Message summary: Let us be wary of winds of strange doctrines that may come in various ways and be firmly grounded in the solid rock of Christ.

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“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of doctrine and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).  "Do not be carried away by varied and strange doctrines" (Hebrews 13:9).

We visited the Kregel Windmill Factory when we were in Nebraska City two weeks ago. It is the last intact windmill factory in the United States. We had a great tour by a very engaged guide who happened to be the president of the foundation overseeing the museum. But was brutally hot in the museum that day and my many inquisitive questions and the tour guides willingness to answer exhausted Brooksyne and my cousins who were also on the tour!

But we both like windmills. They were on farms where we grew up in the Midwest but not much, if at all, where we lived in northern PA and the Boston area.

Living in rural Lancaster County we see a lot of windmills and of course our favorite is the Old Windmill Farm where our friends Jesse and Anna and their seven children live. Windmills are a pleasant sight on the rural landscape reminding us of a bygone era. Many windmills are now decorative such as the one in our flower garden, but others are still functional, used to draw water from the well underneath.

A working windmill is designed to shift direction with the wind and this is effective in efficiently utilizing the wind’s power. Although prevailing winds may come from one direction, usually from the west, they also shift and the design of the windmill adjusts for these shifts. This design is beneficial for the windmill. But for a follower of Christ moving with the shifting winds of doctrine can be devastating for spiritual stability. It describes those who are “blown here and there by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).

Every wind of doctrine pictures teachings like fashion fads and suggests taking up with the latest spiritual teachings without using discernment. These "winds" are always "blowing" through the body of Christ. The “wind” imagery suggests that such doctrines are unpredictable, persuasive, and can quickly spread, much like a storm.

A similar warning is found in Hebrews 13:9, "Do not be carried away by varied and strange doctrine".

Strange doctrines come in many forms and they vary through the ages. In Colossians chapter 2, which I will be teaching from in our Crossroads class this coming Sunday, Paul warns the young believers concerning false doctrines of that age, issues that are hard for us to understand today.

A “wind of doctrine” is a false or unbalanced teaching. Here are some characteristics:

Here are some safeguards we can all utilize:

Let us all be wary of winds of strange doctrines that may come in various ways and let us be firmly grounded in the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13.

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber