Beware Of False Teachers, Part 3of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

Jude 1:3–4, “3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ “

When one looks throughout the Scriptures and even in our world today, there is constant fighting, contending for land, possessions, property, status, etc…. Jude tells us that we need to CONTEND EARNESTLY for the faith.

Beware Of False Teachers, Part 2of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

2John 7–11, “7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds”

In part 1 of this series, we examined Peter’s warning of false teachers where he spoke of why the unbiblical doctrine of some is such a dangerous poison among those in the Church.

Beware Of False Teachers, Part 1of3, Pastor Phil Sessa

2Peter 2:1-2, “1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

Anyone that has watched a magician or an illusionist knows that the hand can appear to be quicker than the eye. Many illusionists cause one to look in one direction while the illusionist does something in another direction.

Uncovered Wells, Pastor Phil Sessa

Genesis 26:18, “And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them”

Have you ever been frustrated that the Gospel that you hear preached is not the Gospel According to Jesus Christ? Have you ever asked yourself, if the Gospel you hold to is the saving, biblical Gospel that Jesus preached? It seems that in our day and age (although it is really not a new thing) the Gospel message has been vastly compromised in pulpits across our country and our world.

All Begins With Foundation, Evans Olang

2Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (NIV)

The builders have stumbled upon on a biblical principle called foundation, they know that foundation is everything. Every building must or should have a foundation. Foundation is the basis on which a thing stands, is founded upon, or is supported. In a building, foundation is a structure that transfers loads to the earth. Foundation is not on top, it’s at the bottom holding the weight of what is to be built on it. Strong and deeper foundation goes down past the weaker upper layer of soil to reach the concrete.

Zealous For God, 2of2, Evans Olang

Numbers 25:1-18, vs. “10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

Phinehas act in killing Zimri turned God’s wrath from the Israelites from more people dying. At this point about 24,000 had died. Who knows if Moses confronted him on his action and God had to come on Phinehas’ rescue. Vs. 10 says “10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal”. Phinehas had God’s zeal and in that he acted.

Zealous For God, 1of2, Evans Olang

Numbers 25:1-18, vs. “10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood,because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

Recently I penned a number of messages from the book of Numbers 21 dealing with the bronze serpent (Title: Killing Serpents, Delivering Savior), and Numbers 22-24 dealing with Balaam (Title: Who is standing on your way?) As I continued to read through Numbers 25, something struck me from this passage in line with a recent conference I will mention in the message.

Subtle Works Of Satan, Part 3of3, Evans Olang

Matthew 4:1-11, “1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry”

The third temptation in my judgement is the most subtle work of satan so clearly working among believers and yet so blindly received. In the age of feelings and emotions, vast majority do not plumb line feelings and emotions by God’s word and that is a recipee for disaster. Satan appears as an angel of light pretending to fight for believers however his aim is to turn men against God, rebel against God like he did. While pretending to be an angel of light and even using people in authority, he speaks fluttery words to create an appetite. 2Corinthians 11:13-14, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light”

Subtle Works Of Satan, Part 2of3, Evans Olang

Matthew 4:1-11, “1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry”

Another subtle way satan works among believers is to disguise himself with the temptation of presumption. Presumption is a behavior perceived as arrogant, disrespectful, and transgressing the limits of what is permitted or appropriate.