Sabbath: Discernment: The Safeguard of Revival
Read for This Week’s Study: John 17:3; 1 John 2:3-6; Matt. 23:27-28; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; 1 Cor. 12:4-7.
Memory Text: “Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psalm 119:159-160, NKJV).
Early in my ministry I studied with a family in rural Tennessee. One day a large man walked into the room smoking a big cigar. He then declared that the Lord had healed him from lung cancer!
I have reflected upon this experience often. This man sincerely believed that the Holy Spirit had miraculously healed him. However, did his belief that he was healed make it true? Are signs and wonders always evidence of the Holy Spirit’s working? Can we base our faith on signs and wonders alone? What role might signs and wonders have in a false revival?
In the context of revival, we need to ask, Is it possible that the devil can create a false religious excitement and leave the impression that a genuine revival has occurred?
This week we will study the spiritual indicators of genuine revival and contrast them with the obvious signs of false ones. Knowing the difference between the two will help to save us from the enemy’s delusions.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 24.
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That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive (Eph 4:14), we need to DISCERN between good and evil, truth and error, right and wrong, that is our only safeguard in this evil generation of signs and wonders that the devil "himself is transformed into an angel of light" (II Cor 11:14). You called it "the safeguard of revival," to me, its "SPIRITUAL INDICATORS OF GENUINE REVIVAL." May we be richly bless as we study this week.
I really love this week's topic because in my country, false prophets have mushroomed and God's children, even the elect, are deceived, to make matters worse, the devil is making life so difficult for God's children, making them, including me, at times really to wonder if God really cares, as if not enough, our pastors are more of administrative pastors than pastoral type of long ago. We really need this lesson to guide us.
Our ability to discern is an important aspect of our spiritual life. It deals with our judgment, perception, detection of situations. Being attuned with the Holy Spirit aids us to decipher, spot deceptions, move away from erroneous paths, remain on the narrow pathway, strengthen our daily walk, and enable us to differentiate between evil and good. Surely, our diligence in prayerful study allows the Holy Spirit to direct our path even more. Our intimate relationship with God assures our spirit of discernment as we heed His voice.
This is going to be another great lesson! I have a couple of questions. Are we to ask God for signs when it comes to us making decisions about the daily cares of life? Is it Christlike to ask for signs? I realize faith is not based on signs. What's your take?
yes God can do wonders but its not rite to base our faith on signs and wonders . remember jesus after ressurection he meet two men ,insteady of showing signs and wonders he did bible study. to achieve best results of revival we should be worried about our relationship with the lord. lets focus our relationship with law of God if its not good lets pray for improvement. lawrence mupatsi
This week's lessons are on testing our experience by the word of God. But what happens when we run into issues on which there is no specific "Thus says the Lord?" After all didn't John say of Jesus' short ministry, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (Jn. 21:25 NKJV). So should we expect the Bible to be an exhaustive account of God's will?
What then do we do with the gaps in knowledge? To me there are two things that He expects of us when we encounter the gaps:
· That we abide by the principles of His government.
· That we use good judgment and common sense when there is no command.
For instance, normally, He doesn't tell us what to eat at meal time. We can choose what we want to eat nor does He dictate what to drink although in all these things He certainly would like to see us choosing the best. That is what we know as free will (2 Cor 3:17). Likewise, we are free to choose what program of studies we wish to take if that is available to us. He doesn't micromanage our lives; He leaves a lot up to us to decide what to do.
This question is important because I previously posted a comment dealing with the problems in Samoa from the standpoint of unity. When it comes to the place on the earth where a day starts there is no command from God in the entire Bible. That is something He has left up to human beings to decide. Because of that, by consensus, countries have agreed on an approximate line where the new day begins. They have also agreed that nations near that line should decide whether they would be to the west of the dateline or to the east of it. The line running through the Pacific Ocean and around various islands is known as the International Date Line (IDL). As the earth turns a day begins on the west side of the line and ends on the east side.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church also recognizes that line throughout the world. However, the South Pacific Division (SPD) has made several exceptions to that rule, including for Samoa. The SPD is ignoring the Samoa government's choice to be to the west of the date line for Sabbath-keeping purposes. It does so in total disregard to the laws and government of Samoa which Paul says a state legitimately can enforce (Rom 13:3-7).
On this issue the South Pacific Division has chosen to violate the principles and good judgment God has given us to use, and it is basically separating itself from the rest of the church on this issue without scriptural support for such an action. That is what this week's lessons are about - having the Bible as the anchor upon which to govern all our actions for it gives us principles not only in commands but as a case book of experiences. That is something we need to adhere to in the bond of unity.