Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit.
There’s an abundance of rhetoric in today’s world. It comes at us through many different voices on our televisions, computers, and other electronic media. We hear rhetoric of all kinds from the media and the politicians of our day, especially since we are approaching another election year. A lot of it sounds like they make it up as they go along, speaking things they don’t really believe or mean, in order to win favor with the voters and to be elected.
A sinister joke I heard once asked this question:
“How do you know if a politician is lying?”
Answer: “If his mouth is moving!”
Yet, most people have been conditioned to accept the world’s political rhetoric as ‘normal’ and their candidate’s veracity takes a back seat to individual bias.
Could the same be said of our “Happy Church” leaders?
Could the Church be so accustomed to a lukewarm, watered-down gospel, that the real message from the Lord for the hour is perceived as abrasive or even offensive?
“Thus saith the Lord God ; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!” Ezekiel 13:3 KJV
I get letter after letter saying; “Jim, you’re the only one preaching Revelation today. Keep up the good work!” Why don’t we hear the Revelation message preached when the days of Revelation are unfolding right before us, and any other message should be secondary?
All too often, it’s because preachers are afraid of being labeled “prophets of doom” and they bend and sway with the demands of the people.
Jeremiah had experienced this phenomenon when he had tried to warn the Israelites that they would be judged for their sin if they did not repent! His warnings were met with derision, but he prophesied anyway.
Jeremiah 23:33-36 says; “When one of the people or one of their ‘prophets’ or priests asks you, ‘Well, Jeremiah, what is the sad news from the Lord today?’ you shall reply, ‘What sad news? You are the sad news, for the Lord has cast you away!’ And as for the false prophets and priests and people who joke about ‘today’s sad news from God,’ I will punish them and their families for saying this. You can ask each other, ‘What is God’s message? What is he saying?’ But stop using this term, ‘God’s sad news.’ (or Prophets of doom!)
Warning others from the Word of God that these are indeed the Last Days is not a well-received message. Many people make fun of us for doing it. Others accuse us of some ulterior motive.
We are compelled to preach! You have to know which voice to listen to – and then you have to obey!
We must hear from God in this day we’re living in! Hearing from God often means shutting out the world and getting alone with Him and His Word to hear what He wants to say to us personally, and corporately.
The leaders of God’s Church must not be lax in seeking the message that is relevant for the day and hour at hand. It could mean life or death to the flock, spiritually speaking. “Feed my sheep!” was not a request, it was a mandate.
Feeding God’s sheep means to give them something that will nurture them. It means hours spent in the Word and prayer so that you know that you know you are feeding the Lord’s manna instead of giving them some regurgitated old dried up ear-tickling slop!
Going on-line an hour before church to get your sermon from someone else is not exactly hearing from God.
A serious follower of Jesus wants more, and they deserve more.
And the serious leader in God’s Church can, and does, feed the flock of God what they need to survive and thrive!
Jeremiah 23:29-32 says; “Does not my word burn like fire?” asks the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashed the rock to pieces? So I stand against these ‘prophets’ who get their messages from each other-these smooth-tongued ‘prophets’ who say, ‘This message is from God!’ Their made-up dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send them, and they have no message at all for my people,” says the Lord.
