Learn to Discern*

Like last week's message, "Be Not Deceived", this message is important in these times in which we live. The prophet Malachi wrote regarding the need to properly discern: "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." (Mal. 3:18). In the New Testament, there were those in Berea who would search out the scriptures to confirm what was being taught to them. Before we accept anything from anyone who "comes down the pike", we need to compare it to scripture and decide whether it lines up or not. God raises up prophets, putting His word in their mouths, and He expects us to heed what the prophet of God is telling us, or it will be required of us (Deut. 18:15-19). The LORD also spoke of the judgment that would come against any prophet who claimed that he spoke in the name of the LORD, but spoke words that the LORD had not commanded him, or if the prophet spoke in the name of others gods, that prophet shall die (v. 20). This is how important God considers the truth and integrity of the prophetic word to His people. The LORD told His people how to determine a prophet who is not speaking the word given to him by the LORD: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." (v. 22). The test of a prophet is if the word they prophesy comes to pass. Many of those who have called themselves prophets have said that we are not to fear the Corona virus, yet some of them have sickened and died. The LORD warned of prophets who speak out of their own hearts and spirits, seeing vanity and lying divinatios, saying the LORD had said it, when He had not. These lying prophets seduced God's people saying "Peace" when there was no peace. The LORD compared them to bulders of a wall who use faulty mortar. The wall can't help but fall. The LORD would bring down these walls built upon vanity and divination, and the prophets would be consumed in the midst of the destruction (Ezek. 13:1-9). Ezekiel again warned the people to discern the prophets. In another example, the LORD dealt with the elders whose hearts were filled with idols, yet they sought out the prophet of God for the word of the LORD. To those who do this, the LORD said, "...Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations." (Ezek. 14:2-6). The LORD speaks of pouring out His fury and sending famine, beasts, sword, and pestilence upon the land of His people who refuse to hearken to Him, having been told to turn away from their abominations. God's word tells us that if we obey His commandments and statutes, He will bless us. If we disobey, the curse comes. For a long time now, America has been experiencing the curse of disobedience to the Word of God, and to the warnings of His prophets. Racism, armed violence against the those who are unarmed, and child murder have become the daily events and the wickedness imbedded in our society. It has become systemic, rather than isolated events. In scripture, the prophets of God called His people to repentance, but the people would not listen to the word of the LORD. The anger of the LORD came upon them: "And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets...but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt." (Jer. 25:4-7). Ignoring the prophets who speak the word of the LORD, and relying instead on false gods and our own strength and efforts, leads to our own hurt. False gods today include Mammon, the corrupt and worldly system of money and wealth. The sacrificing of our own children in abortion is like the worship of the god Molech, or Ba'al. The Word of the LORD to His people today, through the mouths of His servants, is again a call to repentance. The 2 Chron. 7:14 repeated message to God's people is very similar to the message that the prophet Jeremiah brought to the people of God long ago. Will we heed that message, or turn instead to the gods we have made with our own hands? Again, through Jeremiah the prophet, the LORD asks His people, "...Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD...Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend his doings, and go not after other gods to serve them...but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me." (Jer. 35:12-15). The prayer of the porphet Daniel, for God's people in the midst of their captivity in Babylon, applies very much to the confusion that we are surrounded by today. He prayed, "O LORD, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him." (Dan. 9:8-11). The prophet Amos wrote that God does nothing without first revealing it to His servants the prophets, who sound the alarm of warning to God's people (Amos 3:6-8). Paul's letter to Timothy includes the warning that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." However, Paul wrote that Timothy should continue in the things of the scriptures tht he had been learning since childhood. It is scripture, which is inspired, that corrects us and instructs us in righteousness so that "the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. 3:13-17). He also warns Timothy of the time when people will not endure sound doctrine, but accumulate teachers who appeal to their lusts..."And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:1-4). As the scriptures close in the Book of Revelation, John is assured that the things that he has been told are true. The LORD God of the holy prophets sent His angel to reveal these things to come to His servants. concluding, "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." (Rev. 22:6-7). There is a blessing in heeding and keeping the words of the prophets of God. God expects His people to rightly discern His true prophets, and listen and obey the Word of the LORD. If you would like to heed the prophetic warning of God's servants, and join in repentance, turning away from sin, and turning back to God, join us in prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to learn to discern Your voice. Forgive me for refusing to hear Your prophetic word, and for disobeeying the scriptures. As Daniel said, there are mercies and forgiveness in You for a people who will turn and repent. I want to abide in Your Word so that You will abide in me. I believe that You died for me, and that You were raised from the dead. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit to lead me in truth and obedience to Your voice and Word. I ask this in Your name, Amen. *Based upon Dr. Stevenson's 11/8/20 message to the church. To contact: PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 or Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com

Hear and Obey!

 

 

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD God, that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it."       Amos 8:11-12

 

The Hebrew word used above as "hearing" is the word shamah. It means not only to hear, or listen, but also to obey. The meaning also includes to understand, to discern. The Hebrew for "word(s)" above is dabar, which also includes "command, decree, counsel".

Today, the world neither seeks the commands and counsel of the LORD, nor do they hear it with understanding and obedience. Even the Church fails to teach the understanding of the word, nor does it encourage obedience to it. The prophet warned that there will come a time when, though we desperately seek the word of the LORD, we will no longer be able to find it.

Not only does the LORD counsel us to both hear and obey His word, but He encourages us to find the understanding:

"Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding...How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!"    Prov. 4:5-7, Prov. 16:16

Seeking this wisdom and understanding that is more precious than gold and silver leads us right back to His word:

"Through thy precepts (commandments, statutes) I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  

                                                                                                Ps. 119:104-105

The purpose of hearing and obeying God's word does not involve religion nor legalism. It is for the purpose of obtaining the wisdom and understanding that leads to having a clear and secure path through life. We look everywhere in the world to try to achieve the knowledge of this security, but we should seek the word of the LORD and His counsel first, because this is where it is to be found without fail.

This type of wisdom and understanding cannot be found in man. Men's hearts do not create it. Scripture tells us that men's hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately (incurably, woefully) wicked (Rom. 1, Jer. 17:9-10). It is so deceitful, that we can't even know the true nature of our hearts. Only God can see it. On its own, the heart cannot come to life saving, and life prospering wisdom and understanding.

As David desperately sought the LORD's deliverance from his blood guilt (Ps. 51), he threw himself upon the promises of God's word, the promise of new mercy. He asked God to create in him a new heart, because he had seen for himself the results of the incurable wickedness of his own heart. He knew that his only hope was to come to God with a broken and contrite heart, because God desires truth in the most inward parts of us. David, king of Israel, whose line would bring forth the Messiah, a man after God's own heart, and the apple of God's eye, knew that wisdom, understanding, deliverance and renewal of life, could not be found in his own deceitful heart.

Psalm 119 is the declaration of one who understood the importance of hearing and obeying the word of the LORD:

"I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach my thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."  Ps. 119:8-16

We have been called to take the gospel to a lost and dying world. It is a saving gospel that preserves life. It is the Living Word of God, Jesus, who is the promised mercy of God, and who cleanses us and creates a new heart in us by His word, His blood, and the Spirit of God. Though the gospel seems foolishness to man, it is the very wisdom, and understanding of God, whose thoughts are not our thoughts, and whose ways are not our ways. However, He calls us to understanding through the hearing and obeying of His words.

 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.