1 Thessalonians 5: 19 Do not restrain the Holy
Spirit; 20 do not despise inspired
messages. 21 Put all things to the test:
keep what is good 22 and avoid every kind of evil.
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It had been years since
I set foot into a church. Something pulled me back. I don’t know if it was
loneliness or regret for where I was in life, I just knew I had to go to
church. I went to one and did not like the message or the way it was delivered.
I tried others and ran into similar thoughts. “What good is church!?” I said in
frustration.
- I felt all preachers were scammers trying to protect their salaries.
- I listened intently to messages to see if it was “wrong.”
- I noticed more flaws in the delivery person than the message.
Paul. Silas and
Timothy provided a few urgent warnings to help the people grow. “Put all things
to test” was said to probably provide the people with a filter versus a way to
combat. They knew some people would say “things” that were inspired by GOD, yet
their delivery may be too coarse or too soft or somewhere in between. Despite
imperfect people, the message could be sound.
My Observations
- GOD provides the HOLY SPIRIT to live inside me and others who believe in JESUS so I can hear HIM trying to reach me with HIS love.
- GOD inspires men and women to speak about HIM and wants me to embrace HIS loving message, while avoiding evil from men, or women or myself.
- GOD wants me to hear from others and plant what is good in my heart.
Hearing the message
that “GOD loves” is difficult to hear from imperfect humans. I mean, when I
look at what he or she did or is doing, it is hard to hear the love GOD is
intently trying to convey. Somehow, HE uses imperfect people to speak about HIS
perfection.
HE desires that my
heart become a malleable place that can be stretched to house the HOLY SPIRIT.
When my heart is ready to be filled with HIS love, I can hear messages that are
truly inspired by GOD. I can also discern and avoid all kinds of evil. I
appreciate and welcome others to speak about GOD the way HE inspired him or her
to do.
Challenge
- What is the warning of the writers?
- Have you ever heard a sermon or read a message from someone who seems inconsistent with GOD or from a hypocrite?
- Will you overlook the sin of hypocrisy and listen to the HOLY SPIRIT so your heart can be softened to hear HIS message of love today?
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