Have you had trouble discerning whether something a preacher says is true or false, if their message is something you should abide by or not? Well I can certainly say I have! But the Lord whispered to me this morning with the answer. He said to me, "Does the message speak of Me?" That's a good question isn't it? For instance, you see alot on TV nowadays about prosperity teaching, is it truth or is it *feel good* deception? Let's give some deep thought to this and look to see *what sayeth the scriptures*! Quotes are KJV and from BlueLetterBible.org ...
What I get from my brief message from the Lord (as shown above) is that we should ask ourselves that question EVERY TIME we watch a Christian (or even secular) program, or hear/see one on the radio, internet, etc. The Lord wants us to be aware of His wishes for our learning. The theme of any good message, one that is edifying to your soul, should be centered on Christ. If a message is about prosperity, quoting scripture but not having anything to do with the Lord then it is something you should discard, better yet turn it off! You should be able to discern if what you see or hear is truth, or not, within the first few minutes of the message. The quoting of scripture is not how we tell if what is being preached is truth, even satan knows the scriptures (if you recall him quoting verses while attempting to tempt Jesus in the wilderness during His 40-day fast, see Matthew 4). Interestingly, Jesus had this to say:
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. According to Jesus, as we see above, we know that all scripture speaks of, or points to, Him. What Jesus was saying is that the established religious leaders of the day did indeed search the scriptures but they didn't realize the scriptures were pointing to Him, the Messiah, who was right under their noses. But if that is the case, and it is, then it's likewise true that we need to apply this to all aspects of what we see or hear in our Christian walk. By that I mean, when you are watching TV, an online video, listening to a radio station or an audio recording, even if the program is supposedly Christian in nature, you should be asking yourself at the onset ... is this program, or it's message, speaking about Jesus, or is it speaking of something else? If it's speaking of Jesus, the next step is to test it out in the scriptures themselves. If it's not speaking of Jesus then change the channel or turn it off, it's of the devil! We are reminded ...
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:
{Jesus continues} I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
The devil is wiley (sneaky) and it's his mission to deceive you and lead you astray. We can be easily led astray if we aren't asking ourselves if the program is about Jesus, and if we aren't verifying scriptures that are quoted in those programs as accurate and within the context that they were written and intended for. This same advice holds up for sermons, whether they be ones you hear or see online or in a church ... guard your souls and filter all things through the Lord!
Another problem for many Christians is they listen to scriptures quoted out of context, yet another example for the prosperity teachings we've been hearing a lot about. I'm not saying God doesn't want you to prosper but you need to be solely reliant on Jesus for that, not some program that professes all kinds of contextually incorrect quotings. An example of a misquoted text for the supposed sake of prosperity is the following:
3Jo 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. If you read the verse above in context (in the passage of scriptures it goes with), you will see that this is simply the writer (whom is thought to be the Apostle John) greeting a fellow servant named Gaius. Aside from that it's not even speaking of prosperity as in financial gain but spiritual prosperity and physical health ... it's a greeting and a wish ... nothing more, nothing less. We must be careful to stay on track, filter all things through Jesus, and by the Holy Spirit within you, as well as verifying within the biblical scriptures, as we're told here ...
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. So, please, be very careful of what you watch or listen to. ALWAYS be on your spiritual guard! If it doesn't specifically speak of Jesus turn the channel or turn it off. If it doesn't line up with scripture, turn the channel or turn it off. Be aware of the devil's devices and deception so that you can stand on our Rock (Jesus, our Lord & Savior) and not be pushed off at every mild breeze that may *feel good*. A few more scriptural warnings to keep in mind ...
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Hereby, know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:15 Whosoever, shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
Does any of that jive with you? Hopefully you believe that Jesus was and is fully God (God's Son, therefore God also), AND fully human (being born of a young lady that was a virgin) ... and that He was & is both divine & flesh (what's impossible with man is possible with God). Do you KNOW that Jesus is our Lord & Savior, the Messiah, the promised one that would come into the world and be the savior to all that accepted Him. Do you belive that *the doctrine of Christ* spoken of above is our holy scriptures, the bible; the living, inspired, written word of God (yes, penned through various men over the years, but to think that there are *mistakes* means that you think God cannot get His word down to us in tact). Consider this ... the fact that the bible is written by so many and meshes so well together makes the bible all the more believable because once you understand it's ALL about Jesus, then you are on the path of understanding it! The bible IS Jesus, in written form, Jesus is called the Word by the Apostle John, as seen in the beginning of the Gospel of John!
Joh 1:2Joh 1:3
Joh 1:4Joh 1:5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord & Savior, open your heart to Him now. Just ask Him to come into your life, tell Him that you make Him your Lord (owner) & Savior, and that you repent of (are sorry for, and turn from) all your sins and want to follow Him! You must believe in faith that all that was said of Him in the bible is true: from His virginal birth; to His life and ministry and all the miracles accredited to Him; His death as your replacement ... He died so that you could live ... He took God's full wrath for you as He hung on the cross in your place; He is now resurrected and at God's right hand soon to return to this earth to rule and reign for 1,000 years and on into eternity! It's that simple. Be forewarned, you cannot understand the things of God without God IN YOU (that is the Holy Spirit) to guide you along! Please, ask Jesus into your heart & life now, your eternity depends on it! Once you've done that find a good bible-based, God filled, believing church and attend so you can be helped by others that know Him. Get baptized, full immersion, not a sprinkle but full immersion (being dunked fully under water signifies your death & burial to the flesh, while coming out of that water signifies your new birth in the Spirit). If you are not healthy enough to be immersed then sprinkling will probably do, but DO get baptized (Romans 6)!
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Act 16:31-34 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Act 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Rom 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
God bless ...