DISCERNING THE TRUE FROM THE FALSE
January 29, 2010
DISCERNING THE TRUE FROM THE FALSE
Scripture Reading: John 3:25-36
Text: John 3:34 “For He Whom God hath sent speaketh the Word of God...”
This verse is a good test of a true man of God. It is spoken by John the Baptist in reference to Jesus but it certainly can be applied to any God called preacher or teacher. John 16:13,14 says, “For He (i.e. the Holy Spirit) shall not speak of Himself but whatsoever He shall hear, that He shall speak...He shall glorify Me.” As the Spirit of God does not speak from Himself but from that which He has heard from God the Father and God the Son, so God’s man has His message within the pages of scripture and from the Holy Spirit not out of his own ideas and opinions. Many a preacher is like the spider who spins its own web out of itself. There is all the difference in the world between the man who has something to say and the man who has to say something. There is a world of difference between the man who desires to get something off his chest and the God called man who has a scripture the Holy Spirit has laid on his heart. Someone has wisely said, “The messenger does not validate the message but the message validates the messenger.” It is God’s Word and Spirit anointing that validates a man as a man of God. He that is sent from God has God’s Word in his heart and God’s Spirit on His life.
Many Christians, I am afraid, have been spoiled for effective service because they have listened to froth and self-help sermons for so long that they cannot recognize the true from the false. The Bible warns us about spoiled Christians who “have been spoiled by philosophies and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” I have never yet seen any man ever exposed to the pure Word of God who could ever be satisfied with frothy sermons again. If we would truly grow in grace we need God’s Word, nothing else will suffice. Christians need to be trained to recognize the true from the false and the good from the better and the better from the best. There are meals, good meals, and the best of meals. If we are to be strong Christians we must eat right and in order to eat right there has to be someone in the pulpit who knows how to serve up God’s Word that nourishes and nurtures the soul. You cannot get too much of God’s Word in a sermon but you can get too much of the preacher’s word. Don’t forget, “He Whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God.” If you read the messages of the masters of the past, they are full of God’s Word, both quoted and alluded to. However, I have heard many a sermon where after the text is read there is hardly anymore scripture quoted or referred to. Most of the sermon contained the ideas and philosophies of the preacher. No wonder so many Christians know so little scripture. They are subject to every false ideology and guru that comes along because they are not tied to scripture. Then when a true man of God comes along “speaking the words of God”, they reject him, just as the great majority of people and leaders rejected Christ.
Questions to Ponder
1. If you did not have a good church in your local area, how far would you drive to be in one?
2. Do you know the difference between appetite and hunger? Hunger is natural, appetite is created. How does this apply to the church you are a member of?
Prayer for Today
“Father, give me an appetite for good, solid food. Give me wisdom to choose my leaders from those who truly speak your Word. Amen.”
