In 1 Thes 5:20-21 we are told not to despise any prophecy, we are to listen to it carefully and then to test it. 5:20 despise not prophesyings; 5:21 prove all things; hold fast that which is good;
How do we test it? Jesus Himself gave the following guideline.
We will be able to determine if a prophet is true or false according to their fruit (deeds).
Math 7:15-20. 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 7:16 By their fruits ye shall know them. Do `men' gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 7:20 Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
It seems to me that may of prosperity preachers / teachers of our day do not reference the scripture where Jesus told his disciples what a honour it is to be persecuted for His name.
Math 10:16-23.
10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in theirs synagogues they will scourge you; 10:18 yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 10:19 But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. 10:21 And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child: and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Even Jeremiah when told by the Lord that He will destroy Israel, questioned/tested the Lord on what the other prosperity prophets said as the other prophets only prophesied prosperity.
Jeremiah 14:13-15 14:13 Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. 14:14 Then Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart. 14:15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
James in verse 2 of chapter 1 state that we must be glad when God test us. 1:2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; In 1 John 3: 11-17 we are told not to be surprised that the world will hate us and that we must be prepared to lay down our lives as Jesus did. 3:11 For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: 3:12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 3:13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 3:16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 3:17 But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
Even I struggle to rejoice when things do not move the way I wish they should.
Yesterday was the first time I actually stopped to give a street child something to eat.
A beggar that I passed numerous times just saying: "Sorry".
I have read James 2:14-17 numerous times and still actually choose to ignore it. 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, 2:16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit? 2:17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.
Please pray for me that I will be able to find a child’s home that will accept this street child.
I do believe that we should manage our worldly prosperity and riches to glorify God.
What a challenge!
Even I sometimes feel overwhelmed by circumstances and the pressures of the world making it extremely difficult to implement this and live it. |
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