BIBLE STUDY AUDIO
TEACHIINGS FOR YOUR EDIFICATION AND BRINGING YOU TO THE FULLNESS OF THE STATURE OF CHRIST
Our Bible Study audio messages can be accessed from here. These are teachings recorded in the course of our weekly serialised Bible Study meetings for your spiritual edification and development.
Besides the audio, the conclusion/summary of the message is also displayed. This notwithstanding, the full Bible Study outline can also be accessed from the link indicated at the end of the conclusion/summary.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you as you listen.
ASKing (6): Knocking (2)
If doors of victory are to be opened unto us; and, if we are to experience breakthroughs over stubborn issues; we would need to develop perseverance and patience; and, engage more in fasting and all manner of prayer (including praise and thanksgiving).
Perseverance enables a person to endure hardship, and not give up. It enables a person to keep pursuing even when he is tired; and it ensures that we hold on to God, in spite of the seeming incapacitation that we experience in life. Perseverance also ensures that we are not discouraged; and it is developed in us by God, as He brings trials and tribulations our way so that we can endure and hold fast to Him in faith and absolute trust! In certain cases, the issues may have been resolved, but the time for manifestation may not yet be. At such times, our patience become a vital attribute with which we remain steadfast in God, and wait upon Him, regardless of the seeming unyielding outcome, for in due course, every door will be flung open unto you! Patience is that attribute that does not make us fret or be anxious when things are not going our way, and seems like time is against us. Through patience we are able to wait for God.
When, however, we are faced with situations which seem to defy every solution, we must in addition turn to weapons which God has made available to His children: fasting, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. The attributes of persistence, perseverance, and patience; in combination with the weapons of fasting, praise, and thanksgiving; will cause every door of opposition and resistance to be thrown wide open (Psalm 24:7-10).
Persistence, perseverance, and patience, are like the three legs of a three-legged stool. Without one leg, the stool will be wobbly, and eventually, will not stand. If our knocking is to be effective, all three attributes must be developed in our lives. Indeed, our fasting, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, will not be effective if these three attributes are not in our lives. So, as we prepare to knock on some old doors that have resisted us for years, let us also develop the attributes of persistence, perseverance, and patience; and employ the weapons of fasting, praise, and thanksgiving!
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ASKing (7): The God Who Said ASK
Those of us who have been asked to “Keep on asking, … Keep on seeking, … Keep on knocking, …”, need to know certain things about the God Who said these things: He is not like man, who says “Ask” and then turns around to say “I cannot give”; He is not a liar, and cannot by nature tell a lie; and He is not like an idol, who is mute and unable to perform any task, no matter how menial. Indeed, whom can we liken God to? No one! He stands distinct and He is not like anything or anyone that we have ever encountered.
His very nature is goodness. In His goodness, He sent His Son to die for man, so that He can bestow His goodness upon man. He does not keep good things from those who ask Him, especially His children. He loads His children daily with benefits too numerous to number. He pities His children and overlooks their wrong, if they confess it and do not go back to doing it. He allows temptation to come to His children so that they can develop Christian character; not to harm them. If any lacks wisdom, He is more than ready to give, if they ask in faith. If any wants the Holy Spirit, He will give them if they ask. Indeed, He is pleased to give His children the kingdom itself! He is all-powerful, and owns everything in the world, including men and money. He controls kings, and gets them to do His bidding for the benefit of His children. He asks His children to follow His word, so that He can preserve and protect them from the evil one. In fact, when it seems like things are not going well for His children, He is actually working out a most beneficial thing for them. This is the God Who said, ASK!
When He brings a woman to the ‘birth stool’, she can rest assured that she will deliver safely. When you ask Him for something good, He cannot give you something evil—it is not His nature! God cannot ask you to ask for something, if He does not intend to give it to you. But when we ask Him for anything, we must be confident that He will grant the request, whatever it is (Mark 11:24)! One thing though we must note is that only His children can exercise such confidence (Hebrews 11:6b); and if you are not already one of His children, you can become one right now (John 1:12), and you can begin right away to ASK! This is the God Who said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NLT)
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The Golden Rule
If we are to follow the teachings of our Lord on doing to (for) others what we want others to do to (for) us; we need a combination of love, good deeds, and godly speech. Love covers a multitude of sins or offences and enables us overlook wrong that has been done to us. But the love that can overlook a wrong is the God-kind of love, called ‘charity’ in the KJV or ‘agape’ in Greek. It is long-suffering, kind, humble, well-mannered, selfless, tolerant, forbearing, trusting, enduring, and does not expect anything in return. Charity takes the initiative—it does not wait for people to treat us well before it manifests itself to them; and it is the bedrock for good deeds and kind words. Indeed, only God, through the Holy Spirit can give us charity. Good deeds are acts of kindness towards others that are proper, rather than coerced. For example, it is proper, and expected that those who labour in the vineyard of God benefit from our material substance; hence tithes, offerings, first-fruits, gifts, etc., are avenues and channels to do this. Also, we who are standing must help those who are spiritually weak or those who have fallen along the way in the Christian walk, rather than judge them and avoid them. Remember, whatsoever a man sows, that shall he reap! Godly speech, is becoming of all Christians. We need to speak kind, warm, and godly words; rather than some of the hurtful and hateful words that proceed from our mouths. People’s lives and faith have been ruined by ungodly and unguarded remarks; hence, we should be slow to speak, but quick to listen. Again, we need the Holy Spirit to control of our tongues; otherwise, we can lose great things that God wants to give us—like Rehoboam lost 10 tribes out of 12, because of rough speaking.
If we, through the Holy Spirit, can do these things, our inter-personal relationships will be more than what can be learned from business seminars or leadership schools. God’s way of making us able to live peaceably with all men is in keeping the ‘golden rule’, and we have the Holy Spirit to help us, if we would let Him.
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There Are Two Gates: Make The Right Choice
From our study tonight, we have seen that gates grant access to qualified persons, include or exclude certain persons, demarcate or set boundaries beyond which certain persons may not have access, and they prevent people from viewing what is behind or beyond the gate. A gate can thus be a barrier that prevents some people from entering into a place; or a bar that sets the mark which those who have reached it can enter in; or, a blockade, which keeps unqualified eyes from viewing what is in the location that is blocked.
Gates can be physical and they can be spiritual. They can be visible and they can be invisible. They grant access into areas that are exclusive to those allowed in by the gates; thus, Identity cards, passwords, codes, and keys could be gates, as they enable those who possess them to gain access into areas which others cannot enter. Affiliation to certain persons and adherence to certain injunctions can also be gates as these can by themselves grant access or limit access to certain things, like vital information.
Finally, we see that while God always gives man the right to choose, He also, gives him advice on the right choice to make. However, not many people follow God’s advice, and this is because of certain things in man’s nature that do not allow him to make the right choice. These include; carnality, worldliness, disobedience to the word of God, idolatry, lethargy, affiliations to world views, and, a rebellious and stubborn heart. We have been told that there are two gates, each leading to a particular destination; and God has counseled us to enter in by the narrow gate. But if we are to be able to heed God’s counsel, we first must look deep within ourselves and cooperate with God to eliminate those things that can prevent us from making the right choice.
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There Are Two Gates: The Wide Gate
The wide gate is an inviting, appealing, attractive and alluring access which deceives those who go in through it with promises of pleasures with no inhibitions, greatness without humility, and success without morals and ethics—things which are very exciting and attractive to the sinful nature of man. The wide gate is so wide, it is accommodating and tolerant of anything and everything. There are no restrictions when entering by the wide gate—anything goes. It is an all-inclusive access point—it does not discriminate against whatsoever is brought in. It is the gate that is so permissive that virtually everybody you may know has gone in by it and many may still be within its confines. It is the ‘everyone is doing it’ gateway, and has no concern for ethics and morals.
The wide gate offers a “Come as you are, and stay as you are” message. Other messages on offer include, “Go to church, but do your own thing” “Heaven helps those who help themselves” and “We do not inconvenience you with dress codes” among others. The wide gate offers “Christianity without suffering and sacrifices”. It makes no demands on you to change your lifestyle. It also does not restrict you to Jesus Christ and His word, but encourages you to try out other options, stating that God made all things and permits you to freely use everything He has made. The wide gate also encourages you with other alternatives to problem-solving, where it seems that God is taking long.
Examples of the wide gate include; the immoral woman, the sweet talker, peer groups and fraternities, wayward friends and acquaintances, secret cults, ungodly counsel, the love of money, get-rich-quick schemes, the love of the world, the unrestrained eye, the unguarded heart, the over-exposed ear, and the mass media, among others. Ultimately, the wide gate leads to destruction and evidently not a favourable place for all who truly desire eternal rest.
The example of Jael and Sisera is a case in point that lets us see how the wide gate can lead people to destruction. Sisera was confident that he was safe in Jael’s tent because, they were not at war with her people; she was a woman (and in his estimation, she couldn’t harm him); and, she was welcoming and quite hospitable. How greatly mistaken he was, for it was she who killed him by a most gruesome death. This is how the wide gate is—many who go in through it, see only its inviting entrance, but not its disastrous end, and that is why God advises us not to go in through that gate.
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There Are Two Gates: The Strait/Narrow Gate
The strait/narrow gate is the Person of Jesus Christ. He is our access to favour and peace with the Father, as well as to eternal life. No matter how we look at it, Jesus is The Door; He is The Gate; and He is The Way to life, and to the Father. It was His finished work on the cross at Calvary that made it possible for mankind to be reconciled to the Father, as well as to have everlasting life—His atoning sacrifice, His shed blood on the cross, and His redemptive work, all combine to give all those who believe, access to the throne of God, the Father, where help can be obtained at any time!
It is one thing to identify the strait/narrow gate; it is a completely different thing to have the access code to pass through. The way to gain access through Christ is by faith in His name, and all that He did for mankind. As a person comes to the realization of what Christ did for mankind, and he believes in his heart and declares or confesses his belief with his mouth, he becomes born again by the Spirit of God and saved from sin. This then gives him access into all that God has kept for him and all others who choose the path of Christ. But this access must be through repentance, based on a firm assurance of faith, and a conviction from a humble heart. There are also the very vital keys of obedience to the word of God; adherence to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles/prophets; and, an ongoing vital relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.
Next week, we shall address the issue of Jesus saying that the strait/narrow gate is not obvious, but something that has to be searched for and found.
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There Are Two Gates: Finding the Strait/Narrow Gate
The phrase, “… few there be that find it” in our scripture text, would suggest that the strait/narrow gate is hidden, and that only few people can find it. It is not that the strait/narrow gate is hidden, for the gate is clear for all to see and find.
We have seen tonight that, the strait/narrow gate is not hidden to the extent that it cannot be found; rather, men do not find it because they really are not looking for it! In fact, many people are not interested in what is on offer in addition to eternal life; so, they conveniently do not find the strait/narrow gate. And even where the strait/narrow gate is apparent to all, many people still do not find it, because:
(a) Their eyes have been blinded by the god of this world, so they get into arguments about religion and why there should only be one way;
(b) They love darkness and the evil works thereof, rather than light;
(c) They are ignorant of the word of God;
(d) They are arrogant concerning the word of God, and are unable to submit to the simplicity of the gospel;
(e) The strait/narrow gate is not attractive;
(f) The entry requirements are unpleasant to the sinful nature of man (the flesh);
(g) They lack understanding of spiritual things;
(h) Their desire is for the things of flesh, rather than the things of the Spirit;
(i) They are carnally minded, and so, cannot receive the things of the Spirit;
(j) They expect the strait/narrow gate to be accessed by the qualities which they possess, rather than by grace;
(k) Their minds have not been renewed by the word of God;
(l) They want to enter the strait/narrow gate on their own terms (with the things that they are not supposed to bring in); and,
(m) The things of the kingdom are difficult to appreciate and accept.
When, however, a man’s understanding/eyes have been opened, he is able to perceive/see spiritual things for what they truly are; and, he can literally ‘sit down’ and count the cost of going through the strait/narrow gate; and then make up his mind to enter life thereat. It is as a result of such an earnest personal evaluation; and, the willingness to submit to the entry requirements thereof; that the strait/narrow gate is discovered! But not many people ‘sit down’ to count the cost, nor are they willing to submit to God’s entry requirements. Therefore, only a few eventually decide to pursue the right way to life, and ultimately ‘find’ the strait/narrow gate!
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Strive to Enter in at the Strait/Narrow Gate
First, we were told that if we are to enter into eternal life, it must be through Jesus, the strait/narrow gate. Then, we were told that we have to find Him; and now, we are being told that we have to put all our energies into entering into eternal life through Jesus. Why? First, entering in by any other means is impossible. Secondly, Jesus Christ is really not as popular as some of us may think, thus, we may find that we are alone when following Him; and this can be discouraging, which may make us want to stop following Him. Thirdly, in following Jesus, there are some well founded restrictions; hence, people who don’t like restrictions may have to make tough decisions. Fourthly, walking with Jesus kills the flesh; which means that we have to put our oldest and closest ‘friend’ before salvation, to death; which is a very painful thing to do! Fifthly, Jesus’ requirement for entering into eternal life may be unacceptable to many people, even including some church leaders who are teaching error. Sixthly, not all who find Jesus are able to enter into eternal life because there are forces that pull them away from continuing with Him. Seventhly, the value of eternal life makes it imperative that we fight the good fight of faith and overcome in the end.
It is not that following Jesus is difficult; it is just that the carnal man cannot imagine giving up things, which he believes cannot hinder his walk with God. For example, some people ask, “Are you saying that to have wealth or to enjoy some of the pleasures of this world can stop me from entering the kingdom of God?” In our bid to enter into eternal life through Jesus, we need to sit down and count the cost of following Jesus. We must also contend with forces that seek to oppose our faith in Jesus. Therefore, we must resist the devil, mortify the flesh, and overcome the world and temptation. In addition, we must submit totally to God, do His will and obey His word at all times, and keep growing in our knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. For instance, you must let go of that person you want to marry if God says so; you must be willing to take a lesser paying job for the sake of the kingdom of God; you must be prepared to give all to God in spite of your personal needs, if He says to give them up; and, if God asks you to come into full-time ministry, go into it, even when you know that a salary may not be forthcoming. Nothing should stop you from entering into eternal life through Jesus Christ!
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Beware of False Prophets: What is the Implication?
We are told to beware of false prophets. This is clearly a warning to every believer in Christ, not to be taken in by people who come to them or into town claiming to be someone or something.
The implication of the Lord’s warning to us about false prophets is very much founded, because prophets, and other ministers, are human beings. They could be anyone. Prophets, and indeed ministers of God are supposed to hear from God, speak for God, know the mind of God, and speak, by the Spirit of God. They are also people who preach righteousness, teach the truth that is in the word of God, and are given to prayer. And for every original there is a fake; and for everything that God has made or appointed, there is an imitation by the devil!
To ‘beware of false prophets’ therefore, implies that we exercise caution when people come to us and say that they are prophets or messengers of God; and should engage our thoughts and actions to know or investigate them. It implies that we should tread carefully, when people tell us that they are prophets (sometimes, reeling off their credentials). It also is a warning to us not to be carried away or mesmerized, by these itinerant ministers; neither should we be taken by surprise or unawares by them. Hence, ‘beware’ is a screaming word, saying, “WATCH OUT!!!” “BE CAREFUL!!!” “INVESTIGATE!!!” “PROBE DEEPER!!!” Let us learn from the Bereans who investigated the message of Paul, rather than swallow it hook-line-and-sinker. Let us search these so-called ministers/men of God out—their character, their conduct, and the content of their message. Our investigation cannot be casual and carnal; it must be prayerfully conducted. It is our responsibility to be able to recognize and to avoid false prophets!
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Beware of False Prophets: Why?
The reasons we have adduced for heeding the warning to exercise caution when people come to us claiming to be prophets or ministers of God are:
1. The Person who makes people ministers, the Lord Jesus Christ, tells us to investigate all claims to ministry.
2. The Holy Spirit warns that in the last days, which we are in now, many false ministers shall arise with seducing spirits.
3. God, through His word, warns us to prove or try every spirit.
4. False prophets are not easy to identify, for they may indeed prophecy correctly, and may even work ‘miracles’ (albeit, lying wonders).
5. You cannot tell a false prophet by merely looking at the external, for they sometimes appear as ministers of righteousness, and may even look more presentable than the true prophets of God.
6. Many, who we would have thought cannot be misled, have indeed been misled.
7. Not everyone who claims to be who they say they are, are who they say they are.
8. False prophets/ministers are usually in the majority, and the tendency is to go with the majority.
9. False prophets/ministers are usually well connected with the high and mighty in society, and seek to legitimize their ministry by such associations.
10. False prophets/ministers aim to turn God’s children away from the faith and unto fables, fornication, idolatry, and vanity.
11. Those who continue to accommodate false prophets/ministers, soon find themselves deluded into believing what is obviously a lie, and end up in hell.
12. It was so important to Jude, one of the early Church leaders, that he left off writing about the matter of faith to warn the then Church of the influx of these false ministers.
It is not just your responsibility to investigate and avoid false prophets, it is also in your place to expose them for who they really are! It would be your fault and nobody’s if you allow yourself to be misled by these no-do-gooders because, the consequence of accommodating and tolerating them is that God Himself will send you strong delusions, so that you believe and even defend their obvious lies!
BE WARNED!
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Beware of False Prophets: How to Identify Them (1)
Our focus tonight has been on the first comment of the Lord Jesus, that the false prophets “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”. With this comment in mind, we have seen that false prophets search or seek out their victims—the spiritually weak, those who are unwilling to grow in the things of God, those who want excuses to be made for their immaturity though they have been ‘born again’ for a long time. False prophets may seem to be concerned for souls, but their purpose is to make such souls children of the devil permanently, so they carefully plan their disguise and approach those who want to know God, but are never able to come to the knowledge of Christ.
False prophets appear to be spiritual, but really, they are not interested in what can make them so—they emphasize every spirit, except the Holy Spirit, and they downgrade the word of God, while upgrading prophecy, dreams, visions, etc. They always have a new revelation, which is purportedly from a ‘special source’ like an angel. In most cases such ‘revelations’ do not agree with the word of God, or are ‘forced’ to agree with their private interpretation of scripture. False prophets are not just masters of disguise and deception; they also are good at worming their way into people’s hearts. They act like they are concerned for your spiritual wellbeing; but really, they are out to destroy your faith and to consign you permanently to hell!
False prophets can also be identified by their display of ostentation (flamboyance and announcement effects) and worldly living. They are ravenous wolves who seek to scatter the flock of God, and may be very high in the church hierarchy. They are hypocrites, showing more concern for their public image, than anything else. They are title conscious, and do not care much for the work of ministry. They are interested essentially in benefits of spiritual office, but definitely not in doing the work of ministry. False prophets’ messages are of earthly things, sowing, money, tithing, and getting everything you can here on earth. They are more for outward appearance than on the state of the inner man; more for what you can get on earth, than what you can become in heaven. They talk about Christians being heavenly conscious, but earthly useless!
Let us beware of these men and women!
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Beware of False Prophets: How to Identify Them (2.1)
False prophets, being masters of disguise and deception, cannot be easily identified by their appearance, but they can be identified by the outcome of the life they are living in private, and the fruit of their ministry. What flows out of the life of a false prophet is fleshly, carnal, worldly, and sensual. The false prophet has nothing to do with the Spirit of God, even though he may mouth it. He is never led by the Spirit of God, but by his sinful nature (the flesh). He is moved by what he sees than by what God is saying. The Spirit of God is in fact not in him, and he is an enemy of God and of the cross of Christ. He loves the things of the world and his messages are of the things that are pleasing to the flesh. The false prophet takes pride in his achievements, his position, title, affluence, wealth, connections, contacts, etc.
The false prophet hates the message of holiness, and never encourages you to live so. If he ever speaks about holiness, it is in the context of man’s strength and not God’s grace. He would rather encourage you to live as you like, which includes committing fornication and adultery, and engaging in idolatry. He is a bold-faced unrepentant sinner, and is among the throng of motivational speakers whose belly is their god; and everything they do culminate in money—how you can make money for yourself, how much you are going to pay him for ministering to you, etc. The false prophet’s life is essentially a life of worldliness!
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Beware of False Prophets: How to Identify Them (2.2)
The works of the flesh which the false prophet manifests are the practices or conduct of the unregenerated, sinful, or carnal man, which the word of God tells us are clearly obvious and unmistakable. Unfortunately, many believers in Christ are deceived by false prophets because these believers don't even know what some of these practices or conduct really are, based on the word of God. Hence, tonight, we have looked at two of these practices in some detail, to eliminate confusion––a trademark of false prophets.
We have seen that false prophets exhibit sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, sorcery, as part of their practice. Tonight, we have taken time to expound on what constitutes sexual immorality in real terms, so that we will not be confused and deceived by the false prophet's private interpretation, to excuse their immorality.
Sexual immorality is essentially adultery and fornication. Adultery is generally defined as sexual intercourse between a married person and another person (married or unmarried) but who are not married to each other, while fornication is sexual intercourse between two unmarried people (singles who are not married to each other). From the stand point of the bible, which is our yardstick for assessing our conduct, however, sexual immorality includes looking on the opposite sex with lust (imaginations that arouse sexual desires in a person), divorce and remarriage (being remarried while one's spouse is still alive), and prostitution (having sexual intercourse for gain, which can include personal gratification, as well as with multiple partners).
Thus, the false prophet displays obvious sexually immoral behaviour. These things are clearly seen in the way they ogle (stare) at the opposite sex, and in their marital life. For example, a false prophet is most likely to have more than one spouse, and a retinue of lovers. He is also likely to have relations with prostitutes in cities and communities they visit. They are comfortable to invite the opposite sex for private consultation in places where the setting is amorous, and at times, when they are likely to be alone!
False prophets prey on unstable souls and trick them away from God’s presence and grace. We all need to pray to God to bring change to our lives and make us stable, so that false prophets do not lure us into their trap.
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Beware of False Prophets: How to Identify Them (2.3)
Uncleanness, which can broadly be said to be impurity, includes abominable sexual practices (homosexualism, lesbianism, incest, bestiality, paedophilia, necrophilia, masturbation, anal intercourse, etc.); spiritual leprosy (rebellion and disobedience to God’s authority and order); communing and fellowshipping with devils (occultic practices, seeking power from native doctors); and impure thoughts and speech. Uncleanness defiles a man, and corrupts everything that he does and touches. Lasciviousness, is generally known as indecency, and manifests as unbridled sensuality (flirting, flashing, pornography, amorous dressing, sexually explicit communications, sexual fantasies, etc.), licentiousness (unrestrained behaviour, depravity), lawlessness (indiscipline, flagrant disregard for what is right), and excesses (wantonness, recklessness, lack of moderation, lack of self-control, shamelessness). The behaviour/conduct associated with uncleanness and lasciviousness should never be associated with children of God, for such, pertain to those who practice unrighteousness. Uncleanness is the result of a wilfully disobedient, rebellious and impure heart (a person who has not been purified, purged, and cleansed by the blood of Jesus); while lasciviousness is the result of a vain/empty mind, a hardened heart (leading to spiritual ignorance), and a life that is alienated from God. Such a personality belongs to someone who is not born again, or who is backslidden; and such is the life of a false prophet (one that is filled with impure and indecent practices and conducts).
Thus, when a man or woman comes to you, advocating liberty to do as you like because of grace, you know that you are in the presence of a false prophet. Of such, beware! From such, flee! When a person who claims to speak for God encourages you to dress amorously, you know that he is a false prophet. Of such, beware! From such, flee! When you are taught every other thing in the bible, but are not taught to live holy, you are being taught by a false prophet. Of such, beware! From such, flee! When there is disorderliness and unchecked indecency in a ministry, you know that the head must be a false prophet. Of such, beware! From such, flee!
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Beware of False Prophets: How to Identify Them (2.4)
We have seen tonight that idolatry is more than the worship of images or strange gods, but more importantly, it is the worship of, or giving undue attention to, or pouring excessive affection on, anything except or more than on God. For this reason, covetousness, which is greed, avarice, or the love of money, wealth, or possessions, is idolatry; so also is the love of the world and all that it involves. Included as idolatrous practice, are those events that many Christians celebrate, such as, Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday, Hanukkah, etc., on one hand; and traditional festivals/events like, Yam festivals, Chieftaincy, Masquerades, National Days, etc. Against this we have been warned by God Himself, that if a so-called prophet asks us to celebrate any of them, we should ignore him at best. We have also seen that witchcraft is more than voodoo. It is really sorcery, magic, fortune-telling, palmistry, astrology, horoscope, divination, and, the use of powers other than of God to bring about a healing, miracle, sign, or wonder, with a view to bewitching the people into following the practitioners or have a fearful regard for that person and the powers he is displaying. In fact the word translated ‘witchcraft’ is the same word translated in the English language as ‘pharmacy’ hence, some modern translations regard witchcraft as the use of drugs or stimulants by ministers to enable them minister. It may also include the recommendation of medical procedures for certain conditions like ‘bareness’.
A false prophet is therefore that individual who, though professes to speak for God, yet equates godliness with wealth acquisition and possessions, and, whose primary concern is with the things of this world rather than on the things in heaven. He is an individual who emphasizes celebrations which may seem to suggest that God is involved, but which were symbols in the Old Covenant Era, referring to Christ today, or which have an appearance of dedication to God, but which really is dedication to idols. False prophets rely on external enhancement like stage effects (including theatrics), stimulants (including hard drugs), and occultism (strange powers), rather than depend on the Holy Spirit; and the reason for this is to entice people away from the truth, and unto themselves. Let us not forget that false prophets could include, worship leaders, Sunday School teachers, house fellowship leaders, bible school teachers, and so on. Brethren, beware!
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