The ONLY job of scripture is to point to Jesus. Anytime we use it for anything other than that (to justify violence, to condemn sinners, to threaten gay people, to give empty motivational speeches, etc.) we nullify (take the effectiveness out of) the word of God by our traditions. This is a word from The Lord! the man of God so confidently says, before his sermon. No. Unless your words point to the lord in a way that actually sets people free and gives them victory that lasts beyond the hype of the final altar call, youre not preaching a word from The Lord, youre preaching a word from you. Test everything and hold onto the good. - 2 Thess. 5:21 You test everything by looking for Jesus. Not just a shout out at the beginning or end of the sermon, or a mention at the end of the prayer. If it doesnt emphasize His work, His words, and who you are in Him (bonus points for demonstrations of power), then it has been tested and found no good. This kind of careful thinking will keep you from being taken by every Facebook post written with eloquence or claims of prophecy. The testimony of JESUS is the spirit of prophecy, not the testimony of judgment and destruction (Goodbye 90% of modern prophecy!). See, even prophecy in the New Testament, like everything else that comes from the Spirit, points directly back to Jesus. If it doesnt, its not from Him. The scary part? When you start actually looking for Jesus in peoples preaching, youll quickly realize how much Hes not there. Youll start noticing how much He has been replaced by moral micro-managing, self-help solutions, and just plain old human philosophy (I wont pretend I havent been guilty of 2/3 of those here and there :3). PRO TIP: ITS ALL ABOUT JESUS.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 04:46:27 +0000