Quote from Forum Archives on June 7, 2005, 4:26 pm

Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>

"WOLVES in SHEEP’s CLOTHING" - Part 2.
-by Jesse Morrell.

Their Motive:

“Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not
the shepherds feed the flocks?” (Ezekiel 34:2)

A false teacher has an eye on people’s bank accounts while a
true preacher has his eyes on eternity. False teachers may have
the appearance of loving people, yet they are truly only concerned
about themselves to further and enhance their own processions
and careers. They feed themselves when they need to be feeding
the flocks. They skin the sheep alive to clothe themselves, leaving
the sheep beaten, battered, and bloody to die. Paul was “poor, yet
making many rich” (2 Co 6:10) while these men are rich by making
many poor! With their manipulating words and twisting of
scriptures they ransack and plunder the pockets of unsuspecting
people to line their own.

Leonard Ravenhill wrote: “Preachers who have homes and cottages
by the lake, a boat on that lake, and a big bank balance, still beg for
more…These dear, doll-like preachers-boys no longer change their
suits once a day, but two or three times a day. They preach the
Jesus of the stables, but themselves live in swank hotels. For their
own lusts they bleed the audience financially in the name of the
One who had to borrow a penny to illustrate His sermon. They
wear expensive Hollywood suits in honor of One who wore a
peasant’s robe… How fearful will all this be in the judgment morning?”

A true preacher speaks for God while a false preacher speaks
for himself. “There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst
thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured
souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have
made her many widows in the midst thereof.” (Ezekiel 22:25). The
ingredients that make up their ministries are: greed, covetousness,
jealousy, lies, and selfishness. Because they are self seeking and
self serving, their followers are the same.

A false teacher may preach a message saturated with truth, but it
will be seasoned with lies. They will use the Bible and speak the
name of Christ. Their Christian language will be the same as ours,
and that is their deception. Even the devil lies with half truths!
These men may encourage people to go after God, but will not
convict people of their sin. A preacher is “to exhort and convict
those who contradict.” (1 Tim 1:9). They never warn people that
their sin is destructive to their life, deadly to their soul, and
disgusting to a Holy God. A watchman that does not blow the
trumpet when the sword is coming must either be sleeping or not
love the city!

Their results:

“And He spoke a parable to them: "Can the blind lead the blind?
Will they not both fall into the ditch?” (Lu 6:39)

The sad truth is that many modern preachers are empty wells,
spoiled milk, and broken bridges. They are captives who promise
freedom, slaves who guarantee liberty. “Both prophet and priest
are profane; yes, in my house I have found their wickedness’ says
the Lord.” (Jer 23:11) They have a reputation among men for being
alive but are just as dead in their sins as the worst of men in the eyes of
God.

If they were of God, they would be like God. If they walked with
Jesus, they would preach like Jesus. A false teacher will give birth
to false converts. “But if they had stood in my counsel, and had
caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned
them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.”
(Jer 23:22).

They will never, or rarely, speak on the anger and wrath of God
because they risks becoming unpopular, so those who sit under
these men feel that God accepts them just as they are, and that
there is no need for repentance. Many today are being sold
forgiveness but not at the cost of repentance. They are promised
Heaven yet without holiness. Men need medicine but are receiving
candy. “Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous
sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the
hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way
to save his life.” (Ezekiel 13:22).

A false teacher will turn the grace of God into licenciousness by
teaching that God came to save men in their sin, not from their sin.
“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of
old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace
of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God,
and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4). These men ultimately say
“Enjoy your sin and enjoy Jesus too”. This is the old destructive
lie which says Jesus can be your Savior but doesn’t have to be your
Lord; God is pleased with you even in disobedience. This truly is
the modern heresy which has inebriated many. This is the
despicable message of freedom to sin rather then freedom
from sin. They speak death disguised as life. They lead to bondage
cloaked as freedom.

A true shepherd will lead the flock to the pastures of God's word
for nourishment, yet these shepherds lead the flock to the slaughter
house of false doctrine. A true preacher will lead people to rivers
of eternal life to freely drink. Martin Luther wrote: "Those who preach
something else than the gospel... may indeed praise themselves
ten times with the name of the Apostles, adorn themselves with the
name and title of the Christian Church, and even raise the dead.
Actually they are horrible wolves and murderers that do not spare
the flock of Christ, but scatter, torture, and slaughter it."

The Answer

“But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work
of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5).

It was as if Paul was saying “yes, men are preaching lies and will
continue to deceive the multitudes. But as for you, preach the truth”.
We can constantly judge and condemn other ministries, or we can
have ministries of our own. It is the truth that will prevail against lies!

David Wilkerson said “We are in a famine in this land. A famine of
hearing the Word of the Lord and it’s going to get worse, it’s going
to rage, and many are going to starve spiritually and fall by the
wayside on the right and on the left…Name me one Jeremiah
type preacher on television. Name me one man who stands
unashamedly, not afraid of his income, not afraid of anything!
Name one in the media now who’s standing up like Jeremiah or
John the Baptist! Where are they? Where are the voices? ...The
pulpit was meant to be a burning bush, where a fire was never to go
out. And the man who stood in that sacred pulpit is suppose to be
a man shut in with God, a man who waits on God, in God’s
presence until he hears the Word of the Lord, until he hears from
the throne of God. And he comes out before the people with the
mind of God. He’s to speak with plainness the Scriptures said, his
speech not in the wisdom of man. He’s to speak with spiritual
authority. He’s to be absolutely fearless. He’s to name
sin. He’s to be the voice of the living God in these last days! This
is a burning bush!”

If you want to be a true and faithful witness, you must seek to serve
the glory of God and not the glory of yourself. You must be out to
expand the Kingdom of God and not to expand your own wallet
with earthly treasure that will perish anyway. You must be a salty
preacher causing mouths to thirst for righteousness and cuts to
burn with conviction.

Vance Havner said "God's preacher is not popular...The King sent
Micaiah to prison with hard fare prescribed, bread and water of
affliction. True prophets are not always rewarded with an increase
in salary and a Church downtown. Many of God's Micaiahs still eat
his fare."

To answer the well known question of, “Can’t we all just get along?”
The answer is no. The only way that the world will accept you is if
you accept the world. Christ came to cause division. (Matt 10:34).
We must be completely for Christ, we can not have any side
loyalties to the world. If you want to follow in the way of the Master,
kiss the world good-bye!

Throw reputation out the window for the sake of the truth. Endure
afflictions, overcome any hardship; persevere through any tribulation
to recover even one sheep that has wandered off. Count it a blessing
and a joy when you are hated, rejected, spoken badly of, persecuted,
and even killed. Live your life with your heart for God’s glory. Even
if people do not care for you or your message, care for people and
their souls. So then, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature.” (Mk 16:15)

Quotes:
David Kirkwood: The Great Gospel Deception page 230.
Ray Comfort: Revival's Golden Key page 45
Leonard Ravenhill: Why Revival Tarries page 57
Martin Luther: Freedom and Faith put out by Vintage Spiritual
Classics page 55.
David Wilkerson: “Speak to me” compilation found at
www.sermonindex.net
Vance Havner: By Still Waters page 83-84
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