"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment, for we all stumble in many things." James 3:1-2 There are a lot of Bible teachers who are teaching false doctrine. In times past I would write off anyone I heard saying something I discerned to be false. But one day the Lord spoke this word to my heart, "for we ALL stumble in many things." ALL??? In many things??? My response to this was twofold. First of all, I eased up in my judgment of some men of God, realizing that no man on earth has all the truth and that ALL are going to err in some point or another. There are men of God whom I dearly love to listen to, but I realize that one cannot place absolute trust in them because they are ALL going to stumble "in many things." That means that everything one hears must be carefully weighed in the light of Scripture, and that we have a responsibility before God to know the Word so that when a wrong word is spoken, we will recognize it and not be led astray. Nevertheless, we are not to turn our backs on a man of God who is of a right heart before God and serving him with right intent, yet who may be off on one topic or another. Second, is the necessity to discern between men of right heart who may err on one issue or another, versus men who are teaching out-and-out heresy. Again, it takes knowledge of the Word of God to make that distinction. One tip-off is to take a look at the lifestyle of the man. If he lives in a multi-million dollar home, if he's traveling around in his own private jet, right away his heart is revealed. He's preaching not "the" Gospel, but "a" gospel - for the sake of riches and fame. From such, turn away. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS." Matthew 7:15-16 You will know them by their mansions, by their private planes. You will know them by their asking you to send them money, a “seed” to be returned to you in prosperity. You will know them by their twisting the Word of God to support their agenda. To know them, you have to know the Word of God thoroughly. They are clever, and most of the time they have a winning personality. Don't be fooled. The main issue we need to be concerned about is how a teacher treats the subject of Jesus Christ himself. The one all-important and non-negotiable doctrine of the Christian faith is that we are all sinners and that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, very God himself, came into our world taking on human flesh to bear the judgment on man's sins, that he hung on a cross and was sacrificed for us, died, and three days later rose from the grave victorious. Anyone who does not teach this, or who errs in any way concerning Jesus, is teaching a false Gospel. There's no room for negotiation on the basic and central doctrine of Christianity, Jesus Christ himself. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be ACCURSED." Galatians 1:8 Anyone using Scripture to gain fame and fortune, Paul says, “let him be accursed.” Strong words. And for emphasis he repeats it a second time in that passage. It's not whether they name the name of Jesus. Many false teachers will use the name of Jesus to to make themselves believable, to support their false doctrine. Note where the emphasis is. The Gospel is about only one topic: Jesus Christ. If the speaker's message is all about YOU, this is one of the cardinal signs that he is a false teacher. It's not about making YOU better, more successful, how to have more “SELF esteem.” It's all about HIM. Brothers and sisters, pray for discernment. And above all, know the Word of God. If you're not feeding daily in the Word of God, you're a sitting duck ready to fall into deception. Be aware of wolves in sheep's clothing. What does that mean? It means that men who are preaching false doctrine, men whose hearts are NOT right with God, the wolves among us, will APPEAR to be one of us. Though they are wolves, they will not LOOK like wolves, they will look like sheep. The degree to which you will be able to know the difference is the degree to which you are immersed in the Word of God. Neglect that, and you will be easy prey. Satan knows what he's doing.
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 This world is very dark, treacherous, and dangerous to the upright. His enemy seeks to trip him up, and tries to destroy him. How shall the believer navigate the obstacles of the enemy without losing his way? The only way is by knowing and taking in ...the Word of God. The Word of God is a lamp in the darkness on the path before us. It is not a beacon, it is a lamp, meaning it will give enough light to take the next step. vs 104: “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:104 The world has its own principles, but they are contrary to the Word of God, causing stress to the believer who has to live in the world day by day. It is only through the lamp of God’s Word that one can have true understanding, not the understanding of the world because the understanding of the world is corrupt; no, the Word of God gives understanding that is right, that is sure, that is TRUE. Through it, the believer is shown every false way so he can avoid it. vs 114: “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your Word.” As the believer takes up the Word of God, the world will hurl fiery darts at him because the world hates the Word of God above all. But as one walks in the truth, the Word protects him so that those fiery darts don’t destroy him. The Word of God becomes the hiding place for the believer. “…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;” Ephesians 6:16-17 Those who reject or ignore the Word of God are themselves rejected by God and as they continue on in their way, they will be deceived. “…they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…” Romans 1:21-22 Sinners walk in deception and their path leads them to destruction. When a person or a nation rejects the Word of God, their judgment is sure. God is patient and merciful, but those who reject or ignore his Word are marching straight into the judgment of God. This is where America stands today, and many souls within her. They have rejected the Word of God and nullified his laws as void. “It is time for you to act, O Lord, for they have regarded your law as void.” Psalm 119:126 God hates judgment, he warns and pleads and woos and draws, it is never his will to bring judgment. "'For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,' says the Lord God. ‘Therefore turn and live!’” Ezekiel 18:32 But when his Word is rejected, the inevitable result is destruction, whether it be for a person or a nation. “I have stretched out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good…” Isaiah 65:2 Then finally …judgment will fall. vs 12: “Therefore I will number you for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter; BECAUSE when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear, but did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.” It grieves the believer to the heart. “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep your law.” Psalm 119:136 What more can we do for them? Only judgment is left and they will find that that is an awful place to be. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31 Come, therefore, come to repentance. The door will not be open forever, and judgment looms even now over the nations. God has been so merciful in offering his mercy for so long, do not resist him. His heart still yearns for men to come to repentance. Receive him today, while it is still the day of mercy. “Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” Hebrews 3:8
"For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer." Isaiah 54:7-8 Are you in pain? Are you asking God "why?" First of all, rarely will God tell you why an affliction of any kind has come upon you until much later when you look back - then you'll understand. But while you're going through it, don't ask because he usually won't answer that question. Be willing to endure without explanation, for now. This is the kind of faith the Lord is looking for. Trials test us. It is only in trials that we realize what's really in our hearts. Still, we say things we never thought we'd say, we try to change the situation rather than letting God have his way. The trial of faith is a totally necessary process for a believer walking with the Lord. In fact, Jesus COUNSELED us, commanded us, to acquire from him that precious gold, that precious gold tried in the fires of suffering. "I COUNSEL YOU to buy from me, gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich..." Revelation 3:18 When gold ore is purified, it is put into a vat and heated up to a very high temperature. This causes the dross to rise to the top where it's skimmed off. Then the process is repeated at an even higher temperature, to bring up all the remaining dross so it can be skimmed off. After all the dross has been removed, what remains is pure gold. And so it is with our trials, there is purpose in them. God causes the dross in us to come to the surface so that it can be skimmed off, until what is left is pure gold. The gold that remains is precious. I know a woman to whom the Lord said, "the trial of your faith is more precious than gold TO ME!" Do not seek to escape it. Let the process work out the will of God for you, for the process is precious. "...you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, you love." 1st Peter 1:6-8 Friends, only in suffering will we be perfected, Always remember that what you are experiencing will always be very hard to understand - yet it is vital. You have been privileged to join in "the fellowship of Christ's suffering..." "...that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, being conformed to his death..." We who are "conformed to his death" will also be conformed to his resurrection! The suffering is only for a time. The glory to come afterward is beyond what words could express, and you will be brought into a place of faith and joy that will astonish you. "But may the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." 1st Peter 5:10 Hang in there, sufferer, there truly IS light at the end of the tunnel. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
