Weekly studies of God’s Word at https://youtube.com/channel/UCRMLL7oltAacPEspvL7MDHg
“…..to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits….”
1 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)
It would be better for the gift of prophecy to lie dormant in The Church, rather than having Prophecy without discernment.
“29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. “
1 Corinthians 14:29 (ESV)
“20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 (ESV):
“15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, 16 he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. “
Isaiah 33:15–16 (ESV)
3 You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 26:3–4 (ESV)
22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”
Matthew 12:22–23 (ESV):
Notice tha Jesus didn’t proclaim Himself as The Son of God to the masses. His works revealed to others who He was. They came to a reasonable conclusion: “Can this be the Son of David?”
Likewise, we shouldn’t have to proclaim ourselves as children of God for people to know who we are.
We aren’t saved by our works, but our works should show others that we are saved.
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Luke 6:27–28 (ESV)
You can’t neglect scripture and claim to be Holy Spirit lead.
49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
Luke 9:49–50 (ESV)
We should rejoice together when true believers do good works to God’s glory. We should celebrate one another in this. Even if we don’t attend the same church. Even if we have differences in doctrine(2nd tier). Even if we are from different denominations. We are the church. We are the Body. We work together. We have to stop trying to compete with and criticize each other. We are all members of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:27) When a believer from another “church” does a good work, don’t be critical or judgemental. Don’t look with envy or jealousy just because they are not with your group. To quote Jesus, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:16–17 (ESV)
“14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. “
2 Corinthians 12:14 (ESV)
Notice the difference between Paul’s approach, and the approach/message of prosperity preachers.
Paul says, “I will not be a burden” meaning he will not receive any contributions from them for ministering to Corinth. Rather, he will work for his living while he is among them. ( see 1 Corinthians 9:14-18). His reasoning is that he seeks “not what is yours, but you”.
Prosperity preachers don’t know you. They don’t seek you. They seek what is yours. The very opposite of what Paul seeks. They want your money in exchange for empty promises of wealth and prosperity. They don’t want you. They want your money.
Look at the example of the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-23. Jesus told the man to sell all that he had, distribute the money to the poor, then follow Him. Jesus didn’t want the man’s stuff. He didn’t want the man’s money. He wanted the man. Prosperity preachers don’t want the man; they want the man’s money.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Romans 1:26–27 (ESV)
There is no way around it. This passage is an undeniable condemnation of every type of homosexual behavior. The text could not possibly more clear.
“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake”
2 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV):
Humility is not counting myself less significant.
Humility is counting others more significant.
“3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. “
Philippians 2:3 (ESV)
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Romans 16:17–18 (ESV)
4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
Deuteronomy 8:4–5 (ESV):
God’s discipline is a beautiful thing. It is the discipline of a loving Father. The Israelites were punished for forty years. During that time, God divinely provided their food and water. Also, their feet did not swell, and their clothes didn’t wear out.
When I punish my own child for misbehavior, he doesn’t like it. It is unpleasant for him to endure discipline. But he never has to wonder if he’ll have food, clothes, or a place to sleep. He knows I’ll never abandon him and will always supply his needs. This is the loving discipline of a father that truly loves his child.
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Hebrews 12:5–6 (ESV)
“8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! “
2 Timothy 2:8–9 (ESV)
The more you listen to the voice of God (His Word), the more you desire to avoid anything counterfeit. Your desire for truth will outweigh what you want to believe. Because there is truth and power found in His Word. You’ll want more of The Truth, and more communion with Him. You will want to test each experience by His Word (as you should) to know if it is truly from Him. The more you read the Word and let His voice shape you, the more you will despise anything that is counterfeit
“104 From Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way. “
Psalm 119:104 (NASB95)
“6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. “
Romans 5:6–8 (NASB95)
Are you wanting to hear from God today? Then open His Holy Word and read. Study. Learn. Understand. There is no heightened experience that outweighs the certainty of Scripture. His Word truly is His Voice. Read it. It is God speaking.
“ How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word. “
Psalm 119:9 (ESV)
“15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Hebrews 13:15–16 (ESV)
Most are familiar with this passage, but did you catch this? It’s not the “lips that acknowledge His name” that is described as a “sacrifice of praise”; it is the FRUIT of those lips. It is what you produce that is counted as a sacrifice of praise.
So what is this fruit? What am I suppose to be doing? The answer is plainly laid before us in vs. 16. Do good to others, and share what you have. This sacrifice is pleasing to God. Then, with your lips, acknowledge that it all comes from Him anyway. All the blessings. All the “fruit”. It is a result of The Holy Spirit dwelling in you. This is the sacrifice of praise.
11. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
Acts 17:11–12 (ESV)
If the apostle Paul miraculously appeared to you with a word from The Lord, would you believe him without question? Would you test his words, or just have complete faith in his words because of the supernatural experience?
The Berean Jews in Acts 17 didn’t simply take him at his word. But they examined the scriptures to see if he was really speaking for God. They tested what he said against scripture and determined that he spoke the truth. Many of them put their faith in Christ as a result.
If you receive a “word” from the Lord, you need to know scripture so you’ll recognize His Voice. If you’re not sure about it, then you need to reasonably, and calmly, examine the scriptures to make the right determination. This is what the Jews at Berea did, and they came to the correct conclusion. This doesn’t need to be an emotional judgment, because your emotions will want to cling to the experience. Supernatural experience and emotional highs do not outweigh the certainty of scripture.
“8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
Galatians 1:8 (ESV)
Commune with God today. How? It’s simple.
When you read His Word, that is Him speaking to you.
When you pray, that is Him listening to you.
“14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 3:14–15 (ESV)
23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
2 Timothy 2:23 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
Proper context strengthens the application of scripture. It does not weaken it. It provides clarity and truth.
“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. “
Psalm 1:1–3 (ESV)
The fabric of scripture never ceases to amaze me.
11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 (ESV)
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