Don't believe everything you hear

Don't believe everything you hear

"My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. (1John.4.1 MSB)

This instruction is very instructive for this day and age. Social media makes every Tom, Dick, and Harry an expert in one area or the other. But if you are wise, you will check, double check and recheck. Our text says it best, don't believe everything you hear. Another translation has it thus: test every spirit if they are of God. 

Sometimes, people have the best of intentions, yet sincerely wrong. It is your place to test every spirit and not take it hook line and sinker. You have to carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. 

Why? You may ask. Because not everyone who talks about God comes from God. You have to use the word of God as the yardstick to filter, sieve, and probe what you hear. The word of God is our standard. Hence, Paul told Timothy to study to be approved by God. 

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2Tim.2.15) 

The verse ended by telling us that there are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. Jesus confirms this and says in the last days many false prophets will speak in his name. So do not believe everything you hear. Check, double-check, and recheck like the Berea Christians who went back to see if these things that Paul and Silas preached were so. 

"And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth." (Acts.17.11 NLT)

Good day,
Have a great day today, 
Emmanuel Okoro 
(aka Mr. Lift)

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