Sunday Tonic

My heart bleeds as I behold the razzmatazz going on in most of today’s churches. We hear a lot of messages without substance. They are very fleshy and do little or nothing to the heart. Our Lord Jesus in John 6:63 says that these fleshy messages profit nothing.

As you are reading this piece, stop for awhile and ponder. Ask yourself critically, the messages that I hear from my pastors, of what benefits are they to eternity? Are they messages that make you reflect on your life and seek for ways to be closer to your God – being the person that He desires you to become? Or are they messages like: ‘you are number 1! go for it, believe it, you’ll have it, or you can be what God wants you to be, you are unstoppable?! These type of messages that tickle your fancy make you jump up and shout ‘ride on pastor’. I ask, after this, what next? Will these slogans make you overcome the works of the devil in your life, or make you forsake sin, live righteously and prepare you for heaven?
If you have found yourself in this type of ministry, know for sure that you are under a false teacher. Hmmmmm! Let me be bold to let you know that you are on way to hell sitting under that type of pastor. It was Pastor David Wilkerson of blessed memory (the founding pastor of Times Square Church, New York) who said in one of his messages that false teachers are leading people to hell more than drug barons, drug peddlers and drug addictions.

What of if you under a minister who has become more popular than our Lord Jesus Christ, like Bro Gbile Akanni of Living Seed Ministries said of some present day pastors and general overseers? I remember sometime in 2000 or 2001 when as members of a denomination, my wife and I attended an open air programme at the National Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria. This programme had in attendance my then General Overseer and there was also a guest speaker who had been invited to minister. Just before the guest speaker mounted the pulpit to deliver his message, the G.O. was invited to greet the brethren. This he did and left some few minutes after the guest speaker had started preaching. I was not really troubled at his leaving because for a man his level, he may have other commitments lined up for the day. But what made me shudder and restless was that more than fifty percent of the congregants left immediately the G.O. rose up to leave. I just said to myself that many in this denomination have made a god out of this man. He is no doubt being deified (most unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to mind). I took a decision to immediately leave that denomination before I am caught in the web. God in Isaiah 42:8 says ‘I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’

If you are in this ministry or other such ministries where the Archbishop, Bishop, Apostle, Senior Pastor, Papa, Mama etc are almost deified such that their words are law irrespective of what the Bible says, then you are under a false teacher. You are committing spiritual prostitution with such a minister (Rev 2: 18-22). Let me also remind you that remaining in such an enclave reduces the possibility of your leaving a righteous and holy life. This will in turn reduce your chances of making heaven. Be Warned!

To close today’s message, let’s read and meditate together the following passages:

Rom 16:17 ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.’

2 Cor 11:13-15 ‘For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the 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; whose end shall be according to their works.’

Gal 1: 8-10 ‘But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.’

2 Thess 3:6 ‘Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.’

2 Tim 3:4-5 ‘Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.’

2 John verses 9-11 ’Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

3 John verse 11 ‘Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.’

Rev 1:3 ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.’

Think on these and it shall be well with you if you obey the voice of the Holy Spirit. Till we meet again on this platform, remain blessed in JESUS’ name, Amen.

If you have not given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ but desire to do so, please do the following for you to commit your life to the Lord.

A - Acknowledge that you are a sinner and has fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).
B - Believe that the blood of Jesus Christ is able to cleanse you from all unrighteousness and redeem you from all iniquity and purify you unto Himself (Romans 4:25; Galatians 1:4; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:14).
C - Confess your sins to God and ask for His forgiveness. Invite Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, while asking His Holy Spirit to come into you (1 John 1:8-9; Psalm 32:5; John20:22).
D - Determine to live a holy life by asking the Lord for deliverance from sin and grace to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts. But to live soberly and righteously in this world because as He Who has called is holy so you have to be holy (John 1:12-13; Titus 2:11-12; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 4:24; 1 Peter 1: 14-16).

Thank you man of God.