I was watching the news Thursday

morning as I drank my wake-up cup of Café Vienna, as I do every

morning.

I was appalled at the Today

Show, hosted by Matt and Katie, as Dee and I heard the news of a religious

sect that had recorded deaths due to parents not feeding their infants.

When the parents were asked about these deaths, the answers were that

this was between "God and the parents."

As they checked into this "religious

group" there were several similar incidents where they "heard

from God" to only provide limited nourishment to their infants. I

want to say here that they may have been listening to a spirit but it

was not God's spirit.

I personally know of an individual

who "received the call" from God and was pursuing the call when

he decided to quit work because God had not "told him to go to work."

I always wondered if God told him to eat every day or to go to the bathroom.

This man lost his home, his vehicle, and his job because he was "waiting

on God" to tell him everything to do.

I want to be perfectly clear

here. I certainly believe in God's call 100 percent, and do believe God

speaks today, everyday, in many ways, and through many situations, but

to quote Him to support our stupidity is a form of blasphemy. I know of

a girl who married three or four times ( I lost count), always quoting

"God's Will."

While I'm on the subject, I

hear some very dangerous, in my opinion, theology running around in Christian

circles today. I hear a lot of people talking about "speaking things

into existence." I also hear a lot of "God told me this, or

that." By the way, whether you or I, or a denomination, anyone who

has incorrect or non-God or non-God's Word-centered Theology will eventually

get bitten.

Decerning the "Will of

God" is not an easy or "speak it into existence thing."

In fact if man can do all these things, why do we need an Almighty God

in Heaven? We then become the Almighty!! VERY DANGEROUS STUFF!!!

Do you remember what the original

sin was? It wasn't Adam and Eve. That was the first human sin. There was

one far more dangerous. It began long before Adam and Eve. It was a desire

Do you remember from Sunday

School ( I still like to call it Sunday School no matter what they call

it today) how Lucifer was wanting to elevate himself over God? Generic

in every sin you or I ever commit, it has seeds of this first sin-"elevation

of self."

Does this sound familiar? Speaking

things into existence? I have hard people today day say, "I speak

healing, I speak this and that."

Decerning the "Will of

God" is often not at all simple. Sometimes it is very clear, other

times not at all clear. When I am decerning the "Will of God,"

I run it through these FOUR "tests."

1. Is what I want to do CONTRARY

to the Word of God? In other words, is what I want to do against what

God's Word says? If it is against His Word, you don't even have to pray

about it, or go any further, God has already spoken, and the answer is

no!

2. SYNCHRONICITY! That is a

term I learned from some Korean missionaries. It means God bringing people

and places, and events together in His synchronization. To allow or make

something happen.

3. Christian COUNSEL! This

is the receiving of counsel from a dedicated, "tried and tested"

Christian . I get someone who has fought Satan and won. Someone who has

some "gray hair" in the faith.

4. Lastly, PEACE in my soul

and spirit! At times I have had three out of the above all come into play,

but no peace about what I want to do. If it passes all of the above "tests"

but no peace in my soul and spirit, I then back away from the idea. Many

marriages are lost on this last one.

Beloved, be careful about trying

to blame God with our mistakes, and UN-godly worldly ideas and then wrapping

them in the package of "God talk" and then driving on, only

to crash and burn in the process. Run your ideas through the above "tests"

and then make your decisions. Stay in the quest to find "His"

Will for your life. Watch and pray, for time is short!

Dr. Knox Herndon is the

pastor of His House Community Church (SBC). The Rev. Greg Mausz is senior

associate pastor. The Rev. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the Sunday School superintendent,

Bible study coordinator and teacher. The church is below Senoia on Ga.

Highway 85 a mile south of Ga. Highway 16 on the right just below the

fire station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer line 770-719-2365;

e-mail [email protected] .

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