The False Prophet

1 Kings 13

There are prophets who are false, and can lead you to doom, and yet pretend all the while to be sad for your loss and doom.

Such kind are dangerous, and as children of God, we must discern their evil ways and be wary of them.

The old Prophet in 1 Kings 13 led the man of God astray with a professed message from God. When the man of God fell prey to his false prophesy, he then turned around to pronounce his doom and death.

Have you ever come across false Christians who provoke you to anger, and then turn around and accuse you of losing your calm as a Christian? They will give you wrong advice and then condemn you when you follow their own advice. Such are of the devil, and parade as light, beware!

This old Prophet after giving a prophesy to the man of God which when followed, killed him, turned around to be his chief mourner. As though he cared!

Satan will attempt to use people to lead us astray, and should we not discern their ways,  these same people will point accusing fingers at us when we fall, and later pretend to be on our side.

Such people are like chameleons. They change to suit their evil agendas.  We must not fall for every sweet face, sweet smile, sweet word nor seemingly sweet offers. They could be the devil's flattery being used as a bait for us.

We live in dangerous times, therefore we must ensure our safety by exercising caution when dealing with people,  and being
prayerful. 




WHAT IS NEXT?

The False Voice

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
There are people who claim to be a part of God's family, and even claim leadership roles in this family, and yet are a deceitful bunch, the type that speak with a false voice, and will bring harm to any soul that falls prey to their devices.

Once upon a time in old Bible days, a man of God was sent by God to deliver a prophesy, which was instantly fulfilled amidst signs and wonders. 1 Kings 13.

Before he set off to deliver this prophesy, he was warned by God - For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.’” 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel.

Whenever God is with us, and has plans for our lives, the devil sets in to disrupt our lives, and to destroy them. It is not always that he comes as the bad old devil. He can disguise himself as the angel of light, and come in as God's servant, uttering falsehood.

This man of God in 1 Kings 13 was approached by an old Prophet who claimed to have received a word from God. But it was a false message, and contrary to what God had said.

We must be careful to follow only God's voice and leading through prayer and deliberately taking steps of obedience. This is because the devil who comes to steal, kill and destroy comes among us, sometimes as men of God with an acclaimed sure word from God.

Should we fail to discern their insincerity, we will fall prey to Satan's plot to steal from us, to kill us and to destroy us.

Unfortunately for this man of God, he failed to discern the falsehood, and hence was killed as a result. Let us not quickly believe all who claim to be of God, for many have come in His name, but are not of Him. Falling prey to them will only bring sorrow.


































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The doting nature of God

Psalm 23:5

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

God loves to dote on His children. He delights in blessing them. He allows them to be tried and tested, and even then, He never puts more on them more than they can bear.


To flaunt His love, He does allow His enemies and the enemies of His children, to witness the pleasures and comforts He bestows on His beloved children.


In Esther 6, Haman was made to bear the unbearable pain of witnessing Mordecai's exaltation.


God is a loving Father. We ought to see Him as such. Jesus knew Him as such, and bore suffering because He knew God would not abandon Him to the grave.


Let us therefore trust in God's faithful love as a Father. It is unchanging, and we can always count on it.














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Kindness carries blessings

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

As God's children, we are advised to show kindness. This is an attribute of God - He is kind!


Kindness can bring blessings our way, and life has a way of rewarding us favourably for the kindness we show towards others.


In 2 Kings 4: 8-17, we read about a Shunammite lady who showed kindness towards Elisha, and as a result, was blessed with a son, being her heart desire!


Kindness rewards! Make a conscious effort to be kind to everyone, even to strangers.


Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect to show kindness to strangers; for, in this way, some, without knowing it, have had angels as their guests.



























WHAT IS NEXT?

Showing undeserved Love through Kindness

Romans 12:20 Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads."

Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

It is a godly act to show kindness to an enemy. It is a rare display of love that can go a long way to touch the heart of your enemy, and can even turn it favourably towards you.


Elisha was hated by the King of Aram for exposing his war strategies to the King of Israel. So he sent a great army to kill him.


Unfortunately for this great army, the God of Elisha struck them blind and they fell right into the hands of Elisha and eventually those they were at war with - Israel.


2 Kings 6:21-23


When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”


“Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.


The kindness of Israel towards their enemies from Aram were like burning coals on their head which caused them to cease attacking Israel, and prevented them from attempting to kill Elisha.


As Christians, we ought to take love a step further, to show undeserved kindness to even our enemies. This is love personified - our higher calling!






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