Is It of God?

How do we know if something is really of God? People can often sound like they believe in Jesus, but they may have a different message or agenda altogether. What does the Bible say about discerning whether something is true or fraudulent?  The Bible doesn't have any easy answers, yet it tells numerous stories to help us learn the character of God from these. Lets have a look at some of these.

• In JOSHUA Ch 2 the prostitute Rahab helped the spies escape and she and her family were spared when the city was destroyed.
• In JOSHUA Ch 6 - 7 we read of Israel destroying Jericho. Ch 6 v 18 gives instructions not to keep any of the plunder, but Achan does and this sin causes much grief to Israel and results in Achan and his family being stoned to death.
• In 2 SAMUEL 6 Uzzah reaches out and touches the Sacred Ark. This was forbidden in the Law and Uzzah is struck dead.
• Reading from MARK Ch 11 v 15 Jesus entered the temple and turned over the tables of the money changers, drove out the traders and told them off.

Life is too complicated to have a simple set of rules telling us how to decide if something or someone is legitimately from God. The more we listen and learn of God's character however, the more likely we will be able to spot fraudsters and test what is of God. Hopefully, 2 TIMOTHY 3 v 9 can be claimed; "But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone".