A Message to Trust

“Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards.” ~Micah 1:6

Messages bombard us from every direction, many of them contradictory.

So how do we know which messages are trustworthy?

In this age of instantaneous information, it often feels like we’re the only ones in history to experience this problem of knowing which message to trust. But we’re not.

A Message To Trust: Does It Come True?

Even as far back as the years of wilderness wanderings by the young nation of Israel, we see Moses speaking these words to them: You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD dos not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

A Message to Trust: A Variety of Messengers

Sometimes our ability to trust a message might be thrown off by the messenger God chooses to use. Could we trust a message from a modern-day version of Elijah or John the Baptist? Would we be put off by their goatskin clothing and diet of locusts and honey? What about that raggedy homeless man on the corner who says nothing, but holds up a piece of dirty cardboard with a one-word message: Repent?

It’s important to remember that historically and Biblically, God has used a variety of messengers from different walks of life. He used the adopted son of a pharaoh, educated in the finest schools of the day. He also used simple and uneducated fishermen. In addition, He spoke through farmers, shepherds, priests, husbands of prostitutes, noblemen, cup-bearers. wealthy men accustomed to rubbing elbows with kings,  and many more.

It is so important that we listen in spite of the messenger, and then hold that message up to the light of God’s Word. Our God doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6). Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8). If the message we hear contradicts God and His Word, we can rest assured it is not from Him.

A Message To Trust: Watch Out For “Tickle-Your-Ear” Teaching

We must constantly guard against our own desire to hear the message we want to hear rather than the message God wants us to hear. Though this problem seems especially rampant today with those who tout a gospel of health and wealth or peace and prosperity, the problem has actually been around a long time, say…um, since the beginning of time.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” ~Genesis 3:1

Who say to the seers, “You must not see visions”; And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions.” ~Isaiah 30:10

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. ~2 Timothy 4:3-4

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” ~1 Kings 22:13

“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. ~Jeremiah 6:14

“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” ~Micah 2:6

A Message To Trust: God’s Word

The very first point I listed above was about answering this question: “Does (or did) the message come true?”

Because of its ability to answer this question with an emphatic “Yes!”, God’s Word has been and will always be a message to trust.

Here’s just one example: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be Ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times. ~Micah 5:2

This prophecy, made 750 years beforehand, came true with the birth of Christ (Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4-7).

And the first verse I posted above from Micah 1:6? Look at this picture of grapevines (among ancient rubble) of Samaria, and check this prophecy off as yet another one that “came to pass.”

God’s Word is trustworthy.

The post A Message to Trust appeared first on Cathy Bryant.