How do you know when a calling is from God?  Answer; when it is not, not from God.  I know that’s clunky language, but it gets the point across marvelously.  It means, that we must test things; our ideas, suggestions from others, our goals, and our dreams.

Read Acts 17:10-12 –

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

Why were the Bereans highly spoken of?  Answer; because they didn’t take Paul’s word for it.  Instead they examined the Scriptures, they examined the Bible in their day, to know whether what Paul said was from God, or if it was not from God.

Read Psalm 1:1-3 –

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

What are the rewards if we know God’s word, if we know the Bible, like the back of our hand?  Surprisingly, not much!  But, if we know the Bible like the back of our hand, and we are obedient to it, then we will be to others as a tree planted by streams of water, fruitful in our work and ministry, and prospering in whatever we do.  I have to believe, that the rewards mentioned in Psalm 1 are due in part because we won’t find ourselves chasing after dreams, goals, or ideas that did not come from God.  Because if we know God’s word like the back of our hand and we are obedient to what the Bible says, we will not chase after things that cause us to be disobedient to God.

Blessings to you all, and may you be blessed to stay within God’s will,

Ben