28/01/13

The terrible thing that is happening in the Church

Jeremiah 23: 15 - Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.


Yesterday at my Bible class we were studying Acts chapter 16. This chapter has the ever famous scripture 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you and your family (household) will be saved'.

All of us must have come across this scripture some or other time in our life. It is used by preachers and pastors very often to encourage people to believe that the Lord will work on the unsaved members in the family and that they too will be saved.

Yesterday as we were studying this scripture we were in for a surprise. This scripture is not a promise like what people take, but is a word of knowledge which Paul had for the keeper of the prison.

First thing we should understand salvation is a person thing, one is saved by one's own decision and no one can save anyone by praying or doing anything for another person. Prayer does make salvation easier, for it causes God not to harden a person's heart, but does not bring salvation into the life of that person. Even if that person is a member of our family, by our decision of accepting Christ we cannot save another member of the family, even our own wife, or husband, or children.

The family of the keeper of the prison were saved because they accepted the Gospel which Paul gave them and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This scripture is just one example of the many twisted 'Word' or falsehood that has been going around in our Church. The Lord is telling us because of the evil in the hearts of those who are called to lead the Church we have this falsehood going around.

Having come from a Catholic background, being out right deceived for many years by people who I trusted to be spiritual guides; and also seen preachers of the Believers Churches who have being giving distorter Word, I have learned one thing, like the people of Berea who did not trust even Paul but checked every word of his with scriptures, we too also need to verify every teaching that we hear and not accept it at face value even if it comes from the most famous or senior person in the Church.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, your Word says your people suffer due to lack of knowledge. Lord, the shepherds You appointed or those who have made themselves one are either spiritually asleep or become a cause for the slaughter of your sheep due to their evil hearts. Lord, we pray a change in heart of the shepherds of the Church, that they do their work honestly and with complete dedication...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Acts 16:26-34
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Acts 17:10-12
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Jeremiah 23:14-27
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
17 They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)