BEWARE
A warning to the People of God
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - I have a very serious question I need to ask - When are people going to wake up and see what is going on? We can see what is happening today here on earth, is what took place in heaven. When Satan wanted to have control in heaven. Satan told his lie so long, that one third of the Angels were cast out of heaven along with him. Understand if you tell a lie long enough people will eventually believe it as true. We are seeing this played out today in our political system. Understand if you can control what the public sees on TV, what they read in the Newspaper, online, and in magazines you can manipulate what people believe and even influence what Religion they should follow and when that happens you can control the people.
Last week I taught on “Making your calling an election sure”. I stated how we must know without a shadow of doubt know that our salvation is sure on our part not on God’s part. Before the foundation of the world God had already established a plan for salvation and through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross purchased with His blood our redemption and guaranteed our salvation. It is a sure thing; however, on our part, we must repent of sin, accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior which is faith and then add characteristics to our faith such as virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, for if we do these things we shall never fall.
After we do these things, we cannot become comfortable and complacent but must constantly be on guard – WHY because John 10:10 says “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. The devil desires to destroy you because he is destined for Hell and wants to take you there with him.
1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. Then in Galatians 6:7 we are told “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 says, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way”. These are scriptures of warning - scriptures that are letting us know to be cautious because the devil is seeking to devour us, and he will use many different tactics to accomplish his will.
Ezekiel 33 tells the watchman to tell the people and inform them of coming danger. Ezekiel 33:1-7 says “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me”.
It is my commission to inform God’s people of danger! BEWARE – A warning to the people of God!
PRAYER: -
2 Timothy 3:1 says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come”. Paul tells us that the last days would be marked by perilous times. The Greek word used for the word perilous is defined as dangerous, treacherous, or violent. I would say that there really are no better words used to clearly define the current conditions we find ourselves living today. Times are increasingly dangerous, treacherous and violent. I truly believe we are seeing exactly what Jesus warned us about as a sign of the times when he stated that as it was in the Days of Noah so shall it be in the days of the coming of the son of man.
When we look at what is going on in the world, we say Jesus is soon to return and that is true, but the Bible says Be not deceived God is not mocked. Galatians 6:7-9 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in good time we shall reap if we do not grow weary” “Mocked”; The Greek word translated “mocked” is used only in this passage in the New Testament, is “mukterizo” (mukthrzw), it means to “sneer at”, “turn up the nose at”, “treat with contempt”.
To mock God is to disrespect, dishonor, or ignore Him. It is a serious offense committed by those who have no fear of God or who deny His existence. The most easily recognized form of mockery is disrespect portrayed by verbal insults or other acts of disdain. It is associated with ridicule, scoffing, and defiance. Mockery is a dishonoring attitude that shows low contempt or even open hostility.
In the Bible mockery is a behavior and attitude shown by the fool Psalm 74:22 says “Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily”, the enemy Psalm 74:10 says “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever, the hater of knowledge”. A mocker goes beyond mere lack of judgment to making a conscious decision for evil. Mockers are without a spirit of obedience, teachability, discernment, wisdom, worship, or faith.
It is easy for us to point the finger at those outside the church who mock God, we see it in videos, on T.V., in our politicians and so forth. But the most subtle mockery of God, and literally the most dangerous, comes from those who are sitting in church and even more specifically in the pulpit. We need to be aware of what is going on in the church and be aware of the propaganda that is being sent into the homes of millions of people in the disguise of church and imitation Holiness. It is time for sin to be called sin and for the people of God to wake up.
It is impossible to separate the history of the church and Satan’s attempts to destroy it. While difficult challenges have arisen from outside the church, the most dangerous have always been from within. For from within arise the false teachers, deceivers, and false prophets that masquerade themselves appearing as purveyors of truth.
Understand Satan’s purpose is to deceive on earth and to accuse in heaven. If he can deceive you about God and Christ, you will perish. If he can successfully accuse you of unforgiven sin in heaven, you will perish. If he can convince you to believe a lie and not repent of your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you will spend eternity in Hell.
Even though this supernatural being, this fallen angel and archenemy of God, has a remarkable power in the material or physical realm his main way of opposing God and destroying God’s people is not in the physical or material realm, but in the mental, intellectual, or moral realm. In other words, the best way to think about his power is not in terms of physical strength, but moral deception.
Revelation 12:9–10 says, “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent”. The Bible said in Genesis 3 about him: he’s subtle. He’s subtler than every beast. So, it’s his subtlety that’s being focused on here, his serpent-like reality
Jesus calls him “a murderer from the beginning” John 8:44. The deception and the accusation and the eternal death that results from unforgiven sin is a way of destroying people and opposing God. John 10:10 says “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.
ISSUE: - I had to get that out in order to set the foundation of the is message today. The other week I saw something that perplexed my soul and I felt I just had to speak upon it because (Edmund Burke is quoted as saying) “All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” and I could not stand around and not do anything.
During the agony of election night and the days following Paula White-Cain Megachurch pastor and televangelist, who is spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, delivered a prayer service to secure Trump's reelection. During the service, which was streamed on Facebook Live, Paula White-Cain called on angelic reinforcement from the continents of Africa and South America. She even said - "I hear a sound of victory, the Lord says it is done,". "For angels have even been dispatched from Africa right now... In the name of Jesus from South America, they're coming here. In her prayer, she also is heard speaking in tongues” reported Wyatte Grantham-Philips of USA Today.
When I saw this video for myself, I felt I had to say something. When I looked on social media and seen the different remarks I was amazed at how the laughter and joking about it was done, but sadly and more repulsive than anything else I was concerned because behind the laughter and downplaying of it all was the vulnerability of the people of God and the destruction they ultimately face.
The Bible says in Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”.
The greatest deception the devil every accomplished was to cause people to believe that he doesn’t exist. Because so many people feel he doesn’t exist that fail to see the implications and the death that could possibly result is the venom that Paula White- Cain did.
Today I want to deal with what was done by Paula White-Cain and the praying to angels and the eternal effects this and other damnable types of behavior in the church.
I understand there is no verse in the Bible which explicitly states that “You shall not pray to angels”; however, it is abundantly clear that we are not to pray to angels. We must understand that ultimately prayer is an act of worship. And, just as angels reject our worship Revelation 22:8-9, so they would also reject our prayers. Offering our worship or prayer to anyone but God is idolatry. Idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than God as if it were God. Isaiah 42:8 says, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images”. Let me break this down a little bit because there are those that feel it really was not that serious, no doubt Paula White-Cain herself.
According to Wikidiff.com - the difference between worship and glory (glorify) is that worship is to reverence with supreme respect and veneration; to perform religious exercises in honour of while glory is to exalt, or praise to something or someone. Worship is the condition of being worthy; honour, distinction. That describes none other than God Himself and anything or anyone other than Him is idolatry.
So, in the simplest form what she did in that prayer was Idol worship which is a direct sin and abomination unto the Lord. The danger of this is we have people following her believing the abominations that are coming out of her mouth that are being destroyed because of the lack of knowledge some even think what she did really wasn’t that bad, she was just praying for the President. The Bible says in Songs of Solomon 2:15 “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes”. There are people that follow this that are tender grapes that will eventually be trampled under foot if they are not warned of the deception.
Revelations 18:4 says, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues”. I know someone will say will that is talking about the apostate church and YES it is but I am dealing with the spirit of apostacy right now and warning the people of God to beware and come away from anything that is not according to the Will of God. Christ Himself never prayed to anyone but the Father. When asked by His disciples to teach them to pray, He instructed them, how you should pray “Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2.
We know there have been false prophets since the beginning of time. Lucifer in the Garden of Eden when he entered the serpent and deceived Eve was a false prophet because he falsely stated what God had said. Genesis 3:4 “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die”.
There are going to be false prophets out there and you must be aware of their presence and subtle ways of deception. It is vitally important to know how to avoid falling victim to them. There are two things you need to understand how to avoid falsities: the Word of God and the spirit of discernment.
The word of God gives us clarity as to what is the truth, so make sure you know your word, because the devil knows the word of God better than you do. Know without a shadow of doubt what you believe, and what is truth. I know God does not give His glory to another we have established that. I don’t have to pray to an angel or to another man in a collar and robe to get to God because the Bible tells me in Ephesians 2:12-22 “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit”. John 14:13 says “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son”. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”.
The Spirit of discernment is an internal warning that even though something may look right, you know deep in your spirit something is wrong. Psalm 42:7 says “Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me”.
The Word of God and discernment will not make the false prophets go away, but you will be in a position that you don’t succumb to their erroneous ways.
Ephesians 4:11-14 says “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers, For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”.
For those of us that truly operate in the five-fold ministry understand the importance and purpose of our calling are determined to the perfecting of the saints, which is bring into maturity to mend what is broken (Matthew 4:21), to complete what is unfinished (Luke 6:40; Romans 9:22); and spiritually to restore the fallen (Galatians 6:1), for the work of the ministry which is to reach the world, it is service to God and to other people in His name, for the edifying of the body of Christ, encourage one another and build one another up, to instruct and improve, especially in moral and religious knowledge promotion of spiritual growth and development of character. So, we won’t be tossed to and fro about by every wind and doctrine. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever, they sound like the truth. So we will not fall victim to political rhetoric that is propagated as Biblical truth and Heavenly wisdom “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” Ephesians 4:14-15.
False prophets have been around since the very beginning. The first false prophet appeared in the Garden of Eden with the serpent’s lie to Adam and Eve. The truth of the matter is, they were there at the beginning and they will be around until the end.
Therefore; it makes sense to know what a false prophet is. These people are and have been invading your churches and pulpits, so it is imperative to know who they are. Their damage goes beyond just their prophecies and teachings, but their influence can be damaging to the body of Christ and cost you your eternal damnation.
What Is a False Prophet?
A prophet in the Bible was one who would proclaim the word of the Lord. They would speak on the Lord’s behalf into a situation. Sometimes they would speak about a future event and other times they would speak about a current matter. A false prophet is one who presents themselves as speaking on behalf of the Lord, however instead of speaking truth, they speak lies.
Jeremiah 29:8-9 says “Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord”.
Characteristics of False Prophets
They may look and sound like you. They may sound legitimate and they may even use all the right lingo. In other words, they know how to look the part. Many times, they are so deceptive, because they make themselves appear to look like other sheep. Matthew 7:15 says “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”.
Wolves are predators and in order to survive they must continually find new prey. When they attack, they are vicious. The false prophet may look like a sheep, but they attack like the wolf. They seek to devour by causing people to either believe a lie or to put their trust in some other place than truly following Jesus or his word. This is what makes them dangerous.
Warning Signs of a False Prophet
Jeremiah 14:14 says “Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart”.
The false prophet is a master of deception, they will often prophesy from their own imagination. Because they know how to do it so well, if you are not careful you can fall victim to them. That’s why we must have the spirit of discernment because without it you can’t tell the difference.
Another damnable thing to be careful of is the false prophet who prophesies only what you want to hear. They may even prophesy things that the people will agree with. This happened in Israel and this happens today.
What they say Does Not Come True Deuteronomy 18:21-22 says “You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed”.
The litmus test for anyone who claims to be a prophet of God is a simple one. Did what they say come true? Well we see what happened with Paula White-Cain and her idol worshipping prayer and the results that happened with that – I am just saying – call a false prophet a false prophet. By the way, the punishment in the Old Testament for being a false prophet was death.
Deuteronomy 18:20 says “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death”.
False prophets are something God does not take lightly, especially because of the influence and destruction they can have.
False prophets lead people away from Christ. Deuteronomy 13:1-4 “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (gods you have not known) ‘and let us worship them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him”. Some would say because what they said did happen that they are not a false prophet but after a little while the real motive eventually comes out. This false prophet would then turn and encourage people to follow other gods and worship them.
Therefore, we must have patience dealing with anyone who declares themselves a prophet. Time is necessary because it will eventually reveal the motives of the heart. Patience is required to see if what they say comes true.
There are false prophets today 2 Peter 2:1-3 says “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”.
When you think about what a false prophet is and what drives them it is more than likely:
Power - The false prophet often can manipulate the thinking of those who are under their control. This is like a drug for the false prophet because it feeds their ego. The flip side is that sometimes people want these people around them, simply to tell them lies. They use these lies as justification, so they can continue to live any lifestyle they want. It becomes the perfect match.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” .
Money often time these people see godliness or the things of God as a way of lining their pockets. Don’t be shocked by the false prophet who is after your money, because it is a prime source of their motivation. The shameful greed of these people will cause them to make up lies as a way of getting your money, so watch out for these hypocrites. One of the qualifications of a Bishop is to 1 Peter 5:2 says “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind”
False Teachers in the Church Today - these false teachers can be either male or female.
The False Prophet claims to be gifted by God to speak fresh revelation outside of Scripture new, authoritative words of prediction, teaching, rebuke, or encouragement. Though they are commissioned and empowered by Satan for the purpose of misleading and disrupting Christ’s church. John offered an urgent warning about him. 1 John 4:1 says “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world”. We must “try the spirits” to determine if they originate with the Holy Spirit or with a demonic spirit. Later, John declared that God has spoken fully and finally in Scripture and offered the most solemn warning against anyone who claims to bring revelation equal or contrary to Scripture. Revelation 22:18-19 says “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” . Today the airwaves are full of people claiming to speak in the name of God through the power of the Holy Ghost. Personal prophecies are just a phone call away. The Prophet continues to speak, to lead astray.
A Charlatan is only interested in the Christian faith to the extent that it can fill their wallet. A Charlatan is the person who uses Christianity as a means of personal enrichment. Paul charged Timothy to be on guard against him. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 says “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain” . In Acts 8:9-24 Simon Magus was motivated by the love of money when he tried to purchase the power of the Holy Ghost. A Charlatan always is seeking prominence in the church so that they can live in extravagance.
The Heretic - Peter warned against him in his second letter. 2 Peter 2:1 says “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” . The Heretic is the person who teaches what blatantly contradicts an essential teaching of the Christian faith. They are a natural leader teaching just enough truth to mask their deadly error. Yet in denying the faith and celebrating what is false, they lead their followers into falsehood. The Heretic will contradict the truth and sometimes will add to it. They boldly tamper with Jude 1:3 says, “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”.
The Ear Tickler is the false teacher who cares nothing for what God wants and everything for what men want. They are the man-pleaser rather than the God-pleaser. Paul thought of him as the ear-tickler: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”. The Tickler craves popularity and praise from the world. To maintain their follower’s respect, they preach only the parts of the Bible they deem acceptable. Therefore, they speak much of happiness and a good life but little of sin, much of heaven but nothing of hell. They give people only what they want to hear. They preach a partial gospel which is no gospel at all. They preach an empty gospel to a packed-out church. Like the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day, they say, “‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” Jeremiah 6:14.
The Abuser uses his position of leadership to take advantage of other people. Usually, he takes advantage of them to feed his sexual lust, though he may also desire power. Both Peter and Jude were aware of the Abuser’s tactics 2 Peter 2:2 says, “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of”. Jude 4 says “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Abuser claims they are tending souls, but their true interest is ravishing bodies. They work their way into women’s lives, confidence, homes, and beds. When they are not pursuing illicit sexual pleasure, they may be domineering people to gain power, abusing them on their path to prominence. They do this in the name of ministry, with the claim of God’s anointing. They unapologetically use and abuses others to feed his lusts.
Then there is the Divider who uses false doctrine to disrupt or destroy a church. They gleefully divide brother from brother and sister from sister. Jude 18-21 says “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit, But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”. The Divider is devoid of the Holy Ghost whose first fruit is love and whose special work is holding believers together in the bond of peace Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. ” Ephesians 4:3. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. This false teacher brings strife, not love. They generate separation, not unity. They desire discord, not harmony.
They may subtlety introduce unbiblical doctrines, or they may undermine the ordained leadership. They do it all for the perverse satisfaction that comes with destruction.
Finally, the Speculator is the one obsessed with novelty, originality, or speculation. The book of Hebrews calls it strange doctrines, while Paul told Timothy to protect the church against any other doctrine Hebrews 13:9 “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein”. 1 Timothy 1:3 “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine”. Teaching focused on speculation displaces the sure and steady doctrine of Scripture. The Speculator tosses aside the bulk of the Bible’s content and the weight of the Bible’s emphasis in order to obsess about matters that are trivial or novel.
Conclusion
Satan seeks to do all he can to hinder and defeat the church. One of the tools that he likes to use is deception. If he can distort the truth, causing people to believe a lie, then he has succeeded in his efforts. His greatest tools of deception in his arsenal are not drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, politicians, or powerbrokers, but false prophets. His ministers do not often preach a different religion, but a deadly perversion of the true one. His demonic forces do not make a full-on frontal assault on the people of God, but work as agents, sneaking into the army of the body of Christ using deception. Therefore, we are admonished in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. Matthew 7:15 says “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”.
Psalm 101:7 says, “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight”. Matthew 18:6 & Mark 9:42 Jesus says, “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea”.
2 Peter 3:17-18 closes with these word “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen”.
This is a warning to the people of God - Beware of False Prophets.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
