Jeremiah chapter 51: verse 46 (NIV-UK)
Do not lose heart or be afraid
when rumours are heard in the land;
one rumour comes this year, another the next,
rumours of violence in the land
and of ruler against ruler.
2 Timothy Chapter 4: Verses 3-4 (NIV)
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Proverbs chapter1: verse 33 (NIV)
But whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.
1 John chapter 4: verse 6 (NIV)
We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
We are subjected to information coming at us these days from many different sources, electronically information is updated almost non-stop, and there are many things that appear on our individual newsfeeds with headlines which are designed as “click-bait” to hook us in and grab our attention. Thus, it is sometimes difficult for us to separate truth and rumour, fact and fiction. The definition from online dictionary: Oxford languages tell us that a rumour is “a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth.” It can be difficult to know for sure whether there is a hundred percent truth in what we read or hear.
The closer we stick to God, the less likely we will be adversely affected by the impact of rumours and false news. The Holy Spirit will keep us right if we are prepared to follow His leading, and we know that God’s word can be relied upon. But even Christians can be caught out, as we see in the first letter of John and that’s why we need to be careful. Sometimes its tempting to dismiss news or information if its not what we hoped for, but we still need to accept that the truth is not always easy to hear.
Thankfully, God wants us to be fully aware and informed, and the simplest way for this to happen is for us to stay in close communication with Him. He will not allow us to be led astray.
Dear Lord,
Help me in these days to walk, act, listen and talk with the discernment, grace and wisdom that comes from the direction of Your Holy Spirit, so that I will always recognise the Spirit of truth. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.