Matthew 7 - Part 4

 

Read Matthew 7

This is the age of Horse Hockey and I’m not talking equines on ice, though that has a ring to it.

I am talking about so many twisting the word of God to suit their narrative.  What happens is that people decide how they believe and then twist the word of God or try to connect certain scriptures with nonsequiturs and other logical fallacies hoping that nobody notices.

Sometimes they are very good at operating in stealth mode.  They come in sheep’s clothing but they are wolves seeking to destroy. 

Over two decades ago, I attended the Karrass Negotiating Seminar.  It was an excellent course.  A few months later, I hired one of their instructors to teach 20 key members of our team.  It came at a cost of about $10,000.  It was worth it.  We save $100,000 in negotiations over the next few months and millions in the next few years.

While undergoing the class, I learned just about every negotiating ploy and trick that there was.  I was also taught not to use them, that the win-win approach was the only long-term strategy worth pursuing.

So why did I learn all of these tricks of the trade?  So that I would know when they are being used against me.  I learned them to increase my situational awareness.

I have counseled many a junior officer on situational awareness.  Becoming myopic is to become vulnerable.  Every officer must maintain an overall awareness of the general situation even when focused on a single mission or exclusive task.

You must know what is going on around you.

So too must every Christian be on the lookout for false prophets and false doctrine and those who present a good show but have nothing to show as far as real fruit goes.

Social media has become a safe haven for wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Don’t like the meme until you think through what it represents.  Don’t be sucked into someone’s narrative with a couple Bible verses garnished on an otherwise shady argument.

How do we know that someone is speaking the truth to us?  How do we know that their argument is of God?  How do we know?

Check the fruit.  Inspect the fruit.  Is there even any fruit at all.

You will know if someone is bringing forth a prophetic message by their fruit, but you must be willing to do some fruit inspecting.  Too many are just going along with the crowd and the opposite—seeking to be unique—but neither has bothered to inspect the fruit.

By their fruit you will know them.

Amen.