Love Letters | Instructions

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.”  Jeremiah 23:16

Roundtrip excursions to heaven are now commonplace if you believe everything you read. And self-titled prophets of every hue have been predicting the day of Jesus’ arrival for decades, but…well, He’s still not here. It is fashionable to claim to speak for the Lord, and in some circles every bubble of indigestion is thought to be a divine oracle. But as rampant as these pseudo-spiritual claims have become, they’re nothing new. Everyone and his cow was claiming to speak for the Lord way back in Old Testament times, but the Lord was not impressed. He was disgusted. According to Galatians 1:6-9 and 1 John 4:1, He still is.

Yes, the Lord speaks and through many venues, including people. So how do we know whether or not someone’s words are from the Lord? He made it simple—He wrote a book about it. Sixty-six different books, to be exact, and He expects us to know what’s in them. God will never give someone a “word,” vision, or a prophecy that contradicts what He has already declared in the Bible. When we compare everything—EVERYTHING—with God’s written word, we are not so gullible. So, Vi peeked into heaven? Compare her experience with Isaiah 6. Prophet Hefty knows the day of Jesus’ return? Compare that to Mark 13:32. Wondering whether the Lord is giving you specific instructions? Ask Him to clarify it with godly counsel and scripture. He will.

Final Thought: Are you spiritually gullible? Not everyone who claims to speak for God really is. Use the Bible to discern truth.

Prayer: Father, I tend to fall for a lot of these sensational stories without really comparing them to the truth you’ve already written. It starts with learning your word better. Help me grow in discernment so I won’t be fooled. In Jesus’ name, Amen.