Have you ever been to a “worship experience” that moved you emotionally? Maybe the songs that were sung sounded perfectly in tune. Maybe the people that you were surrounded with were beautiful, outgoing, friendly, and “fun” to be around. Did they dim the lights down low when it was time to pray? Did the person that led the prayer say all the “cliché” or “go to” phrases that are popular with prayer these days? Or maybe it was the speaker and his smooth delivery of the message? Maybe he used just the right combination of illustrations, analogies, scripture, and humor to touch your heartstrings. After this said “worship experience” did you ever think to check to see if the scriptures in the bible lined up with the worship experience that you had just had? Or did you let that feel good emotion take over and carry you through the rest of the day?
Sometimes, as Christians, we allow our emotions to guide us to the truth. That is a very dangerous thing to do! Even when we listen to a sermon that was presented to us in the most amazing way we must not just accept it as truth. We must ensure that the scriptures indeed back up what we just heard. When Paul and Silas ministered to the people in Berea, they did not just accept what they said as truth. I am sure that the fame of Paul the apostle had spread throughout all of Berea. However, it was not his status as a preacher that brought lost souls to Christ. It was not his smooth delivery of the lesson that turned many hearts to be baptized on that day. It was the fact that he was speaking the truth. The Bereans received the word with all readiness. They came “ready” and they came “prepared.” And then what did they do? Because they were ready and prepared they “searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11). And it was not a half-hearted one time attempt at reading the bible. It says they searched the scriptures daily!!!!
Don’t fall into the trap of believing that if the person that is leading worship is knowledgeable in the scriptures and is able to present it in a way that sounds good that it must not be seen as false doctrine. There is someone in the bible who knows scripture very well. Someone that we may not even think about and that is Satan. So just knowing the scriptures well is not a prerequisite to becoming a strong Christian. Satan had to be knowledgeable in the scriptures so that he could tempt Jesus at his weakest moment. Guess who one of the smoothest talkers in the entire bible was? Satan. Do you know why? He had to be a smooth talker if he was going to tempt Jesus. Of course Jesus did not fall for any of Satan’s tricks. Jesus was able to fight the devil back with scripture. But then did you know that in Luke 4, after the devil tempted Jesus, he decided to leave him alone for a more opportune time!
He is waiting for us. In the shadows. He is waiting for us to be at our weakest moment. He is waiting for the most opportune time so that we can believe the lie that he will tell us. He knows what sounds good to us. He knows our likes and our dislikes. He knows our weaknesses. We must come to him ready and prepared; so that when we receive a message we can receive it like the Bereans did. Then we can search the scriptures daily to see if what we have heard is truth from God or a lie from Satan.
Start now. Don’t delay another day. The world is full of sin and false doctrine. Each and every day is a new opportunity for the enemy to trip you up if you are not prepared. Find a bible reading plan that you can follow. Talk to a friend who knows the scriptures well. Ask them for advice on how to study the bible. Do a New Testament study on worship. Make sure that you are indeed worshipping the Lord in spirit and in truth. Do something though! You must be prepared, as Jesus and the Bereans were, or you will succumb to the temptations of this world.
