It is so sad when I encounter believers who have the attitude that their walk should never offend anyone so they do not “practice that discernment stuff.” On the other hand, I have also seen many “discernment ministries” online that I would prefer that they weren’t. Discernment is important so let’s take a closer look at Philippians 3:12.

12 Οὐχ ὅτι ἤδη ἔλαβον ἢ ἤδη τετελείωμαι, διώκω δὲ εἰ καὶ καταλάβω, ἐφʼ ᾧ καὶ κατελήμφθην ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ [Ἰησοῦ]. Philippians 3:12 (NA28)

12 Not that I have already received or have been completed, I press on that, if possible, to apprehend it because Christ Jesus has apprehended me. Philippians 3:12 (translated from the NA28 Greek Text)

I have been blogging since 2006. I have been online with Christian Research Network since 2007. Most of what I write would be classified as “devotional,” however, there have been times I have been led to expose some false teaching or to shine some light into some dark corners so believers could understand what was really happening in doctrinal issues facing all of us. Discernment is something all of us should be doing as believers. It is so sad when I encounter believers who have the attitude that their walk should never offend anyone so they do not “practice that discernment stuff.” On the other hand, I have also seen many “discernment ministries” online that I would prefer that they weren’t. Discernment is important so let’s take a closer look at the passage I placed at the top of this post (Philippians 3:12).

Here is the NASB translation of Philippians 3:12:

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12 (NASB)

What is Paul talking about?

I have been a Christian since 1986, but I grew up going to church and before God saved me I was faithful attending church nearly every Sunday so I have been around Christian evangelicals all my life. What I am about to say comes from my observations and experiences both before and after God saved me. Christians can easily become satisfied and content with the spiritual level they have attained. Before God saved me, I didn’t notice anyone around me that had any particular spiritual gifts or abilities that they exhibited that I really wanted other than that thing about understanding God’s Word and praying. Those things eluded me. Then God intervened. Everything changed. I found that I could not get enough of God’s Word. I wanted to read it, devour it. I attended every Bible study I could. I took classes on how to study it. I learned how to conjugate Greek verbs, et cetera. That has never changed. I have been teaching myself Koine Greek since 1992 with a lot of online help from some very good Greek Scholars. In any case, that part of my Christian walk has never diminished

However, on April 19, 1995 God allowed me to be a survivor of the Oklahoma City Federal Center bombing. I was a block south of the Federal complex when the bomb went off. I had been in the Federal Employees Credit Union just the day before. I knew some of those in the V.A. office. I knew some in the Social Security office. Well, after the explosion I and one of my coworkers made our way up to what was left of the front of the Federal Building. Cars were still exploding. People were laying in the street covered in blood. Smoke was everywhere. Other than the approaching sirens, there was…silence…I had nightmares about that for months. I descended into a pit of depression and anger that lasted from that day until August 2004 when God drew me out of it for healing and I have never been the same. I look back on that period as a very dry spiritual time for me. Oh, I went to church. I taught classes. I prayed. I read my Bible. I was angry all the time. I wanted to get my hands around the throat of Timothy McVeigh and wring his neck.. You see, that anger was consuming me.

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