Many true life experiences help us to know what to do next, based on our past. Repetitive stimulation through contact with persons, locations, events, animate and inanimate objects, certainly help us to build up impressions and understanding about and from those natural and other meaningful life experiences.
Have you ever wondered before, how a bank cashier could easily identify and differentiate counterfeit currencies from genuine ones? It is through various ways of sensations involving feel, smell, looks and possibly other new scientific methods of identification. Thus the fake currencies are detected and removed from circulation. The skill may have to be learnt, as well as acquired, through teaching, by the cashier.
In the same way, the Church should intensify through teaching and learning, the means of detecting the counterfeiting variations in our world today.
A good starting point is to study the Bible personally by reading it daily and increasing in our understanding of the same. I may not know it all in a day or a year. Step by step, and day by day, my knowledge and understanding increases.
In the Bible, we read: Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalms 119:105.
By instruction through the Bible, we know and see the way to go, in life situations. The Bible instructs and discusses all aspects of human life. Light dispels darkness. Light enhances vision. Knowledge is light. We are able to walk safely on the road during the day. At night, we need the aid of light devices to help us see our way through. That is the usefulness of the Bible, the written word of God.
We can keep our ways clean by obeying God’s words. When we keep His words in our minds, we are helped to overcome sinning. Psalms 119:9-11. Thus we can avoid following the crowd blindly because we know the truth.
The truth is light. The truth enlightens and sets a person free from ignorance, bondage and fear. The Bible states: Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and your law is the truth. All your words are true; all your righteous words are eternal. Psalms 119:142, 160.
All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2Timothy 3:16&17. This is boosted by a life of prayer. A praying Christian gets power from God as he prays. Thus he becomes powerful, not based on himself, but from God. He speaks to God and God responds back to him in clear terms, because he is eager to do God’s will.
Through fellowship with other Christians, a person is helped to grow better than in isolation. The 21st Century age is filled with more opportunities of scientific innovations through various devices enabling transmission of messages by audio, visual and print media. Good as many of these are, they should not be substituted for interpersonal and more direct communication in assemblies of God’s people. Such assemblies enable the sorting out of the waste from the corn. It better enables reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness; helping to produce men and women of God. Available means such as meetings for Bible study, prayer meetings, worship, breaking of bread or Holy Communion should be utilised by each person as they boost personal efforts. Not forsaking the assembly of ourselves as some people are in the habit of doing…. Hebrews 10:25.
Build up yourself so much that you would become very sensitive to any strange teaching or false doctrine; no matter who is sending out the message. Know God’s word so much as to be well poised to detect the counterfeits from Satan.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 12: 12&13.
It is therefore necessary for me to write unto you; alert you, encourage and advise you, that you should contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
It does not matter who sends out a message. Compare any and every message with the written word of God, the Holy Bible. Be like the men of Berea. After hearing the teaching from Paul the Apostle, they received the message with readiness of mind. Then they went on to search the scriptures daily in order to be sure whether what Paul taught them was true. Therefore these men were considered to be more noble than those in Thessalonica. Acts 17: 10-12. Many of these noble men and women believed.
Dear brethren and friends, be so familiar with the ORIGINAL that the Counterfeits would never fool you anymore!
Grace be with you. Shalom.
Your friend, Adefolaju.
AgapeFocus 