1 John 4:1-6

THESE ARE THE TIMES that try men's souls. The Spirit has spoken expressly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Those days are upon us and we cannot escape them; we must triumph in the midst of them, for such is the will of God concerning us.

Strange as it may seem, the danger today is greater for the fervent Christian than...

For Reading and Meditation:     Philippians 2:1-11

We are reflecting on the fact that the Christian faith is not just a little better than other faiths but radically different. Religion is mankind's search for God; Christianity, however, is God's search for man. Therefore there are many religions, but only one gospel. Religion is the word become word; the gospel is...

Sometimes it seems that Christians are especially prone to accept passing fads and winds of doctrine. John Blanchard wrote of two tour-bus drivers who were comparing notes. When one mentioned that he had a bus full of Christians, the other said, "Really? What do they believe?" To which the first replied, "Anything I tell them!"

One minute it may be a food fad. Certain foods are denounced as poison and others are credited with almost magical properties. Or it may be a medicinal fad,...

We live in a day when cults are multiplying with amazing rapidity. Actually there are no new cults; they are just variations of heretical groups that sprang up in New Testament days. It is their variety that is new, not their basic tenets.

When John says that we should test the spirits, he means that we should test all teachers by the Word of God so that we can detect those that are false. There are three fundamental areas where the cults expose themselves as being counterfeits. No...

Years ago almost every home had a large family album in the living room. It had a stuffed leather cover embossed in gold. A leather strap with clasp extended from the right edge of the back cover over to the right side of the top cover where the clasp latched securely into its socket. The pages were of stiff, glossy paper-board, ornamented with floral patterns and gilt edges. On each side of a page were cut-out sections where photographs were inserted. When visitors looked through the album,...

Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” § “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” § I come to do Your will. § Not My will, but Yours, be done.As He is, so are we in this world. § This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and...

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. § Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. § I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. § Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. § He who is spiritual judges all things. § Take heed what you hear. § I know your works. You have...

The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty … Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.The Lord is … great in power. § If God is for us, who can be against us? § Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us … and He will deliver us. § My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. § He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your...

Thus says the Lord: “Because the Syrians have said, ‘The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,’ therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day. § You are of God, little children, and have overcome them,...