Hansel And Gretel Vs Little Red Riding Hood

But what about those who use God for there own selfish desires to have things and be somebody? What about those who make promises for God that God hasn’t made Himself? How easy is it for us to get caught up in these wonderful things that God will do for us to the extent that we fail to see the fact that these things aren’t being told to us by God, but by this man or this woman?

Send me some seed money and God will reward you 10 fold. Send me $1,000 and God will give you back $10,000!

Man, what a great deal! Why would I put money in a bank and only draw 2 ½ % interest or put it into some retirement account that might give me back 8 or 10 % when I can send my money to this preacher, and he’ll have God give me 1,000 % interest? I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. When I get that $10,000 that God’s sending me, I’m going to give it right back to that preacher, and the next time it’ll be a million! And when I get THAT back, I’ll keep half of it to spend and send the other half back in. Just think of all the things I can have, and just because I sent in that seed money.

Now tell me honestly, where in the bible does God make that promise? I know that God will allow us to have some extras. But I don’t remember where it was that I read that He’ll make me rich. I can’t even remember where it says that He’ll give me any earthly treasure. Oh well, that preacher said it, so it must be in the bible somewhere. Right?

Again, we’re being deceived, but this time it’s in the name of God.

And then there are those that I mentioned earlier that don’t know themselves that they’re wolves because they’ve been devoured and are now a part of the original deceiver.

I’m afraid that, for a lot of us, this is an extremely sensitive subject because we have or have had family members and friends that fall into this group.

I have a special affinity for these people. I’m saddened by the thought that there are so many out there in the world today that truly believe that they’re saved, and yet haven’t been obedient to God in His way of salvation.

These people are as sincere as any of us here this morning. They have a desire to serve God as much as their lives will allow. They love God intently. But they’ve been deceived by the doctrine of men. They’re taught by people who believe what they’re teaching, that all they have to do to be saved is to believe in God, and ask Jesus to come into their hearts. Folks, the demons believe.

There are others who have confused the issue of baptism. They’ve believed, repented, and confessed. But for one reason or another, teach and believe that baptism is just a sign of salvation or nothing at all. Or maybe that it’s not immersion into water in participation in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Whatever it is that they themselves believe and teach others that substitutes men’s doctrine for God’s, is keeping them from having that state of salvation they truly believe that they already have.