 TEXAS
COUNTRY PREACHER
Kent
"Cowboy" TreadwellI
have lived, worked, pastored, all over Texas. Denver City, Seminole, Midland,
Blanket, Eastland, Stamford, Ft. Worth, Brenham, and others. I have ranched, rough
necked, drove a big truck, all while trying to preach the gospel to poor folk
who could not afford a big shot. I hauled gravel out of the big pit near you.
Retired now, due to heart problems. If you're ever out this way give us a shout
and we will put out the feed bag and talk about the only one worth talking about.
JESUS. 100%
King James Bible ONLY. You
may contact Kent of Debra Treadwell at kentndebra@msn.com
Apostolic
doctrine versus false prophets- Part One
From the very first appearance of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the world, Satan
the enemy of truth and the �father of lies�, initiated his attack upon Jesus
and His apostles. This attack was not only direct and obvious, but it also came
in the form of deceptive or counterfeit teachings and doctrines strategically
devised to discredit the gospel which was delivered into the hands of the apostles,
and to lead the believers into error, thus creating such confusion that many lives
would be destroyed as a result. We
are exhorted continually in the scriptures to hold fast the gospel teaching and
sound doctrine as given by the Lord�s apostles in the New Testament, or else
we risk being deceived by false teachers, false prophets, and even false christs.
Besides being so warned, we are also told precisely how to avoid being deceived.
New Testament
teaching is neither vague nor does it contain conflicting or contradictory doctrine
(as the ministers of confusion assert) allowing for loose and individual interpretations.
TRUTH
IS ALWAYS TRUTH, and whenever there is confusion and darkness, this is always
indicative of the work of Satan, the enemy of truth. His aim is to discredit the
true apostolic teachings, which was the original source of sound doctrine. The
gospel teaching of the apostle of Jesus Christ in the New Testament is indeed
quite �plain and precious� and must be so regarded by all those who have a
sincere love of the truth and who wish to avoid misleading and deceptive teachings
and false prophets. Isaiah
8:20 �To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word,
(the WORD OF GOD) it is because there is no light in them,� (the them here being
the teachers and prophets). 1
Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. This
is the essential bedrock scripture (the whole New Testament) against which all
other teachings or purported �revelations� must be measured and judged. This
always has been, from the very beginning, the solid-rock foundation upon which
the church of our Lord Jesus Christ was built. To build one�s house upon any
other foundation (teachings, doctrines, prophesyings, revelations, or testimonies)
is to BUILD UPON SINKING SAND. To
seek guidance or direction in life by prophecy of man is unscriptural and dangerous.
�Every� New Testament believer is a priest before the Lord and is charged
by the word of God to seek the Lord for themselves and be guided by Jesus Christ,
led by the Holy Spirit and taught by the word. Seeking after prophets for direction
in life is a sure road to disaster. Even
the New Testament gift of prophecy in I Corinthians 14:3 was given only for �edification,
and exhortation, and comfort�. Also,
the other so-called gifts of the Spirit are being abused these days (such as the
word of knowledge which has been turned into fortune telling) and many poor deluded
souls have been deceived and destroyed. All of this happens so that some so-called
prophet can be exalted and adored, gain a following, siphon money out of the church,
or build their own kingdom. Yes, there are true gifts of the Spirit but their
operation must be measured by the plumbline of God�s Word. False
teachings also fall into the same measurement. �For other foundation can no
man lay than that is laid�� (I Cor 3:11), we are told by the apostle Paul,
who also says that we who are �...of the household of God...are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
cornerstone.� (Eph 2:19-20). If
I could address our pastor-shepherds of today, I would plead with them to be more
concerned about the souls of their precious sheep than bringing in and allowing
some flashy, billboard, cool-dude prophets, who lead God�s people down the road
into the devil�s pit. Deuteronomy 18:20 tells us, �But the prophet, which
shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak,
or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.�
Deuteronomy
18:22, �When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow
not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the
prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Some
of the biggest transgressors of these plain spoken commandments are to be found
in the phony Pentecostal, Charismatic, Signs and Wonders Movement. They are under
the delusion the signs of the Apostles are still valid for today, overlooking
the Bible fact that the signs are for the Jews 1 Corinthians 1:22, Exodus 4:8,
9,. Jesus Christ himself warned that seeking signs itself was a sign of unbelief,
Luke 11:29. SIGN SEEKING LEADS TO DELUSION, 2
Thessalonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness
in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. We
are taught by Scripture to walk by faith not by sight. Following after signs,
allowing oneself to be deceived by greedy prophets is walking by sight, not by
faith. Yes, true Bible believers do believe that God does miracles and heals through
prayer, but they do not believe in the false signs and wonders, fake healers,
money prophets, that fill the land these days. My
plea today is to return to the final authority, the A.V. 1611, study, memorize
and preach so that true faith is built up and belief in God is strong. These false
preachers and teachers need to be rebuked and it�s up to you and me to do it.
Rebuke
them in public, in private, in books, in sermons, on the internet, in personal
e-mails, and any way you can. Too
rough? 2
Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
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;
4 And they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. The
false prophets are going to hell and they are taking multitudes with them. May
God have mercy.
Apostolic
doctrine versus false doctrine- Part Two Jesus
said, �I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father
but by me.� (John 14:6) Truly,
there is only one Way: Jesus himself; only one Truth: Jesus himself; and only
in Jesus himself is there true Life. By the atoning blood of the Lamb shed at
Calvary, salvation was wrought in and through the person of Jesus Christ. This
is the gospel message taught us by the apostles of the New Covenant faith. We
do not have to remain confused, nor do we have to trust in uncertain claims and
words of men, or rely upon �spiritual feelings� to determine what is true
and what is false. We simply must trust in the sure foundation of Jesus Christ
and His apostles, as set forth in the Bible. John,
the beloved, also bears this testimony in the opening Chapter of I John, where
we read: �THAT WHICH WAS FROM THE BEGINNING, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handles, of
the Word of Life, (for the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear
witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was
manifested unto us;). THAT
WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD DECLARE WE UNTO YOU that you also may have fellowship
with us: and truly our fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
AND THESE
THINGS WE WRITE UNTO YOU, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL (I John 1:1-4). Read
also (I John 2:24). We see then by their �testimony� that we must look to
the scriptures written by the Lord�s apostles, remain steadfastly therein, in
order to receive the true gospel message of Jesus in whom is the Way, Truth, and
Life. One who does not trust in and value the sacred testimony of the New Testament,
runs a risk of being hoodwinked and deceived by false teachers, false prophets
and false christ. In
Matthew, chapter 7, beginning with verse 13, Jesus warns: �Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of
false prophets which come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves.� Because of the deceit of Satan and his ministers, their �broad
way� can offer many marvelous teachings and doctrines all of which sound true
and may even promote themselves as Christian teaching. �For
such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles
of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers
of righteousness�� (II Cor 11:13-15). With
Satan as an adversary of such clever ability to disguise himself by clothing himself
in �truth�, we can easily see why it becomes so important to hold fast to
the sound apostolic teaching found only in Bible scripture. It
is interesting that Jesus said, in the previously quoted scripture, that most
people will choose the broad way which leads to destruction, and apparently be
convinced that they are on the right track. The scripture also implies that the
�strait gate� and �narrow way� may be difficult to find. Why
is that? The answer may be found in the following verses: �For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine: but after their own lust shall
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.� (II Tim 4:3,4) In
other words, the Lord�s way will be seen as too narrow for them. The simplicity
of the gospel will not be able to hold their attention, so they�ll demand something
more fascinating. A more stimulating and challenging doctrine perhaps. The gospel
of the apostles will no longer satisfy this craving for �something new�, and
now the Holy Bible will be perceived as incomplete, simplistic, and inadequate
So when they have �itching ears�. They
will become eager to listen to �fables�, or novel religious teachings, which
they hope will offer that something more� or that �new thing� they think
is missing from the gospel. Indeed, we are living in an age where there is little
appreciation for the beauty of simplicity. �But I fear, lest by any means, as
the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ.� (II Cor 11:3) Everything
is so complex and over-stimulating in our environment that the simple, the humble,
and the pure is often classified as �na�ve or boring�, and is easily disregarded
in favor of the new and exciting. It appears that our world is headed anxiously
toward a rendezvous with Bible prophecy, as it propels itself with increasing
speed on a collision course with an awesome reality: ALL
power and ALL authority in heaven and earth has been given to the �simple�
and humble Lord Jesus, who is about to return and claim His own.
BELOVED,
BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT� Part III Writes
John, �...but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone into the world� (I John 4:1) He then goes on to set the standard
for such a trial, declaring that it is essential that those who know God �heareth
us� (the apostles of Jesus) in order to discern between the spirits of truth
and error: �We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of
God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.�
(verse 6) Further
on we read John�s statement concerning the scriptural �record� of the apostles
which confirms that it is the essential witness of God which testifies of His
Son. (I John 5:9-13) Apostle Paul even found it necessary to repeat his warning
in Galatians to show just how seriously we must guard ourselves. Here we are told
to reject any teaching other than that gospel which was preached by the apostles
of Jesus Christ. No
matter how great that teaching sounds and no matter even if the teacher is another
apostle or an �angel from heaven�, we are twice warned not to receive it,
because that teacher or preacher of another gospel is �accursed�! (Galatians
1:6-9) If
we are to have confidence in any teaching or doctrine taught by men, we must insist
that the teaching: 1.
Does not depart from the apostolic gospel truth given in the Bible scriptures,
and 2.
Always points to Jesus Christ, and the Father. (Never will a true prophet or teacher
exalt himself: �...let no man glory in men� (I Corinthians 3:21). 3.
That all true teaching must be confirmed in the New Testament. (Heb 8:6)
We
must therefore take care to receive our instruction from basic Bible scripture,
for any doctrine or teaching which is extraneous to , and does not support, apostolic
doctrine simply cannot be relied upon as being of God. Paul
writes: �But as we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even
so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts,� (I Thess
2:4) �Nor of men sought we glory...as the apostles of Christ� (verse 6) �...because,
when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God�� (verse 13) If
indeed we are to believe God�s word which says that the Holy Scriptures are
sufficient to �make wise unto salvation,� why then, we must ask, should we
subject ourselves to doubtful teachings from self-proclaimed apostles and prophets?
Self-righteous and haughty men have always made claims to divine authority, above
or equal to apostolic authority, often belittling the Bible or the apostles in
the process. While
some have sought to cast doubt upon their verity and accuracy of the Holy Scriptures,
promoting their own new doctrine or �revelation from God� as being more enlightened
or more inspired than the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ and his apostles, others
simply caused that this treasure of scripture should be reduced to a position
of shared authority with other �new teachings�, revelations, dreams, prophecies,
etc, purporting to be equal or superior to the Bible. Could
this be a sign of that great apostasy from the true faith instituted by the gospel
of the apostles of Jesus Christ, as foretold in prophecy by Paul to the Thessalonians?
( note: the other day I visited a website which purports to warn people about
� deception in the church�, while reading their statement of faith I discovered
that they advocate false doctrine themselves, by promoting new age bible versions
which attack true Bible doctrine and their final authority was the non-existent
originals. Everlasting shame on them ! )
BRO.
KENT
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