This Day in History: 0000-02-16

February 16 – Galatians 1:6-10 

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to Himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: if anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. 

It is absolutely critical to our faith that we know and understand the Word of God, especially the Gospel, for ourselves. We cannot take the word of a respected Bible teacher, a popular Christian author, or even of a parent or mentor when it comes to knowing what’s contained within the pages of Scripture. We have to dig into it for ourselves and allow God to be the one to teach us about Himself and His ways. Why? Because there are false teachers out there. Lots of them. 

For almost as long as the Word of God has been given to man, there have been those seeking to twist and pervert it. It goes all the way back to Eden, when Satan came along and twisted the words of God to Eve. She was deceived, not simply because the lie was spoken, but because she had not properly familiarized herself with the truth. When the serpent questioned the words of God, she did not accurately know them. 

Are we vulnerable to being deceived in the same way? Do we accurately know the words of God? When questions come, is the Truth so deeply written on our hearts that no lie can twist its meaning? 

If our answers to these questions bring to light a deficit, may we not be discouraged, but simply allow the realization to strengthen our resolve to set it right starting today! The Bible is so readily available to us. May we immerse ourselves in its life-giving wisdom with vigor and passion!  

Lord, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart that understands, and feet that are quick to obey.