Month: July 2023

False prophets playing to the crowd

They can be charming; they can be loud,

false prophets playing to the crowd.

–Anonymous, 2023

“I did not send these prophets,
But they ran.
I did not speak to them,
But they prophesied. (Jeremiah 23:21)

‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing. (Ezekiel 13:3)

“Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken. (Ezekiel 22:28)

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

How casual the false prophets of today; grandiose the lies and visions vomited upon the visible church.

Holy is the Lord!

…for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets

“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. (Luke 6:22)

“Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. (v23)

During the sermon today the pastor read from Luke 6 and suggested that if we have never been persecuted for following Christ we may need to take a closer look at our own walk with the Lord. He said it with kindness and with love but he said it just the same.

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Cor 13:5)

Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. (Psalm 26:2)

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

List: Authors NOT RECOMMENDED for Christians

Chris Lawson has compiled three lists (New Spirituality, “Christian” and non-Christian Mystics of the Past, and New Age Movement) of authors Christians should not read or rely on for spiritual knowledge or guidance.

The lists are extensive. This project had to have taken months to complete. Have you ever read or listened to an author and were…uneasy…about some of the information presented?

False teaching and teachers are pouring into the visible church. These go-to lists are a great place to start investigating.

Continue here for the 3 lists…

There are no more “Apostles”

Rick Becker writes:

The proliferation of contemporary “apostles and prophets” is the result of a narrative that’s been pushed for decades – the restoration of the offices of apostle and prophet to the church. If this were true, then God has failed his church by depriving it of two essential forms of ministry. Furthermore, if God has restored the office of apostle, then contemporary apostles who claim to hold the office should meet the biblical qualifications, if they don’t, they’re self-appointed false apostles.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon gives the following definition of the word apostle in scripture (ἀπόστολος): “a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders. Specially applied to the twelve disciples whom Christ selected…In a broader sense the name is transferred to other eminent Christian teachers; as Barnabas”  Barnabas and other apostles mentioned in the New Testament, apart from the original apostles (including Matthias and Paul) did not hold the office of Apostle (capitalized when referring to the office). The office of an Apostle was unique and restricted. Their commission was extraordinary, and they alone had been delegated special authority and had to meet specific requirements to hold the office. This article examines the claim that the office of apostle has been restored.

Contents of this article:
• The office of Apostle based on texts in Ephesians.
• The biblical qualifications to hold the office.
• The contemporary movement promulgating the restoration of the offices of apostle and prophet.
• Clarification that they are indeed referring to the office of apostle.
• How modern-day apostles deal with (or ignore) the biblical qualifications for the office.
• The crucial role modern-day apostles play in the movement.
• The attraction – why is this a coveted position?
• Conclusion
Extra content – a brief look at the office of a prophet for those who wonder if it still exists – since the office of Apostle has ceased.

THE OFFICE OF APOSTLE – TEXTS IN EPHESIANS.
Three important passages in the book of Ephesians: (continue reading article)….

Why do you love your sin so much?

Marsha West writes:

A couple of years ago, a longtime self-professed Christian friend and I had a parting of the ways when, to my dismay, she finally came clean about some of the occult activities she had become involved in and had decided to keep to herself because she enjoyed what she was doing and didn’t want to hear a lecture from me.

It didn’t happen overnight, of course. Dawn (made up name) gradually drifted into false teaching, until she was immersed in it. She went from attending a conservative church to a church that successfully indoctrinated the congregation into the New Apostolic Reformation cult’s man-centered theology. …continue reading article…

King Solomon’s ships and gold from Ophir

King Solomon also built a fleet of ships in Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. (1 Kings 9:26)

And Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, along with the servants of Solomon. (1 Kings 9:27)

They went to Ophir and took four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon. (1 Kings 9:28)

In 1 Kings 10:11 we also learn:

Also the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones. (1 Kings 10:11)