But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (II Corinthians 4: 3,4)
Satan has a cloud of darkness over the minds of people all over the earth in order to block people from gaining the knowledge of God as well as to block the light of Christ from shining in their hearts and convincing them that they need salvation in Christ Jesus.
Knowing this, Satan has also worked to deceive people to become his evil accomplices and to work for him in order to distract people from looking for truth by building smokescreens in front of their eyes, thus filling the eyes and minds of people with sights and sounds that look and sound like truth.
This, of course, is part of the conspiracy that Jesus told us about, when He said:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7: 15)
One of my late uncles told me the story of an event that happened in his life a long, long time ago.
A stranger came to his house, knocked on the door, saying that he represented a Bible publishing company. My uncle invited the man into his house, and he showed him a new, leather-bound, red-letter edition of the Holy Bible, King James Version no less, and the Bible even had that new smell. My uncle told me how the man shared his personal testimony with him about the circumstances that led to his own salvation as well as events that led him to introduce new Bibles to others.
From there, the salesman told Bible stories, quoted Scripture, and my uncle was not only impressed with the new Bible, but he was also impressed with the man's testimony as well as with his knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. My uncle then gave the man the money for a new Bible, the man prayed with my uncle, and he told him that his new Bible would be arriving by mail in about three to four weeks---and out the door he went.
Three to four weeks passed, and there was no Bible in the mail.
Three to four months passed, and there was no Bible in the mail.
Months became years, and the Bible never arrived.
Later, my uncle talked about the way he had been duped. He said the man walked like a preacher, talked like a preacher, and how he quoted Scripture and told Bible stories, accurate to the smallest detail.
In like manner, false prophets enter churches: fresh out of Bible colleges, graduates of theological seminaries, or with the recommendation of a fellow minister, who can testify about the new minister's credentials, such as his success at smaller churches. They walk like preachers, talk like preachers, and dress exactly as people expect a preacher to dress: some with modest apparel, but some with nice suits, starched shirts, with ties and even cuff links. In some churches, they wear priestly garments, such as robes, for the Sunday morning crowd.
The purpose of false prophets, however, is not to tell the truth, but to speak words that sound like truth. And if the person's personality and uniform of the day matches his words, then his words must surely be truthful.
The purpose of false prophets is to distort truth in order to distract people from knowing the truth of Jesus Christ, and thereby to deceive people by convincing them that the way they believe is both accurate and true. Do not change anything and do not doubt the words of the man in the pulpit.
Not only do false prophets distort and distract people from truth, but their hands are always near the money, for they are thieves.
Remember Judas Iscariot? Not only was Judas a traitor, but he was also a trusted member of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, for Judas carried the disciples' money bag: and he was skimming off the top, for he was a thief.
For if false prophets can deceive people out of heaven, what is a few dollars worth to them? The money is their reward or compensation for their labor of working for Satan; for if they can easily lie about heaven and hell, then embezzlement is no big deal, for this is part of their nature: they are liars and thieves.
Just as my uncle was duped by a false prophet Bible salesman, in like manner churches are also duped by false prophet preachers and ministers. This is the reason so many churches have fallen, all across the United States: people have been duped by that same spirit of Judas Iscariot, which is liars and thieves.
Jesus said, Beware of false prophets. There are many and they are everywhere.
To be sure that you know truth, therefore, go to the Holy Bible and read for yourself.
Amen.
Satan has a cloud of darkness over the minds of people all over the earth in order to block people from gaining the knowledge of God as well as to block the light of Christ from shining in their hearts and convincing them that they need salvation in Christ Jesus.
Knowing this, Satan has also worked to deceive people to become his evil accomplices and to work for him in order to distract people from looking for truth by building smokescreens in front of their eyes, thus filling the eyes and minds of people with sights and sounds that look and sound like truth.
This, of course, is part of the conspiracy that Jesus told us about, when He said:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7: 15)
One of my late uncles told me the story of an event that happened in his life a long, long time ago.
A stranger came to his house, knocked on the door, saying that he represented a Bible publishing company. My uncle invited the man into his house, and he showed him a new, leather-bound, red-letter edition of the Holy Bible, King James Version no less, and the Bible even had that new smell. My uncle told me how the man shared his personal testimony with him about the circumstances that led to his own salvation as well as events that led him to introduce new Bibles to others.
From there, the salesman told Bible stories, quoted Scripture, and my uncle was not only impressed with the new Bible, but he was also impressed with the man's testimony as well as with his knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. My uncle then gave the man the money for a new Bible, the man prayed with my uncle, and he told him that his new Bible would be arriving by mail in about three to four weeks---and out the door he went.
Three to four weeks passed, and there was no Bible in the mail.
Three to four months passed, and there was no Bible in the mail.
Months became years, and the Bible never arrived.
Later, my uncle talked about the way he had been duped. He said the man walked like a preacher, talked like a preacher, and how he quoted Scripture and told Bible stories, accurate to the smallest detail.
In like manner, false prophets enter churches: fresh out of Bible colleges, graduates of theological seminaries, or with the recommendation of a fellow minister, who can testify about the new minister's credentials, such as his success at smaller churches. They walk like preachers, talk like preachers, and dress exactly as people expect a preacher to dress: some with modest apparel, but some with nice suits, starched shirts, with ties and even cuff links. In some churches, they wear priestly garments, such as robes, for the Sunday morning crowd.
The purpose of false prophets, however, is not to tell the truth, but to speak words that sound like truth. And if the person's personality and uniform of the day matches his words, then his words must surely be truthful.
The purpose of false prophets is to distort truth in order to distract people from knowing the truth of Jesus Christ, and thereby to deceive people by convincing them that the way they believe is both accurate and true. Do not change anything and do not doubt the words of the man in the pulpit.
Not only do false prophets distort and distract people from truth, but their hands are always near the money, for they are thieves.
Remember Judas Iscariot? Not only was Judas a traitor, but he was also a trusted member of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, for Judas carried the disciples' money bag: and he was skimming off the top, for he was a thief.
For if false prophets can deceive people out of heaven, what is a few dollars worth to them? The money is their reward or compensation for their labor of working for Satan; for if they can easily lie about heaven and hell, then embezzlement is no big deal, for this is part of their nature: they are liars and thieves.
Just as my uncle was duped by a false prophet Bible salesman, in like manner churches are also duped by false prophet preachers and ministers. This is the reason so many churches have fallen, all across the United States: people have been duped by that same spirit of Judas Iscariot, which is liars and thieves.
Jesus said, Beware of false prophets. There are many and they are everywhere.
To be sure that you know truth, therefore, go to the Holy Bible and read for yourself.
Amen.
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