The last time I was in college (2014) we were taught how to be discerning when it comes to believing the information we find online. So if we were looking up information about energy, for example, and found a website about coal... Before using that information as a reliable reference, we should ask some questions:
Who is publishing the website?
Do they have a vested interest in swaying our opinion one way or another?
How current is the information?
Do other resources back it up?
I think we can, and should apply this same thinking when it comes to our religious education. Before believing what Pastor So & So says, we should ask ourselves:
Is it biblical?
Who does the Pastor associate with?
What has he said outside of his publicized sermons?
What do other "legitimate" religious leaders think and say about his teachings?
Does everything he preach leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling? (The answer to the last question should be "no.")
In the past, I've hesitated to correct people who believe these false prophets because I didn't feel like I had all the answers. I now regret those missed opportunities. We don't have to have all of the answers, we just have to know truth. The way we learn truth is by being in the word. If you know someone who is caught up with a false teacher, please talk to them. There are many books on the subject that you can share with them.
One I shared on Monday, "Defining Deception" by Costi W. Hinn and Anthony G. Wood.
The Netflix documentary, "American Gospel" which features Costi Hinn.
There's also "A Strange Fire" by John MacArthur which is about the charismatic movement and how it got started.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:1 ESV
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Please join me this week in praying for those who are deceived. Let's pray for God to give them (and us) wisdom and discernment and to guard them (and us) against false teaching. Let's also pray for God to change the hearts of the false teachers and burden them to share truth. Also, pray for God's encouragement and guidance for us to know and share truth with those who are deceived and to help us speak with conviction when we share His word.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power
#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #prosperitygospel #deception #lies #truth #discernment
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