June 25: Tell me what I want to hear please! The truth hurts too much!

Micah chapters 1 and 2

Micah 2:6-11

The Message (MSG)

6-7 “Don’t preach,” say the preachers.
    “Don’t preach such stuff.
Nothing bad will happen to us.
    Talk like this to the family of Jacob?
Does God lose his temper?
    Is this the way he acts?
Isn’t he on the side of good people?
    Doesn’t he help those who help themselves?”

8-11 “What do you mean, ‘good people’!
    You’re the enemy of my people!
You rob unsuspecting people
    out for an evening stroll.
You take their coats off their backs
    like soldiers who plunder the defenseless.
You drive the women of my people
    out of their ample homes.
You make victims of the children
    and leave them vulnerable to violence and vice.
Get out of here, the lot of you.
    You can’t take it easy here!
You’ve polluted this place,
    and now you’re polluted—ruined!
If someone showed up with a good smile and glib tongue
    and told lies from morning to night—
‘I’ll preach sermons that will tell you
    how you can get anything you want from God:
More money, the best wines . . . you name it’—
    you’d hire him on the spot as your preacher!

Micah 2:6-11

Amplified Bible (AMP)

6 Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us [the reviling has no end].

7 O house of Jacob, shall it be said, Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted, impatient, and shortened? Or are these [prophesied plagues] His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly?

8 But lately (yesterday) My people have stood up as an enemy [and have made Me their antagonist]. Off from the garment you strip the cloak of those who pass by in secure confidence of safety and are averse to war.

9 The women of My people you cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My glory forever.

10 Arise and depart, for this is not the rest [which was promised to the righteous in Canaan], because of uncleanness that works destruction, even a sharp and grievous destruction.

11 If a man walking in a spirit [of vanity] and in falsehood should lie and say, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink, O Israel, he would even be the acceptable prophet of this people!

So basically we just don't want to hear the truth. We'd rather put our fingers in our ears and sing "la la la la la" loudly to block out the truth.

There would be no false preachers and teachers in the world today if we all loved the truth.

2 Timothy 4:3

Amplified Bible (AMP)

3 For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold,

This time is now, folks. 

Revelation 20:10

Amplified Bible (AMP)

10 Then the devil who had led them astray [deceiving and seducing them] was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages).

If youre getting counsel from someone who tells you what you want to hear, especially if its going against the Word of God, look out! Beware!

Matthew 7:15-29

Amplified Bible (AMP)

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.

16 You will [l]fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [[m]worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.

18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear[n]excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

20 Therefore, you will [o]fully know them by their fruits.

21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name?

23 And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].

24 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a[p]sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock.

25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand.

27 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it.

28 When Jesus had finished these sayings [the Sermon on the Mount], the crowds were astonishedand overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His teaching,

29 For He was teaching as One Who had [and was] authority, and not as [did] the scribes.

Yes there are false prophets right in church. Dressed like Christians. Sitting on the pew. But they are devouring wolves. 

Again, if you are receiving counsel from someone and it sounds good (tickles your ears), but your gut or God's Word is telling you its off, fall on your knees and pray! Ask God to reveal to you Truth. Seek counsel from your pastor. Oh and if your pastor is telling you you can go ahead and smoke, drink alchohol, or live with your boyfriend or girlfriend, or have a guy friend or girl friend who you have sex with only sometimes, or look at pornography, or go to bars as long as you dont drink, or anything like this, dont waste another second on this guy. Find another pastor.

Matthew 7:15-29

Amplified Bible (AMP)

7 [e]Keep on asking and it will be given you; [f] keep on seeking and you will find; [g]keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.

When men or women fail you, for Heaven's sake, don't give up on God! Keep seeking, keep searching and you WILL find truth. It's a promise!

"Dear God I pray for the person out there this morning who is being led astray. By someone who pretends to be of You, but is actually a wolf in sheep's clothing. Please give this dear child of You the strength and courage to tear themselves away from this evil person who pretends to be good! And seek, seek, seek after Godly counsel. Your word promises if they seek, they WILL find. Help this person to understand fully that they can't always trust people, but they CAN ALWAYS trust YOU! You have their best interests at heart! I give You praise and honor today and I thank You for what You are doing already in Your child's life. You are worthy of my praise. In Jesus name, AMEN."