1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 ""But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil."
On several occasions my husband will come looking for me wielding a shirt or a pair of pants with a smirk on his face and ask me if they are clean enough to wear. He'll say, "Here, smell them." Nope, I'm not gonna do it . . . When in doubt leave it out! No, don't wear them. Of course I'm making light of this issue to prove a point, but as Believers we are told to examine everything.
This scripture teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning. Discernment literally means the ability to decide between right and wrong or Truth and error. It seems simple enough; however, there are times when situations arise where we find ourselves wading through the grey zone. Black and White are not clear at all. Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically which is so very important these days.
One thing many Christians lack is the ability to measure what they are being told with the inerrancy of God's Word. In other words, they do not know the Truth of the Bible well enough to be confident in their decision making so they end up compromising their faith and making wrong choices. They are not equipped to take a confident biblical stand against the barrage of unbiblical thinking and attitudes that they most assuredly face every day.
So how do we change this mushy mediocre mindset? God's Word provides us with the needed discernment for every issue of life. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:3 that "God has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence". Friends, we must get to know Him. We have to literally dig into HIs Word, spend time with Him and glean from Him. He is the only one who knows EVERYTHING we need to live this life as a Believer in Jesus Christ in this fallen world.
So, when we are forced to make a decision, we measure our circumstances against God's Word and if we are STILL IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT! Don't do it.
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
You are Truth and Life. You are bountiful and a blessing to all who know You. Oh the depths of the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord! They are worth finding out. Please Lord give me a hunger and a yearning for Truth and righteousness. When I don't know where You are leading, help me to patiently wait on You. When I'm having to discern Your ways and to stand up to all that is ungodly and false, help me to stand firmly on the Truth of Your Word. When I am not able to see clearly and have doubts, then Lord, help me to leave it out and go back to what I know is right for sure. I want to be that godly example of all that You are to all that I come in contact with. Send Your ministering angels to surround me and protect me from crossing the line or compromising. I pray that they will guide me to discern Truth and help me to stand up for what I believe is right. All hail the power of Your name that is matchless and comfort to all who have the privilege of knowing You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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