[Biblemat] A) REJOICE IN THE LORD - TESTING THE SPIRITS

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Friday morn-
ing to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.  Here are a couple of 
short thoughts from my files:

REJOICE IN THE LORD -- TESTING THE SPIRITS

Rejoice In The Lord: -- The apostle Paul tells the Philippian
Christians to "rejoice in the Lord" twice in his letter to them
(Phil. 3:1; 4:4).  Verse 3 of chapter 3 is similar when he encourages them to 
"rejoice in Christ Jesus!"  The life of a 
Christian is to be a joyful and happy life in the Lord Jesus
Christ!  Yet, we all know difficult times come upon every child
of God.  How do we always rejoice in the Lord (1 Thes. 5:16)?

     Jesus loves us and we love Him, so, we are told to rejoice
because Jesus said, "I am going to the Father" (Jno. 14:28)!
The Lord continued later by saying, "but I will see you again
and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from
you" (Jno. 16:22)!

     We rejoice when Christ is proclaimed (Phil. 1:18), when we
see the sacrifice and service of faith in brethren (Phil. 17,18);
when brethren recover from an illness (Phil. 2:25-30); and we
rejoice even in suffering for the cause of Christ (Col. 1:24; Matt. 5:11,12). 
 --------- Ron Drumm.

Testing The Spirits: -- God does not want us to accept every-
thing we hear.  He disires that we carefully consider every-
thing that is taught in the name of Jesus Christ.  Christians
are expected to question and evaluate every spirit to see
whether he is from God.

     The word spirit refers to a person claiming to be a follower
of Jesus and claiming to be a teacher or preacher of God's
Word.  The apostle John indicates that the spirits we test are
prophets or spokesmen for God (1 Jno. 4:1).

     One test involves what every spirit confesses: "By this
you know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit
that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
is not of God" (1 Jno. 4:2,3).

     Another way we can evaluate the spirits is to note, "They
are of the world.  Therefore they speak as of the world, and
the world hears them" (1 Jno. 4:5).  It will be evident that they
are not of us because they have gone out form us (1 Jno. 2:
19).

     Also, if the spirits know God then they will hear the teach-
ing of the apostles, and if they are not of God they will not
hear the teaching of the apostles (1 Jno. 4:6).  The above 
tests will reveal whether the person is a spirit of truth or a 
spirit of error (vs. 6).

     Jesus spoke on this subject in the Sermon on the Mount
when He said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits..." (Matt. 7:15-27).  ---------
Ron Drumm.

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