“My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray,
they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill,
they have forgotten their restingplace.â€Â
Jeremiah 50:6
One thing shepherds should never want to do is lead their sheep astray. Some Bible commentators talk about the “seducing mountains†where the sheep were being led. Part of the idolatrous worship talked about in the Bible was taking place in the high places of the mountains in Israel. So instead of shepherds leading their sheep to a resting place―a place of comfort―they were leading them astray. They were leading their flocks toward the very idols they should have been turning them away from.
Yesterday, I was invited back on a particular radio show to do some broadcasts. I have been on this show a bunch of times in the past. I really liked the man who used to run the ministry and the strong stands he took for truth. He has since passed away. Then, some other folks took over the ministry, and I began to watch.
The new host started inviting guests on the show who had a zero percent chance of being invited on by the previous gentleman. So, I wrote him an email where I discussed my concerns. We had a few emails go back and forth. Then, their newsletters began promoting teachers who also had a zero percent chance of being promoted by the late gentleman. So, we talked again through email about that development. And now, this ministry is partnering with folks who had a negative 1,000 percent chance of partnering with the ministry under the leadership of the former gentleman.
So, when a man from their ministry called me the other day about doing a radio show with them, I let him know why I couldn’t be on their program. He didn’t know about the prior email exchanges I had with the new ministry head.
It is very simple: Once you do a radio or TV show or speak at a conference with someone who is a false teacher and you do not call out their teachings, the audience will always assume you agree with what they teach.
I have to be honest with you; I like having a smaller ministry. Really glad it is not huge. If my goal was just to be bigger, it wouldn’t be hard to do. I turn down events all the time. Why? I know that I cannot partner with certain people just to have a bigger ministry. Many of those events create large-scale exposure and generate massive amounts of interest, not to mention increased sales, but that kind of exposure and greater revenues usually come at a price. Either truth matters or it does not. If I partner with people who compromise the truth, it creates the impression that truth doesn’t matter. That compromise doesn’t matter. And that partnerships don’t matter, when actually, they do. All of these matter a great deal to the Lord.
2 John 1:10, 11
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Romans 16:17,18
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
1 Corinthians 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
I pray all the time, “Father if there is any false teaching in any of my books or video/audio messages, let people scoot right over it like it didn’t even exist.â€Â I mean that. I really mean that.
It is easy to find false teachers today. They are everywhere. Finding good, solid teachers? Not so much.
You and I want to fall in line behind good, solid biblical teachers. If your ministry or my ministry stays small, praise be to God! I would rather it be small and speaking truth than to be bigger and deceiving the masses.
Judgment Day sorts all of that out. You want to please Jesus and no one else. Check yourself to see where you might need to sort some things out in your life before that day arrives.
1 Timothy 4:16
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Until the Nets are Full,
P.S.  About a month ago, I gave this talk in Alabama called Watchmen on the Wall. You may have watched it before, but here is the 2021 version. Some of it will be similar and some of it will be different. I hope it encourages you to keep blowing the trumpet loud and clear! It would be a great message to pass along to others so they are encouraged with boldness to do the same. Enjoy!
    Also, if there is anything unbiblical in that talk as you listen to it, let me know.
