Happy Sabbath, friends!

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Las Vegas, Nevada. Everywhere I looked, there was always something competing for my attention. Whether it was what I saw, heard, or the values being promoted around me, I found myself reflecting on just how important it is for us, as followers of Jesus Christ, to have a discerning heart.

Before we delve into today’s message, let us first reflect on what discernment truly is. Discernment is the ability to recognize what aligns with God’s will and what does not. It goes beyond simply knowing the difference between right and wrong — it is about seeking the Lord’s wisdom to make decisions that honor Him.

James 1:5 (NIV)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

The truth is, every single day there are countless voices competing for our attention. Some encourage us to draw closer to Christ, while others subtly pull us away from Him. That is why every decision, every influence, and every relationship matters. A discerning heart is not just helpful — it is essential.

Maybe you are familiar with a song that goes a little something like this: “Be careful little eyes what you see…be careful little ears what you hear…be careful little hands what you do…” I remember growing up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, this song was sung often. It served as a beautiful reminder that what we allow our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hands to do influences both our hearts and our walk with Christ.

Everything we allow into our lives is shaping us. It will either draw us closer to Jesus or slowly pull us away from Him. That is why it is so important to be intentional about what we watch, what we listen to, and what we choose to participate in. Without even realizing it, we can expose ourselves to the very things that weaken our relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is why we must continually ask God to help us discern what is beneficial and what may slowly pull us away from Him.

Psalm 101:3 (NIV)
“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.”

Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV)
““The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

God also gives us discernment when it comes to the people we choose to surround ourselves with. Those we spend our time with can greatly influence our thoughts, attitudes, and spiritual walk. The relationships we pursue, the friendships we cherish, and the voices we allow to speak into our lives all have the potential to either draw us closer to Christ or slowly lead us away from Him. Discernment helps protect us from settling for what is merely good instead of what is God’s best.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.””

Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV)
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

Discernment is not about always having perfect judgment — we are human, after all. Rather, it is about allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us into truth and faithfully following where He leads. As we surrender our hearts to Him, He gives us the wisdom to recognize His direction and the courage to follow it.

John 16:13 (NIV)
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Romans 8:14 (NIV)
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”

How can we learn to recognize God’s voice? It is simple — spend more time with Jesus! The more time we spend in our Heavenly Father’s presence, the more we will recognize His voice speaking truth over our lives. The more time we spend in prayer, studying His Word, and rejoicing in His Name, the more we will be guided by the Holy Spirit. My prayer for each person reading this message is that we would seek not just knowledge, but a discerning heart that desires to honor the Lord in every decision we make.

John 10:27-28 (NIV)
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of a discerning heart in Scripture is found in the life of Solomon. When God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you,” Solomon did not ask for wealth, power, success, or influence. Instead, he humbly asked the Lord for a discerning heart.

1 Kings 3:5-9 (NIV)
“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?””

What a beautiful example for each one of us.

As children of God, may our prayer be the same. Instead of pursuing material or temporary things, let us ask the Lord for a discerning heart — one that recognizes what draws us closer to Christ and what may slowly pull us away from Him. May we desire His wisdom above worldly success, trust His guidance above our own understanding, and seek His will in every decision we make. As we continue walking with Christ, may we never stop asking the Lord to shape our hearts, sharpen our discernment, and lead us by His Spirit each and every day.

Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Amen.