Thank You, Father, for a productive day. Now we can move forward with our summer break! May we be wise stewards of the time and resources given to us by Your gracious hand. Amen.
Acts 17:10-15 (<<click here to read the passage)
One of the most dangerous places to be is under the leadership of a pastor that takes offense at anyone questioning him. I have read too many horror stories of individuals who have submitted to such “authority” because of falsely aligned submission and obligation.
Most certainly a pastor is in the right to hold firmly to his beliefs and convictions but a true and authentic messenger of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ must serve in humility as He did. And he must willingly withstand the scrutiny of his teachings when held up against the truth of God’s word.
If said pastor questions the mindset, then they would do well to read through this passage which finds Paul and Silas finding a receptive cross-section of the Jews and Greeks in Berea. They were open-minded and listened eagerly to Paul’s message.
But here’s the clincher, we see at the end of verse 11, that these new believers …searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. NLT
Did Paul and Silas get defensive? Nope. Did they try to expel anyone for questioning them? Nope. They diligently continued to teach and because they let the wise Bereans affirm to themselves through God’s own words that they spoke the truth many of them became believers… v12a AMP
If you hear something you’ve never heard or a spin on something that goes against the grain of what you have been taught, check it out, scrutinize it, and don’t just blindly accept whatever is being espoused as truth. It may be the truth but be diligent in holding it up to God’s word and with prayer see what God has to say. Seek out the truth!
Lord Jesus, may we through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives be able to clearly decern what is truth and what is divergent from said truth. No man or woman is perfect, we all can err. May we willingly submit to You and only You. For only You are the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through You! Amen. (John 14:6 AMP)
June 8th, 2022, Wed, 8:18 pm
