Navigating A World Of Deception | John 10:3b-5

The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. — John 10:3b-5 There isn't a Christian man I have talked to lately who does not think we desperately need better leadership in the world today. Not one. As we survey the landscape, we know our leaders are misleading us. The cultural narratives we are being told to comply with are mostly untruths built on logical fallacies. It's intentional deception is what it is. It happens everywhere — in the courts, government, media, non-profits, education, social media, Chat GPT, and I guess in the FBI, and of course, in the church.  It's invading every arena of our lives. And I think most of us feel sad, disappointed, discouraged, and confused about this. But you need to know all this was happening in the time of Jesus. And that's what makes this parable so good. We are told that when we are let down and led astray by bad leadership, there is a better leader. We have the best spiritual leader. One who can be trusted. His name is Jesus. He calls, leads, brings, and directs those who are willing to hear his voice. And his voice is personal. His voice is individual. His voice can be heard and heeded. All we have to do is listen to him. Note this, Jesus is the leader. He is the only shepherd. He is the only voice. And I know you might think of me as a spiritual leader, but I am not. I am merely a follower like you. I might be leading you, but I am only leading you into a following. It's the same following I am doing. And I follow only one voice, and it's Jesus. And you need to follow the same voice. So test the voices you hear. Don't just mindlessly listen. Listen with discernment. And if they aren't following Jesus, then don't follow them. ASK THIS: How can we cultivate discernment in our spiritual journey and distinguish between authentic shepherds and those who may be unauthorized or leading astray? Reflect on the importance of studying Scripture and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in recognizing true spiritual leadership. In what ways can we hold our spiritual leaders accountable to the teachings of Scripture while maintaining an attitude of love and unity within the body of Christ? Consider practical steps to foster transparency, open dialogue, and a culture of accountability within our churches. DO THIS: Read Scripture, let it speak the truth, and be discerning. PRAY THIS: God, grant me discernment to recognize true shepherds from false ones. Guide me in studying Your Word and holding our spiritual leaders accountable to the teachings of Scripture. Amen. PLAY THIS: Build My Life. Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller