A few years ago I had
an interesting experience
00:00:07.87\00:00:12.11
with someone who claimed
to have the gift of prophecy.
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It happened like
this. I was pastoring
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in western part of Pennsylvania.
And at that time I was
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overseeing a multichurch
district and I was conducting a
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series bible meetings much like
this much like this one for the
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community at large and I
remember one afternoon I got
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this phone call and on the
other end of the line, was a man
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who claimed to bea
seeker after truth.
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He told me he heard about
the Bible seminar I was doing
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and he wanted to come and learn
more about the truths of the
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Bible so naturally I told
him he was more than welcome
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when I mentioned the part of
town the meetings were being
held he wasn't familiar
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with it so I invited him
to meet me at a one the church
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parking lot and he could
ride with me and I would take
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him to the seminar well
that night as I was preaching I
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could see him sitting there in
the crowd it wasnt long before I
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could tell something was
definitely wrong he was starting
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to get agitated and
irritated he was becoming very
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excitable and even while I
was preaching he would shake his
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head and say no,
no, out loud as thought
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he was disagreeing with what
I was saying from the Bible now
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everyonce in a while you'llhave
people who want to disrupt the
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meeting I was silently praying
in my mind Lord help the man to
be calm and whatever
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the problem is I'll deal
with it afterwords thankfully
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God answered that
prayer but I will never
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forget the ride
home that night. As this
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man was riding in our back
seat, Marquita and I were up
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front and I remember we
looked in the rear view mirror
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that was in frount of us and we
could see in the back this man
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had taken his hood, he was
wearing a sweater and a hoodie
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and he had put the hood up over
his head so his face was hidden
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and when I looked in the mirror
all you could see was this hood
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with no face in it.
It was deathly quiet
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and Marquita and I look at each
other and wondered what is going
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on here? Then all of a
sudden he started saying things
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to me He started arguing with me
and telling me the things that
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I was sharing from the word
of God where not true and even
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started quoting Bible verse but
I could tell from the way he was
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using the Bible he was saying
things that did not agree with
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scripture and so I very
kindly and politely tried
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to guide him back to what
the Bible said but it seemed
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the more I said the more
irritate and more agitated
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that he bacame in fact he
starting became hyper and talk
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real fast and going on and
on and on and I don't know if
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have ever talked to some one
where you can't get a word in
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edge wise and I remember as
I watched it almost as though
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another spirit was
taking control of him
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and so finally I
decided maybe I had better quiet
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but then I remebr he said to
I'll never forget he looked a me
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and said I have to tell
you something I am a prophet
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and have been sent by god
to tell you that you are wrong.
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Well let me
tell you when someone
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says that it gets to you it
tends to get you attention so I
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wanted have an open mind because
God does have true prophets and
I thought ok I'll listen
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to what he has to say but
the more he talked the more
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he was contradicted what
the scriptures say and as I
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tried bringing him back to
the Bible he finally said to me,
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you cant tell me
anything that I dont already
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know. and at this point Marquita
and I decided you know what
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we're just going to sit there
and say nothing more and not
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respond and simply pray
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When we finally got to the
parking lot where we had left
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his car he opened
the back door took one
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foot and put it outside of our
car on the parking lot and then
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he and stood there or sat
there for a few seconds one foot
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outside one foot inside and
we're wondering what go on here?
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And then he put the
foot back inside the car
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and shut the door and
started going on and on
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and on and Marquita and I
thought what are we going to do
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and the only thing we
knew of is just say nothing
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just pray and let
God take care of it
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and fortunately after a few
minutes the man got out of the
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car and he left. It
was a quiet ride home
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let me tell you because Marquita
and I had never experienced
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that before. Now there were
a couple of clues that this man
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did not have the
true gift prophecy #1,
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he was cotnradicting
what the Bible said. #2
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He lied to me and he
was dishonest he told me
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he was a seeker after truth when
that is not really what he was
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at all. In fact I later found
out that he had done this to
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other ministers and
churches that were in the area
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and then when I asked him the
question when he said he was a
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prophet, I said well tell me
where do you go to church? He
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told me he doesnt go to church,
He doesn't go anywehre to
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worship the Lord Let me get this
stright you're a prophet of the
Lord but you don't go to church
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and worship him. That
doesnt make sense to me.
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So ever since that
experience you can imagine I've
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been a little bit leery and
sceptical of people who claim to
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have the gift of
prophecy but on the same hand
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the Bible also says there
is a true gift that is meant
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to bless and edify
God's people so tonight we
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need to know how do
you tell the difference.
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Let's review begin be reviewing
one of the text that we looked
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at in the the last few nights
Revelation chapter 12 and verse
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17 This one is on
the sreen, the Bible says
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Now remember we
studied this remannt,
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that it is refering to this
is talking about God's people,
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God's church at the end of
time, and they are described
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in two very specific
ways. They will be keeping
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God's commandments, according
to book of Revelation and we
00:07:08.39\00:07:12.39
already studied that, but notice
they it also said that the
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remnent of the last
days have what is called the
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testimony of Jesus
Christ. So the question is,
00:07:20.40\00:07:24.41
what is that? We'll find
that Revelation explains it
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to us. Instead gessing
or speculating let the Bible
00:07:28.41\00:07:32.45
give us the answer
in Revelation 19:10
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John is in vision, this
a differnet vision, but the
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angel comes and says
something very significant
00:07:40.52\00:07:44.53
Revelation 19:10 The Bible says
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And I fell at his feet
to worship him.( That means
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John was going to worship the
angel in the vision)But he said
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to me, "See that you do
not do that! I am your fellow
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servant, and of your brethren
who have the testimony of
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Jesus. Worship God!
For the testimony of
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Jesus is (is what)
the spirit of prophecy."
00:08:08.62\00:08:12.62
hat is the gift of
prophecy, you see gift
00:08:12.62\00:08:16.66
of prophecy is when a
person becomes a messenger
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for God. They
deliver his messages, and his
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words to the people, the
Holy Spirit overtakes them and
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reveals things to them, that
they are supposed to share with
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others. This angel of the
vision had the gift of prophecy
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he was a messenger
for God and all throughout
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the Bible, Old
Testment and New, you see people
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who have this
spirit or gift prophecy .
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You can name a few.
people like Jeremiah, or Eliajh,
00:08:49.02\00:08:53.09
Isaiah, and Ezekial, and
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later on we're going find
out even prophets in the New
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Testamnet as well so
clearly Revelation is saying
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even at the end of time,
there will be people with the
00:09:05.31\00:09:09.41
true gift of
prophecy but the problem
00:09:09.41\00:09:13.45
is much of the world has a
very negative and skeptical
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attitude about modern
prophets today probably
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because they had experiences
like I had, a few years ago
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and the other reason for the
negative attitude, is the devil
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has done a
masterful job of coming up
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with some counterfeits.How
can we tell the difference?
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between the true and the false?
Well look at some of the false
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Right now today
there is an explosion of
00:09:41.58\00:09:45.61
interest in psychic
phenomena you can go
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one of any 2000 leading
newspapers in this country
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andyou will find
daily prophetic columns
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or horoscopes and as long as you
know your sign, they'll be glad
00:09:57.73\00:10:01.70
to tell you what will
happen that day, what you should
00:10:01.70\00:10:05.73
or shouldn't do, and what you
can expect and believe it or not
00:10:05.73\00:10:09.80
there are people who actually
planned their day around
00:10:09.80\00:10:13.81
what that horoscope
says even now we can go
00:10:13.81\00:10:17.88
home and can pickup the
phone dial a 1-900 number
00:10:17.88\00:10:21.95
and we can get with in touch
with the psychics network where
00:10:21.95\00:10:26.02
people will be happy
contact the spirit of dead or
00:10:26.02\00:10:30.09
other spirits and give you
advice on some life changing
00:10:30.09\00:10:34.20
decisions that you have to
make we can go into bookstores
00:10:34.20\00:10:38.27
and find all sorts of
books on new age, astrology
00:10:38.27\00:10:42.40
the zodiac and all
these different practices
00:10:42.40\00:10:46.41
and so truth be told
prophesying has become
00:10:46.41\00:10:50.41
a multimillion
dollar business not only
00:10:50.41\00:10:54.45
in this country but all
throughout the world and as
00:10:54.45\00:10:58.45
a resolute of all these
counterfeits it behooves
00:10:58.45\00:11:02.49
us to know how can
we find the genuine
00:11:02.49\00:11:06.53
so tonight we're going to start
this journey by first of all
00:11:06.53\00:11:10.53
taking a look at some of
the warning that Jesus gives
00:11:10.53\00:11:14.54
about the false gift of
prophecy, so I would you to
00:11:14.54\00:11:18.57
take your Bibles, and I
would like you to go to matthew
00:11:18.57\00:11:22.61
chapter 24 and we're
going to read verse 24
00:11:22.61\00:11:26.61
The bible says,
For false christs and
00:11:26.61\00:11:30.65
false prophets
will rise and show great
00:11:30.65\00:11:34.69
signs and (what? )wonders
00:11:34.69\00:11:38.73
to deceive, if
possible, even the
00:11:38.73\00:11:42.70
elect. elect. Not lets
stop there for a second
00:11:42.70\00:11:46.74
now perhaps you may have
not been here the night that we
00:11:46.74\00:11:50.81
talked this but clearly Jesus
says in the last days the devil
00:11:50.81\00:11:54.84
is not going to be
sitting still and allow people
00:11:54.84\00:11:58.85
to find truth without a
fight, it specifically says
00:11:58.85\00:12:02.88
the devil is going to have false
christs and prophets in this
00:12:02.88\00:12:06.96
world to confuse us and
deceive us to try to lead us
00:12:06.96\00:12:11.06
astray but there is
something very powerful in this
00:12:11.06\00:12:15.10
verse almost perplexing notice
00:12:15.10\00:12:19.10
what it says that false christs
and prophets will be able
00:12:19.10\00:12:23.17
to do they can show great
00:12:23.17\00:12:27.24
signs and wonders.
00:12:27.24\00:12:31.35
we have to understand is
just because some man or some
00:12:31.35\00:12:35.35
woman or some person can
do a supernatural phenomena
00:12:35.35\00:12:39.35
or seemingly do some
sort of sign or miracle
00:12:39.35\00:12:43.36
Jesus is saying that
is absolutely no guarantee
00:12:43.36\00:12:47.40
that that person has been sent
by God or that message it is
00:12:47.40\00:12:51.37
from heaven because even
the devil can do some miracles
00:12:51.37\00:12:55.37
even the devil can
perform signs and wonders
00:12:55.37\00:12:59.41
through others see
the biggest test in not
00:12:59.41\00:13:03.41
supernatural phenomena the
biggest test is do they teach
00:13:03.41\00:13:07.45
things according to the
the wor Of God. And see the sad
00:13:07.45\00:13:11.45
thing is in these last days
there will be a lot of people
00:13:11.45\00:13:15.49
who are going to be deceived
because they have put all their
00:13:15.49\00:13:19.49
faith in super natural
signs and wonders instead of
00:13:19.49\00:13:23.50
on what the Bible
and the Bible alone
00:13:23.50\00:13:27.50
says in fact the scriptures
go on to talk about this
00:13:27.50\00:13:31.57
the apostle John give
warns us in one the letters
00:13:31.57\00:13:35.58
that he wrote I would to
invite you turn there as well
00:13:35.58\00:13:39.58
1st John chapter 4
and we want to read 1
00:13:39.58\00:13:43.62
The Bible says, Beloved
00:13:43.62\00:13:47.66
do not believe every
spirit but (do what?)
00:13:47.66\00:13:51.69
but test the spirits,
whether they are of God;
00:13:51.69\00:13:55.70
because many false
prophets have gone out
00:13:55.70\00:13:59.77
into the world. So now
obviously John the Apostle heard
00:13:59.77\00:14:03.81
Christ's warnings about false
christ and false prophets John
was there when Jesus said
00:14:03.81\00:14:07.88
it. So in John's letter
he says we shouldn't believe
00:14:07.88\00:14:11.91
everything that we hear thats
a good principle to follow. Can
00:14:11.91\00:14:15.98
you say Amen? in fact actually
driving up and down the road
between Nixa and Springfield
00:14:15.98\00:14:20.06
I see a lot of these billboards
that say don't believe
everything that you
00:14:20.06\00:14:24.13
hear. Now I don't know who
puts it out, I'm supporting to
00:14:24.13\00:14:28.16
support but the principle
itself is good in fact John
00:14:28.16\00:14:32.20
is saying to test the spirits
00:14:32.20\00:14:36.27
test the person to
know whether it is the true
00:14:36.27\00:14:40.38
gift or the false gift even Paul
00:14:40.38\00:14:44.41
in first
Thessalonians 5:19 he says this
00:14:44.41\00:14:48.42
Do not quench the
Spirit. Do not despise
00:14:48.42\00:14:52.42
prophecies. Test all
things; hold fast what is
00:14:52.42\00:14:56.46
(what?) hat which is good.
in other words, the Bible says
00:14:56.46\00:15:00.53
listen, just because there is a
counterfeit don"t throw out all
00:15:00.53\00:15:04.47
prophecies don't throw out
everyone who claims to have the
00:15:04.47\00:15:08.50
gift simply test it and you'll
hold on to that which is good
00:15:08.50\00:15:12.51
and true and genuine in fact
really that's what I have told
00:15:12.51\00:15:16.54
you in this seminar, from night
number I said one you check
00:15:16.54\00:15:20.58
everything I say from the Bible
and the Bible alone and if we
00:15:20.58\00:15:24.62
will learn to test things we
hear in a church, things we read
00:15:24.62\00:15:28.69
in a book, things
we hear on TV, God will
00:15:28.69\00:15:32.73
send, light to make
sure that we stay on the
00:15:32.73\00:15:36.73
right path of
truth. So since the
00:15:36.73\00:15:40.77
Bible tells us to test
the spirits the next natural
00:15:40.77\00:15:44.84
question is would be
what? Well, how do you do that?
00:15:44.84\00:15:48.88
what test has God given to know
00:15:48.88\00:15:52.91
the difference between
genuine and the counterfeit
00:15:52.91\00:15:56.99
and the good news
is, God gives us three
00:15:56.99\00:16:01.06
very specific tests that are
00:16:01.06\00:16:05.09
so clear and easy to understand
00:16:05.09\00:16:09.10
that if we follow them none
of us need worry about being
00:16:09.10\00:16:13.17
deceived so we'll go through
all three of thoses tests just
00:16:13.17\00:16:17.24
now most of them will be in your
notes, but I would encourage you
00:16:17.24\00:16:21.28
to also write them down, beasuse
when you write something it
00:16:21.28\00:16:25.35
helps to remember a lot
more. Lets got to test #1
00:16:25.35\00:16:29.38
all of them are
in the Old Testament
00:16:29.38\00:16:33.39
I want you to take your
Bible, and go to the book of
00:16:33.39\00:16:37.39
Numbers chapter 12 and verse
00:16:37.39\00:16:41.36
6 Numbers, chapter chapter 12
00:16:41.36\00:16:45.40
and going to read
something God says in verse
00:16:45.40\00:16:49.40
6 in fact all
three are in the books
00:16:49.40\00:16:53.41
of Moses the first five books of
the Bible and you may think why
00:16:53.41\00:16:57.45
so early in the Bible
well imagine it, right from the
00:16:57.45\00:17:01.45
begining God's people going
to have to know hos to tell
00:17:01.45\00:17:05.45
the the difference between
a true and false prophet so
00:17:05.45\00:17:09.49
all the way back to the
time Israel to the time of Moses
00:17:09.49\00:17:13.50
God lays out very specific
00:17:13.50\00:17:17.50
principles Numbers
12 beginning in verse
00:17:17.50\00:17:21.54
6 The Bible says
00:17:21.54\00:17:25.54
and this is God
speaking,Then He said,
00:17:25.54\00:17:29.61
"Hear now My
words: If there is a
00:17:29.61\00:17:33.62
prophet among you,
I, the LORD, make Myself
00:17:33.62\00:17:37.69
known unto him in
a (what?) vision, and
00:17:37.69\00:17:41.72
I speak to him in a
dream". Now we're going to pause
00:17:41.72\00:17:45.76
right there.
Here is principle #1
00:17:45.76\00:17:49.80
God tell us the
avenue that He uses
00:17:49.80\00:17:53.84
to communicate information
to a person who is a true
00:17:53.84\00:17:57.91
prophet of God and
notice what god says
00:17:57.91\00:18:01.94
God speaks to His
prophet through what? visions
00:18:01.94\00:18:05.98
and dreams. The only
exception to that is probably
00:18:05.98\00:18:10.05
Moses. Because in
verses after it in verse 7 to 8
00:18:10.05\00:18:14.16
God says well I speak to Moses
face to face. But beside that
00:18:14.16\00:18:18.26
God says when I
communicate on of My massagers
00:18:18.26\00:18:22.30
I want them to share something
with my people. The avenue he
00:18:22.30\00:18:26.43
uses to communicate with
them is visions and dream.
00:18:26.43\00:18:30.44
period. If it
is any other method
00:18:30.44\00:18:34.48
is not the true gift of prophecy
00:18:34.48\00:18:38.51
in fact when you look
throughtout in the Bible this is
00:18:38.51\00:18:42.52
what you see. God appeared to
Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel even
00:18:42.52\00:18:46.59
John the Revelator in
visions and dreams thats how God
00:18:46.59\00:18:50.63
speaks to his prophets
and that is very important
00:18:50.63\00:18:54.63
to understand because notice,
00:18:54.63\00:18:58.67
God does not speak
through tarot cards,
00:18:58.67\00:19:02.70
crystal a balls, astrology
00:19:02.70\00:19:06.78
new age practices, seances,
00:19:06.78\00:19:10.78
and talking to the
spirits of the dead,
00:19:10.78\00:19:14.82
those avenues do
not come from God
00:19:14.82\00:19:18.89
God speaks to His
prophets in visions and dreams
00:19:18.89\00:19:22.96
in fact lets review the verse
in the Bible that talks about
00:19:22.96\00:19:27.03
how God feels about
these other methods. And God
00:19:27.03\00:19:31.03
uses some very
strong language here
00:19:31.03\00:19:35.14
Isaiah 47 verse 12 Isaiah 47
verse 12 tells us God's attitude
00:19:35.14\00:19:39.21
through these
other means and medium
00:19:39.21\00:19:43.31
The Bible says
and God is speaking
00:19:43.31\00:19:47.38
Now what fire do you
suppose is He referring here to?
00:20:11.54\00:20:15.58
He is talking about the
fires of Hell God is telling us
00:20:15.58\00:20:19.58
to have nothing to do
with these other methods
00:20:19.58\00:20:23.62
since they come straight
from the dark world. They lead
00:20:23.62\00:20:27.62
straight to hell because when
we contact spirits of the dead
00:20:27.62\00:20:31.66
put our hearts and
minds in with seances,
00:20:31.66\00:20:35.66
palm read read and
tarot cards,we turning
00:20:35.66\00:20:39.67
are minds over to
another type of spirit
00:20:39.67\00:20:43.71
and remember God
says the dead rest
00:20:43.71\00:20:47.78
in the grave unconsciously
until Jesus comes so when
00:20:47.78\00:20:51.78
these people contact the spirits
of dead or they get there
00:20:51.78\00:20:55.82
information from something else.
Who are they speaking to? Who
00:20:55.82\00:20:59.89
are communicating with?
This is the devil and his
00:20:59.89\00:21:03.96
demons trying to deceive people.
That is why God says have
00:21:03.96\00:21:07.96
nothing to do with
them run away from it, stay
00:21:07.96\00:21:12.07
as far away as possible. I
00:21:12.07\00:21:16.07
kind of relate these methods
to credit card teaser rates
00:21:16.07\00:21:20.28
You say what do you mean?
I don't know about you but
00:21:20.28\00:21:24.38
everyday in the mail I seem
to get mant different offers
00:21:24.38\00:21:28.38
for credit card applications.
Anybody body else have that
00:21:28.38\00:21:32.42
problem? my goodness if I
applied for every credit card
00:21:32.42\00:21:36.42
offer I got I could have a limit
of half a million dollars and
00:21:36.42\00:21:40.46
would not be a a good thing. But
what do all these credit card
teaser rates saying?
00:21:40.46\00:21:44.43
0% for 24 months or
00:21:44.43\00:21:48.47
2.9% for 18
months, now on the surface
00:21:48.47\00:21:52.47
that does sound pretty good
doesn't it, if you do have
credit card balance
00:21:52.47\00:21:56.48
who wouldnt want 0%
financing but you know
00:21:56.48\00:22:00.58
once you have transfered
your balance, what happens
00:22:00.58\00:22:04.55
once the 24 months is over? Yes!
00:22:04.55\00:22:08.59
It rate goes up to the
real rate which many time is 20,
00:22:08.59\00:22:12.63
25% sometimes more and guess
what you've already transferred
00:22:12.63\00:22:16.63
your balance so you
are sucked in. That is
00:22:16.63\00:22:20.67
exactly the way the
devil works with his method
00:22:20.67\00:22:24.71
God said he speaks through
his prophet, the genuine gift
00:22:24.71\00:22:28.78
is manifested
through visions and dreams
00:22:28.78\00:22:32.81
That is test #1.
How about rest #2
00:22:32.81\00:22:36.82
this found in the
book of Deuteronomy chapter
00:22:36.82\00:22:40.86
18 lets go there Dueteronomy
00:22:40.86\00:22:44.89
chapter 18 and we're
going to start read in
00:22:44.89\00:22:48.86
vesre 20 The Bible says,
00:22:48.86\00:22:52.93
and this God speaking, But the
00:22:52.93\00:22:57.04
prophet who presumes to
speak a word in My name,
00:22:57.04\00:23:01.18
which I have not commanded him
to speak, or who speaks in the
00:23:01.18\00:23:05.11
name of other gods, that prophet
shall (what?) die.'Now does God
00:23:05.11\00:23:09.15
take that pretty serious?
Yes or No? Indeed he does. Then
00:23:09.15\00:23:13.22
verse 21 give us the
next text. And if you
00:23:13.22\00:23:17.23
ay in your heart,
'How shall we know the word
00:23:17.23\00:23:21.30
which the LORD has
not spoken? when a prophet
00:23:21.30\00:23:25.40
speaks in the name of the LORD,
if the thing does not happen
00:23:25.40\00:23:29.40
or come to pass, that is
the thing which the LORD has
00:23:29.40\00:23:33.41
not spoken; the prophet
has spoken it presumptuously;
00:23:33.41\00:23:37.45
you shall not be
afraid of him. Now notice
00:23:37.45\00:23:41.48
the question, the people
are asking the Lord listen
00:23:41.48\00:23:45.49
how do we know if someone is
a true prophet anybody and came
00:23:45.49\00:23:49.52
and say they have a message
for us from the lord, how are we
00:23:49.52\00:23:53.53
supposed to know if He really
sent from you and notice the
00:23:53.53\00:23:57.53
test. that God gives He
said if the things they says
00:23:57.53\00:24:01.57
If it does not
happen or come to pass
00:24:01.57\00:24:05.61
they are not a
true prophet of the Lord
00:24:05.61\00:24:09.64
So that is test #2. A true
prophet of God will always be
00:24:09.64\00:24:13.68
a hundred percent
accurate when they are relating
00:24:13.68\00:24:17.72
what God shared with
them in a vision or a dream
00:24:17.72\00:24:21.76
Can you say Amen? You know
when you think about that makes
00:24:21.76\00:24:25.79
perfect sense becaause
someone who has the genuine
00:24:25.79\00:24:29.76
gift who has been taken
over by the holy spirit,
00:24:29.76\00:24:33.84
are they sharing their own
thoughts and opinions when they
00:24:33.84\00:24:37.91
speak
prophetically yes or no. No!
00:24:37.91\00:24:41.91
they are not. it is God's
message so can God be wrong?
00:24:41.91\00:24:45.95
yes or no. he
cannot so if what they say
00:24:45.95\00:24:50.05
does not come to pass.
God is telling us this is
00:24:50.05\00:24:54.12
a counterfeit gift, you
need not pay attention to it.
00:24:54.12\00:24:58.16
that test righ
there throws out many
00:24:58.16\00:25:02.20
the so called
modern prophets today
00:25:02.20\00:25:06.30
maybe someone we have heard of,
no disrespect, I mean disrespect
but is an example we're
00:25:06.30\00:25:10.37
looking at, Jean
Dixon was been looked as a
00:25:10.37\00:25:14.38
modern psychic and prophet.
But when all her prophecies
00:25:14.38\00:25:18.41
have been studied, she
accurate anywhere from 30-60%
00:25:18.41\00:25:22.42
of time, 60% give her the
00:25:22.42\00:25:26.42
benefit of the doubt,
cause sometimes people are so
00:25:26.42\00:25:30.46
ambiguous they can mean all most
anything so we'll give it the
benefit of the doubt
00:25:30.46\00:25:34.46
say 60%. if I'm
going to say thats from
00:25:34.46\00:25:38.47
God if they are
right 60% of the time
00:25:38.47\00:25:42.50
what is that saying on the flip
side, so we're saying God is
00:25:42.50\00:25:46.51
wrong 40% of the time now I
don't know about but you but I'm
not willing to say that
00:25:46.51\00:25:50.55
are you? See the tests
said they will be accurate
00:25:50.55\00:25:54.58
100% of the time. That does
00:25:54.58\00:25:58.62
away with people like
Edgar Casey, Nostor Domis
00:25:58.62\00:26:02.66
who perhaps have been
accurate half the time but
00:26:02.66\00:26:06.70
innacurate the
other half. At the
00:26:06.70\00:26:10.73
end of the year I don't know if
you have ever done this, but
once December comes if you
00:26:10.73\00:26:14.77
you go through the checkout line
at Walmart or any these other
00:26:14.77\00:26:18.77
grocery or convenience store
what do you always notice on
00:26:18.77\00:26:22.84
magazine racks near the
end of the year. All these
00:26:22.84\00:26:26.92
special magazines that have the
sensational propheies for the
00:26:26.92\00:26:31.02
coming year sometimes we buy
them, curious about what they
00:26:31.02\00:26:35.12
say You what by the time the end
of next year comes, we never go
00:26:35.12\00:26:39.19
back to see if what they said
was true but you know there is a
00:26:39.19\00:26:43.26
Christian magazine that decided
to that and when tested these so
00:26:43.26\00:26:47.37
called prophet and prophecy
you what they recovered? The
00:26:47.37\00:26:51.37
average leading
psychic accuracy was 16%
00:26:51.37\00:26:55.38
in the those prophecy. 16%!!!!
00:26:55.38\00:26:59.41
in my mind I'm think I
can guess better than that
00:26:59.41\00:27:03.42
am I willing to say God
is wrong 84% of the time
00:27:03.42\00:27:07.42
if it is the true gift of
prophecy, they arent speaking
00:27:07.42\00:27:11.46
on their own, they are speaking
for God, they will be accurate
00:27:11.46\00:27:15.43
in what they
say. Can you say amen?
00:27:15.43\00:27:19.43
Now I understand not everyone
who is a prophet predicts the
00:27:19.43\00:27:23.47
future. You know like Elijah he
didn't really predicted future,
except wouldn't raining for 3.5
00:27:23.47\00:27:27.51
years in fact if they're a
prophet, that doesn't even mean
they have to write a book in the
00:27:27.51\00:27:31.51
Bible you think one of the
greatest prophets in the Old
00:27:31.51\00:27:35.55
Testment, who I just mentioned
is Eliajh. Did he write a book
00:27:35.55\00:27:39.59
in the Bible Not one he didnt
write one solitary word in canon
00:27:39.59\00:27:43.63
of scripture Now of course he
is quoted and there are stories
00:27:43.63\00:27:47.60
about hom but sometime a person
is simply a messenger form God
00:27:47.60\00:27:51.63
not neccesarily prediction
of the future, but when they do,
00:27:51.63\00:27:55.67
they should be
accurate if they're from God
00:27:55.67\00:27:59.71
the only exception to that
is when there is a conditional
00:27:59.71\00:28:03.75
prophecy. A conditional
prophecy what is that?
00:28:03.75\00:28:07.82
That's when there is a condition
to it. Can you think of
conditional prophecy from the
00:28:07.82\00:28:11.85
Bible? I'm thinking
of Jonah. Remember how
00:28:11.85\00:28:15.92
God told Jonah to go to Ninevah
00:28:15.92\00:28:19.96
and what was supposed to
tell Ninevah? That in 40 days,
00:28:19.96\00:28:24.00
Ninevah is going to be destroyed
00:28:24.00\00:28:28.07
unless they what?
Repent! There was a
00:28:28.07\00:28:32.14
condition you will be
destroyed 40 days, but the
00:28:32.14\00:28:36.21
condition is you will repent God
will relent. Did Ninevah repent?
00:28:36.21\00:28:40.28
They did in fact it says their
king put on sackcloth and ashes
00:28:40.28\00:28:44.42
and the whole city
repented as a result
00:28:44.42\00:28:48.42
God did not bring that
disaster upon them because
00:28:48.42\00:28:52.43
there was a
condition base to it. Even
00:28:52.43\00:28:56.43
prophets make mistakes in there
human nature. They're still
00:28:56.43\00:29:00.54
sinners they still need to be
saved by the grace of Jesus
Christ and His blood that
00:29:00.54\00:29:04.51
is blood shed on calvary.
Amen? so they may have personal
00:29:04.51\00:29:08.51
opinions that may not be
accurate but when they speak in
00:29:08.51\00:29:12.55
vision when they speak what God
tells them, they will be 100%
00:29:12.55\00:29:16.55
accurate because it isn't
their message its God's emssage.
00:29:16.55\00:29:20.59
That is test #2. Then comes test
00:29:20.59\00:29:24.63
#3. This is also in
the book of Deuteronomy.
00:29:24.63\00:29:28.63
so lets go to 5 chapter backward
00:29:28.63\00:29:32.67
go to Deuteronomy 13 and verse 1
00:29:32.67\00:29:36.71
"If there arises
among you a prophet
00:29:36.71\00:29:40.74
or a dreamer of
dreams, and he gives you a sign
00:29:40.74\00:29:44.81
and the sign or the
wonder comes to pass,
00:29:44.81\00:29:48.88
of which he spoke
to you, saying, 'Let us
00:29:48.88\00:29:52.92
go after other gods'-which you
have not known-'and let us serve
00:29:52.92\00:29:56.96
them,' And then vesre 3 tells
what we should do. you shall not
00:29:56.96\00:30:01.00
listen to the words of
that prophet or that dreamer of
00:30:01.00\00:30:05.10
dreams, for the LORD your
God is (What is that word?)
00:30:05.10\00:30:09.17
testing you (some version
say testing, some version say
00:30:09.17\00:30:13.24
proving) testing you to know
whether you love the LORD your
00:30:13.24\00:30:17.31
God with all your heart and with
all your soul. Now catch that
00:30:17.31\00:30:21.45
here a prophet, so
called fulfills the first two
00:30:21.45\00:30:25.45
test they get their information
from vision and dreams and what
00:30:25.45\00:30:29.46
they comes to pass, they're
even doing signs and wonders but
00:30:29.46\00:30:33.50
the prophet is saying let us
go after other gods let's ignore
00:30:33.50\00:30:37.50
God's
commandment lets ignore His
00:30:37.50\00:30:41.54
law lets ignore
what His word clearly
00:30:41.54\00:30:45.54
states. God says
that is not a true prophet
00:30:45.54\00:30:49.58
of the Lord. So in other
words if fulfill the first two
00:30:49.58\00:30:53.62
test, but they fail
test 3 which says this
00:30:53.62\00:30:57.69
A true prophet will
always be in harmony
00:30:57.69\00:31:01.69
with the Word of God. It
will never contradict scripture.
00:31:01.69\00:31:05.73
ever. So think about
00:31:05.73\00:31:09.70
it is the Holy Spirit taking
ocntrol of the person who has
00:31:09.70\00:31:13.74
the gift of prophecy.
Who is it that inspired
00:31:13.74\00:31:17.77
the messages of
Scripture? The Holy Spirit, Holy
00:31:17.77\00:31:21.88
Spirit took control of these
authors as well. So is the Holy
00:31:21.88\00:31:25.95
Spirit going to say anything
through a so called prophet
00:31:25.95\00:31:29.95
that is going to contradict
himself in the Woord of God?
00:31:29.95\00:31:33.99
That's not going to happen, A
true prophet will always be in
00:31:33.99\00:31:38.06
harmony with what God's Word
teaches so even if they do sign
00:31:38.06\00:31:42.10
and wonders they get their
information from vision and
dreams their prophecies come to
00:31:42.10\00:31:46.23
pass if they contradict
God's word, God said it is the
00:31:46.23\00:31:50.31
counterfeit gift throw
them aside do not listen to
00:31:50.31\00:31:54.44
what they say. In
fact that is pretty true
00:31:54.44\00:31:58.45
even we're trying to decipher
trure today. Notice what
00:31:58.45\00:32:02.45
this prophet said let's go after
other gods let's ignore God's
00:32:02.45\00:32:06.49
Law.Even today
whether it be a church
00:32:06.49\00:32:10.53
or preacher,
when someone tells me
00:32:10.53\00:32:14.50
to ignore what
God's Law clearly states
00:32:14.50\00:32:18.53
I dont care what kind of
fantastic reasoning they have
00:32:18.53\00:32:22.57
God says it is not
from the Lord and you
00:32:22.57\00:32:26.61
have a clear example here
in Deuteronomy that is why
00:32:26.61\00:32:30.65
Isaiah made this statement.
In Isaiah 8:20 he wrote
00:32:30.65\00:32:34.68
To the law and to the testimony!
00:32:34.68\00:32:38.69
If they do not speak according
to this word, (then what?)
00:32:38.69\00:32:42.72
it is because there
is no light in them.
00:32:42.72\00:32:46.73
Now what word do
suppose that Isaiah is about?
00:32:46.73\00:32:50.73
The Word of God they
contradict this word.
00:32:50.73\00:32:54.77
The Bible says there is no light
in them, it doen't matter if
00:32:54.77\00:32:58.81
if the are popular it doesn't
matter if their on TV, it
00:32:58.81\00:33:02.88
doesn't there're the biggest
church in town, it doesn't
matter if they can do signs and
00:33:02.88\00:33:06.95
wonders if they speak not
according to this Word there is
00:33:06.95\00:33:11.02
no light in them
and popularity means
00:33:11.02\00:33:15.09
nothing. Do you understand why
these principle are so important
00:33:15.09\00:33:19.16
today? If we
follow them God will
00:33:19.16\00:33:23.16
lead us to truth, I remember
00:33:23.16\00:33:27.24
a few years ago, I had come
across a book in a bookstore
00:33:27.24\00:33:31.34
that the title fascinated
me. It was called divine
00:33:31.34\00:33:35.34
revelations of hell. Now if you
were here when we studied this
00:33:35.34\00:33:39.38
subject the other night we
learned something. But in this
00:33:39.38\00:33:43.39
book it was someone who claimed
to have the gift of prophecy who
00:33:43.39\00:33:47.39
had been taken off in vision and
shown what the horrors of hell
00:33:47.39\00:33:51.43
are right now happening today,
people's flesh being ripped out
00:33:51.43\00:33:55.40
by demons, flesh falling off
bones in great graphic detail
00:33:55.40\00:33:59.43
but I knew as soon I
read it , it was false
00:33:59.43\00:34:03.44
gift because this person
was describing hell as though
00:34:03.44\00:34:07.44
it was burning right now and
we learned the other night the
00:34:07.44\00:34:11.48
Bible is absolutely clear
from the Word of Jesus, hellfire
00:34:11.48\00:34:15.52
deos not burn till the end
of the world, nobody is burning
00:34:15.52\00:34:19.55
in hell right now. Not
my opinion, not a churches,
00:34:19.55\00:34:23.59
that is what Jesus said in
Matthew 13. So when I saw that
00:34:23.59\00:34:27.60
book contradict scripture
I knew right away even though
00:34:27.60\00:34:31.67
teh pearson may be
sincere it is not the geneuine
00:34:31.67\00:34:35.70
gift of prophecy because
it contradicts the Word of God
00:34:35.70\00:34:39.74
so just looking at these
test lets put three of them
00:34:39.74\00:34:43.78
on the screen here. Test #1 They
00:34:43.78\00:34:47.82
receives their messages in
visions and dreams. Test #2
00:34:47.82\00:34:51.85
they will always be
100% accurate and test #3
00:34:51.85\00:34:55.89
It will never
contradict the Word of God
00:34:55.89\00:34:59.93
some of the on the Bible talks
about. Is they point out sins
00:34:59.93\00:35:03.93
of God's people. It is not
always a happy go luckily
message when someone
00:35:03.93\00:35:07.94
communicates something from the
Lord, and they provide guidance
00:35:07.94\00:35:11.97
and consol for God's
people. So here is the question
00:35:11.97\00:35:16.04
obviously there were people with
gifts of prophecy in the Old
00:35:16.04\00:35:20.12
Testament but was there
the gift of prophecy in the New
00:35:20.12\00:35:24.19
Testament? or did God
some how end this gift
00:35:24.19\00:35:28.26
after Old Testment
times? And the amazing thing is
00:35:28.26\00:35:32.33
even though we sometime
overlook it. Do you know there
00:35:32.33\00:35:36.43
were prophets even in the
early New Testament church
00:35:36.43\00:35:40.47
let me show you a couple
of things in Joel chatper 2
00:35:40.47\00:35:44.47
verse 28, Joel utters a prophecy
00:35:44.47\00:35:48.51
near the the end of the Old
Testment period and he looks
00:35:48.51\00:35:52.51
into the New Testment and into
the last days. I want you to
00:35:52.51\00:35:56.55
notice what he
writes Joel 2 verse 28
00:35:56.55\00:36:00.62
The Bible says "And it
shall come to pass afterward
00:36:00.62\00:36:04.59
That I will pour out
My Spirit on all flesh;
00:36:04.59\00:36:08.56
Your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, Your old men
00:36:08.56\00:36:12.60
shall dream dreams, Your
young men shall see (what?)
00:36:12.60\00:36:16.60
visions.And also on
My menservants and on My
00:36:16.60\00:36:20.64
maidservants I will pour
out My Spirit in those days.
00:36:20.64\00:36:24.65
See Joel is looking into the
future there and he says there
00:36:24.65\00:36:28.68
will be people men and
women old and young, who
00:36:28.68\00:36:32.72
have the
genuine gift of prophecy
00:36:32.72\00:36:36.79
so if that is true, that
means I should be able to find
00:36:36.79\00:36:40.83
some individuals with those
gifts in the book of Acts Don't
00:36:40.83\00:36:44.83
think? think? I mean if
Joel said in future He going
00:36:44.83\00:36:48.90
pour out His Spirit, we should
see prophets in the New Testment
00:36:48.90\00:36:52.94
You know what? They are there
we just tend to overlook those
00:36:52.94\00:36:56.98
verses. Let me show you a
couple, let's take our Bibles
00:36:56.98\00:37:01.08
and lets got to the book
of Acts, I want to lookup two
00:37:01.08\00:37:05.12
specific passage
lets star in Acts chapter
00:37:05.12\00:37:09.12
13 and verse 1-3
00:37:09.12\00:37:13.16
Acts chapter 13 ane
we're going to star in
00:37:13.16\00:37:17.20
verse 1. The Bible says,
00:37:17.20\00:37:21.30
Now in the church
that was at Antioch there
00:37:21.30\00:37:25.44
were certain (what?) prophets
and teachers:(and then it
00:37:25.44\00:37:29.44
names them) Barnabas,
Simeon who was called Niger,
00:37:29.44\00:37:33.48
Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen
who had been brought up with
00:37:33.48\00:37:37.49
As they ministered to the Lord
00:37:37.49\00:37:41.52
nd fasted, the
Holy Spirit said, "Now
00:37:41.52\00:37:45.56
separate to Me
Barnabas and Saul for the work
00:37:45.56\00:37:49.56
to which I have called them."
Then, having fasted and prayed,
00:37:49.56\00:37:53.74
and laid hands on
them, they sent them away.
00:37:53.74\00:37:57.77
Now letspause here for
a second. It says we're at
00:37:57.77\00:38:01.81
the church in Antioch and
there were certain prophets
00:38:01.81\00:38:05.88
and teachers and it
names these individuals
00:38:05.88\00:38:09.92
so clearly God
blessed some people
00:38:09.92\00:38:14.02
with the gift of prophecy to
provide guidance for the early
00:38:14.02\00:38:18.09
New Testment church. In
fact it tells us in this passage
00:38:18.09\00:38:22.13
one of the things the gift
of prophecy told them to do
00:38:22.13\00:38:26.20
they were told to
seperate, what two people?
00:38:26.20\00:38:30.31
Barnabus and Saul
to be missionaries
00:38:30.31\00:38:34.44
for him. They were sent away.
Saul would become the missionary
00:38:34.44\00:38:38.48
to the Gentiles in a sense. Now
I would you thinkabout
something. If the holy spirit
00:38:38.48\00:38:42.48
had not directed the church
to do that through the gift of
00:38:42.48\00:38:46.52
prophecy do you think that would
have made Saul a missionary
00:38:46.52\00:38:50.56
for the church that
soon? Think about who Saul was.
00:38:50.56\00:38:54.56
now. He was the greatest
enemy of the Christian church
00:38:54.56\00:38:58.57
I mean he left Jerusalem to try
to put christian in prison and
00:38:58.57\00:39:02.60
execute Christians and in
Dascus on his way to there
00:39:02.60\00:39:06.64
he is converted and this
is still somewhat early on
00:39:06.64\00:39:10.68
and probably some of the
christian were saying lets just
00:39:10.68\00:39:14.75
wait and see if this guy is
genuine we don't want to sat him
apart and send him out
00:39:14.75\00:39:18.79
to gentile lands yet,
In fact if the Holy Spirit
00:39:18.79\00:39:22.86
had not intervened they may of
never made him a missionary we
00:39:22.86\00:39:26.93
don't know but it was the
Holy Spirit through the gift of
00:39:26.93\00:39:30.97
prophecy that gave that early
church guidance and look what
happened to the gospel
00:39:30.97\00:39:35.04
because of ministry and
missionary travels of Paul
00:39:35.04\00:39:39.07
Can you say Amen? See
00:39:39.07\00:39:43.18
when you think about it,
Christians of the 1st century,
00:39:43.18\00:39:47.28
what class ofpeople
were most of them from?
00:39:47.28\00:39:51.42
Upper class or
Lower class? They were
00:39:51.42\00:39:55.42
loser class because
if you were upper class
00:39:55.42\00:39:59.46
you weren't going to follow
some God who was crucified as a
00:39:59.46\00:40:03.43
criminal on a cross you
take about humbling your
00:40:03.43\00:40:07.47
life and surrendering
your heart and admitting
00:40:07.47\00:40:11.51
sinner, people in the upperclass
aren't going to do that.
00:40:11.51\00:40:15.54
or follow some guy who was
nailed to a cross. Because they
00:40:15.54\00:40:19.58
don't recognize their need.
It was the lower class that were
00:40:19.58\00:40:23.59
mostly christians, there were
some upperclass, the majority
00:40:23.59\00:40:27.66
was lower class and
think of the impossible task
00:40:27.66\00:40:31.69
that Jesus gave those
christians. He said you're going
00:40:31.69\00:40:35.70
to take the gospel Where? The
whole world every nation, every
00:40:35.70\00:40:39.73
people group every languages.
How are these uneducated
00:40:39.73\00:40:43.77
christians who don't know all
these languages or cultures, how
in the world are they
00:40:43.77\00:40:47.84
are they gospel all there
different languages. it is
00:40:47.84\00:40:51.91
because the church was blessed
with gift of prophecy God
00:40:51.91\00:40:55.98
guided them through this gift on
how they could take the gospel
00:40:55.98\00:41:00.12
to the world and that is why the
1st century says the christian
00:41:00.12\00:41:04.16
church turned the
world upside down. God
00:41:04.16\00:41:08.23
always guides his people with
the gift of prophecy. The true
00:41:08.23\00:41:12.37
gift that is. In fact there is
another example, since we're in
00:41:12.37\00:41:16.37
Acts, lets go to chapter
21. Acts 21 and I want to read
00:41:16.37\00:41:20.38
something to you
specific in verse 8 Acts chapter
00:41:20.38\00:41:24.28
21 and verse 8
00:41:24.28\00:41:28.32
The Bible says,
And on the next day,
00:41:28.32\00:41:32.42
we who were Paul's
companions departed
00:41:32.42\00:41:36.42
and came to Caesarea,
and entered the house of
00:41:36.42\00:41:40.43
Philip the evangelist,
who was one of the seven,
00:41:40.43\00:41:44.43
and stayed with
him. Now notice verse 9
00:41:44.43\00:41:48.44
Now this man had
four virgin daughters
00:41:48.44\00:41:52.47
who prophesied. (Who did What?
prophesied) And as we stayed
00:41:52.47\00:41:56.51
And as we stayed many days,
a certain prophet named Agabus
00:41:56.51\00:42:00.58
came down from Judea.
When he had come to us, he took
00:42:00.58\00:42:04.55
Paul's belt, bound his
own hands and feet, and
00:42:04.55\00:42:08.59
Thus said, (he is basically
uttering aprophecy here)
00:42:08.59\00:42:12.63
says the Holy
Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at
00:42:12.63\00:42:16.63
Jerusalem bind the man
who owns this belt, and
00:42:16.63\00:42:20.64
deliver him into the
hands of the Gentiles.' "
00:42:20.64\00:42:24.67
now let look at this second,
it'sfascinating. They go to
00:42:24.67\00:42:28.71
Cesaria they stay
with Philip the evangelist,
00:42:28.71\00:42:32.78
he has got for daughters
that do what? Prophesy!
00:42:32.78\00:42:36.85
Now it doesnt tell us what they
said, they never write any book
00:42:36.85\00:42:40.89
of the Bible you don't need to,
just cause you have the gift of
00:42:40.89\00:42:44.96
prophecy used to deliver
messages to the christian church
00:42:44.96\00:42:48.96
and then in verse 10 mentions
a very specific prophet named
00:42:48.96\00:42:53.03
Agibus, and as far as I can
remember this is one of the only
places he is mentioned in the
00:42:53.03\00:42:57.11
Bible. Agibus
came from Judea, had a
00:42:57.11\00:43:01.24
message for Paul. He
took Paul's belt, bound
00:43:01.24\00:43:05.35
his own hands and said, thus
says the holy Spirit whoever
00:43:05.35\00:43:09.35
owns this belt if you go to
Jerusalem, you're going to be
bound it's go going be
00:43:09.35\00:43:13.39
the beginning of the
end. Why did God say that
00:43:13.39\00:43:17.39
see Paul was
planning to go to Jerusalem
00:43:17.39\00:43:21.40
remember what Jerusalem was. He
had not been back to Jerusalem
00:43:21.40\00:43:25.40
sense he left there planning
to kill as many christians as
00:43:25.40\00:43:29.44
he possible could and on the
road to Damascus he is converted
00:43:29.44\00:43:33.44
and all these Jews back
in Jerusalem understand what
00:43:33.44\00:43:37.48
Saul is now converted
and they now look at him as
00:43:37.48\00:43:41.48
biggest traitor thae ever lived
and they have determined if ever
00:43:41.48\00:43:45.52
get their hands on that guy,
they'll kill him on the spot
00:43:45.52\00:43:49.56
Paul has determined he's going
back to Jerusalem because he has
00:43:49.56\00:43:53.56
such a passion to share
the gospel with his country men
00:43:53.56\00:43:57.57
but God tried warning him
through the gift of prophecy
00:43:57.57\00:44:01.60
said Paul don't go there. I
know you have good intentions
00:44:01.60\00:44:05.64
I know you have a love for your
people, they aren't going to
00:44:05.64\00:44:09.68
accept it Paul it is going to
be the beginning of the end. And
00:44:09.68\00:44:13.75
you know what? Paul
didn't listen. The church tried
00:44:13.75\00:44:17.79
talking him out it but
because he loved his country men
00:44:17.79\00:44:21.82
so much he went to Jerusalem
any and ignored this prophecy
00:44:21.82\00:44:25.86
and you what? God was right
00:44:25.86\00:44:29.90
it was the begin of the
end for Paul, there was a riot
00:44:29.90\00:44:33.94
he was arrested he
appealed to be tried
00:44:33.94\00:44:38.04
before Caesar and he
was shipped to Rome where
00:44:38.04\00:44:42.08
eventually died in Rome,
00:44:42.08\00:44:46.11
it was the beginning
of the end God was trying
00:44:46.11\00:44:50.22
to guide his church
through gift of prophecy
00:44:50.22\00:44:54.29
that is why it says in Ephesians
00:44:54.29\00:44:58.39
and He Himself
gave some to be prophets
00:44:58.39\00:45:02.40
or some to be apostles
some prophets some evangelists
00:45:02.40\00:45:06.40
and some pastors and teachers
for the equipping of the saints
00:45:06.40\00:45:10.44
saints for the work of (what?)
ministry, for the edifying
00:45:10.44\00:45:14.81
of the body of Christ, God gave
his church all the gifts for
00:45:14.81\00:45:18.85
what purpose? for
the ministry! We do not
00:45:18.85\00:45:23.85
control the Holy Spirit, the
Holy Spirit controls us. Can you
00:45:23.85\00:45:27.92
say Amen. very important to
remember that. But now here is
00:45:27.92\00:45:31.93
the question we lead to .
Were there prophets in the old
00:45:31.93\00:45:36.00
Testament? Were there prophets
in the new testment? Could there
00:45:36.00\00:45:40.10
be someone or some people
with the gift even today? Yes!
00:45:40.10\00:45:44.17
Acording to the
Bible. That's why we read
00:45:44.17\00:45:48.21
in Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was wroth
00:45:48.21\00:45:52.28
with the woman, and went
to make war with the remnant
00:45:52.28\00:45:56.32
of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God,
00:45:56.32\00:46:00.39
and have the testimony of
Jesus Christ. In other word two
00:46:00.39\00:46:04.33
Characteristics God's last day
people. They keep His
commandments they have the
00:46:04.33\00:46:08.33
testimony of Jesus, which
we already leard is the gift of
00:46:08.33\00:46:12.37
prophecy So now
what is this telling us?
00:46:12.37\00:46:16.37
God says there is a remnant
movement in the last days, not
we study that the last
00:46:16.37\00:46:20.41
couple nights. That movement
is going to be christian
00:46:20.41\00:46:24.41
of all faiths who band together,
draw people back to the
00:46:24.41\00:46:28.42
commandments of God and back
to the Bible and the Bible alone
00:46:28.42\00:46:32.45
God says that remnant movement
is going to have the active gift
00:46:32.45\00:46:36.52
of prophecy. now lets put
together some things that we
00:46:36.52\00:46:40.56
learned. Revleation
said that 1260 years
00:46:40.56\00:46:44.53
of persecution, the
Papal persecution. That lasted
00:46:44.53\00:46:48.54
to 1798.
Revelation said there would be
00:46:48.54\00:46:52.54
there would be a remnant after
that and in the early 1800s
00:46:52.54\00:46:56.58
The Great Advent movement began
00:46:56.58\00:47:00.68
and what happen in what is
called the Great Advent movement
00:47:00.68\00:47:04.65
Religious persecution is gone
now America exist with religious
00:47:04.65\00:47:08.66
liberty So now you have
people from all faith Catholic
00:47:08.66\00:47:12.69
Baptists, Methodist, Episcopal
00:47:12.69\00:47:16.70
Lutherans coming
together and saying lets study
00:47:16.70\00:47:20.74
the Bible, lets learn the
truth of the Bible, lets throw
00:47:20.74\00:47:24.77
away all the traditions and
commandments of men that came
00:47:24.77\00:47:29.01
from the apostasy of the middle
ages, lets just come back to the
00:47:29.01\00:47:33.11
bible and as they did they this
group of people discovered the
00:47:33.11\00:47:37.25
Sabbath. They discovered the
commandments of God they
discovered the soon coming of
00:47:37.25\00:47:41.26
Jesus Christ eventually they all
those christian formed together
in what would become
00:47:41.26\00:47:45.26
known as the Seventh Day
Adventist movement, or Seventh
Day Adventist church
00:47:45.26\00:47:49.23
and in that great
Advent movement with
00:47:49.23\00:47:53.30
people from all denominations.
There was a young Methodist lady
00:47:53.30\00:47:57.34
named Ellen Harmon, her married
name was Ellen White who began
00:47:57.34\00:48:01.38
receiving visions and dreams.
So far we've talked about the
00:48:01.38\00:48:05.41
false gift of prophecy. I'd like
to show you what I believe is an
00:48:05.41\00:48:09.45
example of the true gift of
prophecy. While this remnant
00:48:09.45\00:48:13.49
group was trying to bring people
back to the bible and the Bible
00:48:13.49\00:48:17.53
alone God used this
women Ellen White who had
00:48:17.53\00:48:21.50
2000 visions and dreams
that provided guidance and
00:48:21.50\00:48:25.53
council for this advent
movement that was trying to draw
00:48:25.53\00:48:29.57
people back to
God's word and back to His
00:48:29.57\00:48:33.61
commandments. It's a small group
they didnt know how to do this.
00:48:33.61\00:48:37.65
Herprophhecies were always
accurate,and fulfilled, they
00:48:37.65\00:48:41.68
never contradicted the Bible,
they always focused on Jesus and
00:48:41.68\00:48:45.72
the cross, they denounced
the sins of God's people,
00:48:45.72\00:48:49.76
You know what is really
interesting she wrote over
00:48:49.76\00:48:53.80
55,000 pages and is the
fourth most translated writer
00:48:53.80\00:48:57.80
in history. all with
an eighth grade education
00:48:57.80\00:49:01.84
an you believe? It says
that she wrote over 50 books
00:49:01.84\00:49:05.84
She lectured to thousands,
on three different continents
00:49:05.84\00:49:09.91
now one of the most famous books
she ever wrote, is called The
00:49:09.91\00:49:13.95
Desire of Ages. I actually have
a copy of this book. The Desire
00:49:13.95\00:49:17.99
of Ages is a book that takes
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
00:49:17.99\00:49:22.02
the four Gospels on the life of
Jesus and puts them all together
00:49:22.02\00:49:26.06
this book has
almost 4000 Bible verses
00:49:26.06\00:49:30.03
in it and it was voted by the
Library of Congress to be the
00:49:30.03\00:49:34.14
best book ever written on the
life of Jesus, of course next to
00:49:34.14\00:49:38.17
the Bible the Bible is number
in fact one of the workers or
00:49:38.17\00:49:42.18
directors of the library of
congress made this statement.
Now these are not my words
00:49:42.18\00:49:46.18
he said,
00:49:46.18\00:49:50.22
Now he is talking
00:50:02.43\00:50:06.43
outside of the Bible, the Bible
is the number one by far on the
00:50:06.43\00:50:10.44
life of Jesus Christ. Can you
say Amen? But out side of that
he talks about something
00:50:10.44\00:50:14.44
this woman with an
8th grade education wrote,
00:50:14.44\00:50:18.28
and I've read this book.
It brings out so many lessons
00:50:18.28\00:50:22.32
that many times we
overlook. In the book
00:50:22.32\00:50:26.35
that she wrote, She wrote The
Great Controversy which talks
00:50:26.35\00:50:30.36
the prophecies of the end
times.She made this staatemnet:
00:50:30.36\00:50:34.36
She said In our time there is
a wide from their departure from
00:50:34.36\00:50:38.40
their doctrines and precepts,
(talking bout the doctrines of
00:50:38.40\00:50:42.40
the Bible?) and there is need of
a return to the great Protestant
00:50:42.40\00:50:46.44
principle the Bible, and the
Bible only, as the rule of faith
00:50:46.44\00:50:50.45
and duty. See the
true gift of prophecy
00:50:50.45\00:50:54.48
should always point people back
to the what book? To the Bible
00:50:54.48\00:50:58.55
the Bible and the Bible
alone never should it point them
00:50:58.55\00:51:02.62
somewhere never should it
be used to exalting oneself as
00:51:02.62\00:51:06.66
messenger It always pointing to
Jesus and it always back to the
00:51:06.66\00:51:10.67
Bible that is what the
genuine gift is supposed to do
00:51:10.67\00:51:14.74
now soemtimes there is
misunderstandings and I want to
be clear about this
00:51:14.74\00:51:18.81
because I've heard people
say, oh well those Seventh-day
00:51:18.81\00:51:22.91
Adventists they're a cult
because they follow what Ellen
White says and Ellen White
00:51:22.91\00:51:26.95
is their Bible, Now I want
to publicly say and say it video
00:51:26.95\00:51:31.02
nothing could be further from
the truth I would not belong
00:51:31.02\00:51:35.12
to a movement that places
some human being above what the
00:51:35.12\00:51:39.23
word of God says can you say
amen? We've been here at this
00:51:39.23\00:51:43.20
seminar so you tell me. What
book has been used above all
00:51:43.20\00:51:47.24
others the Bible and the Bible
alone. How many Bible verses
00:51:47.24\00:51:51.27
have we looked up each night. I
don't exactly know how many but
00:51:51.27\00:51:55.28
we looked up lots of them. In
fact some of you have indicated
I've used the Bible more in this
00:51:55.28\00:51:59.31
seminar than I have
my entire life. It's
00:51:59.31\00:52:03.32
always amazing how people will
just repeat something that was
00:52:03.32\00:52:07.39
written in a book somewhere
by someone who apparently has a
00:52:07.39\00:52:11.39
prejudice or a vendetta
and believe it and never have
00:52:11.39\00:52:15.40
fellowship in a Seventh-day
Adventist church. But the truth
00:52:15.40\00:52:19.47
is you could find someone who
wrote a book against every
church that ever existed
00:52:19.47\00:52:23.51
I could find you a book someone
wrote against Catholics or book
00:52:23.51\00:52:27.54
someone against Methodist Just
someone who has an agenda the
00:52:27.54\00:52:31.61
fact that someone would spends
their life desparaging another
00:52:31.61\00:52:35.65
group ought to be an indication
of what kind of spirit is behind
00:52:35.65\00:52:39.69
the book. Doesn't that make
sense? You always go back to the
00:52:39.69\00:52:43.76
Bible But just to be clear I'm
going to show you the official
00:52:43.76\00:52:47.83
statement of the Seventh-day
Adventist church on the Gift of
00:52:47.83\00:52:51.83
Prophecy And this
is just word for word
00:52:51.83\00:52:55.84
Never should
anyones word be placed
00:53:24.57\00:53:28.60
above what scripture says
that is not what the gift of
00:53:28.60\00:53:32.71
prophecy is for. I'm just
going to show you real quick
00:53:32.71\00:53:36.75
I believe this a good example of
the genuine gift, Iwant to show
00:53:36.75\00:53:40.85
you something she wrote a
150 years ago her first book was
00:53:40.85\00:53:44.95
called Early Writings and she
made this statement, She said:
00:53:44.95\00:53:49.02
I recommend to you,
dear reader, (What?)
00:53:49.02\00:53:53.06
the Word of God (notice she
didn't say I recommend to you
00:53:53.06\00:53:57.10
dear reader myself on my
word) I recommend to you, dear
00:53:57.10\00:54:01.17
reader, the Word of God as the
rule of your faith and practice.
00:54:01.17\00:54:05.17
By that Word we are to be
judged... The Holy Scriptures
00:54:05.17\00:54:09.14
are to be accepted as an
authoritative, infallible
00:54:09.14\00:54:13.18
revelation of His will. They are
the standard of character, the
revealer of doctrines,
00:54:13.18\00:54:17.22
and the test of experience...
(and then these last two
00:54:17.22\00:54:21.22
sentence cap it for me) Little
heed is given to the (what?)
00:54:21.22\00:54:25.23
to the Bible... the
Lord has given a lesser light
00:54:25.23\00:54:29.23
to lead men and
women to the gift of
00:54:29.23\00:54:33.23
greater light.
That encapsules the true
00:54:33.23\00:54:37.24
prophecy in one sentence.
Someone who has that gift
00:54:37.24\00:54:41.28
is a lesser light that
is to point people back
00:54:41.28\00:54:45.31
to the greater light. It is
not to bring up new teachings
00:54:45.31\00:54:49.32
or new doctrines, it's simply to
point people back to what they
00:54:49.32\00:54:53.36
have been ignoring from the
beginning. That is the greater
00:54:53.36\00:54:57.39
light of the Bible and the Bible
and the Bible alone, that is the
00:54:57.39\00:55:01.46
genuine gift. The false is when
someone place their word above
it or wants to drawing
00:55:01.46\00:55:05.43
the attention to themselves and
unfortunately we have seen that
happen in the world
00:55:05.43\00:55:09.50
There is one other thing I want
to show you because I fine this
00:55:09.50\00:55:13.54
humorous Even back in her
day there were some people who
00:55:13.54\00:55:17.58
starting to take her writings
and try to place them above the
00:55:17.58\00:55:21.65
Bible and whenshe found out what
the were doing, I want you to
00:55:21.65\00:55:25.69
listen to the startling
rebuke she gave those people
00:55:25.69\00:55:29.76
now understand back
then they called people
00:55:29.76\00:55:33.80
sister so and so and brother so
and so that from the 1800s. But
00:55:33.80\00:55:37.80
she wrote see
when someone says that
00:56:06.13\00:56:10.13
and prevents people from trying
to place writings where they
00:56:10.13\00:56:14.14
don't belong that is the genuine
gift. If she would have said oh
00:56:14.14\00:56:18.17
yeah my writing are better than
the Bible, please place them
above the Bible. That would have
00:56:18.17\00:56:22.18
been absolute guarantee that
is a false gift of prophecy. It
00:56:22.18\00:56:26.21
always points
people back to the Bible.
00:56:26.21\00:56:30.22
But folks here is the point
tonight, you might be saying
00:56:30.22\00:56:34.26
well pastor Dave how do
I know if she or any person
00:56:34.26\00:56:38.26
really has the gift of
prophecy, Friend it comes down
00:56:38.26\00:56:42.26
to those three test.
Do they get there message
00:56:42.26\00:56:46.30
in visons and dreams,
are they 100% accurate
00:56:46.30\00:56:50.31
and do they every
contradict the Word of God.
00:56:50.31\00:56:54.34
But folks the truth is this you
00:56:54.34\00:56:58.35
can't test the
spirit until you know your
00:56:58.35\00:57:02.35
Bible. You cannot
test the spirit between the
00:57:02.35\00:57:06.42
true and false unless
we spend time everyday
00:57:06.42\00:57:10.46
reading this
word this is the most
00:57:10.46\00:57:14.46
important book in the christian
life. Can you say amen?
00:57:14.46\00:57:18.43
But yet we spend
so little time in it.
00:57:18.43\00:57:22.50
Oh we watch our television.
We have our sports games.
00:57:22.50\00:57:26.54
Oh we'll watch the
entertainment world
00:57:26.54\00:57:30.55
all while our Bible sits
on the shelve and gathers dust
00:57:30.55\00:57:34.55
the prophecies of the end
time are being fulfilled right
00:57:34.55\00:57:38.62
now in front us.
Tonight I ask you,
00:57:38.62\00:57:42.66
you have you made the
Bible a priority in your life
00:57:42.66\00:57:46.73
that is why it
says: All scripture
00:57:46.73\00:57:50.80
is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable
00:57:50.80\00:57:54.80
for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for
00:57:54.80\00:57:58.84
instruction in righteousness:
that the man of God may be
00:57:58.84\00:58:02.88
complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
00:58:02.88\00:58:06.92
I wounder if tongiht you
would be willing to you say Lord
00:58:06.92\00:58:10.95
I need more time in the Bible
00:58:10.95\00:58:15.06
I need to make
it a priority so I
00:58:15.06\00:58:19.09
can know the truth
are we willing to say
00:58:19.09\00:58:23.16
in our hearts, Lord help me
to spend more time in Your Word.
00:58:23.16\00:58:38.18