Beware of False Prophets...

1John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Luke 6:26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.

Revelation 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.

A warning of deception, disguising itself as a "prophet" of God...Talking like a lamb, but if examined giving a false gospel.....Jesus said His followers and prophets would preach two things:

This is what is written: The Christ will suffer, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations…Luke 24:46-47

Jesus declared a two part message, repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached. I wonder today if the repentance part is being left out by false prophets. It seems you can hear many gospels of "Gain is Godliness" or the "Gospel of Prosperity." Many gospels which appeal to the selfishness of man by offering salvation and heaven with no cost on their part. Even Jesus declared we should count the cost of being a disciple. If a man goes to build a house and doesn't count the cost of materials and only ends up with enough money for a basement, that is rather foolish. Rather we are told to count the cost of picking up our cross and following Jesus. The cost is our selfish life.

Jesus never held back the truth of what was expected of His followers. Have we been so deceived that we can not tell the church of Christ from the world anymore? Is that Satan's plan to infiltrate and muddy up Christianity from the inside? When we walk out of the doors on Sunday are we sanctified or separated at all from the rest of the world, or do our lives look just like the worlds?

I think most of you would agree. It looks to me like the church today is very good at preaching the positive part of the Gospel. But it also looks like the gospel has been compromised by remitting the preaching of repentance. Of which, repentance is our part, that is what we are to do on our side of the deal. Sure there are thousands being saved by the preaching of forgiveness with no change in our current life...who wouldn't take that deal. I am going to heaven and all I have to do is walk down the isle and pray a prayer and I am done? They don't even know why they need to be "saved." No! Repent from your wicked ways and walk with the merciful Savior. Yes, there was an act that righted all wrongs 2000 years ago, BUT you choose Him every day, not just one day....and Yes you must fight and put yourself to death walking it out with Him every day. The Holy Spirit will convict you and expect you to yield. We are expected to daily submit and surrender to God's will.

Pick up your cross and follow me....notice he did not say you are forgiven go do whatever you want....NO....repent and put yourself to death daily.

Jesus told the woman at the well.....Go and Sin no More!
Jesus told us, be perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect.....which means-repent and be like Him!

We are aliens and strangers here in temporal tents...If one is never told and understands their sin and their need for Jesus, why would they pick up their cross? If we think we are just good little people, why do we need a Savior? If we haven't seen our wretchedness, why do we need grace? I tell you the truth, if we don't start getting convicted to preach on the sinfulness of men and give understanding to the people in the church buildings, we will never see a revival that roots deep in the heart of God. We are all sinners and deserve the wrath of hell...there is not one who can stand under the righteousness of God....

I can't say I have ever sat in a church building where the pastor told the congregation that they were wretches and deserved hell...Well, WHY NOT??? Is it not the truth? Who are we serving, man or God? Why would we compromise God's Word and truth? Are we afraid of offending people with the truth? Again I ask, who is the church serving, God or man's pride?

If we have more people coming in the door of our buildings, because we are compromising the truth, do we really think God will honor that? Shouldn't we be more concerned with what God wants preached rather than what man wants preached?

Man's sin and fallen state is a basic foundational truth that without that understanding the whole rest of Christianity is not able to live. Jesus commanded a two part gospel, death and resurrection...we have to see the need for our own death, the need for Jesus' death, before we can be resurrected. This is the message throughout the Bible...man's need for repentance, man's need to humble himself before God, man's inherent flaw that he continues to sin and sin and sin...If anyone is offended by this, examine your own heart, is it not your story and mine just as much as any???? Can we be that honest with others?

A gospel preached without repentance that only focuses on the selfish things we get out of the cross and out of Jesus IS a false gospel. There is a cost, and it needs to be told.

I know I need a Savior. My faith is weak and does not stand up to trials and temptations. I lose self control in front of my dinner plate and find myself suffering after a meal from gorging myself. I buy that extra Starbucks when I know I don't need it. I catch myself looking too long at things I should not. These things are what drive me to Jesus, my desperate need for Him and the realization of how bad that state that I am in without His love, patience, understanding, and resurrection! So great the grace of Jesus! What a Savior that opens His arms and delights every time I turn away from me and look to Him! What greater love is there than this love?

I urge you all to test the spirits of what you are hearing, make sure you are not buying into a false gospel...one that leads you into the ways of the world, into selfish gain. If it is just puffing you up into a false sense of security that everyone is good and only good things happen to good people. That God just wants you to be good, that you are ok, that you deserve prosperity and blessings. Be afraid of those who believe too much in the power of man without God. Man's ways are foolishness to God's ways. Test it to see if it is Scriptural, test it to see if Jesus would have said it, test it to see if the Holy Spirit inside you finds it true...

I invite you all, please let me know if any of this sounds untrue or unscriptural...I have been known to make mistakes...but I really have felt God speaking this to me for the last few months now...