Happy almost weekend everyone! I was in California last Friday, so today I am back with another “Friday Journaling Prompt.”

I hope this has been a peaceful week in your life, even amongst the uncertainties of life. I posted earlier this week on IG about a “settled mind” and I shared a verse from Isaiah 26:3 that has really helped me lately:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

This verse is one we’ve all heard many times before, but the Lord is calling me back to it lately. I believe we need a focused mind now more than ever, and I am thankful for this reminder.

I also shared one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible this week:

Hebrews 13:8 says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

This truth, in the times we are living in, is such a beautiful assurance of God’s love for us. This world changes daily, but I want us to remember that God’s truth remains the same. We can count on that! Therefore, we really need to have an understanding of God’s Word, because the next verse after verse 8 is a warning. It says this, in part:

“Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings…

Ephesians 4:14 says: “…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

And to add one more: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says this: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Friends, each one of these verses (and many more) talk about being aware of the schemes of the enemy to keep us from God. I believe we are in the days Paul talks about in 2 Timothy, and we need to be very aware so we are not tossed to and fro, or worse. There will never be a shortage of “strange teachings” or false doctrines. Unfortunately the enemy wants to “kill, steal and destroy” our faith. (John 10:10)

2 Timothy 4 really convicts me. If I am honest with you, I have seen in my own life a lack of discernment in who I’ve let influence me. Books I’ve read, people I’ve followed on social media, “Christian artists” I’ve got playing on my iPhone and even teachers/pastors I now discern do not teach a sound doctrine. I got sucked into the “christian quotes” or nicely worded posts of many who do not ultimately speak God’s truth through their messages. I’m not here to name names or call out false prophets (although the Bible does have instruction on that). I am only sharing about my lack of discernment so that I can encourage us to listen to sound teaching that aligns with scripture, and help us to have that settled mind.

So today I wanted to take some time to remind myself, and hopefully those reading this, on ways to focus our minds on our unchanging God.

Let me start by reminding us that He is NOT a God of confusion… in fact His perfect peace is poured out on those who trust in Him and whose minds are stayed on Him. (Isaiah 26:3) Therefore, let us be focused on one thing:

Jesus Christ and His purposes for our lives.

I believe we were born at this time in history to be bold in our faith, holding fast to God’s Word and instruction, in order to point people to the Hope we have in Jesus! God has given us all unique and creative ways to do that and we can’t be about this calling if we don’t have God’s Word as the foundation of our lives.

I know it’s not that easy to do in this all consuming, completely confusing, never ending commercialization of the world we live in. BUT… Jesus Christ calls us to be the Church and He has given us a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to do this. Matthew 28:18-20 tells us: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”

“God is calling us to be disciples, not consumers.” (got that from my pastor, Ed Taylor, a few weeks ago. :)

I really love that quote because I know for myself, I am consuming way too much these days. Social media, current news stories, people opinions… the list goes on and on with the amount of information we consume, ultimately confusing us and opening us up to being decieved.

Now as a disciple, (follower of Jesus) we are called to know God. I know this is so basic in our Christian walk, but I truly believe we’ve been lulled to sleep by this world and it’s all consuming ways. And how are we going to point people to Jesus and the truths in His Word, if we are getting tossed around or fooled by “diverse and strange teachings?”

Let me start by reminding us that God’s truths, in His Word, remain the same. There are no additions to it, there are no deletions from it… in fact in Revelation 22, the last book of the Bible, it clearly states a warning to not add or take away anything from the scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16 also reminds us that: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” This brings a responsibility on us to test and discern that which we are influenced by. (read 1 John 4:1 & Romans 12:2 & 1 Thes. 5:21)

Friends, this is me reminding myself of how I need to be intentional in what I listen to, read and let come into my life, biblically speaking. I’m not trying to tell you what to do. My heart is to share what the Lord is showing me and hopefully it will spur on the gospel message in some way.

So today for this Friday’s Journaling Prompt, I would like to take some time sharing what I’ve been encouraged to do lately, and maybe this will prompt you to delve deeper as well. I wouldn’t say I’ve had a crisis of faith lately, but more that my eyes have been opened to how much false teaching is going on. (which the Bible clearly says will happen in the last days) At the same time I’m praying and asking for discernment on how to lovingly encourage people back to God’s Word.

Here are some ways to focus our minds, have His perfect peace, and have a solid foundation of scripture that in turn helps us discern that which is right and good. Take some time this weekend to write down your thoughts on what you’d like to do to put these into practice.

1. Read the Bible. We can’t know God if we don’t read His Word. It’s that simple and foundational. (I will have something on Monday I’d like to ask you to join me in… more on that soon!)

2. Study it. Reading is necessary, but studying it means that we are prayerfully devoting time and attention to learning and understanding it. (There are many great study bibles and commentaries to help in this. I will list some links at the bottom)

3. Memorize it. David speaks of this in Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is essential to having a settled mind in any circumstance. This one is hard for me, but as I’ve delved deeper over the years into God’s Word I have been able to remember Scripture that helped at the exact moment it was needed. It’s such a blessing to have a well of God’s Word from within that can combat all the lies of this world.

4. Meditate on it. Psalm 1:2 says the man who meditates on God’s Word is blessed. As we read, study and memorize God’s Word, meditating on it will help us grow a deeper understanding, give us the discernment we need and will produce fruitfulness in our lives that will shine a light for others to see.

Charles Spurgeon said this: “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” Wow, is that relevant for today. Just one step away from the truth of God’s Word can bring us way off course. There are many today who willingly lead people astray by the slight twisting of Scripture. Let us not be fooled. Let us pray for that perfect peace that comes from a focused mind on the only One whom we trust and love, Jesus Christ! And let us be like the Bereans who tested what they were taught, to see if it lined up with Scripture. (Acts 17:11)

I hope this encourages each of us to apply the Bible to our lives so that the Spirit of God, working through the Word of God, is in the people of God!

Thank you for coming here to read my blog posts. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this, please feel free to leave a comment or email me via the “contact” page above. I would also love to pray with you if you have a prayer request or would like to share your heart with someone. Next week I will be starting a bible study in the book of Revelation. I would love to do this together and I will share on Monday how we can do that!

In the meantime, have a GREAT weekend and be blessed by mediating on the Word of God.

Hugs to all,

Laura McCollough

Here are some links to commentaries I use:

Enduring Word Commentary: https://enduringword.com

Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/

Blue Letter Bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/index.cfm