A few months ago, I was able to attend a conference sponsored by The Gospel Coalition. Some of our pastors joined other pastors in our region for three days of teachings, seminars, break-off conversations and hours of planning. There were 8,000 people from all over the world there — some of the most well-known theological minds of our day. It was huge. It was overwhelming. It was exhausting.
During the time I was there, one thing stood out to me (more than anything else). It was the rest I felt when I read my Bible. During my quiet times, there was a peace in my mind and my soul that I couldn’t quite pinpoint at first. With the conference going on, there was too much information to take in. I realized that when I read my Bible, however, I was able to completely let my guard down; I could believe every single word I read. I didn’t have to filter human thoughts or ideas. I didn’t have to be discerning about the content. It was fresh air. I was able to submit myself to every verse and rest in the fact that I was reading the words of God, not man.
Christian, let me ask you some very important questions. Are you constantly judging and discerning what you hear and read? When listening to podcasts and sermons or reading Christian bloggers and authors, is your guard down? Are you testing everything against the Word of God? There are ideas being preached and books being written by men and women that proclaim Christianity. However, when tested against the Word of God, they don’t match up.
You need to ask yourself if you’re reading your Bible with your guard up? Are you judging and discerning the Word of God by our culture and what you think is right and true? Let me assure you, Christian, there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). There is only one book that we should be completely submitted to and have our guard down against. The Bible. Let’s be Bereans and prayerfully examine the Scriptures every day to determine if what we’re reading and listening to is true (Acts 17:11).
Prayerfully discerning,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor