11 "And he gave … the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (Eph 4:11-14 ESV)
In other bible translations (KJV, NKJV, NAS, etc) the phrase “the shepherds and teachers” is translated “pastors and teachers.” The Greek word ποιμένας (Eph 4:11 BGT) doesn’t look familiar to us. But when you look at the Latin Vulgate, you will find a word that does look familiar: pastores (Eph 4:11 VUL). It is an easy step into the English language to find the plural noun – pastors.
So, why have we taken the time to give this little lesson in word origins? It’s simple. Without the clear understanding that a “Pastor” is really to be a “Shepherd,” then God’s people will not clearly understand what to expect from their Pastor. Stay with the above text and you will see how the meaning helps you understand what a Pastor does.
1. Instead of being the janitor, the church-greeter, the hospital visitor, and the driver to youth camp, the Pastor is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”
2. Instead of building up his own power base, to secure his own ministry, and to guarantee good financial packages, a Pastor is to be “building up the body of Christ.”
3. A Pastor is to be focused on growing God’s children into strong people of faith, knowledgeable in the Word of God to the point of reflecting Christ Jesus in every aspect of their lives.
4. A successful Pastor is one who has fed God’s people on the whole counsel of God; their lives will not easily be swayed by false teachings or crafty schemes that continually come down the denominational turnpike. The Pastor will have trained God’s people to test everything by the Word of God – to be good “Berean Christians” (Acts 17:10-11).
To understand what Pastor really means is to fully appreciate what Jesus was saying to Peter in John’s Gospel:
15 “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
16 He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.” (Joh 21:15-17 ESV)
Knowing that Pastor means Shepherd, it now makes sense why Jesus would say to Peter
1. in verse 15 – “feed my lambs.”
2. in verse 16 – lit. “Shepherd my sheep.”
3. in verse 17 – “Feed my sheep.”
Along with prayer (Acts 6:4), there is no greater task of the Pastor than to “shepherd” God’s sheep, by feeding them the whole counsel of God – The Holy Scriptures!
To fail in feeding God’s people, is to fail as a Pastor/Teacher.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
I Will Give To Each of You As Your Works Deserve
The title of this literary piece is taken from Revelation 2:23 where Jesus is speaking to the Church in Thyatira.
18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,
23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Rev 2:18-23 ESV).
Many will be surprised when they read of this Church in Thyatira. Jesus commends them for their love, faith, service, and patient endurance – and that their latter works exceed their first. That is no mean accomplishment. Yet, for all that is right with this church, there is something terribly wrong – the practice of sexual immorality and spiritual idolatry. Is it possible that this can happen in a Christian church?
Wherever you have saved sinners filling the pews, you have the potential of having unrepentant sin in the pew as well. The same holds true for so many pulpits in today’s churches – there are pastors who have no holy unction in their preaching because they carry unconfessed sin in their hearts.
In the Thyatira Church they had a woman Bible teacher, who passed herself off as being a prophetess with special knowledge. She is leading believers away from the truth with her false teachings. This is happening in churches today. God will bring judgment against churches who put up with such false teachers in their congregations, as He did the Church in Thyatira. God will bring sickness and illness upon the false teachers and all those who follow their teachings. The Lord also promises to bring great tribulation to those churches who are committing spiritual idolatry.
God will not tolerate any of His churches to fool around with sin. The Lord made it very clear:
7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal 6:7-8 ESV).
God will not be mocked. And He won’t play the fool. And anyone who tries to play God as the fool is a fool, indeed. What you sow is what you will reap – this principle applies both to churches as well as to individuals.
You will reap what you sow!
18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,
23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Rev 2:18-23 ESV).
Many will be surprised when they read of this Church in Thyatira. Jesus commends them for their love, faith, service, and patient endurance – and that their latter works exceed their first. That is no mean accomplishment. Yet, for all that is right with this church, there is something terribly wrong – the practice of sexual immorality and spiritual idolatry. Is it possible that this can happen in a Christian church?
Wherever you have saved sinners filling the pews, you have the potential of having unrepentant sin in the pew as well. The same holds true for so many pulpits in today’s churches – there are pastors who have no holy unction in their preaching because they carry unconfessed sin in their hearts.
In the Thyatira Church they had a woman Bible teacher, who passed herself off as being a prophetess with special knowledge. She is leading believers away from the truth with her false teachings. This is happening in churches today. God will bring judgment against churches who put up with such false teachers in their congregations, as He did the Church in Thyatira. God will bring sickness and illness upon the false teachers and all those who follow their teachings. The Lord also promises to bring great tribulation to those churches who are committing spiritual idolatry.
God will not tolerate any of His churches to fool around with sin. The Lord made it very clear:
7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal 6:7-8 ESV).
God will not be mocked. And He won’t play the fool. And anyone who tries to play God as the fool is a fool, indeed. What you sow is what you will reap – this principle applies both to churches as well as to individuals.
You will reap what you sow!
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Day of The Lord
“Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3 While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
(1Thess. 5:1-11 ESV)
What are you concerned most about in your life? Is it the economy, politics, the greenhouse effect or global warming? Or are you worried about the insanity that is going on in North Korea, our beloved troops fighting overseas; maybe closer to home – where is the next crazy person going to pop up and start shooting innocent U.S. citizens? Each of these subjects carries a certain measure of merit over which you can justifiably be concerned. But I am asking you to consider a more personal matter – your destiny.
Something of much greater import is approaching and the question is, “Are you ready for it?” In the above Scripture passage, the Apostle Paul refers to it as “the Day of the Lord” (verse 2). What is it? It is a reference to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It will happen when you least expect it. It will be sudden and final. Once Jesus returns, there is no asking Him for second chances. Sudden destruction will come upon the person who is not living for Jesus Christ. The unbeliever will not escape the wrath of God. You can continue to sleep your life away. You can get drunk and live in a fantasy world all your own. But the fact of His Coming will not go away.
The Day of the Lord is close in two ways:
(1.) you could die without Christ today or
(2.) Jesus could visibly come to bring judgment of this earth.
The Scripture says,
27 “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb 9:27-28 ESV).
If you die, then you face the judgment. If “the Day of the Lord” occurs, you will still face the judgment. The question is, “How will you face the judgment?” Jesus came the first time to deal with the sin of His people on the Cross. Are you of the Light or are you of the Darkness? Do you eagerly await His return, or do you try to deny the truth of it? The fact is, whether you look for Jesus to come, or deny His existence, He is still coming.
Are you ready for “the Day of the Lord?”
2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3 While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
(1Thess. 5:1-11 ESV)
What are you concerned most about in your life? Is it the economy, politics, the greenhouse effect or global warming? Or are you worried about the insanity that is going on in North Korea, our beloved troops fighting overseas; maybe closer to home – where is the next crazy person going to pop up and start shooting innocent U.S. citizens? Each of these subjects carries a certain measure of merit over which you can justifiably be concerned. But I am asking you to consider a more personal matter – your destiny.
Something of much greater import is approaching and the question is, “Are you ready for it?” In the above Scripture passage, the Apostle Paul refers to it as “the Day of the Lord” (verse 2). What is it? It is a reference to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It will happen when you least expect it. It will be sudden and final. Once Jesus returns, there is no asking Him for second chances. Sudden destruction will come upon the person who is not living for Jesus Christ. The unbeliever will not escape the wrath of God. You can continue to sleep your life away. You can get drunk and live in a fantasy world all your own. But the fact of His Coming will not go away.
The Day of the Lord is close in two ways:
(1.) you could die without Christ today or
(2.) Jesus could visibly come to bring judgment of this earth.
The Scripture says,
27 “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb 9:27-28 ESV).
If you die, then you face the judgment. If “the Day of the Lord” occurs, you will still face the judgment. The question is, “How will you face the judgment?” Jesus came the first time to deal with the sin of His people on the Cross. Are you of the Light or are you of the Darkness? Do you eagerly await His return, or do you try to deny the truth of it? The fact is, whether you look for Jesus to come, or deny His existence, He is still coming.
Are you ready for “the Day of the Lord?”
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Nature of Man's Will and Heart
Christians know that man’s will is predisposed to evil because man is a fallen, sinful creature. Man’s will is not separate from man’s nature. If man has a fallen nature, then he has a fallen will. And man’s will is free to act according to its nature. Since man’s fallen nature is in rebellion against God, so, too, the will of man is in rebellion against God. This is why we hear the Holy Scriptures declare:
Romans 3:10-12 10 “as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
According to the Scriptures above, no man seeks for God – it is not his nature. As the Scripture states, it is man’s nature to turn aside from God. Left to himself, lost man will never choose Christ as his personal Savior. Even Satan cannot force man to turn away from Christ Jesus. The Evil One can tempt man to reject Jesus, but he cannot make him reject Jesus. Satan knows he doesn’t have to make man reject Jesus. Man is left to freely choose Christ, but because of man’s fallen nature, man will always reject Christ. Man cannot say, “The devil made me do it,” when it comes to turning aside from Jesus’ offer of salvation. Man is responsible for his own decisions and his own actions.
Man does not choose his desires, man chooses according to his desires. Where do the desires of man originate; they originate in the heart of man. This statement is validated by an observation made by the LORD concerning man:
“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen 6:5 ESV)
The average man, when given the choice between a plate of salad and a plate of French fries, will choose the French fries over the salad every time. He may say in his mind, “I desire the salad because I know that it is better for me; yet, he will still choose the French fries. Why? Because his heart wasn’t in it. It was not the desire of his heart – no matter what logic or reason his mind was presenting to him at the time. The same thing occurs when it comes to man rejecting sin and asking God to forgive him of his sins.
Man will acknowledge his sinfulness, but that doesn’t keep him from sinning. He may mentally desire to change his ways, his habits, etc. and reform himself, but he will never be successful at it. Why? Because it is NOT the desire of his heart to change. And when it comes to the heart, man cannot change it! He cannot change his heart because that change is not the true desire of his heart. As a hog loves slop, man loves his sin. His will is enslaved by the desires of his heart. Speaking of his human nature, the Apostle Paul wrote:
15 “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”
(Rom 7:15-19 ESV)
Paul was confessing that, even with a changed heart, though he has the new desire to not want to sin, apart from the grace of God, he will continue to sin. For by grace through the enabling faith that Christ provides you, can a person live the Christian life.
Man cannot change his heart, only Christ can. By the grace of God, man must repent of his sin and Jesus Christ will give him a new heart that will beat for God.
Romans 3:10-12 10 “as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
According to the Scriptures above, no man seeks for God – it is not his nature. As the Scripture states, it is man’s nature to turn aside from God. Left to himself, lost man will never choose Christ as his personal Savior. Even Satan cannot force man to turn away from Christ Jesus. The Evil One can tempt man to reject Jesus, but he cannot make him reject Jesus. Satan knows he doesn’t have to make man reject Jesus. Man is left to freely choose Christ, but because of man’s fallen nature, man will always reject Christ. Man cannot say, “The devil made me do it,” when it comes to turning aside from Jesus’ offer of salvation. Man is responsible for his own decisions and his own actions.
Man does not choose his desires, man chooses according to his desires. Where do the desires of man originate; they originate in the heart of man. This statement is validated by an observation made by the LORD concerning man:
“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen 6:5 ESV)
The average man, when given the choice between a plate of salad and a plate of French fries, will choose the French fries over the salad every time. He may say in his mind, “I desire the salad because I know that it is better for me; yet, he will still choose the French fries. Why? Because his heart wasn’t in it. It was not the desire of his heart – no matter what logic or reason his mind was presenting to him at the time. The same thing occurs when it comes to man rejecting sin and asking God to forgive him of his sins.
Man will acknowledge his sinfulness, but that doesn’t keep him from sinning. He may mentally desire to change his ways, his habits, etc. and reform himself, but he will never be successful at it. Why? Because it is NOT the desire of his heart to change. And when it comes to the heart, man cannot change it! He cannot change his heart because that change is not the true desire of his heart. As a hog loves slop, man loves his sin. His will is enslaved by the desires of his heart. Speaking of his human nature, the Apostle Paul wrote:
15 “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”
(Rom 7:15-19 ESV)
Paul was confessing that, even with a changed heart, though he has the new desire to not want to sin, apart from the grace of God, he will continue to sin. For by grace through the enabling faith that Christ provides you, can a person live the Christian life.
Man cannot change his heart, only Christ can. By the grace of God, man must repent of his sin and Jesus Christ will give him a new heart that will beat for God.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers
Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers
In his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul warns about godlessness in the Last Days:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men” 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
We are told in verse 5 that these false prophets and false teachers will have an appearance of godliness, but they will have no real power. They are fakes, charlatans and deceivers of people who are beguiled by their faith and prosperity gospel. In verse 6 we are told they creep into households (by way of television and the radio) and capture weak women, burdened down with sins and led astray by various passions. These women go to seminar after seminar, buys CDs, videos and books, “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” They never find truth in these conferences, meetings and gatherings because what is preached and taught there (by women and men false preachers and teachers) is nothing but lies, half-truths and twisted Scriptures. They are promised wealth and prosperity, but it is the false teachers and preachers who are getting wealthy off of these poor, misguided souls.
I plead with you to listen to the words of God as recorded by Jeremiah His prophet:
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD” Jeremiah 23:16.
False teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Charles Capps, Robert Tilton, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Marilyn Hickey, Paula White, Rod Parsley, Joel Osteen and many others have visions that are delusions of their own minds, and are not representative of the Lord God of heaven:
25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!'
26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,”
Jeremiah 23:25-26.
God exposes the fact that these charlatans did not get their teaching from God, but they are simply repeating lies and stories that they have heard from one another:
30 “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, 'declares the LORD.'
32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD”
Jeremiah 23:30-32.
The only people who profit from their heresy and blasphemous teachings are the false teachers and preachers themselves.
We need to heed Scripture’s warning to be good Berean Christians (Acts 17:11); Christians are to make sure that a Bible verse is being taught correctly in light of the whole counsel of God:
“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve”
Romans 16:17-18.
God warns His shepherds to
“…hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers…
11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach” Titus 1:9-11.
In his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul warns about godlessness in the Last Days:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men” 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
We are told in verse 5 that these false prophets and false teachers will have an appearance of godliness, but they will have no real power. They are fakes, charlatans and deceivers of people who are beguiled by their faith and prosperity gospel. In verse 6 we are told they creep into households (by way of television and the radio) and capture weak women, burdened down with sins and led astray by various passions. These women go to seminar after seminar, buys CDs, videos and books, “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” They never find truth in these conferences, meetings and gatherings because what is preached and taught there (by women and men false preachers and teachers) is nothing but lies, half-truths and twisted Scriptures. They are promised wealth and prosperity, but it is the false teachers and preachers who are getting wealthy off of these poor, misguided souls.
I plead with you to listen to the words of God as recorded by Jeremiah His prophet:
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD” Jeremiah 23:16.
False teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Charles Capps, Robert Tilton, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Marilyn Hickey, Paula White, Rod Parsley, Joel Osteen and many others have visions that are delusions of their own minds, and are not representative of the Lord God of heaven:
25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!'
26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,”
Jeremiah 23:25-26.
God exposes the fact that these charlatans did not get their teaching from God, but they are simply repeating lies and stories that they have heard from one another:
30 “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, 'declares the LORD.'
32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD”
Jeremiah 23:30-32.
The only people who profit from their heresy and blasphemous teachings are the false teachers and preachers themselves.
We need to heed Scripture’s warning to be good Berean Christians (Acts 17:11); Christians are to make sure that a Bible verse is being taught correctly in light of the whole counsel of God:
“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve”
Romans 16:17-18.
God warns His shepherds to
“…hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers…
11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach” Titus 1:9-11.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Second Coming of Christ
The Second Coming of Christ
By Creth D. Hopkins
What is the 2nd Coming of Christ? What exactly does it mean? A careful study of the Holy Scriptures unveils a clear understanding as to the manner of Christ’s coming.
I. His return will be personal.
“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven" Acts 1:11.
Over 500 witnesses had personally seen Jesus following his resurrection. He had been personally with the disciples up to and including his personal ascension. The heavenly messengers are promising that He would come again in the same manner – a personal return.
II. His return will be physical.
Acts 1:11 confirms that the same Jesus, who had manifested His physical return to His disciples, and Who was then ascending in the same physical body, will return again in the same resurrected, glorified body in which He ascended:
“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” Hebrews 9:28.
III. His return will be visible.
Check every reference of the 2nd Coming of Christ and you will find they all emphasize his visibility.
“you will see the Son of Man (Jesus) seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven" Matthew 26:64.
The Apostle John wrote:
“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen” Revelation 1:7.
IV. His return will be sudden.
Jesus warned
“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” Matthew 24:27.
A thief steals with a suddenness that always bewilders the victim. The Apostle Paul uses this imagery in describing the day when the Lord will make His appearance:
“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” I Thess.5:2
V. His return will be unexpected.
The 2nd Coming of Christ will not happen at a time when people are looking for it. Again, Jesus warns
“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” Matthew 24:44.
VI. His return will be terrifying.
Regardless of your station in this life, if you don’t have Jesus as your personal Savior, His 2nd Coming will bring terror to your heart. Why? Because it represents the outpouring of the wrath of God on all unbelievers:
“Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" Revelation 6:15-17?
VII. His return will be glorious.
With all the rest of the saints, all true believers can join the Apostle Paul in
“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” Titus 2:13.
Are you looking forward to the 2nd Coming of Christ Jesus? I pray that you are. The last recorded words of Jesus were
"Surely I am coming soon." Revelation 22:20a
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20b
By Creth D. Hopkins
What is the 2nd Coming of Christ? What exactly does it mean? A careful study of the Holy Scriptures unveils a clear understanding as to the manner of Christ’s coming.
I. His return will be personal.
“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven" Acts 1:11.
Over 500 witnesses had personally seen Jesus following his resurrection. He had been personally with the disciples up to and including his personal ascension. The heavenly messengers are promising that He would come again in the same manner – a personal return.
II. His return will be physical.
Acts 1:11 confirms that the same Jesus, who had manifested His physical return to His disciples, and Who was then ascending in the same physical body, will return again in the same resurrected, glorified body in which He ascended:
“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” Hebrews 9:28.
III. His return will be visible.
Check every reference of the 2nd Coming of Christ and you will find they all emphasize his visibility.
“you will see the Son of Man (Jesus) seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven" Matthew 26:64.
The Apostle John wrote:
“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen” Revelation 1:7.
IV. His return will be sudden.
Jesus warned
“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” Matthew 24:27.
A thief steals with a suddenness that always bewilders the victim. The Apostle Paul uses this imagery in describing the day when the Lord will make His appearance:
“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” I Thess.5:2
V. His return will be unexpected.
The 2nd Coming of Christ will not happen at a time when people are looking for it. Again, Jesus warns
“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” Matthew 24:44.
VI. His return will be terrifying.
Regardless of your station in this life, if you don’t have Jesus as your personal Savior, His 2nd Coming will bring terror to your heart. Why? Because it represents the outpouring of the wrath of God on all unbelievers:
“Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" Revelation 6:15-17?
VII. His return will be glorious.
With all the rest of the saints, all true believers can join the Apostle Paul in
“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” Titus 2:13.
Are you looking forward to the 2nd Coming of Christ Jesus? I pray that you are. The last recorded words of Jesus were
"Surely I am coming soon." Revelation 22:20a
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20b
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Arch Enemy of Man: Part III: What Is Satan's Destiny
You cannot hide anything from God. He keeps record of our thoughts as well as our actions. We learn this truth by observing how God confronted Lucifer with his sin:
13 “You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High' “(Isaiah 14:13-14). Lucifer was full of self – full of pride – and rebelled against his Creator God. God changed Lucifer’s name to Satan for becoming an Adversary – a hater of God.
According to the Holy Scriptures, war ignited in Heaven between God and Satan:
Revelation 12:7-12 7 ¶ “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
Satan knows that his time is short. The hate that Satan has for God is immense. And because man is made in the image of God, Satan hates mankind as well. The Evil One quickly provided the proper scenario in which Adam and Eve could be tempted with sin in a way that he was familiar:
"Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1b-5).
Adam brought sin into the world when he chose to follow Satan instead of God. With Adam spiritually dead, it didn’t take the Adversary long to become the god of this age.
A spiritual darkness came over this world. Satan’s hatred for man became reflective in all the religions he invented – human sacrifice became the de facto method of worship for fallen man. Satan thought everything was going well until he realized that God was sending His Son, Jesus, into the world to usher in the Kingdom of God. Through the successful work of Jesus on this earth, He was able to say relative to the Evil One,
“…I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18a).
Jesus maintained to his disciples that
“…the kingdom of God is within you"(Luke 17:21).
He reminded them of the fact that
“…the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Satan thought he had defeated Jesus on the Cross by having Christ killed; but Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. And with His resurrection Jesus validated the Kingdom of God which He ushered in when He came into the world. Jesus reigns today as His Kingdom grows.
Satan’s destiny:
“and the devil … was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
Satan’s destiny is the same as all those who reject Jesus, as their personal Savior.
13 “You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High' “(Isaiah 14:13-14). Lucifer was full of self – full of pride – and rebelled against his Creator God. God changed Lucifer’s name to Satan for becoming an Adversary – a hater of God.
According to the Holy Scriptures, war ignited in Heaven between God and Satan:
Revelation 12:7-12 7 ¶ “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
Satan knows that his time is short. The hate that Satan has for God is immense. And because man is made in the image of God, Satan hates mankind as well. The Evil One quickly provided the proper scenario in which Adam and Eve could be tempted with sin in a way that he was familiar:
"Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1b-5).
Adam brought sin into the world when he chose to follow Satan instead of God. With Adam spiritually dead, it didn’t take the Adversary long to become the god of this age.
A spiritual darkness came over this world. Satan’s hatred for man became reflective in all the religions he invented – human sacrifice became the de facto method of worship for fallen man. Satan thought everything was going well until he realized that God was sending His Son, Jesus, into the world to usher in the Kingdom of God. Through the successful work of Jesus on this earth, He was able to say relative to the Evil One,
“…I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18a).
Jesus maintained to his disciples that
“…the kingdom of God is within you"(Luke 17:21).
He reminded them of the fact that
“…the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Satan thought he had defeated Jesus on the Cross by having Christ killed; but Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. And with His resurrection Jesus validated the Kingdom of God which He ushered in when He came into the world. Jesus reigns today as His Kingdom grows.
Satan’s destiny:
“and the devil … was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
Satan’s destiny is the same as all those who reject Jesus, as their personal Savior.
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