IDENTIFYING FALSE PROPHETS PART 1

By Gavin Aleogho 

God helping me, I will be starting a series on how to identify false prophets.

By false prophets, it includes but not limited to false pastors, teachers, apostles, evangelists or whatever title they decide to parade themselves as.

The burden to write on this topic is based on the rate at which many supposed Christian of today are being swayed around by the increase of these individuals who parade themselves as Christians, Christian leaders or spiritual leaders.

They have given birth to a lot of supposed Christians who cannot differentiate between their left from their right, solely depending on the personality of their supposed ‘man of God’ for deliverance and miracles.

This article will help you to identify them, peradventure you are among their congregation or you happen to visit a church where they are.

Mind you, these persons can be found either operating independently (like them running their invented ministry), or they can be among true church of God where they are given position of leadership, unknown to the Church authority.

So, let’s start!

Centre of Attraction

One major sign to look out for in identifying false prophet is to find out who they are attracting people to. Are they attracting people to themselves, the devil or to Christ? What is the focus of their supposed ministry? Are they drawing people’s attention to themselves or to Jesus Christ who is the centre and reason for Christianity?

It is very important to look out for this sign, because Christianity can be simply summarized as; Jesus Christ, reconciling human back to God. Jesus Christ is the ONLY mediator between God and man. This is what the Bible teaches.

But we have a problem, when a supposed ‘man of God’ decides to make himself either directly or indirectly the mediator between his followers and God. This is a big problem! I am sure that is not Christianity, even though it is clothed in Christian form.

A Pastor friend shared with me and my wife, the story of a supposed church he was invited to worship. How he angrily left the gathering when a supposed ‘man of God’ came up and declared that his body is the pool of Bethesda, that everyone in the gathering should come forward with a sachet of water and money. They should drop the cash on the altar and use the water to touch his body. He said, the prophet instructed the congregation to use the water to cure any kind of problem or sickness. You can agree with me that there is something wrong with this practice.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that God cannot use any means to heal anybody. The problem is, when healing is done in a ministry and there is nothing in the process pointing or suggesting that Christ Jesus is the originator of the miracle, I become suspicious of such process or individual.

Check it out; an account is given in the book of Acts 3:12-13a, after God through the hands of Peter healed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate. Peter gave this testimony about the story:

“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus…”

Apostle Peter never took credit for it. He never said anything that suggested that it was time for his (Peter’s) ministry to be glorified. No! He said the miracle was done to glorify, lift, magnify, show, present Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Besides, when Jesus Christ died, something remarkable and symbolic happened. The veil between the Holy of Holies tore down, giving everyone access to the Holy of Holies.

“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom...” Matthew 27:51.

What does this suggests? It shows that what prevents laymen from coming into God’s presence was torn down. Now, you don’t need a prophet, pastor or apostle to access heaven through prayers. “For through him (Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father”. Ephesians 2:18. You now have the access through Jesus Christ to God.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrew 4:16 

In Christianity, the essence of the miracles that are done through us is to draw people to Christ. It is not to draw people to us, our church or ministry. It is not to enrich our pocket. It is to enlarge God’s Kingdom on earth.

When a person who claims to be a pastor, prophets or whatever,  starts making himself the centre of attraction, that is not the true Christianity.

Special things to be wary of in the case of false prophets

1. Be careful with anyone who makes himself or herself a prayer machine for you.
2. Be careful with anyone who tells you to bring offering so that your prayers can be answered.
3. Be careful with anyone who ignores your sins, but tells you that your seeds can bring you your desired miracles.
4. Be careful with those who prophesy in the name of the Lord so that you can constantly depend and rely on them when troubles come.
5. Be careful with magicians on the altar, who does things that doesn’t have biblical bases.
6. Be careful with those who will never teach you to grow spiritually to attain to great height, so that you can constantly look up to them instead of Jesus.

The NLT version of the Bible puts James 5:17 this way: Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!

What this shows is that every man of God is just like you, you can attain to their height if you give yourself to prayers.

Take responsibility for your Christian life. Study the Word by yourself!

...to be continue.

Abraham Lincoln’s Letter To His Son’s Teacher

This letter was written by Abraham Lincoln to his son’s teacher. It contains an advice, which is still relevant today for executives, workers, teachers, parents and students.

Letter

“My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage.

So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him – but gently, if you can, Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.

Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school, teacher, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win.

Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics.

Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tell him they are wrong.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing it. Teach him to listen to everyone, but teach him also to filter all that he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him to sell his talents and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patient to be brave. Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind, in God.

This is the order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is my son.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Wealth, Success or Love?

A woman came out of her house and saw three old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said, "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?” they asked.

"No", she replied. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she asked.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!” he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him.

Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!

LIFE AFTER GRADUATION

By Gavin E. Aleogho

There is this lie we do tell ourselves while in school; although we call it faith. We believed that the certificate is the only key to succeed in life. An average undergraduate believes that if he is able to come out with good grade, that is all, his future is secured.

Seeing elderly friends and relatives who came out of school with a supposedly good grade still roaming the street, the reality is dawning on many graduates and undergraduates that certificate alone is not the key.

Certificate on its own has a lot to play in achieving success and dreams. But in itself, it’s not enough. Education is only a preparatory ground for the reality. Education is basically mind development for success in life but it’s not a guarantee for a successful life.

I see certificate as a key to open doors. But what are you going to do after the door is opened to you? That is where other factors come in. Success is actually a combination of various factors with the knowledge you’ve gotten from school.

Get me right, I am not by any way playing down on education. I’m educated and I still aspire to have more degrees and qualification that will help me actualize my dreams and aspirations.

But life has taught me that success has no respect for paper or certificate. I’ve seen BSc, HND, Masters’ Degree holders who have not found a place to display what they’ve been taught or trained to do.

You see people who have spent a lot of years and money to acquire a certificate, only to finish and keep floating in the labour market. That should not have been the case if only some individuals have really understood that success is beyond the paper called certificate.

When a young graduate thinks that because he has gotten the certificate, then he is guaranteed to have the best of life, he is only deceiving himself. He should be told that many have come ahead of him, with better and higher certificates, yet, still trying to find their place in life.

He should be told that the certificate doesn’t guarantee success in marriage either does it guarantee success in other ramification of life. He might get a well-paid job with his certificate but other factors are required for him to sustain the job. His certificate does not guarantee that he will be prudent in spending the cash he gets from his job.

How To Succeed After Graduation

1.            Right Mind Set

To become successful with that certificate, you must have the right mind-set. I’m talking of a mind-set that thinks beyond the certificate. Come to think of it; are people who didn’t go to school not succeeding? If they are, how does your paper comes in? How are you then different from those who are not privileged to be in the four walls of an institution?

What will cause you to succeed after graduation is not your certificate but your mind-set. I’m talking of productive thinking and corresponding action. That is what guarantees success. If you leave your certificate to ‘think’ for you, you will be among those waiting for job to come to them. It may come, but you will or may only have ended up in the circle of rat-race without making much impact or living a purposeful life.

2.            Develop Your Potentials

Your potentials are hidden and untapped talents and gifts which require room for development. Irrespective of your level of education, you have this untapped talents inside you of which if you can reach out to develop and maximized it, you can earn a living from them.

What you have inside of you is bigger than that paper called certificate. Build and leverage on that your hidden potential and gifts. Even while in school and after you’ve graduated, make it a personal goal to always develop yourself.

Your interest and passion are signpost to the hidden gift God has put inside of you; build on them. If you live like this, you will have a productive life irrespective of what you find yourself doing.

         3.                 Acquire New Skills

In life, there is room to scale new height. There is room to explore new territory. Never let your course of study restrain or condition you to a particular way of life.You never can tell what you are very good at except when you give it a shot. Also, you never can tell what will eventually be your major source of sustenance or income. Get new skills that appeal to your interest and passion.

Skill acquisition should not be limited to skill related to your course of study alone. Take for example; there are several computer applications software which can be of much benefits to you either directly or indirectly. Go get yourself familiarize with them.

4.            Take Responsibility For Your Life

I have seen a lot of graduates who waste most years of their life waiting for the fulfillment of a mere man’s promise of a job to them. Never live your life that way. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t wait for the fulfillment of a promise to you. What I’m saying is that you should not keep your life on hold while you are waiting. Get something doing. Have a plan in life which is not human dependent. Don’t leave your life at the mercies of one Uncle or ‘big man’ somewhere, whom you hope will help you one day. Don’t live your life based on the promises of anybody.

Live life in such a way that whether you fail or succeed, you won’t have to blame it on anybody; but rather on yourself. You should know that the progress of your life is largely dependent on you. If you have actually gone through the four walls of high institution, then, you are no longer a kid; neither are you ‘Mummy’s Pet. You are a mature man or woman now. Start taking responsibility for your life.

5.       Start Doing Something

Start doing something no matter how small it is. It’s is said that little drops of water with time can make an ocean. Never despise the days of little beginning. Start from somewhere. It is good to have faith for the ‘big job’. But it’s also wisdom for you to start from somewhere while you are still having faith. If the so called ‘big job’ materializes immediately; thank God. But if not, you can’t just be waiting, doing nothing while you are wasting your time and life.

People who are victim of this are people who desire instant wealth. When you are looking for instant wealth, you will fall into diverse temptations. You have to know that there is nothing like “over-night wealth”. Every true success comes bit-by-bit.

6.       Get Information, Get Knowledge

I’ve meet graduates who think the culture of reading stopped in school. A young graduate, who happened to be my next door neighbour sometimes ago, notices that I always read at night. He inquired to know if I was preparing for an exam, of which I told him I was not. He has a mind-set that reading is for people in school or people who are preparing for exam.

The culture of reading doesn’t stop in school, either is it meant for only people preparing for a test or exam. Reading for anyone who wants to have a successful and productive life should be a habit.

Great men that are making impact in our world are readers. “Readers are leaders” according to the general saying. Reading is mind development. You shouldn’t stop developing your mind because you have a certificate.

Where you are going to in life is still very far. The information you are able to gather now will be of much benefit to you when you get there. Don’t just acquire knowledge that is related to your field of study, read wide. Get general knowledge; get information that will increase your productivity.

All through this process of moving to success, keep on learning. While you are still waiting on your dream job or business to be a reality, learn from your daily experiences. Learn how to manage your time, finance, people etc.

7.       Develop A Good Interpersonal Skill

One skill you must start developing now is your interpersonal skill. Building a good interpersonal skill is a must if you must make it in life. Irrespective of your course of study or whatever you wish to do in life, you will constantly have to deal with people. Your inability to relate well with people will be a major factor that will cause setback to you.

You should learn simple manners and courtesy. You should learn to get along with people regardless of the kind of environment you find yourself. You should learn how to effectively communicate whether verbally or non-verbal without being misunderstood. Also learn to manage and tolerate people.

No man is an island. God will bless you through people. Never underrate anybody; treat everyone with respect and honour. Build on your social and interpersonal skills. It’s one sure way for people to notice you and be a blessing to you.

8.       The God-Factor

Nothing in life just happens by itself. There is a power that makes things happen. It is that same power that governs the universe. I’m talking of the God factor. You can’t ignore God if you must achieve your dreams. He is the one who makes things to be. You can’t do without God. Always pray and commit your desire to Him, for Him to bring them to pass.

Life is a journey. Every state you find yourself today is just temporary. The worst thing you can do to yourself is to restrict your life to your certificate. Have an open mind to different opportunities in life.  With God, you will get there.

TRUSTING GOD

By Gavin E. Aleogho

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18.

 

Trust in God is one thing that will give you stability and confidence in life despite the challenges in life or awaited expectations. Your level of trust in God sure gives firmness to your faith.

 

The words, faith and trust, if not properly understood could make you begin to question God, because we often hear preachers say “have faith, and you will get it”. However, you have been having faith and it seems it’s not coming through.

 

Faith simply means believing God to do a particular thing which you so desire. But trust is quite different. When you say you trust God, it means that you do not only believe God to do what you so desire, but much more, you trust God to do whatever He so desires in His time, irrespective of what you are believing Him for.That is trust.

 

You need to have faith. But more importantly, you have to trust God. Trust begat faith. Trust that He who holds the steer wheel of your life will bring you to a safe haven. To trust God is to place complete confidence and rely on God’s wisdom and Master plan.

 

How do you take it when it seems your prayer point is not being answered? When it seems all hope is gone; when it seems the problem won’t come to an end; when it seems your expectation has been dashed; when it looks as if you are retrogressing; do you still trust God’s Master plan?

 

You have to settle it in your heart that God loves you. He knows you more than yourself. He is more concerned about you than you yourself. He wants the best for you. He is committed to seeing you succeed. He is not against you. He has better thought about you than what you can ever think about yourself. He is in Charge. He is in Control. He is good. He is willing to help you. He will never leave you at the mercies of the devil.God is faithful to bring to pass that that concerns your life.

 

God is a wise God and He does things in His wisdom. He is righteous and only does things in righteousness. There is no unrighteousness in Him. And besides, God is more compassionate than you realize; more willing to help you. Your situation can and will never take God unawares.

 

One of the major components of trust is patience. If you really trust God, then you should be patient with Him. You have to give Him time. You would not need to rush Him to do it for you in your own time.

 

The more you know God, the more you trust Him. This is because you only trust a person that you know very well. So, if you are having issues with trusting God, all you have to do to restore and increase your level of trust in Him is to seek to know Him the more and also seek to know more of God’s promises to you which can never fail.

 

Have you been trusting God for something and you feel that God is getting late? Remember, He makes all things beautiful in His time. He has and will never fail anyone who trusts in Him.

Just relax!