At one point in time I had some wind
chimes and some other things I do not know the name for but have referred to
them as a whirly-ma-gigs. It is a spiral of sticks, mounted with
a swivel on a string. Whenever the wind blows it spirals around with the
wind, then the tension in the string spirals it back in the opposite
direction when the wind stops. I'm sure there is a technical name for it,
but I've always just called it a whirly-ma-gig. It can be quite fascinating
to sit and watch the whirly-ma-gig spiral as the wind chimes toll its
delightful melody. If the wind gets to be too strong though, the
whirly-ma-gig blows all over the place and the wind chimes just clang with
noise.
Many people in the church are like the
whirly-ma-gig. They don't know what they believe or why they believe it.
They are taken and tossed around with the latest fad whether it be on Angels
or on gold dust and gems appearing in conferences and services. A lot of
confusion and false teaching could be avoided if these people knew the Word.
Some never having read or studied God's Word for themselves get blown to and
fro with popular teachings or someone's word on a
good teacher and seem to just get tossed to and fro.
The Bible warned that this would happen.
For the secret power of lawlessness is
already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so
till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed,
whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy
by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in
accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit
miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those
who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth
and so be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-10 NIV
Preach the Word; be prepared in season
and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and
careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with
sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around
them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths 2
Timothy 2:2-4 NIV
We need to be diligent in testing out
the teaching we hear with what the Bible actually says.
Now the Bereans were of more noble
character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great
eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was
true. Acts 17:11 NIV
Ask God to reveal His truth when you
read.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should
ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be
given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he
who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man
should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a
double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1: 5-8 NIV
By all means, listen to sermons, read
solid teaching books, read devotionals but ALWAYS compare them to the Word.
If you're not spending time in your Bible, give up some of the other things
you read (or listen to) and invest that time in reading the Bible. Go
to conferences but be on guard as to whether what is happening and being
taught lines up with the word.
Invest your time in reading and
listening to the Bible. Learn what you believe
and why you believe it, then when the winds of life blow and the false
teachers come (and they will) you will be anchored to a foundation that
will stand.
Our hope, our faith, and our salvation
is in Christ alone. Much of our understanding and our ability to apply the
truths of that relationship comes from reading the Word. Studying the
Scriptures teaches us more about Christ, about His power and His promises
for our lives and those things help us to withstand the turbulence of life.
Read the Word. Read the Word .
Just in case you're not certain as to what I'm saying, I'll repeat it, READ
THE WORD!
Don't be like my old whirly-ma-gig,
blown around by the slightest change. Study God's truth for yourself.
God is a God of character, purpose and
intent that uses things to draw us to Him.
Look to where those signs, wonders
and teachings lead to and remember the enemy always counterfeits the
things of God to get you to focus on the things instead of God.
If it is not found in scripture, then
watch out how far you get drawn into something that you may regret later.
No matter what you hear, see, or feel; line it up
with the Word!
Darrel Mason
