LUCIFER PREFERS TO BE CALLED JESUS

Jim Jones stood on the platform in his California Church. Taking his large black Bible in hand, he threw it on the floor, stood on it and announced to the congregation, “I am the only Word of God you need!” About one third of the people present got up and walked out. The two thirds that stayed would end up dead on the floor of the Guyanese jungle… the victims of cyanide laced Kool-Aid and a mad man who wanted to be God.  

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)

I had a running conversation with a young lady on Facebook one day. She was “Pentecostal” and she wanted to share all her revelations with me. She knew absolutely no Scripture and refused to acknowledge the authority of the Scripture I quoted. Everything she wanted to tell me was based on visions, prophecy and the interpretation of tongues… messages that she, her Pastor and friends had received. Much of what she believed was in direct contradiction to the written, revealed Word of God. In her mind, Jesus was not the man described in the Bible but the man she met in her dreams. Her Jesus was a Jesus of her own imagination.

I first experienced Pentecostalism some forty years ago. I came to believe in speaking in tongues and prophecy as valid gifts for the Church today. I still believe that. What you believe, on that subject, is between you and God. It has nothing to do with Heaven, Hell or your eternal future. The group that I was with, was grounded in the Word of God. The Bible was the final authority in every mater.Prophecy or the interpretation of tongues that contradicted the Bible was rejected immediately. A person who repeatedly gave false prophecies was reproved and asked to refrain from prophesying further.

I eventually left the Pentecostal Church because, over the years, the Bible became less and less important and the Word of Prophecy became more and more self-serving. Prophets and Evangelists began to preach only “Positive”, “Feel Good” messages and their “Words of Prophecy” became aimed at increasing the offering by making people happy. After a while, I found that Prophecies that clearly violated both the Word of God and common sense, were accepted without question and all attempts to cite the Bible as an authority were soundly rebuffed.

Jesus said, “For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5) He said, “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

Prophecy and tongues with interpretation are handy tools in the hands of the Devil. The only safety we have is in the Word of God. Scripture must be our ultimate authority. If we get away from the Word of God, we are easy targets for deception. We may end up dead as the victims of a Jim Jones or swearing allegiance to a Jesuit Pope as Kenneth Copeland recently lead his followers to do. Perhaps we end up rich and healthy, living “Our Best Life Now” as the followers of Joel Osteen are want to do. One thing is for certain, a Jesus of your own imagination cannot save you. It does not matter if your body rots on the jungle floor or lies in state in the Capitol Building of the richest nation on earth. If your Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible, you will be burning in a Devil’s Hell.

 THERE IS A JESUS WHO CANNOT SAVE YOU… A JESUS OF YOUR OWN IMAGINATION.

 HIS REAL NAME IS LUCIFER!