False Prophets, the Wolves in Sheep's Clothing!

Have you ever listened to someone say something from the bible and suddenly you felt confused or you wanted to say, rewind? God is not the God of confusion. However, false prophets will arise in the last days and lead many astray. We are warned in Matt 7 about who the false prophets are and why we need to beware of them.

Matt 7:15 -17 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

There is a warning given here, it says beware. Beware of what? False Prophets. What will they look like? They will come to you in sheep's clothing (outward appearance), but inwardly (inside) they are ravenous wolves (with impure motives). How will you know them? You will know them by their fruits. What fruits are they producing? The fruits of the Holy Spirit or the fruits of the flesh? He even tells them that if you are a good tree, then you will bear good fruit.

When you are truly born again of the spirit you will have a nature change, not just a name change. We are all on a journey and all at different levels, but God gives us the grace to live according to his will and his way. In Ezk 36:27 - It says - I will put my spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. He puts his spirit in us, so that we will obey him. In Psalms 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my very eye.

Then Jude tells us that we must beware of something else. Jude 1:3-5. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed (unseen), who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Another version says - 4Some godless people have sneaked in among us and are saying, "God treats us much better than we deserve, and so it is all right to be immoral." They even deny that we must obey Jesus Christ as our only Master and Lord. But long ago the Scriptures warned that these godless people were doomed.

He tells us that godless people have come in unnoticed. What makes them godless? They were saying that God's grace has allowed us to live immoral lives. He goes on to say that they even deny that we must obey Jesus Christ as our only Master and Lord and long ago the scripture warned about these godless people and where they were headed.

I've often heard of this referred to as using grace as a license to sin. Grace enables and empowers us to live a life of holiness and obedience to the authority of God. The writer of Hebrews exhorts, "Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Heb. 12:28, NKJV). The description of grace here is not that of cover-up or something to hide our sin under, but a force that will empowers us to serve God with reverence and godly fear. It is what empowers us to live a life of obedience. It is the proof of our salvation.

So grace empowers us to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. It is the essence of the power behind a life of obedience. That is the validation or proof of our salvation! 1 John 2:3-4 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

These ungodly people that had made their way into the church had an outward appearance, but they showed no nature change. It's not what they said; it's how they lived their lives. The sad thing is that they that were deceived and lead others astray. Jesus, described the Pharisees like that. In Matt 23:15 We hear him talking to the Pharisees (the religious) 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one

The bottom line is we will all face judgment some day. If we are a born again believer we will be at that judgment seat of Christ. If we are not, we will be at the great white throne judgment. When we stand at the judgment seat of Christ we will have to give an account for every thought, word and action that we have performed. Our works or deeds will have to stand the test of the fire. If it's wood, hay and stubble then it will be burned up in the fire and well will walk away with our salvation, but we will have no crowns to cast before his feet. If it's gold, silver and precious stones, then it will be refined in the fire and we will have it for eternity. We will then have crowns to cast at his feet. If we are living for eternity and not the here and now, we will understand that our lives are just a vapor and then we are gone. What we do in our earthy stay has far reaching results in eternity as well as consequences in eternity.

God is looking for a generation, young and old who will not compromise, will not back down, and will stand steadfast and firm on their faith. He is looking for those warriors that will rise up and not contend with compromise. He is talking, but are we listening? He spoke to the seven churches in Revelation and each time he spoke he said "let those that have ears listen". Just as in the days of Noah, we must recognize that the gang plank is still down and his mercy and grace are waiting for us to call on Him. There will come a day, just like in the days of Noah, that the door will be shut and the last name in the book of life will be written. The trumpet will sound and all that our His will be gone in a blink of an eye. Doesn't everyone deserve an opportunity go to heaven? We must preach the full gospel to everyone we know and gave them that opportunity to receive Christ? You want to know what get God's attention, do what Jesus did, seek and save that which was lost. Don't cheat yourself out the most wonderful opportunity of leading someone to Jesus. The Holy Spirit will do the work; all we have to do is allow Jesus to use our voice to proclaim the good news. We shall not be ashamed of the gospel. Rom 1:16- For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Prayer:Father, We will not compromise your word, we will not back down to the enemy and we will be steadfast and stand firm on our faith. The gates of hell will not prevail and your church will be built. For let our sweet praise arise to your throne and let the enemy be scattered. Let that which is evil and wicked; be blown away like the chaff in the wind. Let us hear your voice and know what the spirit of the Lord is saying in this hour. Let us not forget those that don't know you, and reach out to a lost and dying world that needs you. For we have seen great light and no longer sit in the darkness. Father, you said seek and we would find you. You said draw close to you and you would draw close to us. We lay down our agendas, our wills and our ways and we take up the cross and follow you. Let our hearts be totally submitted to you and let what we do be pleasing in your eyes. Let us become your voice crying out in the desert to prepare the way of the Lord.