October 9, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- TRUE AND FALSE PROPHETS
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LIVING WATER🌊 CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Friday, October 9, 2020
TOPIC – TRUE AND FALSE PROPHETS
Read: Jeremiah 23:21-32
Jeremiah 23:21-32 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
MEMORISE:
I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds Jeremiah 23:21-22)
EXPOSITION
Jeremiah 23 records the Lord’s great anger and judgment on people who prophesy falsely, who speak when the Lord has not asked them to speak. They abuse their positions for their own benefits and lead people astray. In v. 22, the Lord provides two important indicators for the veracity of any prophet: (1) He must have stood in the “council” of the Sender; and (2) what he speaks of must turn people away from evil to God. The “council” of the Lord is translated from the Hebrew word “sod.” In the context of Jer. 23:22, “sod” refers to the intimate counsel of the Lord to prophets who fearfully seek Him and faithfully wait upon Him. Hence, the life of a true prophet must reflect a life of intimacy with God and abiding in His Word. Also, to be prophets truly called by the Lord, these persons’ lifework should reflect a constant call for believers to turn away from evil and turn towards doing what is pleasing to God.
Even as our text today provides two good indicators on how to discern if a prophet is true or false, it could be challenging to do so. This is because a person’s private world is only knowable to God and himself. A person can claim all he wants about his intimacy with God, yet only the Lord truly knows what is in a man’s heart. Nevertheless, we are given God’s grace to discern, especially through His living Word. We have the responsibility to check thoroughly, if what is proclaimed is true to God’s Word as given to us in the Bible. This means that reading our Bible is not enough; the Church must equip her members with skills and tools to rightly handle God’s Word (2 Tim. 2:15).
Jeremiah 23 is a solemn reminder to us, that as people who proclaim His Word and pray for His people, we must keep intimacy with the One who sends. Then, we can hear him clearly on what to say to build up our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. May the Lord provide His strength and grace for us to do so.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord Almighty, help us not to use Your name in vain; but fearfully and faithfully stay close to You and Your Word.
2. Embolden us Lord, so that we can proclaim what is true and what is right to our generation.
3. Father Lord, rid Your Church of every false and corrupt vessel.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Isaiah 20 – 23