We are living in a time when Christians desperately need spiritual discernment.

Every day, we are surrounded by messages from politicians, celebrities, entertainers, social media influencers, and cultural leaders.

Many of these messages sound compassionate, reasonable, and even spiritual.

But sounding spiritual and being biblical are two very different things.

The question we must continually ask is:

Does what I am hearing agree with the Word of God?

First John 4:1 tells us:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

God never instructed Christians to blindly accept everything they hear.

He instructed us to test it.

And the standard for that test is His Word.

When Hollywood Talks About God

In today’s Daily Walk, I discussed a podcast featuring former President Barack Obama and actor Tom Hanks.

According to the remarks discussed in the message, Hanks questioned the existence of God and suggested that God would not judge people but would instead evaluate them.

He reportedly identified two examples of what God might evaluate: how we raise our children and how we treat foreigners.

Now, here’s where discernment becomes important.

The Bible absolutely teaches that how we raise our children matters.

Proverbs 22:6 says:

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

The Bible also commands us to treat foreigners with compassion, dignity, and justice.

Leviticus 19:34 says:

“The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself.”

These are biblical principles.

But the problem arises when someone presents a selective understanding of God that ignores other essential truths about His character.

God is loving, merciful, and compassionate. But He is also holy, righteous, and just.

And Scripture clearly teaches that God will judge humanity.

God Is Not Merely an Evaluator

Hebrews 9:27 declares:

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

Second Corinthians 5:10 tells us:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”

And Jesus Himself said in John 5:22:

“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.”

We cannot remove God’s judgment from Scripture simply because the concept makes people uncomfortable.

God’s judgment is not an invention of religious tradition.

It is biblical truth.

But there is also wonderful news!

Through Jesus Christ, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life are available to everyone who believes in Him.

Romans 8:1 declares:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”

That is the glorious message of the Gospel.

God is holy.

Humanity needs salvation.

Jesus paid the price for our sins.

And through faith in Him, we can receive forgiveness and eternal life.

We must never replace the Gospel with a version of God that merely reflects what our culture finds acceptable.

Not Everything That Sounds Good Is God’s Word

This is one of the greatest challenges facing the Church today.

Someone can say something that sounds compassionate.

Someone can make a statement that sounds reasonable.

Someone can even quote part of Scripture.

But that does not automatically mean their overall message agrees with biblical truth.

Remember what happened when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness.

In Matthew 4, Satan actually quoted Scripture.

But he attempted to use it in a way that contradicted God’s purposes.

Jesus responded by correctly applying the Word of God.

That teaches us something powerful.

Discernment requires more than recognizing biblical words. It requires understanding biblical truth.

We must examine the entire message.

We must consider the context.

And we must ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom.

What Are We Allowing Into Our Homes?

This brings us to another important issue.

Entertainment.

Movies.

Television.

Podcasts.

Music.

Social media.

Streaming services.

The content we consume influences how we think.

And the content our children consume can influence how they understand morality, relationships, sexuality, marriage, faith, and the world around them.

That’s why Christian parents must exercise discernment.

Philippians 4:8 tells us to focus our minds on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy.

That doesn’t mean Christians can never watch secular entertainment.

But it does mean we should be thoughtful about what we watch, what we celebrate, and what messages we allow to shape our thinking.

Ask yourself:

Does this entertainment continually mock my faith?

Does it normalize behavior that contradicts Scripture?

Does it undermine the biblical values I am teaching my children?

Am I becoming desensitized to things God’s Word calls sinful?

Am I allowing entertainment to influence my beliefs more than Scripture?

These are questions worth asking.

Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it is spiritually beneficial.

First Corinthians 10:23 reminds us that although some things may be permissible, not everything is beneficial.

We need discernment.

Christians and the Upcoming Election

As Americans prepare to vote, Christians have an opportunity to carefully examine the people seeking public office.

Our faith should influence our understanding of leadership, integrity, justice, human dignity, religious liberty, and moral responsibility.

But we must also remember something important:

No political party and no political candidate is a substitute for Jesus Christ.

Our ultimate allegiance belongs to Him.

When evaluating candidates, we should examine their character, policies, actions, and stated positions.

We should seek reliable information rather than simply accepting political advertising or social media commentary.

We should pray for wisdom.

And we should approach our civic responsibilities with integrity, humility, and a desire to honor God.

James 1:5 tells us:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

That is a promise we should take seriously.

We need wisdom in our homes.

We need wisdom in our churches.

We need wisdom in our communities.

And we need wisdom when making decisions that affect our nation.

The Holy Spirit Gives Discernment

First Corinthians 12:10 identifies the discerning of spirits among the spiritual gifts.

As Spirit-filled believers, we should desire the Holy Spirit’s guidance in every area of our lives.

But spiritual discernment is not simply about identifying false teaching.

It is also about recognizing what is true.

It helps us distinguish between biblical wisdom and worldly philosophy.

Between conviction and manipulation.

Between truth and deception.

Between what sounds appealing and what actually agrees with Scripture.

And discernment must always operate alongside humility and love.

We should never confuse spiritual discernment with automatically assuming the worst about someone.

Instead, we should carefully examine what is being taught and compare it with God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit will never lead us to embrace something that contradicts the truth He inspired in Scripture.

Don’t Allow Culture to Disciple Your Children

Parents, this is especially important.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 instructs God’s people to teach His commandments diligently to their children.

Biblical instruction is not supposed to happen only on Sunday mornings.

It belongs in our homes.

In our conversations.

In our decisions.

In the way we treat others.

And in the examples we set.

If we don’t intentionally teach our children biblical truth, countless other voices will compete to shape their beliefs.

We cannot expect children to develop biblical discernment if we never teach them how to recognize biblical truth.

Teach them to ask questions.

Teach them to examine what they hear.

Teach them to search Scripture.

Teach them to pray.

And most importantly, teach them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Ask God for Discernment Today

As we conclude, I want to challenge you.

Don’t simply accept something because a celebrity said it.

Don’t automatically believe something because a politician said it.

Don’t assume something is biblical because a preacher said it.

And don’t accept something simply because it sounds compassionate or reasonable.

Open your Bible and examine it for yourself.

Acts 17:11 commends the Bereans because they searched the Scriptures daily to determine whether the things they were being taught were true.

That should describe us.

Christians who know the Word.

Christians who pray.

Christians who listen to the Holy Spirit.

Christians who love people while standing firmly upon biblical truth.

Christians who refuse to allow culture to redefine God.

The world doesn’t get to tell us who God is. God has revealed Himself through His Word and through Jesus Christ.

So today, ask Him for discernment.

And when the Holy Spirit reveals the truth, have the courage to stand upon it.

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Declaration: I Will Walk in Biblical Discernment

I declare that the Word of God is the final authority in my life.

I will not allow popular culture, political movements, celebrities, entertainment, or worldly philosophies to determine what I believe.

I will test everything against the truth of Scripture.

I declare that the Holy Spirit is leading me into truth and giving me wisdom to recognize deception.

I will not compromise God’s Word to gain acceptance from the world.

I will guard my heart, protect my family, and carefully consider the influences I allow into my home.

I will approach my civic responsibilities prayerfully, thoughtfully, and with integrity.

I will speak the truth in love.

I will stand boldly for Jesus Christ.

I declare that my mind is being renewed by the Word of God, my heart is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and my life is surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

I will not be conformed to this world. I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind!

In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!

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Prayer: Holy Spirit, Give Us Discernment

Heavenly Father,

We come before You today in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Lord, we are living in a world filled with competing voices.

Everywhere we turn, someone is telling us what to believe, what to accept, what to celebrate, and how we should live.

But Father, we don’t want the world defining truth for us.

We want Your Word to be our foundation.

Holy Spirit, give us supernatural discernment.

Open our spiritual eyes.

Sharpen our spiritual hearing.

Help us recognize deception, even when it is wrapped in attractive language and presented by influential people.

Give us wisdom to distinguish between biblical truth and worldly philosophy.

Father, I pray especially for parents and grandparents.

Give them wisdom concerning the entertainment, media, and influences entering their homes.

Help them raise children who know Your Word, love Jesus, and recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Protect our young people from deception.

Raise up a generation that will stand boldly for biblical truth.

Lord, we also pray for our nation.

As elections approach, give voters wisdom, understanding, and discernment.

Help us evaluate those seeking leadership with integrity and careful consideration.

We pray for leaders who will govern justly, protect human dignity, act with integrity, and seek the welfare of the people they serve.

And Father, help Your Church remember that our hope is not ultimately found in Washington, Hollywood, or any earthly institution.

Our hope is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Fill us afresh with the Holy Spirit.

Give us the courage to speak truth in love.

Give us wisdom to know when to speak and when to remain silent.

Give us discernment to recognize what is of You and what is not.

And may everything we do bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ.

In the mighty, powerful, and victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Stay Connected

Thank you for joining me for another episode of The Daily Walk from Walking in the Word – Zeltman Ministries.

Our mission is to help believers grow deeper in God’s Word, develop a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ, and experience the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Visit ZeltmanMinistries.org to watch more Daily Walk messages, submit prayer requests, and discover additional biblical teaching.

Remember: Don’t allow the world to define your faith. Let the Word of God shape your life, and always ask the Holy Spirit for discernment.

Pastor Bill Zeltman

Walking in the Word – Zeltman Ministries