them about things that might not be true. How can we protect ourselves and keep from hurting others? One way is to not believe just one side of a story that is told about someone. We need to hear both sides of a story, and then we can understand the situation better. In addition, we can protect ourselves from false doctrine by comparing what we hear to the actual Word of God found in our Bible. We should test everything with the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. James wrote “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5. Let us resolve to not hurt ourselves or others by believing in things that we shouldn’t, but let God give us wisdom. My Daily Devotional Volume III September 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.