REACHING OUT: IS MY PASTOR A FALSE PASTORS/PROPHET? - PART 1

REACHING OUT: IS MY PASTOR A FALSE PASTORS/PROPHET? - PART 1: FIRST THE FACTS: A to E A) False teachers, pastors and prophets have always been there. They are mentioned in the books of Deuterono...

IS MY PASTOR A FALSE PASTORS/PROPHET? - PART 1

FIRST THE FACTS: A to E

A) False teachers, pastors and prophets have always been there. They are mentioned in the books of Deuteronomy 13:1-5, Deuteronomy 18:22, Jeremiah 18: 1-17, Acts 13:6, 2 Peter 2:1, Jude etc. B) They will be there to the end. Others will spring up even if those believed false are removed. 2Peter 2:1 says, “There were false prophets also amongst the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”C) Genuine pastors are seldom ‘newsworthy.’ They are not very good entertainers. Their good deeds of salvation, feeding or clothing the poor only make news if they win a noble price or the pastor pays for the airtime. D): We are allowed TO TEST all spirits to test if they are of/from God and NOT TO BELIEVE every spirit. The reason given in 1 John 4:1 is "false prophets are gone into the world." Testing the spirits is obeying the Scripture that commands it and therefore God. E) No false hood will remain unpunished by God so cheer up if you feel conned. He says in Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever man sows, that shall he also reap."  My prayer is for God to help me not to become judgmental. 

What the world is interested in/or loves to see or hear  is misbehaving ‘men of God’

‘pastor’ misbehaving is big news to the world. It gives ammunition for criticism to the people who hate God, Godliness and the Gospel. An attorney general believes he can weed them out by legislation. The actions of the false gives ‘pastors’ who lack power and operate with a form of godliness (most of them religious) bragging rights and a chance to justify themselves. Newspapers love ‘news’ of pastors divorcing, committing adultery or amassing wealth by false pretenses. Other common accusations against Pastors are advocating false prophesy and doctrine, sexual immorality, use of witchcraft and magic gadgets, use of anesthetic powder to put people down, use of makeup artists and actors to imitate wounds and fake healing and miracles (the lame walk, blind see and deaf hear) and use of actors to display exorcism with the actors displaying and testifying to the 'miracle'. If you are a Christian then you seriously need to read the Bible. This blog will concentrate on their identity based on Biblical Teachings.

Do the false qualify to be referred to as Pastor or Man of God?

To answer this, one needs to remember that God is good and anything evil is not of God. HE is not the author of confusion or lies. Any person misbehaving, misquoting scripture for self aggrandisement or misusing it is not a Pastor, Prophet or a ‘man of God.” People who call them so do it because they have identified themselves as such to them and convinced them that they are genuine. Some get the title because of attending theological or religious colleges or one of the many “schools of ministry” run by some ‘church’ They then suck in people whom the Biblical Prophet Hosea describes as “perishing for lack of knowledge and those who reject knowledge’ to start a “flock”(Hos: 4:6). Through erroneous teaching, blaring music all tailored to please the listener and a display of "power", they collect a “flock” that the Bible describes as “people who cannot endure sound doctrine, heap to themselves teachers having itching ears because of their own lusts and who will turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables” (2Tim 4:4). The flock becomes enslaved by selective use of Scripture, choreographed preaching and music. When the 'pastor' messes up, he cunningly uses Scripture to justify his misdeeds. The Question is, are they recognized by God? The answer is NO. The book of 1 John 3:8 says. “Anyone that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins form the beginning.” They are workers of iniquity and need to repent. (Luke 13:27)

The Mark of false prophet/pastor - How do we identify the false prophet/pastor? 

The false prophet resembles the devil in word, deed, action and fruit Jesus said, in John 8:44 "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."  Isaiah describes the devil as one who 'does not release the prisoner.' (Isaiah 14: 17) Expect no mercy or pity from him, he will not let you go once he has snared you into his fold, unless; you "violently" free yourself. Note the quotes. The book of Ezekiel and Isaiah describe him as decorated with pride leading to his down fall. (Isaiah 14:12-19/Ezekiel 18:1-19/). He has the ability to enter into people to fulfill his desire.(Luke 22:3 & John 13:7).

The false will therefore be full of lust and he speaks of his own when he lies. The lust is for fellow men/women, money, wealth. jealousy (especially of other servants of God), he will be proud believing himself God’s chosen one, he will fleece his flock mercilessly, kill their dreams through demands for money, kill if necessary to remove opposition, corrupt scripture to get favors weather sexual, monetary or so. In brief, he works for his stomach. (Isa 156:11-12). The testimonies on TV, crusades, open air meetings and religious radio stations are all about the ‘man of God’ or ‘his church’ and seldom the God who performs miracles or Jesus. Contrast these testimonies with those in the entire Bible especially the book of Acts and the difference is clear. A good example is Peter’s testimony after miracles happened. In Acts 3, peter and John prayed for a cripple who leapt after them into the temple. Peter noticed people were giving them credit by their looks. He says in verse 12, “men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? why do you look at us as if it is by our own power or holiness we have made this man walk?’ He went on to exalt Jesus in the next verses. He and John did not take the credit. None of the true prophets/teachers or scribes in the Bible took credit for miracles, not even Jesus or Moses. It was that God gets the glory (John 11:4, 11:40). The false points to themselves and their churches as the source of miracles, they take the credit that belongs to God. Their “flock’ is taught to exalt the ‘man of God’ and the building of worship they referred to as “their church.” After all, all prisoners will praise the jailor if they want to serve the sentence in peace.

Isaiah 14:17: He keeps prisoners and does not tend to 'sheep' The messages of false prophets and pastors or teachers  turn his followers into hopeless dependents (prisoners). He teaches directly and indirectly that it is only him and through him that God hears them contrary to the teaching of Jesus in Mark 16: 17 that all who believe can cast out demons, speak with new tongues; take up serpents, not be harmed by drinking any deadly thing and they lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. After all God is no respecter of persons and “opens to all who knock, gives to all who ask and seek.” (Mat 7:7) Each believer according to the Apostle Paul makes up the body of Christ each having a role to play. The Holy Spirit helps all believers, all who desire and uses all with equal zeal while equipping each believer for their unique role for the benefit of all. (1Cor 12 & Rom 12) If you have been mesmerized by the false razzmatazz and turned into a prisoner, you need to break out and serve the Lord Jesus which is what Jesus expects. 

Until my nest blog take some time to fast and pray while meditating upon the word of God. Doing so will set you free. Remember me in your prayers too. I took this step after many years of "fearing to 'point a finger at the man of God" and broke out of a life of captivity. Today I can pray for myself, pray for others, encourage them and even boldly write that you need to test the Spirit your pastor operates in. Examine his life vis-à-vis what Scripture teaches, his words vis-à-vis Scripture and the impact of his ministry on your life. Examine if it produces righteousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit? (Rom 14:17) Does it produce hope of life in abundance here on earth and everlasting life through Christ? (John 10:10). If it produces the false hope that ‘offerings and tithes’ will lead to abundance regardless of your walk with God Contrary to 2 Cor 9:6-8, you need to test that Spirit. God is not and cannot be bribed. Jesus redeemed us by taking all curses that were pronounced in the Law (read Old Testament) (Gal 3:13-14), Jesus fulfilled the Law, (Mathew 5:17), Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit as a gift so that we may by grace obey God. (Eph 2:8-10) It should be a joy and a grace to serve God with all our substance as in Prov 3:9 not a punishment. If the teachings and sermons you hear leave out Faith in Christ and the grace of God as an avenue to God’s heart and all riches, be cautious. If serving God, praying, worship, attending church and fellowship or giving to God is difficult and painful, then you are a slave not a son of God. It should be by grace. God does not need payment for services rendered, he gave freely. (Math 10:8). The price was steep; it took the death of a person, Jesus on the cross. His blood and body was the ultimate price. God offers all things freely for He was paid a ransom for us by HIS SON.

LET GOD BLESS THE READER WHO BELIEVES IN TRUTH ABUNDANTLY.