Is it real or is it a cheap copy? How to Tell ..

Matt 7:15 - 23

"Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?  In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.  On that day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!'

Many people in "the ministry" want you to believe that their "gospel" is THE WAY. Fancy pseudo-theology makes us feel good (Proverbs 26:28 A lying tongue hates those crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin. Please note that I am NOT trying to say that all these popular preachers that you hear are satanic egomaniacs that are merely seeking your money and power, but I want to make you aware that they are out there and more abundant than you may want to believe. There are "wolves" making the headlines and being blasted across the wide array of media promoting a plethora of self-serving doctrines and trying to sugar-coat the Plan and Will of THE MOST HOLY GOD. This is not a "fire and brimstone" post, but I DO want you to read this as a HOLY WARNING to the tactics that Satan is using.

We acknowledge that the Word of GOD can be used to whatever end we seek in our heart. Even Satan knows this ands is recorded as doing this very thing – even to JESUS, Himself. ( Luke 4: 1-9). He (Satan) invented this tactic even in The Garden of Eden when misquoted and challenged the very WORDS of GOD to tempt Eve with the forbidden fruit (Gen chpt 2 and 3).  

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There is a notable change between what the Lord God had said and what the woman says. God said "you may freely eat" (the imperfect with the infinitive absolute, see 2:16), but the woman omits the emphatic infinitive, saying simply "we may eat." Her words do not reflect the sense of eating to her heart's content.  And you must not touch it. The woman adds to God's prohibition, making it say more than God expressed. G. von Rad observes that it is as though she wanted to set a law for herself by means of this exaggeration. The Hebrew construction is פֶּן (pen) with the imperfect tense, which conveys a negative purpose: "lest you die" = "in order that you not die." By stating the warning in this way, the woman omits the emphatic infinitive used by God ("you shall surely die," see 2:17). The response of the serpent includes the infinitive absolute with a blatant negation equal to saying: "Not – you will surely die" (לֹא מוֹת תִּמֻתען, lo' mot tÿmutun). The construction makes this emphatic because normally the negative particle precedes the finite verb. The serpent is a liar, denying that there is a penalty for sin (see John 8:44). Surely you will not die. Here the serpent is more aware of what the Lord God said than the woman was; he simply adds a blatant negation to what God said. In the account of Jesus' temptation Jesus is victorious because he knows the scripture better than Satan. To avoid this pitfall, we must immerse ourselves in The Scriptures in order to arm ourselves with God's TRUE Word and not be deceived by the world's "softer version" .

Avoid putting your unlimited trust in a mere person. Be prepared to test and validate their doctrine against the scriptures (2 Tim 2:15 - Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ) Note that Paul uses the same significance of a workman that should not be ashamed of his faith and confidence in his goals and actions. By using the Scriptures as a measuring tool, we can have that same confidence in our daily lives and can effectively "James 4:7-8 says "So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.^"

1 John 4:1-6

 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God,  but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world's perspective and the world listens to them. We are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

"You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Deuteronomy 4:2

"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." Deuteronomy 12:32

"...if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." Galatians 1:9-10
 

"For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you may well put up with it!" 2 Corinthians 11:4 [I.e. don't tolerate heresy]

"Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." Proverbs 30:5-6

"If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Revelation  22:18-19

May God Bless You and Yours

Gene

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