The gravity of God's Word

So... HOORAY for being out of Numbers! LoL.  I'm actually reading in Deuteronomy and Galatians simultaneously right now, and I don't know about you, but I love it when things from the old and new testaments line up to give you a clearer picture of God and what's important to Him.  Here's what "clicked" for me today:


I read this in Deuteronomy 13:1-4
When a prophet or visionary gets up in your community and gives out a miracle-sign or wonder, and the miracle-sign or wonder that he gave out happens and he says, "Let's follow other gods" (these are gods you know nothing about), "let's worship them," don't pay any attention to what that prophet or visionary says.  God, your God, is testing you to find out if you totally love him with everything you have in you.  You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him---hold on to him for dear life!


and then this in Galatians 1:6-9
I can't believe your fickleness---how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing a variant message!  It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God.  Those who are provoking this agitation among you are turning the Message of Christ on its head.  Let me be blunt:  If one of us---even if an angel from heaven!---were to preach something other than what we preached originally, let him be cursed.  I said it once; I'll say it again:  If anyone, regardless of reputation or credentials, preaches something other than what you received originally, let him be cursed.


I don't know why I never noticed that before in Deuteronomy... that a prophet can be right... or produce signs or miracles... and still be wrong about God.  That's pretty huge.  And how Paul says even if he were to come along and preach against what God originally spoke, he should be cursed.  I don't know... To me that just shows how desperately important it is for us to know God and what He's about.  How else will we know if someone preaches something against Him?  How else will we know if something is just hype or if it's a true sign from God?  That's a lot of responsibility.  The only way I can think to be sure is to be so into The Bible and talking with God about what we're reading every day, that those words just become part of who we are... so that when something against the truth comes out... we'll just know there's something not quite right about that... Personally, I'm finding that's true with my thought life as well.  When I'm reading my Bible consistently and putting my focus on what God says is true, I'm not so likely to just accept every thought that pops into my head.  I'm quicker at weeding out lies from the enemy from what I know to be true and I'm not as apt to just react to everything that flits across my consciousness. 


This is a verse I'm working on (I have a mental block against memorization so it may take awhile)
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you brothers [and sisters, of course!], in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.