Discernment

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Catey Stover in Freedom Fighters

Psalm 119: 121-128. “I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors.
Ensure your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. It is time for you to act, Lord; your law is being broken.  Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.”

Here the Psalmist, in the longest chapter of the Bible, is affirming his love for God and His word but pleading for His support against all those who are trying to harm him. He asks for discernment in interpreting the ways God is dealing with him.

Many teachers, preachers, writers, general Christian people offer their interpretation of scripture and make their application expecting me to take their explanation as the truth and admonishing me to live by it. The problem is twofold: first, they disagree with one another and second, I cannot be everything they expect me to be.

I am supposed to be bold like Peter, but meek like Moses. I am supposed to have the faith of Abraham. I am supposed to have the vision and action of Nehemiah. I am supposed to have the patience of Job. I am supposed to be a leader like Joshua. Every week, every sermon, every devotional I am supposed to be like someone else.

Unfortunately, I am me! I simply cannot be like all of those people. Thus, I ask God for discernment to untangle all of the demanding confusion created around me by those who telling me how I should live as a Christian.

As I prepare the devotionals each week, I am not trying to be a deep Bible teacher unwrapping every nuance of every word from the Greek or Hebrew or giving you every verse in the Bible that teaches my point. I am trying to take the Bible and make it practical for our everyday lives. By practical, I do not mean to water it down to where it suits me or twist it to accommodate my desires, I mean to make it reasonable, but challenging.

Learn to discern…

 

Written By Neil Fichthorn: Rev. Neil Fichthorn is a seasoned conference and camping servant having served at Gull Lake Bible Conference, Sandy Cove Ministries as President, and an interim Executive Director at Pinebrook Bible Conference. He also served in church music for decades as a choir director and arranger. He has been Bill Welte’s mentor and friend for over 45 years.


Think About This: “If you knew that only a few would care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? If you knew that the tongues you made would mock you, the mouths you made would spit at you, the hands you made would crucify you, would you still make them? Christ did.” – Max Lucado

The Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 17-20| You can download our 2020 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: 13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ -1 Peter 1:13

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.

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