What Is a False Prophet?
'Prophecy Watch' by David C. GrabbeFalse prophets—including the great False Prophet of Revelation—claim to speak for God, yet reveal themselves in predictable ways. Here is what to look for.
Beware of False Prophets
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFalse prophets promote the broad way, giving people what they want to hear. They replace God's truth with human tradition. They are identified by their fruit.
Is God a False Minister?
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughThose who advocate doctrinal change portray God as a confused and false minister who lacks the power to instruct his chosen leaders to 'get it right.'
Was Herbert Armstrong a False Prophet?
'Prophecy Watch' by Richard T. RitenbaughHerbert Armstrong made scores of predictions, and many of them never came to pass. Does this make him a false prophet? Is he thus not worthy of following?
False Gospels
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughA major clue for discerning false gospels is that any teaching attempting to change the nature of God or Christ or their doctrines is anti-Christ and false.
Spotting False Teachers
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughTrue shepherds have genuine concern for the flock, as opposed to hirelings who only devour or take advantage of the flock.
The Prophet
'Prophecy Watch' by StaffWho is the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18? This article takes an in-depth look at this prophecy, showing that its greatest fulfillment is in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Prophets and Prophecy (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughA prophet is one who speaks for God, expressing His will in words and sometimes signs. Standing outside the system, he proclaims God's purpose, including repentance.
The Two Witnesses
Sermonette by Mike FordMany have claimed to be the Two Witnesses. We can identify true and false prophets by their fruits, including if they teach that God's Law has been done away.
The Fifth Teacher (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeBelief always produces conduct, and thus, ungodly behavior signals the presence or influence of a false teacher. Who was the false teacher in Corinth?
Stand Firm in the Truth
Sermon by John O. Reid (1930-2016)In this time of sharp religious confusion, it is good to hunker down in our spiritual foxhole until the deadly volleys of heretical shrapnel have ceased.
The God of Prosperity
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughHaving credentials as a motivational coach or an entertainer does not qualify one to be a preacher, especially if he does not hold people accountable for sin.
Damnable Heresies
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughMany heresies have crept into the church over the past several years. Here is how Satan works to introduce heresy into the church, and what we can do about it.
Being Deceived
Sermon by Clyde FinkleaChrist warned that many would be deceived, though no one ever admits to being deceived. The Bible warns of deceptions from within and without the church.
The Spirit of Antichrist
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAll of us have anti-Christ tendencies in us, and must work vigorously to root out the anti-Christ elements within ourselves and to become like Christ.
Foam
Sermonette by Ronny H. GrahamIn Scripture, foam is usually accompanied by a state of agitation, as in hurricanes, angry waves of the sea, nations being torn asunder, or demonic influence.
Our Trusted Source of Truth (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, cuing in on the "What is truth?" episode in John 18:32-37, suggests that John wants us to ask that question of ourselves. Pilate seemed to believe that all the charges against Jesus were built up on lies and trumped-up charges. Jesus, conversely, was the perfect witness and embodiment of the …
The Cunning of Satan
Sermon by Kim MyersThe process of being taken over by sin usually takes place over a lengthy period of time as we allow Satan's deceptive words to corrode our attitudes.
The Wisdom of Men and Faith
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe pressures and conflicts that the church has undergone is part of the spirit of the time that has embroiled religious and political institutions worldwide.
The Fifth Teacher
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeCorinth had four positive teachers, yet a mysterious fifth teacher was also influencing them and instilling beliefs that were the source of all the bad fruit.
Itching Ears
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse ministers pander to the 'itching ears' of the audience, telling it what it wants to hear, catering to desires and lusts, fatally mixing truth with error.
Jude
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe book of Jude, a scathing indictment against false teachers, may be the most neglected book in the New Testament. False teachers twist grace into license.
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn evaluating the dubious fruits of a false minister, we must realize that belief and conduct are inextricably linked and the linkage must be with God's Word.
Unity (Part 1): God and HWA
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn this lead-off sermon of the 1999 Feast of Tabernacles, John Ritenbaugh draws an instructive though disturbing parallel between the warning given to Belshazzar and the warning given to the greater church of God. A major contributory cause in the splitting of the church has been the wholesale rejection of the doctrines Herbert …
Man's Greatest Challenge (Part Four)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh continues the theme of the difficulty we have in this age to distinguish truth from error. Satan's biggest targets for disinformation are God's called-out ones. As the apostles turned the world upside down by the Gospel, Satan's implanted tares immediately began to spread disinformation—so much so that …
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part Three)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsChrist cautions the Pergamos congregation to shun the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. The Church suffers when it harbors those who compromise and offend.
Taking Care With the Tares
'Ready Answer' by Ted E. BowlingThe Parable of the Wheat and the Tares warns of false brethren within the fellowship. Jesus Christ exemplified how to interact with them in a godly manner.
Matthew (Part 11)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, focusing on Matthew 7:13-14, observes that life consists of a series of choices—often a dilemma of a pleasurable choice on one hand, and a daunting difficult choice on the other. It seems as though God Almighty and Jesus Christ invariably want us to make the more difficult choice, insuring seemingly the …
No One Else Matters (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughSin has tainted the most faithful leaders. Most (perhaps all) church leaders have skeletons in their closets, but we follow them as they follow Christ.
Discerning Spirits and Discerning the Body
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsBecause of the culture of deception fostered by Satan and his children, we must develop discernment to tell the difference between truth and falsehood.
'I Will Build My Church'
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeJesus is aware of all that transpires within His church—regardless of how out-of-control things may seem—and He will always act in the way that is best.
God's Sovereignty and the Church's Condition (Part Two)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughGod's hand was definitely involved in the scattering of the church. We should respond by growing and preparing ourselves for His Kingdom.
Is God a Magician?
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh poses the question of whether technology really improves our character or quality of life. Are we really better people because we ride around in cars rather than walk? Technology, because of the spin it puts on expectations, can be a great source of discouragement and disillusionment when applying this heightened …
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part Six)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsLike the four groups of seeds exposed to various qualities of soil, many have heard the true gospel, but few have remained faithful after the onslaught of hardship.
Human Will and God's Sovereignty (Part One)
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh speculates about a prophecy in Zechariah 13:2-5, which concerns prophets or church leaders who, coming to feel ashamed of their false teachings, will later claim they were farmers rather than ministers. Most of the billion nominal 'Christians' have no understanding that (1) the reason for the estrangement between …
Day of Deception
Commentary by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh, referring to the Olivet Prophecy as the foundational prophecy of the Bible, containing the basis for unlocking the secrets of Bible prophecy, including the abomination of desolation, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the sequences of Joel, Revelation, and Daniel, emphasizes that the very first warning …
The Gift of Discerning Spirits
'Ready Answer' by David F. MaasGod gives the ability to determine the source of a spiritual manifestation. However, this gift depends on a thorough knowledge and understanding of God's Word.
Dissatisfaction
Commentary by Martin G. CollinsSatan has also used a sense of dissatisfaction to bring about a wholesale change in the world's religions. According to Berit Kjos, sinister change agents have attempted to apply traditional Christian terminology to politically correct referents, distorting and defiling the original meaning, with the view of duping naïve …
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong?
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh shares the significance of Herbert W. Armstrong's role in the church. Increasingly, some fail to realize Herbert Armstrong's stabilizing role in God's church. The scattering we have experienced since his death has been a blessing from God, revealing our collective, pitiable spiritual deficits. God deliberately …
God's Perseverence With His Saints (Part Two)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe seriously err if we rely on the secular media to give us spiritual understanding. God sends strong delusion to those who do not love the truth.
Matthew (Part 12)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughTo establish sound doctrine, we must build on the foundation Christ's teaching, taking the straight and narrow course rather than the wisdom of this world.
The Epistles of II and III John (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins indicates that, even though II and III John are the shortest books of the Bible, they do contain significant themes, amplifying the contents of I John, emphasizing the fellowship with God. II and III John, addressed to elders in supporting local churches, advocate hospitality to legitimate teachers and forbid …
Testing the Spirits (Part 1)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe Apostle John exhorts us to test and discern the spirits, judging between the true and the false, using the scripture as the steady standard of truth.
Satan (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSatan uses lies and disinformation to promote self-satisfaction over obedience to God. The way to the kingdom is through self-denial, even suffering unjustly.
The More Things Change
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWe tend to think of the early Church as a 'golden age' of unity and momentum. But early church members experienced problems similar to what we face today.
Deceivers and Antichrists
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeDavid Grabbe, describing several contexts of the term "anti-Christ," points out that one meaning of anti-Christ is those who believe that Jesus Christ is not the Messiah, but a mortal, who may have been a good teacher, but was not a Savior or a literal Son of God. Two-thirds of the Abrahamic religions—Judaism and …
God, Allah, Rick, and John
Commentary by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, focusing on the recent antics of Rick Warren, reveals that this energetic and ambitious founder of the Purpose Driven Church is now seeking to syncretistically merge Islam and Christian faiths, making the conscience, human reason, and the whims of secular humanism—rather than the Bible—the sole …
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJesus Christ warns us to hold fast to true doctrine. Secular historians help us discover the identity of the small flock repeatedly rescued from apostasy.
Suffering Disgrace For Christ's Name
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, asking why Christians must endure such horrendous persecution and struggle, asserts that Paul warned in Acts 5 that the church would always be in danger of deception from within and opposition from without. "Opposition from without" in Peter's time came from the evil oppression incited by the Pharisees …
Intimacy with Christ (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSatan has deliberately designed this world to burn up our precious time, creating an artificial sense of urgency and a perpetual state of discontent.
Satan (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSatan uses disinformation, spread through false ministers/prophets, teaching smooth things that destroy. We must test the spirits to ensure a teaching is from God.
