Dave’s Monday Blast – November 17, 2014
In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influenced by Satan, the Father of Lies. Deception is found even in the religious realm: cults mix lies with just enough truth to make some people consider them legitimate Christian institutions.
The only way that believers can guard against deception is to ground themselves in God’s Word. The more time you spend filling your mind with the Lord’s thoughts, the more discerning you will be. However, just knowing Biblical Truth isn’t enough. You must put what you learn into practice so that it becomes more than head knowledge.
The goal is to let God’s Word become such an integral part of your thinking that it guides all your decisions. Even if the situation you are facing isn’t specifically addressed in the Bible, scriptural principles provide the needed wisdom for every choice. In addition, the Holy Spirit was given to each believer as a Helper, whose job is to guide you into all the truth (John 14:26; 16:13). However, your responsibility is to put God’s Word into your mind so that He can bring it to your remembrance. If you neglect the Word, you will lack discernment!
One evening late last week I arrived home to discover that my dog had been skunked…I mean really skunked. If you know me, you realize that my dog and I have a love-hate relationship. From the daily land mines she leaves all over the yard for me to step upon (she knows my paths), to breaking into my house and eating herself blind (Labs show little restraint), I never know what I will be coming home to; but few experiences in life prepare you for the “skunked dog” getting into the house.
Although I don’t want to take this illustration too far…sin is a lot like the smell of a skunk…it just stinks. My goal is to be so INTENTIONALLY grounded in the Word of God that I can quickly and easily identify sin by its smell and avoid it at all costs, just like I avoid skunks at all costs. If you “get skunked” it is difficult to get rid of the smell. The consequences of sinful choices are the same…the smell lingers. After numerous home remedies, a trip to the groomer and making her stay outdoors (I know this is cruel), my dog still stinks. You can never get used to the smell. So Men of Intention…what are you allowing into your mind? Is Scripture high in your priorities? Unless you are careful, worldly thinking will overpower your spiritual discernment “nose” and you may find yourself “getting skunked”!
