False Teachings

This weekend I was excited to finally get a nice chat in with my sweet friend A.  She's a pastor's wife, my bible study leader, has a daughter C's age, and most importantly a friend I'm so blessed to have grown closer to.  We were chatting about life and began discussing bible study and the possibility of her moving on to teach youth. As I began to be saddened at the thought of her no longer teaching, she began to discuss something that God would later use to stir my heart.

She discussed a blog she had been reading for awhile and why she stopped.  It's a blog that at first she thought was funny, encouraging, and written by a strong Christian.  Then she started reading some posts that made her question the writer's faith. A has been to seminary and knows her stuff!  She began to read more things that the author was writing that were contradictory to what the Bible teaches.  And the scary thing is, people we know were taking this woman's writings at face value and as biblical truth.

We talked about how easily it is to fall victim to false teachings because as Christians we've become ignorant as to what we really believe.  Many times we rely on our pastor's Sunday morning teachings and then never open the bible again until the next week. We fail to really study God's word and seek understanding.

I became curious as to what this blog A was discussing was all about.  I googled said blog and read away.  This woman was sweet and tender hearted.  She was compassionate.  She was funny and kind.  She was also doing some amazing things to help those in need.  She loved Jesus. But, she was leading people astray in her words.  As soon as I read the words that said she didn't believe that those that didn't trust in Jesus would go to hell.  I knew that she was wrong.  The entire basis of Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus and accepting him as your savior.  All the good deeds in the world won't make up for not having that relationship.  Any church goer knows John 3:16, "God sent his one and only son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."  I kept reading and became sad for this sweet woman.  Sad that she had obviously, in all her research, missed the point.  And even sadder that thousands of women and men were missing it too.

That evening I felt God stirring in my heart. I felt convicted that, I too, have failed to seek truth daily.  When I'm involved in a study, I dive in and crave the word.  Then when things get hectic, I allow "stuff" to fill my day and push God's truth to the side.  I don't ever want church to be a ritual.  I want Jesus to always be my best friend.  I want to know more and more about my God and his story. I want my girls to see that their momma craves God's word and makes it a priority daily.  I want to be able to quickly identify something that goes against what I know to be true and also be able to prove it.

I'm so thankful that we have a God of grace.  A God that continues to seek me even when I don't seek him.  And I'm so blessed to have dear friends that God has given me that share wisdom and knowledge all while pointing me to Jesus.

I'm blessed indeed!

xo

Lori