Discernment by Esther Swyer
January 20, 2006

I have found my self thinking a lot over the past weeks about some of the teaching we hear on the "end-times", the rapture, and the time of the tribulation, etc. And I have thought much about the confusion being generated by many books and movies today. Nothing is simple or easily understood - a mix of truth and error - new Christians and non-believers alike are being fed a mixture under the guise of "various opinions" being put forth as all equally valid, and given a choice of what to believe. It reminds me of the Old Testament where it says that "every man did what was right in his own eyes"- Judges 21:25.

The Bible - all of it - was inspired by The Holy Spirit, and He is our Teacher. Jesus said He would guide us into ALL truth. There is only one "right" answer to these questions, and only one place to find it - in God's Word. Any other teaching or opinion is false. We cannot take portions of Scripture, and twist them to our own thinking without having to make the rest fit into "our" interpretation. When we choose God's explanation, it all fits - no twisting is needed.

Our extra reading should also fit this pattern. We need to be careful about which authors we choose to read, for whatever we fill our mind with will colour our own understanding of the Word. We cannot discern error by comparing man's opinions. When we know the Word so "deeply" that it becomes part of us, and colours all our thinking, we will quickly discern error.

about the author

Esther Swyer was born in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. The eldest of eight children she married at twenty-one and promptly had six children. She became a Christian in October of 1958 at the age of twenty-five and was baptised in December of that year. She began teaching a Sunday School class of a dozen nine to ten year olds in 1961 or 1962 and has been teaching various age groups ever since.

Esther began teaching adults and leading Bible studies sometime in the seventies. She became involved in WMS in the late sixties and held various positions over the years, then in the early to mid-seventies she started serving on the Association Council. On top of all that she was involved for many years in ladies retreats serving as small groups director for around twenty years. Currently Esther is president of the WMS on the Association level, treasurer of her church, adult ladies class teacher, and is completing her third year as a church deacon.

Her first marriage ended after twenty-two years. She re-married thirteen years later in December 1988 and was widowed in June of 2000. She has eighteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Esther has just published a book about her spiritual journey.