Words From The Word Of God
A topical, and expositional study from the Word of God, in order to Glorify and Exalt our Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; that we may reach the world with the Gospel, and grow in the Grace and knowledge of Him.. Grace and Peace to all, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(Isaiah 52:7) "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"(Isaiah 55 10-11) 10) "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"11) "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."(John 3:16)“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”(John 14:1-7) 1)"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."2)"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."3)"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."4)And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."5)"Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?"6)"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."7)"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him."(Romans 10 :9-10;13) 9)"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."10)"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."13)"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
All Done For The Glory Of God and To Exalt Jesus Christ The Lord!!!
Words From The Word Of God
Sheep's Clothing, Wolves Beneath
The greatest spiritual deception doesn't announce itself with horns and a pitchfork—it arrives with a halo, a smile, and a Bible. In this powerful examination of Matthew 7:15-23, we confront Jesus' stark warning about "wolves in wool"—false prophets who appear as authentic ministers while secretly threatening the eternal destiny of those who follow them.
"Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." These words from the Sermon on the Mount strike at the heart of religious deception—not the obvious charlatan, but the subtle counterfeit who masters appearance while missing the essence of true faith. These wolves don't growl; they grin with charisma. They don't curse in the streets; they fill pulpits with silver-tongued messages that sound biblical but lack the transformative truth of the gospel.
How can we protect ourselves? Jesus gives us a simple yet profound test: "Ye shall know them by their fruits." Not by their stage presence, not by their rhetorical skill, not by their crowd size—but by what their ministry actually produces. True spiritual fruit manifests as character under pressure, obedience when no one's watching, and genuine concern for souls rather than status. Most chilling is Christ's revelation that many will stand before Him at judgment, confidently pointing to prophecies and miracles done in His name, only to hear: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
This message calls us to adopt the "Berean standard"—receiving teaching with readiness but searching the Scriptures daily to verify its truth. Don't just say "amen" to everything; ask "show me that in the Word." Your spiritual discernment isn't skepticism—it's Holy Spirit safety in a world where deception may be someone's final detour before eternity.
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
If you haven't received Jesus Christ by Faith, as your personal Lord and Savior; I strongly encourage you to do so before it is eternally too late!!!
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Email: jeffthomas4Christ@yahoo.com
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Hello, welcome to this another edition of Words from the Word of God. Thank you all so much for joining us today. This is Evangelist Jeff Thomas and today's message and, as I said in the last broadcast, we will go as the Lord leads and the Holy Spirit's taking us just in a little bit different direction, to verses 15 through 23 of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7. We'll still be in Matthew, chapter 7, but we'll cover again 15 through 23 today. I want to speak to you for a few minutes today on this topic wolves in wool, the hidden threat to our eternity. You know, in today's message it strikes at deception. Jesus strikes at deception wearing a robe, false fire in the sanctuary and wolves masquerading as ministers of righteousness. In this next message in our series, eternity Hangs in the balance. Jesus speaks, not subtly but surgically, exposing not the sinner in rebellion but the preacher in disguise. Read with me, if you will, the scriptures here, let's, let's put it on record, the word of god and get the authority of god's word involved here. Join with me in reading verse 15 down through verse 23 of Matthew, chapter 7. He says Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, hungry wolves, starving wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Very, very important statement A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is honed down and cast into the fire. Dangerous warning we are on dangerous ground today, prince. Wherefore verse 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many and you hear that word again, many. We heard this yesterday. Many will say to me in that day Lord, lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works, many wonderful ministries. And then will I profess unto them I never knew you Depart from me. Ye that work iniquity. May the Lord bless the reading of his word to our hearts today.
Speaker 1:As I said this in, it was just as serious a matter in jesus's day, and we see this calling out of hypocrisy of the scribes and the phar Pharisees and the false religiosity of that day. You know how they had. You know it was rumored in the culture of that day, in the Jewish culture, that if two people would go to heaven, two men, it would be a scribe and a Pharisee. And they were held to that high standard because of their outward appearance. But inwardly Jesus said they were hypocrites and full of damaged bones. They were clean on the outside, in other words dead on the inside, because they had not the Holy Spirit, they had not the truth of God's word. They had made so many delineations. They had 40 different delineations of keeping the Sabbath, 40 different do's and don'ts out of that, one law given at Mount Sinai about keeping the Sabbath holy. Jesus would tell us here in.
Speaker 1:Let's break it down in verse 15. He says beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You know false prophets don't wear horns and carry pitchforks, they wear halos and a big smile. Pit shorts. They wear halos and a big smile. They don't growl, they grin with charisma. They don't roam the streets with curses, they fill pulpits with their slick silver tongues and their charisma. You know, this was a danger in Christ's day, but we see it as a danger in our day. You know, and unfortunately here's the danger, they wear wool the whole time, but they devour souls because it's a danger to our eternity. It's a danger to the eternity of everyone that falls prey to their false doctrine and their false gospels.
Speaker 1:You've heard them on TV speaking of and I'm not going to call any out by name, but I'm sure you can think of a few. You know those that will preach prosperity, health and wealth, but they want you to give them a dime for preaching the word of God. They want you to plant a seed, they want you to do this or that that you might have the blessings of God upon your life, when the whole time they're missing the true gospel. They preach comfort without conviction, grace without the cross, prosperity with no holiness, and inside they're ravenous, devouring trust, destroying truth and, unfortunately, damning many hearts to hell. Let's look at fruit versus ego. Let me speak to two hearts today. To the preacher behind the pulpit Are you preaching from the fruit of God's spirit or the flare of your own ego? And to the listener of the man in the pulpit, those in the pew or those on the other end of a broadcast such as this one. Are you feeding on the Holy Ghost, conviction or showmanship dressed up in Scripture? Because deception doesn't just enter the church, it enters the sermon, the personality, the culture, and if you don't test it by the truth of God's word, you'll fall for it by taste.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately, many have fallen prey to these what I call health, wealth and prosperity preachers of today. You know the ones that will get up and quote some kind of saying about this being our Bible and we're going to do this and we live by that and everything else. Then they'll say open up to a certain scripture, do this and we live by that and everything else. Then they'll say open up to a certain scripture. They won't read the scripture and then they'll proceed to give a 45 minute to an hour just a motivational speech. In other words, the whole time preaching a false doctrine and false gospel.
Speaker 1:Preaching a false doctrine and false gospel, promising something that cannot be delivered because it's based upon a false religiosity, just as it was in Christ's day. We see it so prevalent today. You know, it's so devastating, because now they are no longer known as preachers, teachers, evangelists. The ones that are so well known are known as world reformers. That is a dangerous title World reformers. What are they reforming us from? They reforming us from the truth of God's word to their truth. How sad it is that many fall prey to these ravening wolves in sheep's clothing.
Speaker 1:But he goes on to say in verse 16 through 20, and we'll read it again to get the authority of God's word here. And I asked I still want to stop right here and ask each of you that are listening pray for us here at Words from the Word of God, that we never preach a false doctrine or false gospel. That we always preach Christ crucified, resurrected, risen again and ascended into heaven. That he is the only way of salvation, that his gospel and the truth of God's word is truly what matters this day and time and is so needful for souls today. So I ask that you pray for us here that we would never lead anyone astray.
Speaker 1:But Jesus moves on in verse 16. He said ye shall know them by their fruits, what they produce. If you go to an apple tree and there is an orange growing there and somebody's telling you it's an apple, you might want to look at it in a different way. There's something wrong there. So jesus said you shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, thorn bushes? Do you get grapes from thorn bushes? Or figs from thistles, those that cause pain, and you get something pleasant from it. Something pleasant from it Even so. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but every corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree and this is the stern warning here for the pastor who's in the pulpit preaching a false doctrine, preaching a false gospel this is the danger. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hung down, is cut down and cast into the fire. No doubt Jesus, referring to the eternal fire of hell and the lake of fire, hades hell and the lake of fire eventually in eternity.
Speaker 1:And this is goes on. He gets more serious as he moves along here. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. He says that again. He. What did he say right there, verse 16, in the first part, he said ye shall know them by their fruits. Then he says, right here again. So he said this in this many verses, two times wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father, which is in heaven, many will say to me in that day lord, lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? Have we not cast out devils in thy name and done many wonderful works? And I got ahead of myself. I got on down to verse 22,. So we're going to stop right there, but we go back up to verse 20, and I want to put emphasis on this because Jesus didn't say judge their stage, didn't say judge their stage, judge their charisma, judge their words and their smiling face and silver tongues. He said inspect their fruit.
Speaker 1:Fruit is character under pressure, obedience when no one's watching. Holiness, that doesn't need a microphone. You might be fooling your congregation, you might be fooling the masses that come to hear your false doctrine and false gospel and your health, wealth and prosperity gospel, which is a false gospel and a heresy straight from the pits of hell. But you're not fooling God. But you're not fooling God and your fruit will show what you produce in your ministry, what you produce if you are known, if you're more known, for the money you get and the jets you fly in and the limousines you drive or ride in. You don't drive, you ride in them and you're giving rides here and there and you're living an extravagant life. That is not good fruit. That is not the fruit that Jesus Christ says is good fruit.
Speaker 1:The good fruit is winning souls for Christ, preaching his gospel, bringing people, bringing lost souls to the knowledge of the God-saving knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can sing like an angel, preach like the apostle Paul, quote Greek and Hebrew, and still be spiritually rotten. We see it every day. Because fruit tells the truth. You may hide it and you may hide it from man. They may be led astray and not be blinded and not see the fruits that you're bearing, whether they're evil or good. But you'll never fool God. He knows the hearts and he drives the reins and you will never fool him. That's why Jesus gives a stern warning Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is honed down and cast into the fire. That, my friend, is destruction. You're on the path to destruction and no amount of charisma, no amount of slick talk, no amount of smiling is going to change your eternal destiny. It is set right here in the words of Jesus Christ himself. It is set right here in the words of Jesus Christ himself.
Speaker 1:Folks, we need to be aware, because every tree without fruit is not ignored. It is honed down and cast into the fire. As I said, god will not ignore it. I want to say that again God will not ignore it. That's not imagery, my friend, that's finality. That's an eternity in hell.
Speaker 1:But we as parishioners, so to speak, as listeners of these, need to be aware of what's going on. We need to judge the fruit. Judge the fruit. If they can only give you something for money or something in return, most of the time, more than likely, it is a false doctrine and a false gospel. We are not here to win a popularity contest. We are not here to get tithing going and preach on this and preach against that. No, we're here to preach the gospel. That is our commission. That is what we've been commissioned to do. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, not the false gospel, but the gospel, the only true gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, live a perfect life, crucified on Calvary's cross.
Speaker 1:Now we move on to verse 21 through verse 23. Not everyone that saith unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father, which is in heaven. May many now notice that. Many will say to me in that day lord, lord, lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works? Many will say this that day, and then will I profess unto them I never knew you. Depart from me, ye, that work iniquity. I never knew you. Depart from me, ye, that work iniquity.
Speaker 1:It's not that they denied Jesus, they declared him. They preached miracles, they performed wonders, but they lived disconnected. Their sermons had volume, but not victory. Their crowds were full, but their closets were empty, full of dead men's bones. Their works impressed men, but never moved heaven. Moved heaven, they served without salvation. They master ministry, but never surrender to the true master, jesus Christ himself. Spotting the mask, he said ye shall know them, going with me right here, verse 20 wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Speaker 1:Let's get practical here. If you're discerning the messenger, ask yourself these questions do they exalt christ or themselves? Do they preach repentance or prosperity? Do they tremble at the scripture, the holy word of God, or do they twist it? Do they cry for souls or clamor for platforms and money, mammon, earthly possessions? Do they cry for souls? Do they preach the gospel, the true gospel of Jesus Christ and his gospel only to win souls.
Speaker 1:2 Peter 2, verse 1, warns us. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you. Who, privily, shall bring indomitable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. They don't storm the church, they slither into it. They corrupt hearts while quoting truth. They condemn others but ignore their own judgment. Peter warns right here preacher, friend, take this seriously, because this is the message right here, this is the warning.
Speaker 1:Who, privily, shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction, swift destruction. It may not happen today, it may not happen tomorrow, but you can be assured, someday in eternity it will matter. And when you stand before the great white throne and say, lord, lord, didn't we do this, didn't we do that, didn't we do all this in your name and do these wonderful works, and you hear from him I never knew you depart from me, you, that work, iniquity. So now I want to speak to the listener. I never knew you depart from me, ye, that work, iniquity. So now I want to speak to the listener of any message, any preacher, we must have biblical backup, spiritual discernment.
Speaker 1:I call it the Berean standard. If you want to avoid deception, don't listen with emotion. Test with scripture. The Bereans, in Acts, chapter 17, verse 11, were commended because they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so. They didn't blindly accept any preacher. They searched daily to see if it matched up with God's truth. Praise God for that.
Speaker 1:The Berean Standard, john the apostle, john, warns in his first epistle. He says Beloved, speaking to the beloved brethren and sisters in Christ, the family of Christ, the body of Christ beloved, he says believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world. You notice how that word many keeps coming up. You notice that. So my question is how many are truly sheep and true wool, and how? Or shall I say how few? And how many are posing as sheep and are their wolves wearing wool? How many, you know?
Speaker 1:It's not skepticism to try things by the Spirit, to try things by the Word of God, it's Holy Ghost, safety, because Satan doesn't enter the church with a pitchfork and horns. No, he enters as an angel of light with a microphone. Don't just say amen to everything. Say show me that in the word. Show me that in the word, the word. Judge them by their fruits and you shall know them by their fruits and the word of God, which is the truth. It is truth. Jesus said Father, I have sanctified them with your word. Your word is truth If you judge it by the truth of God's word and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and it doesn't match up with the word of God. There's something wrong with it. They are producing evil fruit.
Speaker 1:My friends, it's a sad truth, but it happens daily in our country and worldwide. I can't tell you the amount of people I have had contact me through social media saying they're pastors and they're evangelists and this, and that the other and the other countries and they're supporting orphans and doing this and that the whole time we're just trying to get money. It's a sad thing. There's very few out there that are truly born again and truly serving the Lord in that capacity, and it's bad because one bad apple ruins the bunch. You don't know who to trust anymore, so it hurts the one that are truly in need.
Speaker 1:So we need to pray for these people. We need to pray for their souls. Don't condemn them. Pray for them. If your pastor or your preacher, your evangelist, whoever it is, is not spiritually sound in doctrine and not going by the word of God, not according to the word of God, don't condemn them. Confront them, but pray for them. Pray for their souls because they need salvation, because they're heaping unto themselves swift destruction one day.
Speaker 1:But how to escape the fangs of deception Right now? You may have followed charisma more than conviction. You may have loved personality more than purity. Maybe you feasted at the table of emotional hype and left starving for holiness, or maybe you've worn wool yourself. But beneath it all, your, your heart remains and surrender.
Speaker 1:I want everyone to pray with me now, lord Jesus, open our eyes, strip away every lie. We we reject all deception. We renounce false fire. We surrender to your truth. Know us, lord, show us your ways that we may know you more if we have found grace in thy sight. Show us thy goodness, cleanse us, lord, and lead us in righteousness. Show us thy goodness, cleanse us, lord, and lead us in righteousness.
Speaker 1:We no longer want charisma. We want you, lord Jesus. Lord God, we want you in our hearts. We don't want to pretend, but we all come in repentance. Look, we pray this in jesus name amen. The wool will be stripped, the fruit will be judged, the wolves will be cast out one day. Make sure you're not one of them. Make sure you're not one of them, make sure you're not feeding from them, and make sure your faith is rooted not in man's flair, but in the master's fire and in the truth of God's word. This is Evangelist Jeff Thomas. Thank you for joining us today. Keep preaching, keep discerning, keep surrendering, because for someone listening, deception may be their final detour before eternity. Thank you for joining us today. I look so forward to the next time we can join together to share in words from the word of God. God bless you all.
