Archive for the ‘False teachers’ Category

1 Sep

Contaminated Soil

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, False teachers, God's Word.

Hello friends,
Here we are at the beginning of September. Cooler weather brings thoughts of fall, although much of early September is many times as warm as July. This is the last big weekend for activities here at the lake. The population will increase greatly with families enjoying all the events that have been planned.

Our garden has been a challenge this year. To begin, there was a request to make a raised area for planting. After constructing the beds, I went to the composting area where grass clippings and leaves are stored and brought in several loads of this compost.

Tomatoes were planted and watered and seemed to be happy there. A short time later it was noted that the leaves on the plants were curling. Apparently, the compost was contaminated with the herbicides used on the lawns. We decided to leave things as they were and see what would happen.

In time the plants grew large and began to bloom. The tomatoes that resulted were small and misshapen, although the flavor seems to be okay.

Here is the application for our consideration today. Be aware of where you are sinking your roots. If we are to be productive in life, we need to be anchored in “good soil.” The places we go and the people we associate with may very well be contaminated with harmful ideas and other impurities.

I am reminded of Jesus’ parable of the seeds and the sower. The farmer sowed seed and it fell on different types of soil. As the seed fell to the ground, some fell on hard packed soil, some on rocky soil, some on weedy soil. Other seed fell on good soil, took root and produced a bumper crop. (Mark 4:8).

You have heard it said, “bloom where you are planted”, but be sure you are planted in good soil. Beware of the contamination of the world which will hinder your ability to be productive in life. In Psalms we read this: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers…, He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season…” (Psalm 1:1-3).

The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

21 Jul

Differences

Posted by sandhillspastor in Eternal Life, Faith, False teachers, Gospel, Salvation, The Good News.

Dear readers,
It is amazing how quickly we can go from being dry all winter to the place where people are complaining about the rain. Let us remember, it can get from wet to dry in a very short time.

Our devotional thought this week concerns the difference between religion and faith. There is a marked difference between the two. Religion is the number one substitute for genuine faith. Religion convinces you are worthy and then gives you a list of things to make yourself more worthy.

Religious people would rather have a religion that just teaches you to live a good life, to be a social activist, to be generous, to be a better you, to be better a dad and husband and partner, to live strong. As Christianity has gone mainstream, people have corrupted it to say just that.

That is not the gospel. The gospel is that you have no worthiness. All your righteousness is like a filthy rag. Isaiah says it best, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”

We have no righteousness of our own. God created us, and we have precious worth in his sight. But sin caused us to be separated from God. We need to be saved, rescued, born again. Those words may sound backward and uneducated and even old fashioned to the world, but they are the words of eternal life.

The religious almost always reject those truths because they like to see themselves as respectable. Jesus points out that religious people will miss the party, that is, heaven, because they refuse to acknowledge that they are unworthy. That’s why they don’t take Jesus seriously.

Jesus says in Matthew 5 that only the poor in spirit will inherit heaven. The poor in spirit say, “Maybe I’ve done some good things, but even my good things were done for bad motives. My kindness was mixed with self-righteousness and selfishness. Oh, wretched man that I am! Every part of me is stained with sin.”

The poor in spirit see Jesus’ invitation for what it is; something they are desperate without.

The bottom line is this: It is not about our “religion”, it is a relationship with the Lord Jesus that saves us.

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

24 Mar

The Real Thing

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Culture, False teachers, God's Word, Trust, Truth.

Hello friends,
March is almost gone, and I won’t be sorry to see it go. Hopefully, April will bring those proverbial showers, followed by the May flowers. We got very little snow from the last storm, but oh how the wind did blow. I know the wind must blow, but really?

This week, due to time issues I am going into the archives for our devotional thought. I think this still applies to our current situation.

I have always enjoyed a glass of grapefruit juice, but because of the different medications I take, I no longer am afforded the pleasure. I would at times buy it in place of a sugary soft drink. I believed one grapefruit juice was the same as any other, but I found out otherwise when I purchased another brand with a look-alike label. I soon discovered there was no comparison in the taste of the two. The “real stuff” was much better tasting than the bargain brand in spite of the similarity of the labels.

How do I apply this to spiritual matters? In our search for meaning in life, we try many things and seek answers in many places. If we know where to find the right answers and experience them, it is easy to spot the counterfeits and the “wannabes.” If we are grounded in God’s word, that is if we study and learn from the Bible what it says about Jesus Christ and the way to eternal life, we won’t be led astray by false teaching and popular thoughts and ideas. We need to be able to distinguish between the authentic and the look-a-likes.

In his letter to Titus, Paul gives advice that should apply to all of us. “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Tituss 1:9).

To the church at Ephesus, he wrote that we are to be mature in our faith so that, “We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching (doctrine) and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching… then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

17 Feb

No Middle Ground

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, False teachers, Gospel, Truth.

Hello all,
You may have seen the TV commercial that proclaims, “He Gets Us”. It gives a feel-good message about serving others but leaves out the part about the need for a Savior. It is true that Jesus knows about our struggles and encourages us to minister to others as He did. But as we do, we need to explain our motivation, and that is to bring others to faith in the Lord.

“He gets us” doesn’t tell the truth of the gospel, that Jesus Christ came to die for our sins. It is fine to serve others, but more eternally significant to tell them their need for a Savior. Jesus knows us intimately and understands our struggles. He was tempted as we are, but his response to temptation was not to give in to it, but to resist it. “Then Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil… Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matthew 4:1,11).

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

In a recent message from a well-known pastor, he claimed Jesus will be found in the middle and used the crucifixion as his illustration. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, but this is not to make a point about His political leanings. Jesus wasn’t in the middle; he was totally on the side of truth.

Find a church that preaches the Word of God, not man-made ideas that twist the scriptures into something God did not intend. We cannot preach a watered down or politically correct gospel to try and increase church attendance. This is a large part of why the church has lost credibility in recent years.

What did Paul tell Timothy? “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Jesus didn’t come to find middle ground, He came to seek and to save the lost, wherever they are.

In Truth,
Pastor Jerry

10 Jun

One Way

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Culture, False teachers, God's Word, Peace, Spiritual Warfare.

Dear readers,

This week on Friday, we celebrated our sixtieth wedding anniversary. I was privileged to perform a wedding on that day, also. The following day there was a small gathering of friends here at the lake, with cake and conversation. Sunday, we attended worship at our church and had lunch at the local café. All in all, it was a busy weekend for us and good memories were made.

I have been seeing ads from self-identified mediums and fortune tellers. It disturbs me to think these things are being promoted. The idea that these practices bring inner peace and happiness is not supported by Scripture. In fact, God prohibits such things. There is only one way to inner peace and happiness, and that is to trust in the Savior. Cards, crystals, new age rituals, horoscopes, zodiac signs are worthless and those who promote these things have been deceived by the powers of darkness. These are objects incapable of telling future events. After all, these things are inanimate, and without any knowledge of anything.

The thing that bothers me most is why some who call themselves Christians would follow such people? The Bible tells us to depend on God and on His truth as revealed in the Word. In the book of the Law, called Leviticus, we read this: “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:31).

To the prophet Micah, the Lord said, “The seers will be ashamed, and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God” (Micah 3:7).

In another place we read, “The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore, the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd” (Zechariah 10:2).

These types of people are also called false prophets in scripture. In 2 Peter 2:1 we read, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them.”

Finally, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits… because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

“Blessed is he who trusts in the Lord” (Proverbs 16:20).

In Him,

Pastor Jerry

20 May

Appearances

Posted by sandhillspastor in Christian Living, Evil deeds, False teachers, Righteousness, Service.

Hello friends,

We continue to receive nice rains. This pleases the gardener in the family but calls for more frequent mowing of the lawn.

Last weekend was interesting, as we experienced the demise of our old refrigerator and the adventure that followed. A new fridge was brought in that was identical to the old one… it did not work. Another one was then delivered that worked as was expected. There is a spiritual lesson here for us. I love it when the Lord gives me illustrations for these weekly messages.

Not everything is as it appears on the outside. Here was a brand-new fridge that was of no use to anyone, even though on the surface it looked shiny and new. This reminds me of a story in the Old Testament. God had instructed Samuel to select one of Jesse’s sons as the new king of Israel. As Samuel began to interview each of them God told him, “Do not consider his appearance or his height… The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). When David was presented to Samuel, the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” So, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (verse 12b-13­­).

Jesus warned his followers: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-20).

Peter described false teachers in this way; “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 2:1-2).

Looks can be deceiving. It is what is on the inside that matters!

In Truth,

Pastor Jerry

29 Apr

Beware of False Doctrine

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, False teachers, God's Word, Truth, Wisdom.

Dear friends,

We were spared from the rough weather on Friday. We did get an inch and a half of beneficial rain. We keep the victims of the tornadoes in our prayers and give thanks for safety in the storms.

The Bible warns of false teachers in the last days. We are seeing more evidence of this. Almost every day, we read of someone bending the truth of God’s word to fit into his or her personal agenda. Paul warned his readers: “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

In 2 Peter 2, we read: There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved ways, and the way of truth will be maligned because of them. They will exploit you in their greed with made-up stories. Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep. Verses 1-3.

Paul warns against false teaching in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

So, how do we combat the false teachers who lead people away from the truth? Paul gives this advice to Timothy: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 2 Timothy 2:15-16.

To be able to recognize false teachers and their false gospel, we must immerse ourselves in God’s Word. Read the Bible. Find a good Bible study group. Attend a Bible believing, Bible preaching church. Check out what the pastor or Bible study leader tells you. Be like the folks at Berea. In Acts 17:11, we read concerning the church there; “For they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

For Truth,

Pastor Jerry

23 Jan

God Knows

Posted by sandhillspastor in Evil deeds, False teachers, God's Word, Judgment, Sanctity of Human Life, Ten Commandments.

Dear readers,
Well the big snow has come. The storm Is gone, but the snow will be with us for a while. It has been a good long time since we have dealt with this much snow. I am glad machinery has improved over the years, but even with that a snowfall of that depth leaves us with the realization that we are pretty puny in light of the power of storms.

Today we see people dismissing the Word of God as mere superstition, or a manmade list of rules, even denying that God exists. If they acknowledge Him at all, they say the Bible is irrelevant and does not apply in our time. It seems they are just laughing at God and He is doing nothing to defend Himself.

Those who promote the taking of human life as “health care” are ignoring God’s command against committing murder. Others insist that marriage can be anything other than a life-long covenant between a man and woman. They are basically thumbing their noses at God. Although it appears they are evading judgment, God says there is a final judgment coming which no one can avoid.

The psalm writer Asaph had an enlightening moment, and he wrote these words:
“For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore, pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves in violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth…
They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

“When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!”

He closes with these words: “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge” (Psalm 73:3-19, 27-28).

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

30 May

The Presence of Evil

Posted by sandhillspastor in Evil deeds, False teachers, Gospel, Judgment, Sin, Spiritual Warfare.

Dear readers,
It’s another of those early deadline weeks, so this is being written on Saturday. The lake community was busy this weekend. Fun and games were enjoyed by many, and there was a family friendly movie after sunset. Summer, I believe, is officially open for business.

Once again, evil has reared its ugly head in our country, there is nothing else to call it. If a person murders children, or any human being, that person can be called nothing but evil. It is satanic. People come up with all kinds of excuses for this behavior, but the main reason is the presence of evil in the world.

I believe the evil that is so often in the news is a direct result of the lack of knowledge of God and his will for mankind. We have taken God out of the schools, and out of much of the public square. Churches are teaching that if we love everyone, it will be a world of peace.

Scripture has a different view. In Genesis chapter six, there were only a handful of people who acknowledged God for who He was. Scripture records that “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time (verse 5).

Paul said, “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one… There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-12, 18).

John calls Satan the evil one. “We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Paul reminds us that “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What we must do is return to teaching biblical values and morality to our children, in order to turn them from disobeying God to trusting in His commands as set out in His Word.

The full solution to evil awaits the coming age. God will vindicate His children and wipe away their tears (Revelation 21:4).

For Him,
Pastor Jerry

25 Oct

Knowing the Truth

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Christian Living, False teachers, God's Word, Gospel, Law, Truth, Wisdom.

Hello friends,

There is not much to report as far as weather; just mostly cool temperatures, with some sun and some clouds. The fall colors have been extra special this year, but with the one really windy day last week many leaves have fallen.

I had the pleasure of speaking at Grace Bible Church this week. I thought it might be beneficial to share some thoughts from my sermon with all of you. Based on Paul’s first letter to Timothy, it tells us to be on guard against false teachers, of whom there are plenty these days.

All believers have a responsibility to be on the alert for false teachers. What are we to look for? Here are four things to keep in mind.

First, look at their understanding of Scripture, and ask if their teaching is biblically sound. Do they place extra-biblical teachings on a par with Scripture? That is, do they add or subtract from the value of God’s Word? Do they accurately handle the Word of truth? Scripture says, “Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Second, examine their goals. Do they seek to love, honor and glorify God? Or do they pursue self-love, material wealth, or personal happiness?

Third, examine their motives. Are they humble and selfless? Or do they seek to make a name for themselves?

Finally, examine the effect of their teaching. Do their followers understand clearly the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do they define the Gospel properly? Do they use the law properly, as part of the gospel message, or do they promote works righteousness? The law was given to show sinners their need for a Savior. The Law saves no one. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, to recognize and expose false teaching, we must spend time in the Bible. Not just to check off a passage of scripture as our daily reading, but to really spend time getting to understand what God has already said. Meditate on it.

We need not ask the Lord to speak to us. He has spoken. “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed head of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:2).

In Christ alone,

Pastor Jerry

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