Watch Out! Jason, Missionary, Blessing Youth Mission
Watch Out! Jason, Missionary, Blessing Youth Mission
“ See that no one leads you astray”( Mat 24:3,4) Seven Characteristics of False Prophets( From Jeremiah Chapter 23)
When the disciples of Jesus were very curious about the signs of the end of the age, He did not tell them stories about Jerusalem and feed their curiosity. He just warned them to be careful. The message for Christian believers today, who are living in these last days is to,“ watch out!”. There will be a phenomenal increase of the false prophets and false teachings( Mat 24:11). And they will lead many astray( 24:5,11). They will also try to deceive the elect( Mat 24:24). All these are the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has warned us sufficiently beforehand. Hence, ' Watch Out!'
Many today like to grow in the Lord. They want to learn a lot of new things from the Bible. They want to attend a Bible study. They want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and see the gifts of the Spirit manifested in their lives and ministry. All these are good desires. But the Bible warns to keep a watch. In our curiosity we should not run here and there. Rather, we should turn to the Lord and His Word. Let us meditate the seven characteristics that mark the ministry of false prophets.
1. They Strengthen The Evil Hands Jer 23:17-“ They say continually to those who despise the
word of the Lord, ' It shall be well with you '; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ' No disaster shall come upon you.'”
The ministry of the false prophets invariably strengthens the hands of the evil doer( v14). They do not preach about sin and the coming Judgment. They always preach about the message of peace and prosperity. They teach that judgment is an Old Testament concept. Hence the evil doer does not turn from evil. When we read the Bible for five minutes and watch the television for two hours, are we not despising the Lord? It would be blasphemous if I were to say, ' God bless you,' to such an individual or family. Today we do not have the reverent fear of the Lord because we have been taught that God will not punish us for our sins. Whereas the truth is found in Revelation 22:12, where God says that He will repay everyone for what he has done.
2. They Promote Ungodliness Jer 23: 15“ From the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
Since their preachings are devoid of sin and Judgement, profaneness goes out into all the land. Today we find people misappropriating God ' s money. Immoral lifestyle is termed as weakness. Hence they sin boldly. They do not know that the sin they commit is an abomination unto the Lord. They and their children will reap the fruits of it. How sad that God ' s people are being destroyed due to lack of knowledge!
3. They Are Not Called Jer 23:21“ I sent not the prophets, yet they ran: neither spoke I to them, yet they prophesied.”
God did not call them to be prophets, but they wanted to prophesy. He also did not send them, but they went. May be, ministry was very interesting to them. Or, may be they wanted to be in the limelight. Or, ministry was the only option they had. Whatever might be the reason, they were never called by God.
Today, we find many people in various ministries who are not called by God. Their parents pushed them into the theological colleges because they were not good at studies or business. Or may be they thought ministry was a good business.
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