Pick'n Those Bones!

Do you like fish? I do! But I remember not caring for it much as I was growing up. It took a while for me to realize why, however. It was not that I didn’t like the taste of fish -- I just didn’t like having to pick out the bones. Eventually I decided the taste of good fish was worth taking time to remove the bones. To eliminate fish from my diet because of those bones was to miss out on some meat that was beneficial to my body and tasty as well.

Paul, writing to the church at Thessalonica, stated:
“(21) but test everything; HOLD FAST WHAT IS GOOD. (22) Abstain from every form of evil.” ( I Thessalonians 5:21-22 ESV)

When it comes to some of the things we hear or read, we may often find ourselves struggling with what to accept and what to disregard. It is somewhat like eating fish. Eat the meat, but throw the bones away! Test it all to see how it fits with what God has revealed to us in His Word and be nourished by that which is good and sound teaching while throwing away or putting aside the rest.

I have a lot of books in my personal library that contain ideas that are not Biblically sound. However, these volumes contain some things that nourish and uplift my spirit. Therefore, based upon God’s Word I hold to what is good and toss the rest. I would miss out on some great concepts if I rejected those books completely because of the “bones”. Aside from those “bones” the “meat” is beneficial in my study.

Spend time in God’s word so you will be able to recognize the meat and not choke on any bones. Test everything and hold to the good. You will be blessed.

Have a great day NOURISHED IN YOUR PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE!
Carl
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[NOTE:Original date of this focus is 07/11/98, with translation changed to ESV]

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