IS IT REAL, OR IS IT MEMOREX?
MATTHEW 7:16 “You will know them by their fruits, Grapes are not gathered from thorn Bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?”
How many of you remember this commercial for cassette tapes? The idea was that you couldn’t tell by the sound of it if someone was really there singing or if it was a recording. In order to chalk up the sales of the tapes this was one of the best they could come up with. So, lets use it in the concept of Christianity and make believe.
It is rather difficult to determine if one is really living for the Lord or if they are putting on a show. There are many, many, many sitting in the sanctuaries that pretend to be born again, and very few truly are, we are warned of them throughout scripture, not just the congregation but the preachers and teachers as well, remember they are merely people just like you and I.
MATTHEW 7:15 “BEWARE of the FALSE prophets, who come to you In sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
How many times have you or I had a “prophecy” given over us by someone and it never came to pass? Some preachers would have us believe it was because of OUR lack of faith, or OUR desire to not have it come to pass; but what about if the person giving the prophecy is a false prophet, and claiming to hear from God but only hears their own thoughts. I wonder if that ever crossed anybody’s mind like it did mine? Or what about the one who gives a partial prophecy and doesn’t give the whole thing, are they REAL, or are they RECORDINGS? One must ask these questions. Remember, it is our very soul that is on the line here and it matters what we believe and what we follow.
1 John 4:1 BELOVED, do not believe every spirit, but Test the spirits to see whether they are From God; because MANY FALSE PROPHETS have gone into the world.
How do you test the spirits? The best and easiest way is to KNOW SCRIPTURE, to READ the Bible; you can’t just read the Bible you have to READ THE BIBLE. We were encouraged in scripture to know the Word and get it down into our inner most existence, to eat the word and get into our bowels. KNOW THE WORD of God whereby when the enemy, (false prophets, teachers, and preachers,) arrive you can discern them. With the renewing of your mind in the Word you might be a harder target for the enemy to disrupt. Jesus, when confronted by Satan on the word, retorted with THE Word. And so must we. How easy are we duped into chasing rabbit trails, or crazy ideologies, how simple minded can we get?
Do we truly believe that we are in a war for our very souls or do we just think it is a lot of hot air the preacher talks about? Take a look around you, see the truth of what the Bible says is going to happen and if it really is happening or isn’t. Bible prophecy coming true right before your eyes. We are witnessing the final days of the prophetic Bible when all nations will rise up against Israel, if you don’t believe me, watch and see. In order for this prophecy to become reality, something great must happen. Any and all nations that side with Israel must cease to be as they have been and turn their backs on Israel.
God sent warnings to us to be ware of these who speak of God’s guidance when in actuality God has not spoken. DEUTERONOMY 18:21 “And you may say in your heart, `How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come True, that is the thing which the Lord has not Spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; You shall not be afraid of him.”
While writing this post I came across a story of a man who was a false prophet, in fact the Bible says his name was Bar-Jesus (which interpreted means son of Jesus.) This man’s name was really Elymas the magician.
ACTS 13:9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, Filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit And fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy Of all righteousness, will you not cease to Make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord Is upon you, and you will be blind and not see The sun for a time.” And immediately a mist And a darkness fell upon him, and he went About seeking those who would lead him by The hand. All of what has been written here is for encouragement, to those who read and study, for those who do not read and study as well, that you might be informed and that you might truly seek God’s Word and learn to discern true prophecies from false.
REMEMBER: YOUR VERY SOUL IS ON THE LINE!
PRAY THIS PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Creator of all things on the earth Above the earth, within the earth; all we see And all we can not see but trust that is, I ask That You, O Most Holy One, to have Mercy on me In my fleshly state and redeem me into Your Loving arms. To help me to glean more of Your Love and learn more of You. Teach me to know Your Word more intimately and thus know You Better than I do. Protect my mind and help me To guard my heart in these days that are fast Approaching all around me.
I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ Your Only Begotten Son.
AMEN