I never realized I was surrounded by so much quick sand until I started testing the waters. Not only quick sand around me but in me too. 

Lord We Need You

Lord help me to see more clearly what is true.

Lord help me to stay closer to You. 

Lord teach me how to be a fisher of men.

Lord help me test the waters around me again and again.

Lord I help me not just hear the Holy Spirit, but help me to obey Him too.

Lord I ask not just for me but for others that I can help too.

Lord we need You. 

Test The Waters

When we first moved to where we are now living, there was this big pond that was over grown with algae. Our cat went out to explore his new territory and saw a bird out on the green pond. He thought it was solid ground so he ran toward the bird and he sank. He quickly made it back to shore and home and we cleaned him up and he was ok. Spiritually I have to constantly test waters or I too may sink. Some times there are special Christian speakers that like the bird on the pond tempt me to come to where they are spiritually. This can be dangerous if they are not on solid spiritual ground. So I have to test the waters against the two great commands (Matthew 22: 37-40), and then if things seem a little off  do a bible study on what they are saying. Also I always talk to God about things I'm not sure of. There are other spiritual waters that need testing too. Churches that have a lot of spiritual looking things going on are like the bird tempting me to come to where they are. This testing of course starts out with the two great commands, talking to God about it to see if he even wants me there, and also I talk to Him about is their ground solid. This usually  means more bible study for me. There are lots of other waters to test people like the bird on the green tempt me to come to where they are spiritually (come do what they are doing) (or go where they are going) I have to test it and quick because the situation is on me. Again I check the it with the two great commands and I listen for the Holy Spirit to speak up. After a long time of practice I am just starting to hear His voice a little better, but not as good as I would like to. Finally there is the spiritual waters to test. This is when I feel something but don't see anything actually, like the mood of a situation, crowd, or place. This water needs testing too by trying to identify the spirit, mood, place, or situation. Here again the two great commands help, the Holy Spirit helps and also asking what would Jesus do helps. I also have to test the waters with in me, to make sure they aren't getting contaminated.  I am just learning about testing waters and I see I have a lot of practice ahead. 

Test all things hold fast to what is good.1 Thessalonians 5:21, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God; Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3

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