From: John & April Correia <[email protected]>
Subject: Encouragement From The Heart - 5/26/98
Date: Monday, May 25, 1998 21:36 PM

WE ARE NOT LIKE THE MANY

I have noticed that most people these days take the word of "popular" authors rather than test them. Their topics vary from "How To Write Your Own Ticket With God" to "Manifesting The Holy Ghost". This is a difficult topic from some to discuss but I carry a heavy burden for those being deceived by the ploys of Satan. A young girl cries out in despair because she's pregnant and her boyfriend wants nothing more to do with her. There's a knock on her door 2 days later. A couple of ladies with warm carrying smiles see her distress and speak to her of the love of Jehovah God. "My prayers' been answered." the young girl believes -- even as she's baptized in the name of "The Father, Son and the Spirit filled Organization". She's now a Jehovah's Witness.

This happens a lot more often then we realize, someone cries out to the LORD and Satan RUNS to the deceitful rescue. At the other end, there's a lady who's grown up with Juvenile Diabetes and has had a couple kidney transplants, hundreds of hours on the dialysis machine along with surgery for skin cancer, her skins extra delicate now, and eye problems - all stem from her diabetes. She's Catholic, but hasn't been in the church in years, at her time of crying out to God she turns on the TV to watch her regular afternoon shows. There in a BRILLIANT white suit is a man. He points to the camera and she knows he's pointing right at her as he says in an exhilarated voice, "I know some one out there has a problem with their health. Well, God doesn't want you to be sick. You're tired and ready to give up. I tell you, God doesn't want you to be sick, tired or poor." The next thing she's doing is calling the toll free number on the screen saying, "yes, he spoke to me! I want to be touched by God!" About a year later she's been to every healing crusade around, the family is struggling financially because of the costly trips and her monthly donations to the cause. The husband pleads with her to talk with someone else, maybe what her friends says about the guy(s) is true. Then she finds herself seeking the "joy" of the Holy Spirit through the "Laughing Revival". Once again her friend, her family plead. But she's back to going to the "healing crusades". Then one night as her friend is on her knees praying, the phone rings, and it's the friend with diabetes (person being prayed for). The gospel of Jesus Christ is shared with her but she rebukes it and says "that was Paul's problem. If he'd had faith and bond the demon causing his thorn then he woulda been okay." A few more conversations such as this go on the next few months. Thinking she's offended her diabetic friend she calls, no answer. She writes sending literature but no response. Finally, in a last attempt to reach out to her friend she sends the newly released book, "Heaven, Your Real Home" by Joni Erickson Tada. A couple weeks go by and then a phone call from her son. She had died a couple months earlier and dad just kept putting off calling you.

There's only one thing that validates a message or a messenger: The WHOLE counsel of the Word of God. All that we do, I do, must conform to the Word of God regardless of what the populace thinks, wants, purchases, sings, or applauds. POPULARITY does not validate a message or the messenger; only the Bible does that.

While popularity does not validate a message, neither does it invalidate it. Look at Max Lacado - his message has not changed, and his popularity is increasing daily.

You may ask, "What about God? Isn't He the One who validates?" Yes, but God does it through His written Word, not through the claimed revelations, the visions, the dreams, the "God told me's." It was the FALSE prophets who were popular, prophets who gave the people straw as they fed them their visions and dreams, filling their bellies and starving their souls (Jer. 23). The Lone voice of Jeremiah, rejected by kings, prophets, and the populace because he spoke God's difficult and hard Word. In the end, his message was validated by God.

Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians: "For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, BUT as from sincerity, BUT as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 2: 17 NASB)

A messenger's adequacy will be of God. May those who hear their messages sing and chant the truth that provokes them to live sensible, righteously, and godly in this day and time.

Beloved, be as the Boreans - TEST EVERYTHING! If you have the right Jesus, you're right for eternity. If you have the wrong Jesus, you're wrong for eternity.

April Correia
[email protected]

sent on fire for the Truth after reading the MAY/JUNE issue of MOODY. Excellent magazine for equipping and updating the Christian. But test them also!
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Have a joyous and bountiful day in the Lord!
April C.
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