Be very careful

Be very careful 

The apostle Paul wrote,

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Within our multi-media world anyone can be made to look good. And sadly way to many Christians don’t check out the pastor, teacher or evangelist they are following. As a result too many Christians are following false teachers. I think this stems from the fact that the majority of Christians don’t study the Bible for themselves. Rather they rely on the preacher, teacher or evangelist they are following to speak the truth which may not always be so.

To avoid being fooled by false teachers it is important I firmly believe to study the scriptures for ones self. Additionally we should be listening to a wide range of Christian teachers. Whether we agree with them or not. 

If we disagree with a particular preacher, teacher of evangelist we should be asking ourselves why? Where is the Biblical evidence that a particular teacher is saying wrong things?

Please think about it.

Who are you bowing too?

  Who are you bowing too?

The Psalmist writes,

"I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; 

before the "gods" I will sing your praise.”

                                                               Psalm 138:1.

It is important that we as Christians are not ashamed to praise God. The world has many ‘gods’ and sadly all too many people calling themselves Christians are bowing down to these gods be it the god of materialism, a politician, or even a preacher, teacher or evangelist.

As Christians we must always keep our priorities strait. We must focus on God and praise Him with our whole heart.

Are you praising God or are you bowing to the gods of this world?

Please think about it.

Do you follow preachers blindly?

  Do you follow preachers blindly?

The apostle Peter writes,

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  

Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  

In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping" 2 Peter 2:1-3

Here Peter warns about false teachers arising. Introducing heresies and denying Jesus.

One commentator states they will “commercialize” the Christian faith for their own gain. It is happening today.

There are many especially in the media that are stating things that Jesus never taught. They are twisting the words of Jesus for their own gain. Sadly many of these prosperity doctrine preachers are seen as the face of Christianity in the media.

These people are giving God a black eye.

There only purpose is to line their own pockets.

When I speak to people especially none Christians and they note how commercialized Christianity seems to be I agree with them. 

Peter warns, "In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up."

Sadly many people are blindly trusting these preachers, teachers, and evangelist.

As Christians we need to look carefully at the people we follow. We need to check what they are saying against the Bible. We need to ask the question are these people truly following the teachings of Christ?

Do you do this? OR do you blindly believe the preachers, teachers, and evangelist because of their ‘position’ in the media or church?

Please think about it.

Are they, Are you?

 Are they, Are you?

Jesus notes,

"Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'  

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Matthew 7:22,23.

I believe there are many men and women claiming to be Christians in this world who are in for a big shock when they stand in front of God. They will hear the words “away from me, you evildoers!”

Many calling themselves Christians especially here in North America are not Christians. They are not correctly following the teachings of Jesus. 

These people claim to be prophesying in the name of Jesus. They claim to be driving out demons and performing miracles, but they are not.

It is such people that individual Christians, followers of Christ Jesus, need to beware of. Jesus warned, 

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?  

Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20.

As believers in Christ Jesus we need to take a very close look at the pastors, evangelist and other teachers we follow. We need to hold them to account by asking how they spend the money they give. We need to ask them to prove that the people they claim to heal are really healed.

Sadly few ask these questions. Even sadder is when these false prophets and teachers are proven to be false, many still chose to follow them. Choosing to believe the lie rather than the truth.

Thus my question to you; Are you following false teachers? Have you looked at the lives and teachings of those pastors, evangelist and teachers you support?

Have you looked at your relationship with Christ Jesus and asked the question, am I following Jesus and presenting the gospel message to the best of my ability?

Please think about it.

What you say

What you say
James the half brother of Jesus and leader of the early church in Jerusalem writes,
“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.  
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. 
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,  but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." James 3:1-10.
Here is a warning to anyone who would want to be or considers themselves to be teacher. That they will be judged more strictly.
James goes on to tell all believers in Christ to watch what they say. That out of their mouth can come praise to God and the cursing of men.
Over the years I’ve see way to many men and women claiming to be Christians condemning other faiths and lifestyles. Something Jesus never did.
I believe, believers in Christ Jesus have been given a sacred duty to proclaim the Love of God to all who will listen. To proclaim God’s saving grace to all mankind.
People however will not listen to you if you are speaking out against their faith or their lifestyle.
Jesus set for us an example. Jesus is recorded as sitting down with what the pharisees called “sinners and tax collectors” (Mark 2:16,17). People the pharisees rejected.
Sadly today there are many claiming to be Christians who by not “taming their tongue” are turning people away from Jesus. Potentially sentencing them to a Christless eternity.
While you might disagree with another persons faith or lifestyle we as Christians have no right to judge them. Billy Graham the great American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge 

and 

my job to love, 

                     Billy Graham

As believers in Christ Jesus we need to watch what we say and reach out with the Love of God to all who will listen to us.
Please think about it.

Who do you serve?

Who do you serve?

“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” 
                                                                                                                             Joshua 24:14,15

As Christians we must be careful whom we serve. I’ve heard too many people over the years say I follow such and such an evangelist or pastor. Or such and such a pastor or evangelist says this or that.
These people take the words of these men and woman at face value. They never question them. They will even argue with others who disagree with them as if the pastor or evangelist they are following is infallible.
Such things happened in the early church the apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.  
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas’”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?”
                                                                                                                    1 Corinthians 1:11-13.
As Christians we should never let one man or woman’s interpretation of the scriptures be our only source of teaching. Men make mistakes they are only human.
There are even some teachers and preachers who deliberately pervert the scriptures. They believe a certain way and, if you will “cherry pick” the scriptures that back their belief. They fail to listen to scriptures that contradict their beliefs.
The classic line I hear from such preachers is “don’t come against the elect of God.”
There is a fine line here. Within the Christian community we have differences of opinion on various things and that is fine, provided, it’s not on the major issues. Issues such as the sovereignty of Christ.
So we must be careful not to speak out against any minister, preacher, teacher or evangelist simply because we disagree with them on the minor points.
There are still however false Christian teachers out there who say they believe in Christ who are out there to get rich or deliberately lead people astray. The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 
                                                                                                  2Timothy 4:3,4.
Sadly thanks to the mass media world we live in we are exposed to false teachers all the time.  These teachers may even seem legitimate. They string scriptures in such a way as to make their doctrine seem correct when it is not.
That’s why we as Christians need to be on guard. We need to know our Bible. We need to study the scriptures daily.
We need to find a body of believers that have as their base the Bible. A group that studies from the bible directly. A group that does not just use study notes from one pastor, evangelist or teacher but from a wide range of teachers.
I’ve found over the years some of my best learning experiences have come when I’ve read teachings of those I disagree with.
When I come across someone I disagree with I ask myself why do they think the way they do? Are they right or am I? If I get a chance I even speak to the person who has opposing view to me.
In our adult bible study I lead at the church I use this technique. Everyone who attends has the right to express their view whether my pastor or I agree with it or not. We then discuss it as a group using the scriptures as our authority.
We are careful to see that every scripture is taken in context.
We also look at the history and culture of the time as well as various commentaries from a wide range of authors.
I believe that the word of God is so important it is our duty to see that we are preaching and teaching it in as accurate a way as possible.
I believe this because the potential eternal resting place of someone’s eternal soul may depend on what I and other teachers teach.
Therefore  my advise to all Christians is to study the Bible carefully. Use a wide range of commentaries. Listen to a wide range of teachers. Question what they say and what you believe. Be open an honest and willing to accept that you may be wrong in some of what you believe. If you are proven to be wrong, be willing to change.
Remember the absolute authority about God is the Bible not some Televangelist, evangelist, preacher, or teacher.
And through all of your studying pray, pray, pray. Pray and ask God to show you the truth in the scriptures.

Do Christians ever Question their teachers?

Do Christians ever question their teachers?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
                                                                                                                                    2 Timothy 3:16,17
Some time ago I took a bible course offered by our church on video. There were some very excellent well known teachers from around the ‘evangelical universe’ if I can call it that. Most made their points very well.
There were however areas that I felt the instructor failed to make his point. Instructors that I could not agree with.
Now I know there is a lot of diversity within Christianity as a whole, even among evangelical Christians. That’s the nice thing about being Christians we hold the same core beliefs but many times agree to disagree on some other points.
In the case of those instructors that I felt failed to make their point it raised enough interest in me to want to know why I disagreed with them. Thus I began to dig deep into the bible.
I told my pastor what I was doing and he encouraged me.
The Apostle Paul when writing to Timothy said,
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
                                                                                                                             2 Timothy 3:16,17
My question is to the Christians that are reading this. Do you ever question your bible teachers, be they teachers, pastors, or evangelist?
It doesn’t matter who you listen to in the Christian world, be they the best known evangelist in the world or the lowly adult or Sunday School teacher in your church.
Sadly it has been my experience that most people do not question what they are taught. That is why there is so much bad, even false teaching out there.
People are easily led astray. If you wrap things up in a pretty package many people will buy into it.
I’m a professional clown and a magician by profession. I tell people I get paid to make people think I’m the dumbest person in the room.
I do slight of hand that seems like magic. When all I’m really doing is making them look one way while I move the other.
Like I said people are easily led astray. That’s why I believe every Christian should be reading the Bible daily as well as praying and being involved in a bible study once a week.
When it comes to Bible studies I really feel they work best when a lot of questions are being asked. When differences of opinion are exchanged.
In the bible study I lead at our church we encourage discussion.
Our study does not have a set amount of material to cover each session. We simply decide on what book of the Bible we are going to study and take it verse by verse or chapter by chapter. Using reference books and commentaries. I find I read a lot of support material before I start to teach anything.
Currently we are studying 1Corinthians for example. The other day we spent an hour and a half of what was suppose to be a one hour study just covering one point. We didn’t get through an entire chapter.
It was a good discussion that taught all of us who attended a lot of things. It sent us home with things to think about.
This is how I was taught to teach a bible study and I find it works best. Even the teachers point of view is questioned from time to time. Which is always a good thing.
I believe all bible teachers, pastors and evangelist should be able to answer questions you have.
You should be able to approach especially the pastor of the church you attend with questions you have.
A good pastor will always be willing to answer your questions. A good teacher, preacher, or evangelist will always be open for correction, particularly when it comes to the core values of the scriptures.
The only way however we as individual Christians can know we are not being led astray is to read the Bible and pray. Remembering the words of Paul to Timothy who said,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 
                                                                              2Timothy 4:3,4
The writer of Jude stating,
“They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”  
These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  
Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” 
              Jude 1:18-21
So my final question to you the reader is, Do you study the Bible and pray on your own?
Are you comfortable enough to approach preachers, teachers, and evangelist that you know with questions?
Think about it.