MAC KIRK

 I John 4:1-6  Spiritual Road Test.  An elaboration of the Belief, (Doctrinal ) Test.     What do we do when trying to buy a car?  ---Look at it carefully? Take a road test?  Take a person along who knows about cars before laying down any money?  Or as the old Baptist Chaplain in the Army used to say, " Look under the hood, and kick the tires!)     Should we not be as careful and discriminating as when we look at the place that teaches spiritual truth that affects our families and our souls? 4:1  I John-  " Beloved, believe not every spirit..."   " If you don't behave as you believe, you will end by believing as you behave." Bishop Fulton Sheen Test - dokimázō (from 1384 /dókimos, "approved") – properly, to try (test) to show something is acceptable (real, approved); put to the test to reveal what is good (genuine). See 1384 (dokimos). 1381 /dokimázō ("to approve by testing") is done to demonstrate what is good, i.e. passes the necessary

 I John 3: 21-24  Soaring Above the Rain Clouds   Have you ever experienced one of those days when everything is going your way?  " O What a Beautiful Morning, O what a Beautiful day!  I've got a wonderful feeling everything's going my way" ( from the musical " Oklahoma")    A bit ago we saw that are times when our hearts will condemn us , vs. 20, and may happen to believers when things are not going as planned, or sometimes from no fault of their own.  The Confession of faith tells of times when God withdraws His light .   In 3:21 of I John God continues to talk to believers, " Beloved"  and he says when our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.  These are perhaps spiritual mountain top experiences ( after a Retreat or Renewal/Revival) .  Or we may climb a large hill , or such, with rain all the way up, to have the sun burst out when we reach the top?   Have you ever traveled in an airplane /jet and been in a thunder/rain storm

 I John 3:19-20 .  " Encouraging our Hearts"  " Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life's calling and the prudence of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not." But somehow, from somewhere, Abraham Lincoln received the encouragement he needed, and the achievements of his life thoroughly vindicated his bout with discouragement. " (Today in the Word, MBI, December, 1989, p. 20,  Swindoll, You and Your Problems Transformed by Thorns, p. 58.) " We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him, in whenever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things." I John 3:19-20  Our hearts may sometimes need r