We are used to seeing animals come onto our property. We have a large yard and a pasture. One day, there was a totally white cat, which we had never seen before, sitting near our birdfeeder. It was intensely watching the feeder. A few minutes later, we saw it move a tiny bit — like it might be getting ready to attack something. Suddenly, it floated in the air and stuck to some plants along our fence row. It was not a cat at all — but a white plastic bag!

Just like we were fooled by the plastic bag, we can also be fooled by people who preach or teach. We need to make sure that the people we listen to are telling us the truth of God. We need to do what the Bereans did:

Acts 17:11 – These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so. (ISV)

We also need to do what the apostle John tells us to do in his first epistle:

1 John 4:1-3 – Dear friends, stop believing every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize God's Spirit: Every spirit who acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit who does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist. You have heard that he is coming, and now he is already in the world. (ISV)

So we should not take everything we see and hear at face value. We need to check it out for ourselves. What we think is a white cat may just be a white plastic bag!

Thought: Let us study the Scriptures daily so we won't be led astray.

Prayer: Father, thank You for sending Your messengers to us. Help us to know the Scriptures and to know who Your true messengers are. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Dean Masters <dwmasters15@gmail.com>
Erwin, Tennessee, USA
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