Ephesians 5:5-7

"For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater-- has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them."

The Message uses the phrase "religious smooth talker" here also. Sometimes people say things so beautifully that we automatically believe it. I heard once about a study that showed that tone of voice means more to your basic nature than what is said. When a study with dogs was done, they cowered when you YELLED "I love you" or "Good Dog" but came all happy to you when you sweetly said "I hate you" or "Bad Dog". I think we get into that frame of mind sometimes. We don't focus on WHAT is being said, we focus on how lovingly people are saying it! In our Sunday School class we are reading the book "Erasing Hell" and a point is made that we need to read the Bible for what it really says, not for what we want it to say. I think this scripture backs that up for what we listen to from other people. What they say, what I say, is only my opinion. I am only human. I am not God. If you really want to know, then go to God. Go to His Word. Search answers for yourself. Don't take my word for it! Don't base your faith on ME or MY faith! Base it on GOD!

Today I am going to really think about what I am reading. Really evaluate it, not based on what I have always been taught, but on what I find in the Bible. If I hear things that don't seem to go along with the Bible, no matter how nice they sound, I am going to reject that.

Dad, sometimes we get in the habit of listening to a radio program or sermon or lesson from someone we "respect" as being a man or woman of God and we forget to take their thoughts or lessons and make them our own. I am so guilty of letting others feed me my thoughts. How many times do I hear a lesson and NOT go researching in Your Word for the answers myself? WOW! I am sorry for not making my faith stronger through Your Word, instead feeding it off of what people say. Help me to make the change and quit doing what is "easy".

Amen