Hold It To the Light

Have you been shopping and had the store clerk mark your $20 with a marker and then hold it up to the light?  I believe they do the same with a  $100 bill as well, but I don't know from personal experience! 😉
They authenticate the bills that way...the light shows "ghost" numbers that aren't visible without the light behind.  The marker is a special marker which remains fairly colorless on the treasury paper.
All of this got me thinking....
An important test for us as well!  Every thing should be held to the Light and deemed authentic.
We listen to and read a lot of things written by many different individuals. But if we are reading things (like this blog for example) written by other Christians... people who are writing to educate, encourage, influence.  Then we should be able to "hold it to the Light" and see it's authenticity.  Hold it to the Light of Gods Word and see if it holds up to the truth of God.

📖 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

Because we know God's word to be from Him and be the final authority. 

📖 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

📖 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Acts 4:12

We can do that with everything in our lives..from our worldly influences to our decisions.  How do they hold up in the Light of Christ?

Then let's go a step further.....me, you, as a believer and follower of Christ....
Can we be "held to the Light"?  Can we stand in the presence of God pure and unblemished?  ONLY because of Jesus Christ..through His blood shines His light and we can show the mark of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and be pleasing in Gods sight.

📖  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,  which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight  making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ  as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:7-10

By making sure we are surrounded by things authentic according to God's word, that we "test everything", we can be confident in our walk with the Lord.
I believe Paul sums it up in his letter to the church of Thessalonica.  He says it better than I can!
And his closing statements are my prayer for you!

📖 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,  and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.  And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies,  but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.    1 Thessalonians 5:13-24

So, just as we hold a possible counterfeit bill to the light to see if it is authentic....so must we hold the things we surround ourselves with to the Light of His truth.