I worked as a bank teller my last two years of college. Ironic, considering I am seriously deficient in all things math-related. But I loved the job – great co-workers, great hours, decent pay. And let me just tell you, I got to where I could count down a stack of bills in no time. Especially when the only thing keeping me at work was said stack of bills.
One day, I was given a deposit of $3000 in cash. We were always told to count money more than once, to make sure we counted it right. But I was prepared to count that stack several times. $3000 — that’s a lot of money! So I started the first count. Halfway through, something didn’t feel right. Literally. 
At this point, I knew the feel of money on my fingertips. I spent every day counting it – over and over again. And this stack went from the familiar real-money feeling to something different. So I counted again. Same thing. At that point, I knew I needed to call in some help. So I asked my boss to come over. She counted the money. Then she called her boss. Fifteen minutes later, the Feds were called in to confiscate and investigate the counterfeit bills that I (!) had discovered.
But I didn’t catch the counterfeits by studying counterfeits. I caught them because I was so familiar with the real thing.
This same principal is true for the Christian faith. How do we know what to believe? How do we protect ourselves from believing lies? How do we know – really know — what’s true and what’s not? We spend our time getting the feel of God’s word on our fingertips. We immerse ourselves in it. We get to know it, day in and day out. That way, when a counterfeit comes our way, we know right away.
It just won’t feel right.
Friends, there are a lot of “fakes” out there. Some of them may even look like Christians and talk like Christians. But they preach another gospel, or they add to the gospel, or they actually worship some other God, even though they say they worship the God of the Bible. Far too many people believe those lies because they don’t really know the Truth. Be like the Bereans in Acts 17 — they listened to what was taught, then they tested it against Scripture.
“Work hard so God can say to you, “Well done.” Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work. Know what his Word says and means.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (TLB)
