Are You Listening To False Prophets Or False Teachers?

"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 People are deceived by the false prophets because they don't appear to be false. Remember always that Satan knows what he is doing. He was created the wisest of all the angels. Though he has been kicked out of heaven, still he plans his agenda with great foresight, knowing what he's going to do and how he's going to make it work. Someone once said that the most important thing in warfare is to know your enemy. If you don't know how your enemy works, he can easily deceive you. Don't be deceived! Contrast the picture of the false prophet with the picture of Jesus or any of the disciples of Jesus, and take a good look. The false prophet is in it for two purposes, wealth and fame. Jesus and his disciples were in it ready to sacrifice all for the salvation of men. The false prophet goes around in expensive cars, jets, and they live lavishly. Not one of the followers of Jesus would have even dreamed of living lavishly. The false prophet's message is crafted to gather followers unto himself. Their method is to teach how to be healthy, wealthy, and wise, because that brings the money in. Friends, they are liars. And this is common to all of them, they are liars. They are so skillful, that the sheep have no clue. Truly, truly, they appear in sheeps' clothing. They smile. Big smiles. They speak softly, smoothly, and have the appearance of just plain nice people, but they are ravening wolves serving the author of lies, the devil himself. But you'd never think such a thing about them because they are so NICE. Always, nice. Always with charisma, a winning personality. But they are actually wolves in sheeps' clothing. If they're living lavishly, RUN. If they're trying to teach you how to live lavishly, RUN. If their focus is on how you can build up your self-esteem, RUN. If they suggest you're part of divinity, RUN. You aren't. You are not god inside, not in any way, shape, or form. It's a lie. Before the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciples asked him what would be the signs of his return. Most believers are familiar with what he said about there being wars, rumors of war, earthquakes, famines, and pestilence (diseases). But many miss the very FIRST thing he said. In answer to their question, the very first thing he said was, "Take heed that no one DECEIVES you." (Matthew 24:4) THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LAST DAYS IS DECEPTION. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth..." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 How will one know if a teacher or minister is in that category? The answer is that what they teach will NOT be sound doctrine. They won't teach on judgment, on sin, on repentance, on hell. Jesus said more about hell than he spoke about heaven. The doctrines of Christianity were established by Jesus Christ and the apostles, and have remained the same throughout the generations BECAUSE it is the Word of God and God does not change. God does not change with the times. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away." Mark 13:31 "For I am the Lord, I do not change;" Malachi 3:6 There has been much written about the last generation, pointing at this generation as the time when there will be an unprecedented rise of evil. The wolves in sheeps' clothing will not preach on evil, on the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and this is how you will know them. They will use Scripture only to make themselves seem right. "He quotes Scripture," they will say, without thought that one of Satan's hallmarks is that he uses Scripture to deceive. He tempted Adam and Eve, USING SCRIPTURE. He tempted Jesus three times, USING SCRIPTURE. No my friend, the fact that he's using Scripture does NOT accredit him. The wolves in sheeps' clothing will use Scripture when they can find passages to back up their false doctrines. This is the generation of unprecedented violence and murder. Untold millions of little boys and girls have been murdered in this generation. This is the generation of Sodom, the generation of perversion. Homosexuality is so accepted, even in the churches, that the believer who refuses to uphold it is threatened with all manner of repercussions. This is the generation turning against Israel. This generation is steeped in EVIL. How does one know those who are wolves in sheeps' clothing? By their fruit, Jesus said. Are they preaching the pure Word of God? Are they preaching on sin? On repentance? On picking up your cross and following Christ? Do they preach on the horrors of hell? Or ...are they preaching on using the Word of God to foster a lifestyle focused on self. "Your best life now." The best life now - of the true follower of Jesus Christ - is the life spent in daily repentance, in daily preaching the real truth, in daily picking up one's cross and following Jesus Christ, loving not one's life even unto death, (Revelation 12:11). And THAT ...is the truth.