[align=left]BE NOT DECEIVED.....[/align]Mt.24:24. "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." A sure sign of the end of days and the coming of Christ again is that there will be false Christs & false prophets showing great signs and wonders. Where will this be most evident but in God"s elect church to deceive the very elect. They are not evident in the dead churches but are abounding in God"s elect church. Have you opened doors by listening to false prophets and teachers thus making it possible for you to be deceived?
Mt.28:19-20. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
Throughout the years, I have often heard pastors and church people say, "God is not doing it (evangelizing) that way now" & "that was for a time, but God is doing something new by his Spirit (the lunatic laughing thing) & evangelism does not work anymore." By so saying this, we find that pastors are able to rid themselves of the onerous (for them) and sometimes confronting issues of front line evangelism & they negate the first part of our command "to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every living creature". By not obeying this sacred commission and entrustment, they disobey the command in verse 20, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have command you." Is it any wonder that God is not with them, even unto the end of the world?
Eph.2:8. "For by grace are ye saved through faith." How must the unbeliever"s faith be built so that they will be saved?
Rom.10:17. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God".
Rom.10:14 "..how shall they hear without a preacher? "
Rom.1:16. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.." By inferring that God is not doing it this way any more, what pastors are really saying is that Jesus did not know what he was doing; that the Gospel (which Paul was not ashamed of) is NOT the power of God unto salvation unto all them that believe. They are in fact teaching the saints of God the exact opposite of "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."
2Sam.22:31. "As for God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord is tried..." The leaders and their followers are really saying that God"s ways are not perfect, and that the Word of the Lord is not proven, is not true. This must be extremely pleasing to our adversary, Satan, as the souls of many will go to hell for this very reason of negligence and ignorance.
2Cor.4:3-4. "If our Gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
Isa.40:8. "Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it."
Hos.4:6. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.." This is precisely what has happened as the leaders and people have rejected the purity and perfection of God"s Word & plan of salvation as expressed in the Great Commission.
2Thess.2:9-12. "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
We can see the consequences of allowing Apostates like Hinn, Howard-Browne & Copeland into our churches, and the result of this "strange fire" and rejection of God"s perfect plan for revival. Many have accepted this counterfeit system with it"s satanic signs and wonders. Don"t be so foolish brother, sister. Think! Do these ministries remotely resemble the ministries of Jesus and his disciples?
Truly the leaders need to take hold of the horns of the altar " truly they are in a strait. They have betrayed God and his people, rejected knowledge, and as a consequence have been sent "strong delusion that they should believe a lie." Why? "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth." What a difficult place this puts them in: If they want to get right with God then they need to repent, come before God"s people and admit they were in error, that their discernment was flawed, and that they have allowed apostates, false prophets and the occult to enter into the churches and Bible Colleges. Often, the problem in the churches is that the people appointed to ministry are not God anointed and appointed but are only hirelings.
By not doing evangelism, the leaders and churches are robbing the young people and new converts of their destiny and opportunities which God has for them as expressed in:
Eph.4:11-14. "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."
The giftings which are on the lives of those with the five-fold ascension gifted ministries in Verse 12 are "for the perfecting (equipping) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Why is this? Well, young people will learn to witness effectively, will need to study the Scriptures so that they can: 1Pet.3:15. "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh of you a reason of the hope that is in you" They will experience the thrill of seeing souls saved and lives changed; grow in discipling skills and watch as the church starts to fill with new births. There will be a surge of life blood in their midst and great excitement at what God is doing through their faithfulness. A church which witnesses these things: plus baptisms, baptisms in the Holy Spirit, healings and deliverances, shows itself as a healthy church in the New Testament pattern.
The new believers will grow in grace and truth before God, and the church itself will become strong and focused with a vision which is outwardly expressed in their outreaches and obedience rather than a church which is inwardly focused with little vision except for a bigger church building and "new strange ministry."
Isa.40:8. "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand forever." The words which Jesus spoke in the Great Commission of Mt.28:19-20 are as relevant today as they were when Jesus walked the earth. Mt.24:35. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
Lev.10:1-2. "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and destroyed them, and they died before the Lord." If God would judge the sons of such a man of God as Aaron, the brother of Moses, who was used specifically by God as a mouth for Moses when he was speaking to God, then why would anyone think that God would not judge them if they become involved in this "strange fire." And why then should we also think that the command to evangelize could be done away by these phenomena? Psa.119:89. "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in Heaven." God"s word is settled in heaven, very pure, tried, sure, and shall not pass away ever.
Jn.14:23. "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." The reason why the church and the pastors don"t keep his words can only be that they do not truly love him. Remember, that if you are involved in this error, you will need to quickly repent, even should you lose your ministry, for as sure as the grass withereth and the flower fadeth your life shall pass from you, my brother and sister, but God"s word will stand forever. What will you do when you stand before God my brother, my sister? You will be without excuse!
Jn.12:47-48. "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day."
Num. 32:23."But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out." Repentance & confession are required: but for those who refuse to do so, they can be sure that their sin will find them out.
When the church denies the truth of God"s perfect plan for the winning of souls and for revival & church growth, it denies the truth of God"s word, and so opens the door for a counterfeit revival to come in. People are hungry to see God move & for any semblance of what could be misinterpreted as revival, and with undiscerning leaders accepting the counterfeit, the saints of God are often unable to discern the true from the false. My heart goes out to the flock of God"s sheepfold who have been scattered upon the hills, have not been fed food convenient for their growth, and have not been visited with sound doctrine & sober discernment.
Jer.23:1-4. "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! Saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold I will visit upon you the evil of your doing, saith the Lord.." Remember, that soon we shall all stand before God and each person has to give account, and we will not be able to blame our pastor as the buck finishes with each one of us.
We should not blindly follow our leaders, but must start checking what is being presented unto us from the pulpit. Paul the apostle never minded being checked out against what the scriptures said, never used the scripture as a license to present an impure gospel. e.g. 1Chron.16:22. "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." Paul commended the church at Berea for being noble and checking out whether he was preaching according to God"s word.
Acts 17:11. "these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." 1Pet.4:17. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God."
We need to consider and realize there are dire consequences for those who preach apostasy and also for those who listen and their families. I sincerely ask you to look at the lives of the apostles and the life of our Lord and master, Jesus Christ. Compare their lifestyles with the money grabbing ways and the false teachings which now abound within the "elect" church. JESUS
Mt.8:20. "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nest; but the son of man hath not where to lay his head." Mt.6:19-20. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth & rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 2Cor.8:9. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." JOHN THE BAPTIST
Mt.3:1. "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea." Mt.3:4. "And the same John had his raiment of camel"s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was wild honey." Mt.11:8. "But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king"s houses." Mt.11:18. "For John came neither eating or drinking, and they say, He hath a devil." PETER & JOHN
Acts 3:16. "Then Peter said, silver and gold have I none: but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." 2Cor. 11:27. "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger & thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." 2Cor. 6:10."As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." The comparison between Christ and his disciples is starkly in contrast to many of the T.V. evangelists with their prosperity teachings of riches, fine clothes, good food & drinks, mansions & their jets! One of the most telling signs of the end of this age is the predominance of apostates & false teachers who will be active within the church. So perhaps we could look at some of the questions in relation to this matter & see precisely what the Scripture teaches.
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
YOUNG CHRISTIAN ! HEAR THIS.
