God's Truth
Though this was my first bear, I had been sure it was a black bear when I shot it. I decided to take it to Fish and Game in Glennallen. Either bear was legal for me to take, but I was only allowed one grizzly bear every 4 years, so I needed to know for sure. When I explained to the 2 wildlife biologists that I shot a bear and wasn't sure if it was a black bear or a grizzly bear, they both rolled their eyes... until they saw the bear. We spread the hide out on the grass and they walked around it and lifted the head and paws and talked with each other. They didn't know which it was, so they went inside and asked the fisheries biologist to come and look.
He walked out, lifted its ears and said, "It's a black bear." It turns out that the hair on the back of the ear of a grizzly is long and on a black bear is short. They took a tooth and aged this bear at 17 years old. What's my point? Sometimes the counterfeit looks just like the real thing. This bear's size and head and claws and color all looked like a grizzly. Even 'so called' experts were fooled. Only the man who had studied the characteristics of black bears and knew them intimately was able to tell the difference.
This is the way that it is with churches, pastors and the Word of God. There are tens of thousands of churches in America with 'ordained pastors' who do not follow the Word of God. In fact, their teaching diametrically OPPOSES the Word of God. Only those who KNOW GOD'S WORD- who have STUDIED GOD'S WORD- are able to tell TRUTH from ERROR.
Don't be fooled because the building has a cross on it. Don't be fooled because the pastor wears a robe or has a seminary degree. Test everything you hear against the Word of God. Acts 17:11 says, "The Berean Christians were more noble than their brothers because they tested everything they heard against the Scriptures to see if it was true." Imitate the Bereans. Test what you hear against GOD'S TRUTH, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Written on November 7, 2025
Posted in Daily Devotions