holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Casting down imaginations

Romans 1:21 because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Luke 1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Deuteronomy 29:19 and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:

Deuteronomy 31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

1 Chronicles 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

1 Chronicles 29:18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Proverbs 6:18 an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Jeremiah 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

Jeremiah 7:24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

Jeremiah 9:14 but have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

Jeremiah 11:8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.

Jeremiah 13:10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

Jeremiah 16:12 and ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

Jeremiah 18:12 And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

Jeremiah 23:17 They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

Lamentations 3:60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me.

Lamentations 3:61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me;



Notice that every reference to imagination is something that is against God.

Some people confuse "vision" with imagination.  Visions are GIVEN by God and not something we "imagine".

Our imaginations are vain and are at odds with the truth of God.  Imaginations give a place for the devils to build nests of lies and multiply therein.  We pull down these imaginations with the truth of God's word.

Should we believe something just because there is a consensus of the majority of experts?

If 400 hundred prophets agree, does that make it right?

Read 2 Chronicles 18 and 1 Kings 22

Here we see King Ahab of Israel persuading King Jehoshaphat if Judah to join him in going to Ramoth-Gilead in a military campaign against Syria.

Before committing, Jehoshaphat wisely suggests "Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day".

Ahab then gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, "Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" And they said, "Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand."

Jehoshaphat then says "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?"

Ahab then admits "There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla."

Notice that Ahab only wants to hear from the four-hundred prophets that will tickle his ears with what he wants to hear.

Jehoshaphat then insists that they hear from Micaiah.

As the prophets presented before the two kings, Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed."

(Reminds me of another false prophet in Revelation 13:11)

And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king."

Micaiah was briefed by the messenger sent to fetch him to speak in agreement with the other lying prophets, however Micaiah responds by saying "As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak."

When asked by the king if he should go battle, Micaiah says "Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand."

Notice that Micaiah does not say "the Lord shall deliver" or "Thus saith the Lord".

Micaiah was apparently mocking the other false prophets as the king then says: "How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?"

Micaiah then delivers the truth: "I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace."

Ahab then says to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?"  Micaiah then continues:

"Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.  And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee."

So we see that all four-hundred prophets were in agreement because they all had the same lying spirit.

Of course, speaking the truth that nobody wants to hear has its consequences...

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, "Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?"

So right off the false prophet attacks the one who was speaking the truth.

Micaiah responds saying, "Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself."

Then the king of Israel said,

"Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; and say, 'Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.'"

Ahab would rather be lied to and believe a lie than to hear the truth of God's words, so he holds the truth in unrighteousness by putting Micaiah in prison.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

And Micaiah said, "If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me." And he said, "Hearken, all ye people."

2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

So, if 400 hundred prophets agree, does that make it right?  No, it just means they all have the same lying spirit.

ministry of the Comforter

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11

The Comforter:

1. reproves the world of sin because they believe not on Jesus (see Hebrews 3:12)

2. reproves believers of righteousness because Jesus is at the right hand of the Father and we (believers) see Him (physically) no more 

3. reproves the devil of judgement because the prince of this world is judged

Four Dispensations

1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

Ephesians 1:10 that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Ephesians 3:2 if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward

Colossians 1:25 whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

lying vanities

Jonah 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Psalm 31:6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

Which one is right?

Do you believe the Bible?

The Bible says:

Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Do you believe God has preserved His words?

If so, where are God's words preserved?

Are God's words preserved in every Bible version?

Is any Bible version just as good as any other?

What if the versions say DIFFERENT or even OPPOSITE things?

Can you point to which Bible version has preserved His words?

For example look at the following verse in the King James Bible and compare to other translations -- they say the OPPOSITE:

Hosea 11:12 KJB but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

Hosea 11:12 NIV and Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.

Hosea 11:12 AMP Ephraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is also unruly against God, Even against the faithful Holy One.

Hosea 11:12 MSG Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods.

Hosea 11:12 NASB Ephraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is also unruly against God, Even against the Holy One who is faithful.

also this verse:

Phil 2:6 KJB Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Phil 2:6 ASV who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped

Phil 2:6 ESV who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped

Phil 2:6 NIV Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

These are only a few examples of different versions saying something OPPOSITE to the KJB.

They say opposite things.  They cannot all be right...  If they say different things, they do not all say the same thing...

Which Bible is right?

Thou hast kept my word and hast not denied my name

Revelation 3:7-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.


Interestingly, looking at the churches in Revelation from the church age view, the King James Bible was written during the age of the Philadelphia church.