By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

As the assault on Truth intensifies in our nation, each of us must be sure of what we believe and why we believe it. Praise God that He has given us His Word full of Truth from Genesis to Revelation—if only we will study it.

Read Acts 17:1-15. The Berean Jews are described as “of more noble character” than others Paul had encountered (v. 11). They were open-minded but skeptical, setting aside their biases and preconceptions to listen. They fact-checked every claim Paul made, examining the Scriptures every day to see if what he said was true. And as a result, many of them believed.

This is exactly how God wants us to pursue the Truth today. We must follow the example of the Bereans and begin by examining the Word of God for ourselves. If you rely on Sunday sermons or a midweek Bible study alone—as good as they may be—you cannot experience the fullness of what God has for you. Our faith and delight in God cannot grow if we do not spend time consuming Scripture.

When we neglect God’s Word, we also risk being deceived by false teachers. The apostle John admonished us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). In other words, if someone comes to you with a message that is supposedly from God, you need to put that message to the test by searching the Scriptures.

Like the Bereans, be open-minded but skeptical. Verify the message, ensuring that it is godly and Biblical, by being a noble student of the Bible. As Paul told Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). As you do, the Holy Spirit will empower you to obey Christ, embolden you to speak Truth in love, and equip you to stand firm even when the culture calls you to give in. For “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Let us take Jesus at His Word and commit ourselves to searching the Scriptures and obeying what we find, regardless of the earthly consequences.

Prayer: Lord, help me to seek Your face through Your Word as the Bereans did. May I grow in wisdom by the power of Your Spirit as I consume Scripture. Help me to be disciplined about humbly reading and studying the Bible. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Psalm 25:5).

Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon Life at Its Best, Part 6: LISTEN NOW

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