>>>
Ezekiel 13:3 - Prophesying By The Right Spirit.

Ezekiel 13:3 - Prophesying By The Right Spirit.

Ezekiel 13:3 (NIV) This Is What The Sovereign Lord Says: Woe To 
The Foolish Prophets Who Follow Their Own Spirit And Have Seen 
Nothing!  

Their own spirit. Not the Holy Spirit. They preached, not what 
the Word of God said, but what the people wanted to hear. [New 
Pilgrim SB] 

Prophesying out of their own imagination, and not speaking the 
word of God. [Andrews SB] 

The false prophets had a large following because they comforted 
the people and approved of their sinful actions. Lies are often 
attractive, and liars may have large followings. Today, for example, some 
spiritual leaders assure us that God promises his followers health and 
material success. This is comforting, but is it true? God's own Son did 
not have an easy life on earth. Make sure the messages you believe 
are consistent with what God teaches in his Word. [Life Application 
SB] 

   People who speak for someone else have a responsibility to 
represent their clients or constituents accurately and adamantly.  
   It's no wonder that God was upset with a group of false 
prophets. These people claimed to represent God, but the messages they 
gave to the Jews didn't even come close to representing God's views. 
So God sent his appointed representative, Ezekiel, to speak out 
against them. What God had to say wasn't comforting news for those who 
misrepresented him...  
   Anyone can say, "I speak for God." But who can actually 
represent him? The desire to draw attention to ourselves, to be liked, and 
to be seen as an authority can entrap us. This same desire 
entrapped the false prophets in a quest to gain admirers rather than God's 
approval.  
   Be careful how you represent God's viewpoint to others. Make 
sure your message does indeed come from God's Word and not just from 
your own opinions or biases. And don't look to approval from others 
as proof that you are right. Many people will willingly believe a 
falsehood if it suits them. Watch carefully what you believe, and be 
careful in how you represent it to others. [The One Year Through the 
Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman] 

Sincerity without truth is as useless as a map of Kentucky when 
you're traveling through Texas. A good many people, totally sincere in 
what they believe, are on the highway to hell, and all too many 
totally sincere preachers are busy erecting signs along the roadway. 
[The 365-Day Devotional Commentary] 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/

Grace Notes: http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php

Excellent Spiritual Resource Site: 
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/   

More Spiritual Resources: http://www.aBible.com