They have it all together
They may be famous,
have written many books,
be listed in amongst the most influential persons
in Christian circles,
sometimes even raved about by non-Christians
Some have formulated teachings for every subject
Their words are so perfect
and their teachings have such strength and guidance
How do you know when they are off?
It’s easy
Where is Jesus?
Where is Jesus in their teachings?
If you see Jesus stuffed on a shelf
Bound by their notions,
you know they’re false
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty
Jesus needs to be at the forefront
Not in the background
Jesus deserves to have free reign, not be categorized
He is God
Jesus said, I and My Father are one. John 10:30
Knowing the truth in the word,
knowing the way God wants things to be
can help us in recognizing untruths or false teaching
The kind of Pastors God wants for us:
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Jeremiah 3:15
An example of God caring for His sheep
that the shepherds have not cared for properly:
For thus saith the Lord God;
Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep,
and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock
in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered;
so will I seek out my sheep,
and will deliver them out of all places
where they have been scattered
in the cloudy and dark day. Ezekiel 34:11-12
From John Chapter 10, the words of our Shepherd, Jesus:
I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. v 11
I am the good shepherd,
and know my sheep, and am known of mine. v 14
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father:
and I lay down my life for the sheep. v 15
Paul was a Shepherd of sorts and a good one
Paul cared for the sheep
as well as the shepherds who oversaw the sheep:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves,
and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,
to feed the church of God,
which he hath purchased with his own blood. Acts 20:28
While we strive to serve the Lord,
our main goal should be to help others
to understand how they can be close to Jesus,
that whether someone who is knowledgeable is near them or not,
they have a way to reach Jesus
and can go directly to His throne
Litmus Test
GOOD: If when you are listening to them,
or if after you leave their teaching,
you feel like you have been encouraged to draw closer to Jesus,
that you yourself have a direct line to God through Jesus,
they remind you that you have access to Jesus Himself,
that Jesus wants to communicate with you,
not through them or their teaching,
but directly, unequivocally, that you,
without them or anyone else standing between,
realizing that Jesus is accessible to you,
then you know they are righteous
and have the heart to exalt the Lord
BAD: If you come away thinking
what a great preacher they are
and how you must hear their words
and learn all their teachings
so you can be as good and as wise as they are,
and hear them as much as is possible,
so that you too, can be righteous, like they are,
then you know their focus is not truly on Jesus
I have the misfortune to tell you
there are many wolves among the sheep and shepherds
infiltrating the church and trying to get us off track
Loving the truth will keep you (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
Always put God’s word above your own (Isaiah 55:8-9)
and keep your eyes on Jesus
The more we know Him,
the more difficult it is for be deceived or misled
If you are growing in your relationship with Him,
not following after miracles
or special people who seem close to Him,
if we are carrying your own crosses daily
and communing with God,
praying, listening to and honoring Him,
Always feel free to ask God to show you any false doctrine,
to keep you on your toes in His eyes
and not to get mesmerized by any human
That they all may be one; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
John 17:21
Serve the Lord with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God:
it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves;
we are his people,
and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 100:2-4
How blessed is the one whom You choose
and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts.
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple. Psalm 65:4 NASB