Pastor Buddy’s Blog

False prophets run in packs…

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Journal,

I’m having such fun watching General Claudius Josephus. All the squirrels around our home know him. They really don’t pay much attention to CJ. And to him the squirrels are a curiosity.

When he moves closer to one of the squirrels, the squirrel disappears. CJ always has this puzzled look on his face, ‘Now where did that Harry Houdini squirrel go? How did he do that?’

Course the squirrel is up in the tree going about his own business.

Snickers was a different matter. The squirrels loved to pick at him. They would even run along the top of our back fence. It would make Snickers crazy. I don’t speak squirrel, but it seems to me that all that chattering including a round of laughter.

7:30 a.m. CJ and I made our early round — Paper, home, reading, CJ snoozing, coffee, devotion, to the office.

In reading from Nehemiah this morning a couple of Scriptures stood out. I do have something to share. Listen:

“Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him [a false prophet], but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballet had hired him.” (Nehemiah 6:12 nasb.)

“Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballet according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the [false] prophets who were trying to frighten me.” (Nehemiah 6:14 nasb.)

When I read this I remembered something Paul said about false teachers entering the flock. He called them wolves. Listen:

“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:29 nasb.)

Why would Paul speak of these false teachers as wolves in the plural. It is because wolves are pack animals. And so are the false prophets.

If you will read your Old Testament you will find that most every time the false prophets are seen, they are in bunches. They always support one another. In fact they draw their strength from the pack.

Not to? labor the point since the lesson seems? pretty plain. However, there are a couple of observations that need to be made.

The Old Testament false prophet was a deceiver. (As well as these New Testament false teachers and false prophets.) What made the deception so workable is that he would claim to speak in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.? Saying,? ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ came easy to them.? It is so with the false prophet today.

Another item of special note about these wolves in sheeps clothing is that they all have one? special fear. They fear exposure.

What was the one thing that the Old Testament false prophets feared most of all? They feared a true prophet of the Lord. A true prophet could always expose them.

So where does the false prophet fit in the scheme of things. Listen to what Isaiah said:

“The head is the elder and honorable man, and the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.” (Isaiah 9:15 nasb.)

Would you like to use a different word for ‘tail?’? You can think of something. Mayby another word for donkey?

Sorry. Just had to do that.

Here’s the New Testament lesson. The false prophet can fool a lot of people, but he cannot fool a true child of the living God. Why is that? It is because God’s true children have in their hearts a special anointing that will reveal to them all falseness.

Did not Jesus say, “…you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:26-28 nasb.)

Point at hand — Those who can be deceived, will be deceived. In fact the Lord said that He was going to send a major deception upon the earth in the last days so that those who would not truly follow Jesus, could be judged. This last day deluding influence will consist of signs and wonders that will be done in the name of Jesus.

Think about it. Are we not already seeing some of this??

Beware you false prophets. Your eternal home is going to be the lake of fire.

9:10 a.m. Journal, I need to bring you up-to-date on my forward movement.

I have a release from the Lord to began publishing some of my writings. It will take awhile, but I am very much encouraged.

Looks like my first book will come from personal studies on the Acts of the Apostles. It will be titled, ‘Saddle Your Camel.’ I’ll be taking readers on a personal venture through Acts, to show how certain doctrines of the early church developed over time. (It will be easy reading. Just the highlights will be pleasing to read.)

As for my personal health — I am feeling stronger physically, all the time. Still have six more chemo treatments to take. However, I can actually feel the noticeable tumors disappearing. (Remember in a biopsy I had a tumor-growth removed that the doctor said was? the size of a baseball. It was? one among several.)

Can’t wait for my next PET scan. Believe it will come after my third chemo, which is next week. The PET scan will show a status-picture on the tumors. Believe everyone will be pleased.

But I know beyond all doubt that the tumors are shrinking away. No one knows their body better than the patient.? :)

9:30 a.m.? Jon is moving a needed file cabinet from the church office to Betty’s office at the parsonage. It is so good for? Betty and I to be able to do our work from home.

9:40 a.m.? Prince Regent surveys his kingdom.

CJ got muddy in the backyard while keeping an eye on Jon.? General Claudius Josephus gets so excited when we have a visitor. He runs and turns and just makes a monkey out of himself. Course Jon loves CJ. Doesn’t everyone?

I had to take him out front so he could run through the wet grassy areas. He feet were so muddy. CJ always looks like a young colt.

After a bit he will come stand by me. He is so regal with his head held high. You can see his eyes wandering over the church property. He wants to make sure there are no interlopers in his realm. (Had to wipe him down before coming back in the house.)

11:00? a.m. It’s time for a serious relook at my ‘Writer’s Block’ program. Need to begin working on my book manuscript.

Let me leave with this story. It has to do with a couple of notable deer hunters.

We were recently married. Decided to go deer hunting in the mountains. So we bought our licenses, borrowed a couple of guns, found us a tent, a couple of sleeping bags and off we went. We were ready for big game.

Snow was on the ground. Boy was it cold. Anyway, we snuggled into our sleeping bags for the night. Wanted to get up early for the hunt.

Both of us were freezing. Then I heard Betty say, ‘Are you ready to go home?’ That was all I needed to hear. We broke camp and headed back for our warm beds.? :)

So much for the big hunters. ?

The moral of that story — From now on when we want a mountain venture, we find a good motel close to a town and just enjoy what the good Lord has for us.

By the way, we don’t hunt. I couldn’t shoot a deer if my life depended on it. All the deer would have to do is look at me.

That’s it folk. I’m closing out for the day. Got to get to work on my book.

Buddy

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