"Your Own Prophets"

"For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed." Jeremiah 29:8

Deception has been around since the Garden of Eden. There have always been false prophets and teachers, but Jesus warned that in the days prior to His return they would increase, and He warned us not to be deceived by them. If ever we needed to heed this warning it is now.

"Let not your prophets, your diviners, your dreams". The first warning here is that not everyone who is called a prophet, teacher, preacher, etc. is called by God. They are either God called, self called or man called. Therefore, not all of them are chosen by God. So don't let the ones you, not God, have chosen deceive you.

We tend to chose to listen to those who will tell us what we want to hear. We want to always be told "good things". We don't want to hear anything "bad" or "negative". We must guard against always looking for a "positive" word. True prophets (a true voice for God) will not always tell you what you want to hear- often they will tell you what you don't want to hear.

It is dangerous to be seeking only a word that tells you nothing but good all the time. If we are doing that then we are actually seeking a word that will appease our flesh and give us a license to yield to the desires of our flesh. We need to hear the truth- it will minister to and bring about transformation in our spirits. And the truth is what sets us free.

When the Lord speaks to us, it will not always appeal to our flesh. It will not always be an "easy" word- it is often a "hard" word. A true word from God doesn't always tell us what we want to hear. It doesn't always make us shout for joy. His word will often tell us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, go the second mile, turn the other cheek, sell all you have, forgive seven times seventy, if you suffer with Me you will reign with Me. The word itself may be "hard to swallow" and not what we "want" to hear, but God loves us enough to tell us what we "need" to hear.

So does this mean that the Lord will never tell us anything good? Of course not, but more often than not it won't be something that we want to hear. He is not out to appease our flesh- flesh has to die. Everything He does and says to us is always for our good and out of His love for us.

Have a great day. Don't be deceived by prophets of your own choosing just because they tell you what you want to hear.

For further reading:
1 Kings 22:1-18
Matthew 24:4,11,24
2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 John 4:1
2 Peter 2:1-3

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><


Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

If you would like to subscribe to the Coffee Break mailing list, visit our website and on the Coffee Break page you will find a submision form.

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry