Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

One of the most important tools that Peter encourages his hearers to develop is discernment. So what is discernment ad how do we use it? To discern is to make a judgement based on the information presented to you. As we develop this ability to make a judgement between what is good and what is bad, we are able to know those who are real and for building up the work of God and those who are false and who try to halt the work of God. It is to these people that Peter directs us. He reminds us that in the old days there were false prophets who prophesied for money and told people what they wanted to hear. Whilst the ancient Israelites listened to them, they were carried away into captivity and endured slavery for over 70 years in Babylon.

We are reminded that hell is a reality for those who set out to deceive, and just as the false prophets of old deceived the people of God, so false teachers today will try to deceive the followers of Christ. We are encouraged to understand the operation of those prophets of old so that we are aware of them now. What Peter is telling us is this: time period may change, the personnel and the tactics may change, even the outcome may appear different but it is the same spirit of rebellion that is operating among these people. They get into position of influence and try to effect confusion and thereby disrupt what God has ordained.

Having the spirit of discernment allows the true believer to identify what is false, mitigate against it and bring restoration to the vessel that was used to facilitate that spirit. Today, as we learn to discern, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into a true understanding of what he is saying about Jesus and not what others are saying tacked onto their own fetish.

Read 2Peter 2.