Beware Of False Prophets

Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 12-14
Message Title: Beware Of False Prophets

Just recently I was able to hear a Jewish man give his testimony of getting saved and the struggles he has gone through because he accepted Christ. I was saddened, but not surprised, to learn that if you even say that you are a Christian in front of a Jewish person you are automatically thought of as a Catholic and despised. Christianity and even Judaism has gotten a very bad rep over the years, and it is getting worse. Why? Too many false religions and prophets claiming they know God. There is only one way to know God, and that is through Jesus Christ, but very few will find Him because they are trusting in their false religion and refuse to enter the gate that leads to Christ. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” - Matthew 7:13,14.

The majority of the Book of Jeremiah addresses the children of God who know they are saved, but continue to live sinful lives. While God promises to never cast a saved soul into hell, He does not promise that there will be no repercussions for not repenting of their sins. Jeremiah ask God about His judgments. “Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.” - Jeremiah 12:1-3,14,15.

Why do the wicked prosper? In other words, why do false religions and prophets prosper? Because they do not, and I repeat, do not, teach the truth. It's much easier to enter in the wide gate, that let's us live sinful, immoral, and wicked lives without feeling shameful, than the narrow gate, which removes these things. While God does chasten His children, He does not do it forever, but we do control that ourselves. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” - Hebrews 12:11-13.

Since God is the Creator of every person born, we can make the false assumption that He makes some people good, some evil, and some in between. However, that's really not how God works, yes, He is the Creator, and every baby born is precious, but that does not mean they remain that way. It is man that turns God's good and precious creation into something wicked and evil, rather, it's the desires of man that create a wicked person. Through Jeremiah, God addresses why some are accustomed to do evil.

“Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness. This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.” - Jeremiah 13:9-11,23-25.

While we all have a little bit of wickedness in us, just like a leopard will always have spots, some people will always be wicked, it's not something that God condones or even creates, it is something He allows because He gives us all the free will to choose how we live. We are not a child of God by our works, race, or religion, but by our believing in and receiving the Lord, Jesus Christ as our Savior. If God sees no hope in that person ever receiving His Son, He will cast them out. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” - Matthew 5:13,14.

I know it can seem cruel and mean that God would let a good natured person die before giving them a chance to be saved, but God knows things that we do not. Do you think that He will seriously send a soul to hell, fully knowing that they would receive His Son sometime in their lives? It is God's hope and desire that every person He creates believes in Him and gets saved, but even He knows when it is time to give up the fight. If a good natured person refuses to accept Christ, who by the way is God in the flesh, they face the same fate as the wicked who refuse to accept Him also. Through Jeremiah, God explains this further.

“Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.” - Jeremiah 14:10-15.

We can pray all we want for some people to be saved, and that is wonderful to do, but with some people it's just not going to happen. You will often hear a religion or false prophets (teachers) teach of other ways to be saved, but it is false. And sadly, billions of people will die and end up in hell because they trusted their religion or a false prophet who convinced them that they will be safe. There is a place for all the people who create and teach these lies, and also for those who believe them. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” - Matthew 7:15-19.
Today's Prayer: God, When I heard of the way the Jewish people use ceremonies and tradition to try and reach You it broke my heart. It's sad to realize that they refuse to believe in Your Son because they relate Him to another false religion. Lord, I want to be a witness and a testimony of Jesus Christ, I want the world to see Him through me, and I know the only way I can accomplish that is by salting the earth with His goodness and shining His Light upon them. Lead me and guide me, give me Your power to live by Your Word, give me a passion to see the lost saved, and the compassion to speak to all You put in my heart to witness to. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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