Christian

How To Be a Discerning Christian

Cindy Dawson

The Bible warns us about false teachers. Yes, they exist today. But how do we know what is true and what is false? This is an important question. The answer is we must be discerning Christians.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about The Skill of Discernment. (Read it HERE.) Since then, I came across an excellent comparison that I want to share with you. In his book, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, Tim Challies compares spiritual discernment with identifying counterfeit currency.

Challies writes, “We can best know what is wrong by first knowing what is right. Experts on counterfeit currency know this as well. They train others first to know the traits of genuine currency because such knowledge will make apparent what is fraudulent.”

Experts in counterfeit money study every aspect of their currency including how it feels and every detail of its appearance and color. Only after they do this are they shown counterfeit currency. And guess what? They know immediately what is not real!

In the same way, it is only after we know the Bible well that we will be able to recognize false teaching. A mature Christian is a Christian who knows the Bible well. This is an important point because the Bible says that the immature Christian can be blown here and there by every kind of teaching (meaning false teaching). That makes sense, right? Ephesians 4:12-14 NASB says,

“… for the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [b]knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature [c]which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 [d]As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness [e]in deceitful scheming;“

One thing about children, they’ll believe almost anything. And like children, immature Christians will believe almost anything, especially if it sounds good.

So the question is: How well do you know the Bible? How many times have you read it from cover to cover? How many times have you read the New Testament? Are you reading the Bible for yourself? Or do you rely on books about the Bible?

I challenge you to read the Bible from cover to cover at least twice before you read the Christian Best Sellers. Otherwise, how can you discern if what you are reading is true? Maybe you are thinking, “Oh I just know.” – I wouldn’t be so sure of that. But don’t take my word for it. Consider what the Bible says.

“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.  Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.  So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” The Apostle Paul (Acts 20:29-31 NIV) Read full chapter

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. …21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Jesus (Matthew 7:15, and 21-24 NIV) Read full chapter

“2 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” The Apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV) Read full chapter

Remember this: “We can best know what is wrong by first knowing what is right.”

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

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Friday’s Verse, 2/25/22

Cindy Dawson

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made!
    In wisdom you have made them all.
    The earth is full of your creatures. Psalm 104:24 NLT Read full chapter

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Jamie Haughton on Unsplash

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Verses for Meditation, 2/24/22

Cindy Dawson

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens
    and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
    producing seed for the farmer
    and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word.
    I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
    and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:8-11 NLT Read full chapter

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by mohamed hassouna on Unsplash

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Quote of the Week, 2/23/22

Cindy Dawson

“Unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.”

Peter Marshall (1949). “Prayers Offered by the Chaplain, the Rev. Peter Marshall, D.D.: At the Opening of the Daily Sessions of the Senate of the United States During the Eightieth and Eighty-first Congress 1947-1949”

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

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Tuesday’s Verse, 2/22/22

Cindy Dawson

“Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry for mercy.
 When I am in distress, I call to you,
    because you answer me.” Psalm 86:6-7 NIV

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

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Monday’s Verse, 2/21/22

Cindy Dawson

“Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:5-6 ESV Read full chapter

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Marcel Eberle on Unsplash

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Sunday’s Memory Verse, 2/20/22

Cindy Dawson

“Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
 They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.” Psalm 112:6-8 NIV Read full chapter

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Lora P on Unsplash

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What Are Your Distractions?

Cindy Dawson

There are several important lessons to learn from the events following Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000. Not least of which is the fact that Jesus told them to go to the other side of the lake, and even though they were obeying Him, a storm buffeted them and hindered them from doing what He had told them to do. But I digress.

What stands out the most to me is that Peter actually walked on water, at least for a moment. It wasn’t until he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind that he began to sink. Let God speak to your heart as you read His Word, today.

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-32 NIV

The wind was real and it was terrifying, but until Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind, he was walking on water! Wow! That’s something to contemplate.

What are the distractions in our lives today? What causes us to take our eyes off the Savior? They may be real, like the wind and storm, but they are still only distractions. Fear comes when we take our eyes off of Jesus. But nothing can separate us from the love of God.

35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[a]

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 35-39 NIV Read full chapter

No matter what you are facing today, keep your eyes on Jesus. Fear comes when we are distracted. Unbelief follows fear. But if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will make it through the storm and arrive safely at our destination.

The difference between faith and fear is focus.”

David Jeremiah, Pastor

Where is your focus?

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

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Friday’s Verse, 2/18/22

Cindy Dawson

“Your justice is as solid as God’s mountains. Your decisions are as full of wisdom as the oceans are with water. You are concerned for men and animals alike.  How precious is your constant love, O God! All humanity takes refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:6-7 TLB Read full chapter

It was impossible to pick only one photo!

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

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Verses for Meditation, 2/17/22

Cindy Dawson

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.” 1 Corinthians 3: 5-8 NIV Read full chapter

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Julie Blake Edison on Unsplash

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