2010-03-26
Good Morning Dear Ones,
At the behest of the Holy Spirit I continue to write about the lifestyle of false prophets. This is necessary information for us to recognize when we are in the presence of them and to give us the discernment to not buy into their lies. When compared to Christ’s words in the Sermon on the Mount, in MT 7: 13-28-the sections on the Narrow Gate, A tree and its Fruit, I Never Knew You, the Two House Builders, and the Authority of Jesus- a glaring contrast can be seen. Today we begin by looking at 2 PET 2: 9-11. “And so the Lord knows how to rescue the godly people from their trials and how to keep the wicked under punishment for the Day of Judgment, especially those who follow their filthy bodily lusts and despise God’s authority. There false teachers are bold and arrogant, and show no respect for the glorious beings above; instead, they insult them. Even the angles who are so much stronger and mightier than these false teachers do not accuse them with insults in the presence of the Lord.”
The words that spill from the mouths of these false teachers when their target audience isn’t present would cut to the quick of our souls. The language is coarse, the arrogance is great, and the propensity for manipulation is strong. We can be reminded of just how devastating the tongue can be from the words of Christ’s half-brother, James, in JAS 3: 5-6, 9-10, “So it is with the tongue, as small as it is, it can boast about great things. Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself…We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse our fellow-man who is created in the likeness of God. Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My Brothers this should not happen!” What false teachers say is not just some bad words out of unconscious habits gained growing up, but it is deliberate and premeditated. These people are in the business of manipulation at a professional level. Their trash spewed is designed to do the work of the devil, who has established a well-built stronghold in their hearts.
We can learn from the nature of weapons God has given righteous and discerning people to battle against this kind of spiritual warfare. Look at 2 COR 3-5 to see what I mean. “It is truth that we live in the world, but we do not fight from worldly motives. The weapons we us in our fight are not the world’s weapons but God’s powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thought captive and make it obey Christ.” How can we do this? With the help of study of God’s word and prayer. If a person exposed to false prophecy or teaching is very familiar with God’s word, he can recognize something said which doesn’t conform to it. Let’s say this didn’t happen, but the believer isn’t sure. He knows he can go to the Lord in prayer and humility and be given the answer. He has a loving and working relationship with the Lord; it’s real and intimate. If he is a mature believer, he feels the Lord’s presence all the time and takes joy in it. Remember PS 1: 1? “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.” If we feel we are in the presence of a teacher whose information and opinions are questionable, we can turn to the Lord in prayer, knowing He will let us know if we are listening to false teaching or not.
In RO 1: 18-32, there is flat out and direct communication on what God deems evil that some humans do. Disgusting behavior is described as such, and God is calling a spade, a spade here. For some, it will be painful to read, but it must be read and understood pure and simple. Oftentimes, a false prophet engages in one or more of these sinful behaviors. All of us should be aware of what is said here and do our best to avoid idol worship, sexual perversion, allowing control of our minds and hearts by evildoers telling lies, greed, wickedness, vice, jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, malice, and blasphemy. We should keep promises made and not make promises we can’t or won’t keep. We should honor our parents and demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit [GA 5: 22-23]. To me, one of the most pain-producing sins is that of deceit. A deceiver is one who appears peaceful and friendly to your face, and is busy taking action to stab you behind your back. I believe that God’s judgment will be swift and very final against people with sins such as these. Their fate will be conscious torment from which there is no escape for eternity in the depths of hell-something unthinkable to those who love the Lord and show reverence for Him. And we do not have to be the victims of this sinful behavior, as long as we remember that Christ has given us the same power to fend off the devil’s fiery arrows as the Father used to raise Him from death to eternal life. We must claim that power and use it, in Christ’s holy name [EPH 1: 18-20]. All believers have it, and should not be afraid to use it. We are God’s team, the winning team!
PRAYER: O Lord, we come before Your throne today with the same boldness and confidence that You said we can have in EPH 3: 12. We know we can count on You to give us the truth. HE 4: 12-13, “The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man’s heart. There is nothing that can be hid from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before His eyes. And it to Him that we must all give an account of ourselves.” The question comes up at times when we are being barraged with lies from a false teacher: how can we find You? The answer to that question is: right here with us! I can say this with confidence because of what was said in the last given citation and in my own experience with Your protection. NH 1: 7, “The Lord is good; He protects His people in times of trouble; He takes care of those who turn to Him.” This is not the only place where You tell us not to be afraid but to turn to You for Your help. PS 138: 5, “When I asked for Your help, You answered my prayer and gave me courage. How many times have we faced what seemed like a mountain to climb, prayed for Your help, and You gave it to us?” You are a most faithful and loving God; we and all believers are blessed to have You in leadership in our lives. There are two passages in Your word that have become precious to us in this context. PS 31: 3-5, “You are my Refuge and Defense; guide me and lead me as You have promised. Keep me safe from the snare that has been set for me; shelter me from danger. I place myself in Your care. You will save me, Lord; You are a faithful God.” PS 40: 1-2, “I waited patiently for the Lord’s help; then He listened to me and heard my cry. He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. He set me safely on a Rock and made me secure.” Dearest Abba, how could we ask for more? We thank and praise You for who You are and what You do. You are the source of all good on this earth, and we are grateful for Your presence and intervention in our lives. In Christ’s holy name, we pray. Amen.
Next week: We will begin looking at some of the Scriptures that deal with the messages of false prophets, further reconnaissance to help us recognize them and know what to do in their presence. Before leaving the subjects brought up in 2 PET 2: 11, I would be remiss if I didn’t say something about insults. False prophets frequently and arrogantly insult God and those who believe in Him. 1 PET 4: 14, “Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ’s followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you.” That shouldn’t seem so strange to us, because we have been given the discernment to recognize these insults by our knowledge of God gained through His word and prayer. God has told us not to be afraid repeatedly in the Bible, e. g. IS 41: 10, “Do not be afraid-I am with you! I am your God-let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.” Our Lord Jesus gave His life on the cross, so that we could have the Holy Spirit and salvation [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25]. God always keeps His promises [PS 138: 8]. God will indeed bring condemnation to those who make a lifestyle out of rejecting Him. 1 PET 4: 19, “So then, those who suffer because it is God’s will for them, should by their good actions trust themselves completely to their Creator, Who always keeps His promises.” Godless sinners will have a horrible fate. We who have reverence and discernment need never worry about such a fate. Praise and thanks to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn