Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 8:47 ESV

Greetings! Here is a Bonus Blog.

When I was younger, my father would always sit us down and talk about life and the choices we would make as we age. One of the questions my father, Howard L. Black, would ask us is, “Are you listening?” My father wanted to ensure that we understood every word he was saying and to ask questions if we didn’t understand. This reminds me of 1 John 4:4-6 (NKJV), “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this, we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” The scriptures are clear on who is listening to God and who is not listening to Him. But how does God know if you are genuinely listening to Him? It's simple. It is by your fruits (Matthew 7:20).

According to Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus warned them about false prophets. The false prophets can quote bible verses, use Christian jargon, and appear very spiritual. God wants us to know the difference and not respond to every bible teacher. We must listen and be led by the Holy Spirit to see the difference between their fruits. Some will produce grapes and figs, which are good, and some will produce thornbushes and thistles (Matt 7:16). There are so many people teaching their doctrine with little mention of Jesus. This year, let’s start praying for people to seek the true knowledge of God and to be delivered from false doctrine. Let's pray for the false teachers so that God will deliver them from this horrendous teaching. We know that Christ is coming soon, and we don’t want anyone to miss the opportunity to be saved by God’s grace and mercy.

And most importantly, I encourage you to stay in prayer so you can continue to know the difference between the spirit of truth and deception. We, too, can become false teachers if we fail to have a relationship with Jesus. Also, study the Bible to know God's holy word. Lastly, listen to sound biblical doctrine. God has people ready and willing to share the gospel with you. All you have to do is ask God in prayer. So, let me ask you this question: Are you listening?