Lilies of the Field

When Biblical Discernment Goes Wrong ~ If I could point to one lesson my mom tried to drive home to me as she watched my Christian walk, it would be that of ‘balance’. Man, I hated when that word started to come out of her mouth directed toward me. But as we often come to learn later in life—Momma knew my heart better than I know it myself. I write this post from the standpoint of one who sees clearly how she once was (and will always have a propensity to be). In other words, I am preaching to the choir here! Those who have the gift of discernment often find themselves standing alone as they fight for the truth. That is a fact. Those who have the gift of discernment can also find themselves standing alone because they fight for the truth without love. Those who fight error can become so out of balance that they begin focusing on the pursuit of error rather than focusing on love for the truth. Like drug-sniffing dogs, they can get to a place where they believe their sole ...

  Danger, danger Will Robinson! That exclamation may bring the same picture to the forefront of your mind as it does mine. This urgent warning was often given to young Will Robinson by his friend, The Robot, in the imminent face of danger. Do you remember those visions you had in your mind when you were young of the dangers of kidnapping? Mine were horrific. Yet I lived in a time and a place where, as a five-year old, my parents entrusted me to walk a quarter of a mile from the school where I went to kindergarten to my grandmother’s house. Maybe I was severely warned against the stranger who might stop his car beside me asking for directions or offering me candy. Maybe it was just my personality to zone in on danger; but whatever the case, I was always on the watch for these threats. To think I was “street smart” at five years old causes me to laugh out loud! Maybe Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood did prepare me for the ‘hood’ life in prison after all! (To get the joke, you...

We’re looking at the topic of biblical discernment—a topic that is always relevant to the true believer who stands ready to guard the treasure of the gospel message and to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. There is nothing more important in this life to guard or contend for than the true gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. I want to focus on the dangers of living without discernment. Also, why are those who exercise their spiritual gift of discernment often attacked and the truth they offer for the purpose of edifying the saints often vehemently rejected rather than received? It will take several posts to answer these questions. Why is it so dangerous to live in this world with a lack of discernment? The easy answer is that it is because of what is in the world. Discernment is a protection for the believer. Protection from what? It is protection from falsehood and from the source of falsehood. Ephesians 2 says that as Chri...

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1) I know I’ve mentioned it in an earlier post, but when dealing with issues of faith and belief, one cannot help but keep coming back to this issue. Call me foolish or naïve, but the extent to which the general population has accepted, tolerated, expected, and even eagerly received lying today, never ceases to amaze me. We are literally inundated with lying, nearly submerged in the dirty pool of deceit and dishonesty. It shouldn’t shock us that lying would increase in the last days, for the Bible strongly conveys to us that truth. It not only shocks me, however; it grieves my heart. Why? I want to trust! The Lord has given me a heart that longs to trust and believe truth. As my friend always says, “That’s a good thing!” Unfortunately, for all believers, because sin entered the world, we cannot trust with blind aban...

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits…no longer be like children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming… I had a wonderfully, refreshing weekend being exposed to so many different online worship services. I pray you did as well. Especially helpful and important was the message from John MacArthur that was streamed from Grace Church recorded from the 2008 Ligonier Ministries conference. Equally important and edifying was the Q & A from the evening live-stream service.   If you missed them, you NEED to go to gracechurch.org to see them. I will probably watch them both again very soon. What Pastor John had to say in the Q & A of how we should be dealing with the Covid-19 situation exudes the very wisdom of God through one who has walked with the Lord for a long time. I love the heart of John MacArthur for so many reasons, not the least of which ...

Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8) I’m not sure why, but I remember being a very new Christian almost 30 years ago and reading Chapter 1 of Jeremiah. As a very new believer, verses 4-10, really spoke to my heart. I was fascinated by the fact that the Lord knew Jeremiah before He formed him in the womb. I could relate to Jeremiah’s response to the Lord’s commission only because my heart also tends toward...