Discernment, Encouragement, Guidance, Judgement, Obedience, Prayer, Relationship to Christ, Wisdom

Using Discernment in a Wake-Up Call

I have had times in my life when someone spoke something to me, saying God had told them to tell me this, and it just didn’t sit well with me.  I had to pray and read the Bible to find out if what they were telling me rang true with God’s Word and to what the Holy Spirit was alerting me.  At the church I attended, before I moved out of state, our pastor warned us against things like this.  He was very careful about allowing someone to speak a Word over him. He used discernment before allowing them to speak something into his life.  Even a Believer can be misdirected, believing fully that God has given them something to share with another Christian when all the time it was Satan using them to misdirect their fellow Believers and friends and they never recognized it.  An example of this might be 1 Kings 13:13-32.

We need discernment in all areas of our lives even when we get a “wake-up call.” When we are alerted about something in our lives that needs to be dealt with, is that a call from God, or is it condemnation from Satan?  What if it comes from a Christian or a friend?  How do we determine whether they are speaking what God has told them or if our enemy, the Devil, is using them?  Our Bible Journaling verse says, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.”  (Philippians 1:9-10 KJV)  The ESV says, “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…”

Our Scripture says we are to use “knowledge and judgment so that you may approve what is excellent…” The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy,  “Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (2 Timothy 2:7 NASB)  There may be times when we will need discernment in judging whether someone is “advising” us for our own good and because God told them to speak to us or to elevate themselves over us in a comparison game.  We need to find the truth in what we hear.  “For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding;” (Proverbs 2:3 NASB)

We need to pray first, asking God to reveal to us whether what we are sensing or hearing comes from Him.   We also need to read His Word to find out if it lines up with Scripture.  Does what we hear follow God’s Will for us?  If it goes against the Bible, then it isn’t from God.  We need to have a good knowledge of what God’s Word says.  We need to study the Bible as it will help us in using discernment in all situations.  Paul directed Timothy to “Study to show thyself approved unto God…rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJ21)

Discernment helps us to wisely determine whether we are being led along the path God has laid out for us, or whether the enemy of our souls is trying to lead us away from the Lord.  We must be wise, seeking out the truth in every situation and looking for God’s leading, and listening to the Holy Spirit to bring us to the place He wants us to be in our walk with Him.

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Donna Knuth Rice

I am trying a blog for the first time in my life, and frankly, I feel like I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing! But, here goes. I work at a Christian Television network in the Correspondence Department, where I write letters and emails to our viewers, pray with them for their needs, and send materials they request. I am a Christian. I was saved at the age of 11 during a youth meeting at my church. My pastor led me to the Lord, and to say the least, my life has been an adventure. I am a widow. My late husband, Allen, passed away after 34 1/2 years of marriage. He had been sick the last seven years of his life, and it was a struggle, for him and for me. We met as part of a singing group that was affiliated with a Christian Radio station, and we sang together all through our lives together. We both worked in television and radio all through our married life, mostly for Christian stations. Besides singing I also play flute. I had the luxury of having parents who started out as music teachers...so music was in our house constantly. Some people describe me as being a loud-mouthed lime type...can't disagree with that. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth more times than I can count! I also have a tendency to say exactly what's on my mind...which is why I get myself in so much trouble! LOL! Trust me, that's something me and God have been working on for a very long time. I have no children here on earth, although I have a baby in heaven. My baby here is my dog Jack. He's a black lab/ chow mix. He's a big boy....thinks he's a lap dog! Can't think of much else to say. The reason I started this blog is because a few months ago in church, a guest pastor came and delivered a message, and when he asked for those of us who wanted prayer to come forward, I did. When he came to me he asked me if I did any journaling. I told him no 'cause I wasn't very good at it. He told me to start, and prophesied over me that my journal thoughts would impact other people. I wasn't sure just how I was to go about doing this. In fact, I was a little hesitant at first. I started journaling at home, and our assistant pastor's wife asked me to submit something for our Senior newsletter. I didn't the first edition, but something I had heard on Christian radio a long time ago and has stuck with me all these years, came to mind so I submitted an article. That article will be my first post. I don't claim to have all the answers, and my thoughts may seem a little "out there", but I feel God has been prodding me to do this, and so here I am. I hope what I post will bring encouragement, and "Something to Think About".

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