Weekly Devotional: Gems From Pastor Jim 4/27/2020

by Jim Hughes

Jer. 23:35-36 You should keep asking each other, “What is the LORD’s answer? or “What is the LORD saying?” But stop using this phrase, “prophecy from the LORD.” For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD Almighty.

So much is being said in the name of the Lord these days it’s hard sometimes to know what is from God and what isn’t. How can we know for sure what is from God? We go to the Word of God and examine the Scriptures carefully. We need to ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance so we can gain understanding. We must make sure that our understanding is supported by the rest of the Scriptures. We must know that God never contradicts himself or goes beyond His Word.

People use the Word of God often for their own gain. They sometimes use it to stir up trouble amongst the brethren. They use it to promote their own ideas or agendas. We must be very careful what we listen to, believe and teach. It is good to examine the thoughts of man by the Word of God, but we must be sure it’s for the right reasons.

God honors the searching of an open and honest heart. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. God wants us to understand what He is saying to us. We just have to be willing to listen with humble and submissive hearts.

Just because someone says that it is true from God doesn’t mean anything unless it is supported by the Word of God. Be very careful how the Word is used. It can be used to support just about anything if it’s taken out of context or pieced-meal together. The whole of Scripture is truth. All of the Word together is profitable for our understanding and living. We cannot pick and chose what we want to live by and believe. Live by the whole counsel of God and the truth will set you free.

About the Author:

Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.

C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one's self from such failures.

I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn't broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.