Psalms 119:113-114 I hate double–minded men, but I love your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
Our back yard abuts to a park. Our little park has recently become the home to 14 Northern Bobwhite Quail. The birds stop by our yard almost every day to feed on the bugs and the seeds dropped from our bird feeders. They have been a joy to watch when they come to visit. But we never quite know when the will show up.
I am beginning this series of devotionals after running into an editorial from a Non-Christian writing about what the Apostle Paul believed. The editorial professed to show, based on a very isolated verse in scripture reference, a drastically different version of "grace". On the surface, what was in the article, to the casual reader may have been accepted as sufficient in depth and theology to be taken as factual. A rebuttal article written a few days later piled scriptural reference upon scriptural reference in an attempt to dispute the conclusions offered by the author of the original author. It was very good information that was offered in the rebuttal. It was compelling in the sheer volume of the references that were given to refute the previous thinly evidenced article. Yet, the reader is left with the fundamental question. Which author is correct? This is a question we often face in our faith walk. We encounter conflicting information every day. Discerning the truth can be a challenge. Judging the validity by weighing the sheer volume (or lack of volume) of references can be misleading. So, what is a believer to do? Our two verses from Psalms 119 give us some insight. Reject the double-minded, and put our hope in the true word of God. We can also turn to Galatians 1 for additional insight into what has happened in the past, and how Paul counseled the church in Galatia. Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
You have the faith, given to you through the Holy Spirit, to know what is the truth. Be wary of those who chose to "pervert the Gospel of Christ" and lead you astray. Prayer is a huge tool in helping to discern the truth. I encourage you to delve deeply into prayer when presented with "another gospel." And know what you believe and the basis for that belief. That way you will not be blown back and forth by the winds that seek to tear you way from your roots in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER: Father, we are like grass in the wind. We are blown about by the winds of our lost and sinful world. We are exposed to all manner of half truths and deceptions that seek to uproot us from Your love and the gift of grace in Christ Jesus. Help us to stay rooted in the only truth that matters. Help us to stay strong in Jesus against all the elements of this world that shout for us to walk away from You Father. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and the Spirit are one God in Heaven now and forever, Amen.
