Daily Devotional
Do You Follow Blindly?
“… there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
Galatians 1:7b-9
October 7, 2024
Ponder This
When we are listening to Christian leaders, we need to give them the subject test. In other words, we need to ask ourselves these questions: Is the primary source of their teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ? What is the subject of their teaching? What is their motivation? Do they want to talk to us about what they call kingdom truth, or is it the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And are they teaching the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith or is it “salvation” by the law?
The Old Testament says somebody is coming; the New Testament says somebody has come; the Book of Revelation says somebody is coming again; and that person is the Lord Jesus. He is the hero of the Bible. The Bible has one theme: salvation; one hero: Jesus; and one villain: the devil. The Apostle Paul said, “If any man preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (v. 9). That literally means, “Let him be damned.” You might say that’s harsh, but it’s not harsh if Paul says to somebody, “You can’t teach something that’s going to lead people to Hell.” We’re not dealing with the preference of the color of the walls or whether you want more salt on the potatoes; we’re talking about the eternal destiny of people.
- Why is it important to have a process of discernment when we are listening to ministers or leaders who are calling themselves Christians?
- When have you practiced discernment and looked for the Gospel in the message someone was giving?
Practice This
Pray for the Church, that Christians all around the world would grow in their ability to discern between truth and lies.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
