Scripture for Today: I John 4:1  “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The French are much more courageous than I am in what they choose to eat!  We went to a restaurant recently that specialized in frog meat!  Not only could you eat it off the bone, but you could order it without bones and on a pizza!  I guess it is an acquired taste, or perhaps it is just the idea of it that bothers me.  In any case, those trying this “delicacy” often say that it “tastes like chicken!”

One thing can be very much like something else.  An undiscerning palette is one thing, but failing to verify teaching can be very harmful.  Our verse for today talks about the possibility of confusing true prophets with false ones.  They can seem quite similar when they use the same religious vocabulary.  Both false and true prophets use Scripture.  There may even be miracles involved.  Perhaps there is a huge following.  How does one discern if a spirit is from God or not?

The most telling test is given us in the following two verses.  Those spirits who deny Jesus is God are false teachers.  No matter how popular the speaker may be, how many books he has written or how persuasive his speech is, we are not to listen.  This one amazing truth, that Jesus is God, is the most polarizing.  It separates sheep from goats, (Matt. 25:33) believer from non-believer, and false teacher from true.  There is no other name under heaven by which one can be saved.  There is no other Gospel.

Help me Lord, to be discerning.  Thank you that You make the test so very clear.

Look familiar?  This is a summer re-post due to ministry schedule.