Discernment

"Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong" (Hebrews 5 :14, NLT). Oswald Chambers encourages us to remember that we are to "get to know Christ" through His Word and through the presence of His Spirit. This knowledge of Christ is not just confined to the moment of our conversion to Christianity but it is to be an ongoing process in our lives. The modern day church is in desperate need for maturity. We are needing the "solid food" from the Word that we might put on the "armor of light" (Romans 13:12). This armor of light will provide us the ability to discern the issues of life that we are facing. All of us are given the opportunity to make the correct decisions concerning our relationship with God. I must ask myself, "Am I maturing in my relationship with God or have I grown content to live in "spiritual adolescence?" Discernment is the ability to know the difference between right and wrong, true and false, good and bad, important and trivial, godly and ungodly. Discernment helps you properly interpret issues and understand the motives of those who are pushing a certain agenda. Our culture is full of opportunities of discerning between right and wrong. It seems that in many cases those lines separating right and wrong are being blurred by the humanistic approach to life. People seem oblivious to the consequences of their decisions. Only the knowledge of Christ and the presence of the Spirit in our lives can direct our steps into making the correct decisions. All of us are sensing the pressure of the culture to compromise our views in so many areas of our lives but Christ will provide the direction we need as we continue to develop in the area of spiritual maturity. As I was ministering the Word last night I could sense in my heart that the Spirit was drawing us into the deeper relationship with Him which would include the need for correction. Because God loves us He will correct us. He corrects us because He desires to redeem us from the snares of the enemy. I want to be open to His correction. The conviction of the Spirit which has led me to make the right response to God has opened the door for God to speak correction in my heart. Those moments are not always pleasant (at least initially) but they lead to a healthy and maturing development of my relationship with Christ. I encourage each of you to continue your recognition of the need for maturity in your walk with Christ. PRAYER NEEDS: I have received several messages from people who are facing a challenge in their lives at this moment. I ask the readers of this blog to agree with me in prayer for those needs; there is power in agreement. Feel free to share any requests that you may have. There are prayer partners across this nation who are covering this ministry with prayer and they are ready to agree with you for the needs that you are confronting.