Encouragement for Your Week: July 12-18

This Week’s Verse

"… we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…"

— Ephesians 4:14 NKJV

Devotion

Without Christ, we are as vulnerable as helpless children. We can easily be tricked by the false teachings of dishonest people. If we don’t know the true path to salvation, we might fall for every new religious fad or theory made up by manipulative, self-centered teachers.

Followers of Christ, however, have a built-in defense system. God has given us apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers to show us the true way of salvation. Their guidance equips us to recognize the truth and teach others to do the same. This keeps us united in our faith and our understanding of God (Ephesians 4:11-13).

It is true that Jesus praised children for their humility and simple faith (Matthew 18:3-4). But here, the apostle Paul is warning us not to be naive. When it comes to the wild theories sold by false teachers, we shouldn't act like easily fooled children. Instead, we need to be mature Christians who can see right through their traps.

The world is full of misleading ideas and people trying to sell them. So, how do we know our current spiritual leaders are trustworthy? How do we know Paul himself wasn't just a clever con artist? We know the truth because "the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16). God’s own Spirit confirms the truth in our hearts.

This truth acts as an anchor for our souls. It keeps us from being tossed around by every new opinion that blows by. Because of Christ, we have an inner stability that stands strong. In fact, when the storms of life hit, others will naturally look to us for strength. Stand firm in the faith you have been given, and you will never be blown away.

What is one "wind" or popular cultural idea right now that tests your spiritual maturity, and how can you rely on God’s Spirit to help you stand firm against it?