When I first got saved in Bend, my friend Angie gave me a beautiful leather-bound copy of the book Jesus Calling and told me it was her “chocolate.” So, I began reading it each day along with the scriptures cited for the day. But I was having an unsettling about it, even as a new believer. The author was speaking as if she were God. She states in the forward that she is writing from the perspective of Jesus speaking. She also says that she knew God communicated with her through the Bible, but she yearned for more. The author writing as God and yearning for more than what He reveals in the scriptures should raise concern.

We need to be wary of anyone who assumes to speak for God as the writer of Jesus Calling does. I have Christian friends who claim they read this book instead of the Bible because it’s easier to understand. Reading another book in place of the Bible is dangerous. We need to defend scripture’s authority and encourage our sisters away from popular books with special revelation. Perhaps reading Jesus Calling is not so much an issue with mature Christians who know the source of scripture and use the Bible as their compass, but for those who are not as strong in their faith, a book like Jesus Calling puts a wedge between the believer and the Word of God.

The wolf is in sheep’s clothing; he will deceive even the elect – pastors, elders, and bible teachers won’t recognize the deceit creeping in the door. And if even the elect will be deceived, how much more will those that they are to be shepherding.  With that warning, we should be even more discerning of what we are letting influence our lives.