We live in world in which a person can seemingly become anything they wish if they set their minds to it. As a child, I dreamed of being a firefighter, a police officer, history teacher, an NFL star, etc. Never in my wildest dreams did I think or even hope to become a preacher or the pastor of a great church. However, God seemed to have different plans for me. Though I trusted Jesus as child, God really started dealing with me about serving Him when I was about 17. At that point in my life I thought “No way Lord,” I have a lot of things I want to do so I’ll say no for now.” I lived and did and went to church when I had time or it was convenient for me. Still, God wasn’t finished with me. He started touching my heart again at 21 concerning the ministry, but I thought, “Lord, I’ve just started a family and I don’t think preaching is going to pay the bills.” Yet there was that constant nagging in my soul that wouldn’t go away. So at 26 God called again! By that time I was settled in my life and in my relationship with God and knew that He might not give me another opportunity to tell Him no! So at 26 I said, “OK already Lord, I’ll do this preaching thing if that’s really what You desire for me.” The journey has been very fast pace and adventurous; and 12 years later I can confidently say that God knew what He wanted for me even if I didn’t.  To God be the Glory!

Now my concern is people claiming to be sent from God with a prophetic word. My problem is they seem to have some special revelation from God that was spoken to them by a voice from heaven. Hey, it can happen I know, but when they begin proclaiming something that cannot be backed up with the written WORD OF GOD, I have issue. Think of the cultic leaders that have led men and women to drink poison and die claiming that’s what God wanted. Or the man who claimed he figured out when the end of the world was going to be. Let me give you few names of some of these crackpots who claimed to be prophets from God: Marshall Applewhite, Charles Manson, David Koresh, Adolph Hitler, Sun Myung Moon, Michael Moore, and Jim Jones to name a few. Their agenda was power, destruction and death rather than love for God and His Son.

My point is that there are those whose desire is to lead you away from God. God’s Word says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?” (Matt. 7:15-16). In other words, if they don’t teach the BIBLE, look out. We are living in dangerous times friends. And for those of you who don’t know Jesus as your Savior, PLEASE, take another look, it might be the last opportunity you get! Your eternity is literally at stake. If I’m wrong it will not cost you anything. But if you’re wrong, eternity hangs in the balance. Are you willing to chance it?

“ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”  and believe in your heart  that God raised Him from the dead,  you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:9-10