Saturday, March 23, 2013

Signs of the Times Pt. 9


Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

You're too smart to be deceived by a false prophet, aren't you?  We all think we are. We have in our minds this picture of a false prophet and we've given him (because inevitably they seem to be male) wild, crazy hair and possibly a scraggly beard. This false prophet's eyes are the eyes of a lunatic, and his smile is just as crazy and creepy. He is most likely wearing some funky robe attire and he will definitely be spouting nonsense usually from the top of his lungs at wary passerby's.  This is the image we've bestowed upon modern prophets for the most part.  Of course if you're much too sophisticated to even imagine that sort of stereotypical ideal of a false prophet then you've most likely dressed your false prophet up in a nice suit and given him a clean cut hair style and the words drip from his mouth like sweet nectar.  Because he's a false prophet however, you've given him secret vices hidden from plain view.  Again, you're much too savvy to be taken in by even this sophisticated false prophet, right? Right.

The trouble with both of these scenarios of sorts is that we HAVE to take these words into account-

SHALL DECEIVE MANY.

No, it doesn't say, shall deceive all, but it does say MANY.

And unless you are God's, truly God's in all His truth, you will be among those many who are DECEIVED. 

The deceived will NOT know they are DECIEVED, that would negate the word DECEIVED.  They won't know they are deceived until it's too late. 

They'll try to use their deceptive state as an excuse too-

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

DECEIVED!

They'll be able to count the multitude of things they have done all for Christ, but He knows better. He knows that none of those things were truly done for HIM, but rather for secret, self-deluded, selfish ends.  We can help others until we are worn to the bone but that will NOT count as our being known of CHRIST if we do these things falsely.

Deception is heinous.

The deceived feel horrifically betrayed.

The deceived have to ask themselves if somehow they didn't allow themselves to be deceived.

We want to blame everything on the deceiver taking NO blame upon ourselves, but usually there is truly some small bit of guilt, not always, but usually. 

There is ALWAYS going to be guilt on the part of the deceived when it comes to our being deceived by a false prophet. Those who are truly God's will be kept from evil. Those who are truly God's will have the Holy Spirit opening their hearts to all truth.  Only those who are deceived have acquiesced to that deception in some manner they've subsequently chosen to deny even to themselves until the day of Christ's return.

Everything will be revealed in the end.

Not a single person will be able to say in truthfulness that they are NOT guilty in and of their own accord.

Yes, those who are FALSE PROPHETS choosing deliberately to deceive others will suffer for their treachery, but those who have allowed themselves to fall prey to the deceiver will suffer along with them.

We are WARNED.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Whether this false prophet wears 500 dollar suits, 1000 dollar suits, 20 dollars suits, or mere rags, there are MANY false prophets out there and they are deceiving all those they can from ALL walks of life. This false prophet could be a charismatic leader of a mega church, or the street preacher who doesn't boast of any church at all but has managed to deceive one other person.

We need to be on guard against FALSE PROPHETS, and the only way to do that is to know the TRUTH of God's word and LIVE that TRUTH.

A false prophet will not deceive you by telling you that they are lying. A false prophet will tell you they have the truth.  YOU have to go to God and His Word YOURSELF and study out the truth, not relying up ANYONE, NOT ME, NOT YOUR PASTOR, MINISTER, PRIEST, RABBI, GURU, FRIEND, or FAMILY to tell you the truth!  SEEK the TRUTH for YOURSELF in prayer and humility!

Follow NO MAN, but choose to follow ONLY CHRIST JESUS and HIS WORD PREACHED!

Please LORD we do NOT want to be among the deceived! We do NOT want to be among the MANY! Please LORD, help us! Guide us! Keep us, wholly YOURS! Known by YOU and knowing YOU!

All in YOUR LOVE LORD, in YOUR LOVE ALWAYS!

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