Tag Archives: Bible Reference

The Danger of Following False Prophets

Posted on by yolandaberry
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Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Ezk 13: 3

The world has changed drastically. In his new world that we live in, technology has a major influence in our homes and communities as well as our political, social, educational and spiritual perspectives and views.

We are heavily bombarded with news, opinions, statistics, and innovations. We are quick to follow the latest trends, social media influencers, and controversial celebrity gossip.

Dancing with Divination

On the same scale, we quick to follow prophetic messages with hopes of the promises of good news, fortune and blessings. We desire anything that is pleasing to the flesh – eyes, ears, taste, touch even smell. Some people look to horoscopes, astrology, numerology, charms, crystals, fortune tellers, psychics, soothsayers and false prophets for the latest predictions about upcoming events like it would transform their lives like magic.

Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for their heads of people of ever pay height to hunt souls! Ezk 13:18 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold I’m against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds. I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as a prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am Lord.

Ezk 13: 20-21

We don’t want to listen to anything that will disrupt our way of thinking or feeling. We crave comfort and lavish lifestyles and reject correction, instruction, wisdom and truth.

The world is going to continue to grow more chaotic and evil. If you’re not rooted in sound doctrine, you will not be able to stand against the attacks, plots, schemes and plans of the enemy.

We must be spiritually discerning and be careful not to align ourselves with false doctrines or mixed ideologies. You cannot call on Jesus and then give credit to the universe. The Lord created the universe and everything in it.

We will go through many difficult situations and circumstances but if we know the character and the Word of God, He will protect and guide us through every storm, valley, evil attack and corruptive agenda that’s placed before us.

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

Romans 16:17-18

We must test the spirit with the Word of God at all times. You cannot test the spirit if you do not know or understand the Word of God, His character and His ways. The Spirit of God leads you in all truth and teaches you all things in the Spirit.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But, he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that He may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. I Corth 2:14-16

We cannot be spiritually idle or lazy and rely on pastors, ministry leaders and prophetic voices to give us direction. We must know God for ourselves and allow Christian leaders to be the reinforcement and encouragement as well as the teachers to nurture our spiritual growth as a Body of Believers.

The world mixes good for evil and evil for good. There are so many blurred lines that the church is looking and acting just like the world. Recently, Pastor Jamal Bryant stated he wanted to bring cannibus into the church to grow His ministry. There is a serious problem when a spiritual leader is leading his sheep to the slaughter and he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. You need to know Jesus for yourselves. There’s many wolves in sheep’s clothing. Acts 20:28-30

Be sober and vigilant, because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour. I Peter 5:8

The late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was criticized for not doing more to address sexual abuse in the church. He was accused of poor handling of accusations against some priests as the head of Vatican’s doctrinal office.

When you are in the public eye or serving in ministry you have to be extremely careful of falling prey to temptations of this world and appeasing men.

Idolatry is Priority

Fame and fortune is also a snare and can lead you into idolatry. We can look at many examples in Hollywood whose life has been completely destroyed because they did not have the wisdom to handle the responsibilities that come with abundance and prosperity. They simply have money to burn on fleshy pleasures.

For the love of money is the root of all evil; while some has coveted after they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves with many sorrows. I Tim 6:10

Do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is good and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Rom 12:2

Stand in the Test of Time

We are leaning into transformative times that will test our faith. In the Bible, Daniel refused to eat from the King’s plate because the meat was sacrificed to idols. Dan 1:8-16

Joseph refused to sleep with Potiphar’s wife. Gen 39:10

Shaderack, Meshack and Andego refused to bow down to the King of Babylon and the golden statue.

I’m sure you’re familiar with these stories of the Bible. They were thrown in a fire and it was heated seven times hotter than normal. They believed in God and had faith that God would save them. King Nebuchadnezzar saw four men walking in the fire unharmed. The king promoted them to a higher office and decreed that the God of Israel was to be worshipped in the land.

What are you willing to endure? Are you willing to stand alone against mockery and persecution?

The Holy Spirit provides all truth and knowledge to understand the Bible and guides us in all wisdom we need in the instruction for life.

Anything that we deem as priority or worship is a form of idolatry. Here are just a few things off the top of my head that can easily become a snare of idolatry.

Materialism:

  • Technology
  • Work/Jobs
  • Children
  • Education
  • Money
  • Celebrities
  • Sports
  • Social Media
  • Food
  • Fashion/Clothing

Idolatry means

1. the religious worship of idols.

2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence or devotion

We have carried the same idolatry into the 21st Century which has been in the foreshadows and forefront for decades.

There are many forms of idolatry embedded in our architecture and culture which stems from Egyptian and Assyrian traditions of worshipping the kings and gods during their time.

On Wall Street, there is a golden bull outside of the building of the stock exchange. It reminds me of the golden calf which was created and worshipped when the people lost faith on the way to the promised land.

The Black Egyptian Obelisk, known as the Cleopatra’s Needle, is part of the architecture design which consists of two monuments which are located in Themes embankment in London and Central Park in New York. It stands 69 feet high.

The most modern version of an obelisk is centered directly in front of the White House in Washington DC and stands 555 feet tall. There is also an obelisk located at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

I just realized this while writing this text that even the World Trade Center resembles an obelisk in its architecture design. These monuments are symbolic of the obelisks found in Egyptian architecture.

We must be aware of the different types of idolatry so we don’t succumb to worldly pursuits. We should regularly do a self-check or evaluation to ensure we are walking in alignment with the Lord.

The scriptures listed below relate to false prophets and false doctrines. Please take time to read and meditate on these scriptures. God is not the author of confusion. If you are a new believer and feeling lost and confused with all the noise on the internet. I highly recommend you dig into these scriptures for the truth in God’s word.

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Bible Study

Ezk 13-14

Matt 6:24 and 34

Micah 2:6-11

Hosea 3-5

Mark 7:15-20

I John 4:1-6

Mark 13:22

Jer 23:16

Rev 2:20

Matt 24:11-12

Rev 16:13

Rev 19:20

Rev 20:10

Jer 23:13

Math 24:24

Jer 27:9-10

Jude 16-19

2 Corth 11:13-15

2 Tim 4:3

Matt 7:15

2 Peter 2:1

Mark 7:6-9

Deut 18:20

Gal 5:19-21

Jer 44: 1-29

Joy in the Morning

Posted on by yolandaberry
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the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Matt 2:9-10

When I was a child, I never sneaked under the tree to peek at my presents like my friends or classmates would, but I would like to shake the packages or imagine what was inside. I always saved the excitement and mystery for Christmas morning.

We never opened gifts on Christmas Eve. It was family tradition to open gifts on Christmas morning. All of my siblings would run down the stairs together with anticipation and excitement.

Christmas may not look or feel the same as it did in our youth. As my late mother would say, “Nothing in life remains the same.” Although times and season change, Our Savior, Our Father remains the same.

You may be dealing with grief and loss of a loved one, loneliness, health issues or anticipation for what the New Year will bring, but the miracle of Christmas brings us compassion for others and gratefulness for what we have.

We are living in instability and uncertainty of what life will bring, but God is faithful. He remains our anchor and the rock of our foundation.

Although our foundations may shake, Our Father is our spiritual GPS that navigates us through the uncertainties of life. Jesus brought joy to the world through His love for us.

“An angel of the Lord appeared to Him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is the Holy Spirit. And she will bring the forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Matt 1:20-21

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name “Immanuel” which is translated, “God with us.”

The magnitude of His love never changes. It’s not superficial or fickle. It’s stable and guaranteed. May you be blessed with His Christmas presence this season and may you walk with His peace throughout the New Year.

Merry Christmas and have a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Scripture Reference

Luke 6:48-49

How to Avoid Temptation

Posted on by yolandaberry
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The devil often tempts us at our weakest point. He will use our emotions when we are vulnerable. When he sees that we are tired, hungry, sad, angry, or afraid, he will strategically plan his attack. However, the devil is not creative. He will use the same tactics, plots or schemes over and over again.

The Lord is the creator of all things and by His power and authority He has all the ability to create, form, shape, mold, and design according to His plan and purpose for our lives.

In the Wilderness

When Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, the devil tempted Him “Five” times. The devil came to Him when He was weak and hungry. It’s often when we lack a physical or emotional need that the devil tempts us. Our strongest defense is to reflect on the reaction of Jesus in the wilderness. He used the Word of God to confront the attack of Satan. He spoke with authority every time Satan tried to persuade Him.

In the passage in Matt 4:7-9, it states, “Jesus said unto him, It is written again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord they God. Again, the devil takes Him up to an exceedingly high mountain and showery Him all Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them and he says to thee, all these things will I give to thee if thou will fall down and worship me.

Satan will distort or magnify a specific target to make his proposal so appealing so you will fall into the snare or trap of his devices.

We must stay on guard and be mindful at all times because we will be constantly tested. As the passage states in Matt 26:41 “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” So, we must constantly build up our spiritual nature to combat the attacks of the enemy.

The devil is a con artist. He will manipulate or persuade his target to get his way. When you are aware of his plans or schemes, you’re able to confront the attack by speaking the scriptures over your situation to dismantle every dart the enemy throws your way.

When you’re aware of the temptation, you may have to physically remove yourself from the situation. If you find yourself in a constant battle with the flesh, having self-control of your thoughts and your desires, you trick yourself into thinking that you will defeat the enemy in your own strength. However, we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus to walk in victory and to overcome the slick moves of the devil.

Be sober and viligent; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom he may devour. 1Peter 5:8

In the Garden of Eden

The devil used sly, cunning tactics to convince Eve to eat from the Tree of Life. In the Book of Genesis, the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.

“Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

In both cases, the devil promised that they would be more like God with either power or wisdom. The devil twisted his words to convince Eve otherwise and enticed her to disobey. Let your eyes be open to the sneak attacks of the enemy.

In the Womb of Infertility

Sometimes, the Lord uses a crises to teach us about patience, obedience, belief, faith and trust. In the story of Abraham and Sarah, enticement was also used to lure her husband.

By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Heb 11:17

Abraham, to produce a child from Hagar. This was out of compromise of faith and out of the will of God for their lives. When you’re bound to fleshy desires and human passions, it will cause disastrous results. When you allow your emotions to override the divine will of God, it will cause division or conflict in your body, mind or spirit.

In the Heat of the Moment

David lusted over a beautiful woman after watching her bath while he walked on the roof of the king’s house. He requested for the woman named Bathsheba who was wife of Uriah, and slept with her. She became pregnant. Due to his sin of adultery, David plotted to murder Uriah by ordering him to the frontlines of war to deliberately kill him to hide his affair.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corth 10:13

In the Fiery Furnace

Another attempt of temptation was when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego worshipped only the one true God. They lived amongst a city where there was idol worship. They refused to bow down to any false idol.They were subject to great peer pressure from their community and suffered great temptation to follow the tradition ordered by King Nebachadnezzar to worship a golden statue symbolized of his power and glory. Unfortunately, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. The King even turned the heat up seven times hotter but they weren’t burned.

King Nebuchadnezzar was shocked when he saw four men walking amongst the flames. He immediately called the guards to release them from the furnace.

Through the deliverance, he granted them freedom to worship as they desired and was given a royal promotion in honor,

In the Test of Faith

In the story of Job, the devil requested authorization from the Lord to test the faithfulness of Job. Job was harshly tested and faced many temptations, sickness, and loss, however Job never lost his faith and received complete restoration of all that was lost.

In the Belly of a Whale

Jonah was given a specific assignment to go to Nineveh to address the sin in the land. It was a city full of evil and wickedness. Instead, Jonah ran from his assignment of the Lord. He jumped on a boat and sailed the opposite direction to a place called Tarshish.

The Lord created a massive storm upon the waters and the men threw Jonah overboard because they felt he caused the turbulence. After being thrown overboard, the storm suddenly stopped. The Lord sent a large whale to swallow Jonah.The Lord was shielding and protecting him from drowning and from the other animals in the ocean.

Jonah repented, prayed and praised God. The Lord answered his prayer by allowing the whale to throw him up which was near the city of Nineveh. Jonah preached in the city and warned them to repent. The people listened in obedience despite the corruption and chaos and the Lord had mercy on them.

Unfortunately, Jonah struggled with his heart condition and became bitter because he felt the people didn’t deserve God’s grace and mercy however the Lord was more concerned about the hearts of the people and restoring the land. Jonah was disciplined due to his disposition.

Even the people of Israel, suffered great temptations. They had several cases of doubt, fear and unbelief on their journey to the promised land. They fell into temptation when Moses did not return from Mount Sinai when they expected. They created a golden calf to worship and challenged Moses with every decision or move he made along the way.

So he called the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not.” Exodus 17:7

These are great examples of how to avoid temptation. Not all temptation is related to fornication or promiscuity. the devil comes in many ways to attack us at our weakest points. We must understand the tactics, schemes and devices to override the plans he uses.

Here are seven ways to overcome temptation.

1. Speak the Word of God in the area of attack

2. Be obedient to God’s voice

3. Learn how to be patient and wait on God

4. Run from temptation

5. Stand strong in faith and your convictions

6. Walk in faith no matter the circumstances or situation

7. Listen to the Lord’s instructions and face opposition with courage and boldness

We will not always be perfect but we must turn away from temptation at all cost. We have a loving Father who desires our whole heart. He is a forgiving Father that supplies us with His grace and mercy.

Prayer

Lord, help us to walk with you through the valley of temptation. Strengthen our heart and mind to focus and lean on you at all times. Continue the new work in us by transforming us to be molded and shaped in the potter’s hands, so we can be representatives for your Kingdom to bring glory to your name. In Jesus name, Amen.

Additional Bible References:

James 1:12-16

I Peter 5-8

2 Sam 22:2-3

2 Sam 22:7, 17, 31

Psalm 32

Psalm 38

Psalm 3

Psalm 63

Dan 3:25, 28

Num 14:22-24