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Don McClain1W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20091A Plea For Discernment

To Definediscern - verb Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French discerner, from Latin discernere to separate, distinguish between, from dis- apart + cernere to sift 14th century1 a: to detect with the eyes b: to detect with senses other than vision Don McClain2W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20092A Plea For Discernment

To Definediscern - verb 2: to recognize or identify as separate and distinct : discriminate 3: to come to know or recognize mentally intransitive verb: to see or understand the differenceDon McClain3W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20093A Plea For DiscernmentTo DefineDiscern - Verb - Original Word: , diakrin

signifies "to separate, discriminate;" then, "to learn by discriminating, to determine, decide. . . .Vines Expository Dictionary

Don McClain4W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20094A Plea For DiscernmentThe Need For Discernment

Truth & Error Righteousness & Sin -Right & Wrong Good & Bad Wise & Unwise -Appropriate & Inappropriate -Don McClain5W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20095A Plea For DiscernmentThe Need For Discernment

We live in an age where discernment is ridiculed.False teachers abound wrong ways are abundant.Indifference among those who claim to follow Christ.Laziness.Don McClain6W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20096

A Plea For DiscernmentMatthew 16:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; 3 and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed. Don McClain7W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20097

A Plea For Discernment2 Corinthians 11:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly--and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it! Don McClain8W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20098

A Plea For DiscernmentColossians 1:9-12 (NKJV) 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Don McClain9W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 20099

A Plea For DiscernmentPhilippians 1:8-11 (NKJV) 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Don McClain10W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200910

A Plea For Discernment1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NKJV) 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. Don McClain11W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200911

A Plea For DiscernmentHebrews 5:12-14 (NKJV) 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Don McClain12W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200912A Plea For DiscernmentNecessities For Proper Discernment The right standard Prov. 14:12; Jer. 10:23; Isa. 5:19-21; John 17:17; Rom 3:4; Heb 4:12Knowledge Hos. 4:6; John 8:32; Heb 5:12-14; Phili 1:8-11Correct application 2 Tim 2:15; 2 Pt 3:16-18; Heb 5:13,14Right attitude James 1:21; John 7:17; Ps 119:97-104; Prov. 2:1-9

Don McClain13W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200913A Plea For DiscernmentQualities For Proper Discernment Respect Prov. 1:7Desire John 7:17; Prov 2:1-9Faith Heb 11:6; Rom. 4:20,21Love Ps 119:97-104Diligence 2 Tim 2:15Courage Josh. 1:7; 1 Cor. 16:13Caution Acts 17:11; Eph 5:15-17

Don McClain14W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200914A Plea For DiscernmentDiscerning QuestionsDoes It Corrupt My Heart?Does It Harm My Body?Does It Hinder My Spiritual Growth?Does It Damage My Influence?Does It Endanger Others?Can I Establish Authority For It?

Don McClain15W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200915A Plea For DiscernmentThe Need For Discernment

We live in an age where discernment is ridiculed.False teachers abound wrong ways are abundant.Indifference among those who claim to follow Christ.Laziness.Don McClain16W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200916

A Plea For Discernment1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NKJV) 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. Don McClain17W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 200917Don McClain18W. 65th St church of Christ / June 7, 2009