TESTING OURSELVES

2 John chapter 1




Today we are walking in: Testing Ourselves








Judges 9:15


And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust H2620 in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.



TRUST


Today we look to the word- TRUST- H2620- ḥāsâ- a primitive root; to flee for protection; figuratively, to confide in:—have hope, make refuge, (put) trust.



The Torah testifies………….


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The Prophets proclaim………….



Isaiah 26:4


Trust H2620 ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:




Jeremiah 7:14


Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust H2620, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.




Micah 7:5


Trust H2620 ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.




The Writings witness…………...



Psalm 73:28


But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust H2620 in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.



Proverbs 28:25


He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust H2620 in the LORD shall be made fat.



Job 13:15


Though he slay me, yet will I trust H2620 in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.





Testing Ourselves


The best thing we can do is test ourselves, and ‘see’ if we are keeping our focus on The Most High, and on His written WORD; test ourselves to see if we are trusting in twisted, man-made teachings rather than the pure Word of The Most High. We test ourselves by looking to see if we have forsaken Egypt, forsaken the worldly wisdom of this world.


Are we living our lives according to The Most High’s written WORD (2 John 1:6-11)? Are we following Messiah’s example, being humble and obedient to the Scriptures as He was?


Or, are we embracing defiled, soulish, worldly wisdom? Are we feeding on Spiritual Mixtures that are a little bit of truth, mixed with error [poison]? When we are feeding on error, we will not be following Messiah.


Are we committed to following the written Word of The Most High [the Bible]? Do we know the Word for ourselves, so that we can avoid the deceiving and destructive teachings of Spiritual Mixtures?


Are we loving Abba with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength by seeking HIS Word diligently, and then obeying it?


Forsaking Egypt is an essential step in learning to please the heavenly Abba, in learning to ‘walk by faith,‘ and in receiving the goal of our faith — ‘the salvation of our souls’ (Hebrews 11:6; 1 Peter 1:6-9)!


Forsaking the ways and systems of this world will thoroughly test us! — testing our resolve to follow our Saviour, Yahushua Messiah! Forsaking Egypt will test our willingness to endure rejection for the sake of honouring our Saviour!


The central, core error of many Spiritual Mixtures is a denial of the deity of Yahushua Messiah , and His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection for the remission of our sins. If we are involved in any spiritual ‘wisdom’ or system that embraces this error, then our eternal salvation is uncertain! We should question whether we have truly become Born-again (John 3:3-21)!


It takes time, commitment, and determination to learn Abba’s Word for ourselves, and to forsake worldly wisdom, by genuinely obeying The Most High’s Word. Will we remain true to His Word? Will we be faithful to His Word, even in the small matters? Will we forsake Egypt, regardless of the difficulties?


Understanding The Most High’s written Word and Truth requires us to be somewhat ‘mechanical’ in our approach. Without a lot of emotion or commotion, we simply seek Abba everyday, by reading/studying the Word of The Most High [the Bible], and praying each day — praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and praying for a willing and obedient heart. Little by little, we will begin to know what is truth, and we can repent of any involvement with spiritual mixtures, and we can avoid what is false.


Walking In Darkness: Indicators


What are some clues, some indicators that we may be walking in a pathway of darkness — that we are embracing a spiritual counterfeit, feeding on corrupt, worldly wisdom?


In the spiritual realm, the Bible is the standard of that which is straight — that which is true! Anything that departs from the Bible is false. Whether it departs by little or much is relatively unimportant. Some of the subtlest deceptions are those that appear to differ only a little from the Bible!


Here are some links revealing additional Indicators of Walking in Darkness:


We can see that a little bit of darkness is often more dangerous than complete darkness! The pathway of a spiritual mixture is a dangerous and hazy pathway.


Those walking in a spiritual mixture – those who embrace a spiritual system that mixes worldly, soulish, even demonic wisdom with the Truth of The Most High’s Word – they are more inclined to cling to their own ways, their own imaginations, rather than to repent. The little bit of spiritual darkness has deceived them, and it prevents them from seeing that they have gotten off Abba’s pathway! They are not even aware of their delusion, which is alarmingly strong!


The strength of one’s delusion begins with a refusal to love the truth of The Most High’s Word:


And then that Wicked one will be revealed … whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore The Most High sends them a strong delusion, so that they would believe a lie [what is false], in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12)


As this Scripture passage teaches us, it is The Most High Himself who sends a strong delusion to those who refuse to love the truth — to those who refuse to love the simple truth of The Most High’s WORD!


That is a frightening thought!! A frightening truth!!


May each one of us earnestly pray for, and always seek to have, the LOVE of the truth!


Avoiding the Way that ‘Seems’ Right
Once we become Born-again as followers of Yahushua Messiah, our deepest heart’s desire is to learn Abba’s written Word for ourselves, so that we can love Him by obeying Him! Born-again Believers delight in the Saviour, Yahushua, and strongly desire to walk according to The Most High’s written WORD, to walk worthy of Him (1 Timothy 4:10; Colossians 1:10)!


If we would avoid the strong delusions, avoid the forbidden counterfeits, the false gods of this world, and thus grow in genuine faith, then we must begin to follow Moses’ example — we must forsake Egypt, forsake the worldly wisdom of this world.


Abba’s ways are not according to human ways or thoughts. We must be determined to follow the written Scriptures, and not deviate from them! We need to cry out for The Most High’s help to walk with Him as we seek the wisdom and understanding that is in agreement with the written WORD of The Most High (Psalms 119:169).


By loving the truth of Abba’s written Word, by seeking Abba with all our heart, then, by His mercy and grace, we can avoid the delusion of spiritual mixtures — we can avoid the way that ‘seems’ right!