Discernment & hard truth……

discernment |dəˈsərnmənt| noun1    the ability to judge well: an astonishing lack of discernment.2 (in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual direction and understanding:without providing for a time of healing and discernment, there will be no hope of living through this present moment without a shattering of our common life.

This is the definition of discernment from Webster’s dictionary.  It our everyday lives we observe the actions of others and we often are puzzled, concerned, or dismayed and we seek to understand, to discern, what is really happening. Waht is driving the narative?

For the purpose of this post I am going to “assume” that you are a Chrisitan, that you believe in God and hopefully have accepted Jesus Christ as  your Savior.  If that is not the case this will not make much sense to  you or you will probably reject it, outright.  If you are as described, a believer, you already know that there is a God and His counterpart, an enemy, Satan.  God desires the best for you and tells you the truth, Satan desires your destruction and lies to you.  In this world there is a war happening and these are the two field generals.

How do we “discern” where a person is coming from and what his or her actions really mean. and who they are getting their marching orders from.

* Quick note, this is not an encouragment to JUDGE others, only a way to divide the thoughts an actions of others into a God position or Satan position.  The fate of any person is in God’s hands, and all have the opporutnitiy to accept or reject Him.  So we all have the same chance to make the right decision.

This was the last sentence in my moring devotional, and it brings a great deal of light to the process of discernment.

When a decision is unclear, ask yourself these questions: Will Christ be glorified in this choice? Can I do this in Jesus’ name? If either answer is no, then don’t follow that path, because the Holy Spirit is not guiding you there. His leading always aligns with Scripture and brings glory to Christ.

When you here the words of someone and they do not meet this test, you can make a safe assumption that the their motives and actions are NOT coming from a “God based” decsion.  It is vital in these times to know who our enemies are.  Keep in mind that Jesus, himself, said “Pray for your enemies, pray for those that do wrong against you.”

We are not to discern in order to punish those enemies, we are to discern that we may know who to pray for, and who to be careful, not to follow!

Keep these truths in mind from God’s own Word;

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7-8 NIV

³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”  the words of Jesus

Matthew 12:  33-37

Blessings,

the pilgrim

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2: 20