"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married...And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath He not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it" (Numbers 12:1a, 2).
There is a notable difference between helping somebody to be fulfilled and making somebody to fail or fall down. While good counsel achieves the first purpose, the aim of negative criticism is to condemn and pull down. Criticism is the act of judging unfavourably or an act of fault finding. It has to do with attacking somebody's character and personality. Miriam's intention was not to counsel her younger brother, Moses, but to judge and challenge his authority and leadership. Most criticisms are done out of jealousy. The Bible forbids believers from speaking evil of their leaders, whether spiritual or secular leaders.
Christian youths should not copy the ungodly among whom they dwell to criticize and find faults with their leaders. A learner that criticizes his instructor will not benefit much from him. So, the youths that listen to gospel messages with the aim of finding faults will not be blessed of the Lord. For Miriam's criticism of God's servant, she was afflicted with leprosy. She was banished from the camp of Israel temporarily before God delivered her through Moses' intercessory prayer. Are you a faultfinder like Miriam?
• Quote:"Most criticisms are done out of jealousy"
• Chɑllenge:"Criticism closes a learner's mind to knowledge"
Peter, the apostle, warned people about ALL MOGs (False Prophets and Teachers), from about 2000 years ago.
2 Peter 2 vs 1-7 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. 2. Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. 3. These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them.
4. When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them.
5. And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.
6. God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. 7. But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. 8 This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
A story was told of a man who was robbed of his belongings. While his wife was expecting him to be sad, he expressed gratitude to God for sparing his life. This man understood and obeyed the biblical counsel that enjoins believers to give thanks to God in everything. Perhaps, as a youth, you have never been robbed of something. Life challenges may have been robbing you academically, physically, emotionally, economically and spiritually. The ups and downs of life can make you question why you should give thanks to God.
Like the man in the story above, you should always find reasons to thank God in spite of your challenges. Do not allow anything to hinder you from giving thanks to God always. The Bible says: "…all things work together for good to them that love God…" (Romans 8:28). Who knows? Such challenges may be stepping stones to your breakthrough. Therefore, always give thanks to God in all situations.
Challenge:"Are you always grateful to God?"
Prayer::"Lord, teach me to thank you in every situation."
Quotation:"Always give thanks to God in all situations."
Peter, the apostle, warned people about ALL MOGs (False Prophets and Teachers), from about 2000 years ago.
2 Peter 2 vs 1-7 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. 2. Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. 3. These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them.
4. When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them.
5. And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.
6. God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. 7. But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. 8 This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.
"So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: And Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him" (1 Kings 19:19).
In his book, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders disclosed, "The parts of glory ever lead but to the grave. But a new glory will be revealed. The greatest leader must inevitably be removed by death or by some other cause, and the sense of loss will vary with the caliber of his leadership."
As the distinguished ministry of Prophet Elijah was drawing to its divinely-appointed end, God instructed him to anoint a crop of carefully selected persons to assume specific responsibilities. Elisha was selected to understudy and take over from Prophet Elijah as the mouthpiece of God in Israel. Elisha was found gainfully employed, "ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen!" He eventually made a good success of his career as a prophet.
God is also looking for serious-minded youths today, who would be equipped for noble service to humanity. In our churches and schools, as some youths playing leadership roles move to the next level, others are needed to replace them. Would you be one of them? Then get busy with your Bible and academic books - grace will locate you.
• Quote:"God is also looking for serious-minded youths"
• Chɑllenge:"Quit idleness, get busy preparing for service"
• Prɑyer:"Father, deliver me from idleness, in Jesus' name"
"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:14).
Idolatry is the worship of idols or gods. An example is the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar set up in Babylon for everyone in his empire to bow to and worship. Idolatry, however, goes far beyond physical objects that people worship and/or trust to provide for them and also protect from innumerable dangers in life.
According to Tim Keller, "When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an 'idol', something you are actually worshipping."
Thus, many young people today are actually idolaters, addicted to drugs, entertainments, gambling, pornography, fornication and pervasion of all sorts.
Have you noticed the recent trend in youth tattoos? It has got to the level of idolatry. For some, there is hardly a part of the body that is not tattooed, making them look repulsive. Others use demonic powers and dedicate themselves to idols for lifetime achievements through cults.
God hates all kinds of idolatry. His people must not serve other gods (Exodus 20:3; 23:24, 25). There is present and eternal punishment for idolaters. Repent now!
• Quote:"God hates all kinds of idolatry"
• Chɑllenge:"Wouldn't you rather seek Jesus today?"
• Prɑyer:"Oh God, embolden me to serve you only, in Jesus' name"
Peter, the apostle, warned people about ALL MOGs (False Prophets and Teachers), from about 2000 years ago.
2 Peter 2 vs 1-7 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. 2. Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. 3. These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them.
4. When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them.
5. And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.
6. God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. 7. But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. 8 This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.
"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Luke 16:23).
In Luke Chapter 16, we see a brief record of a very poor and sickly beggar, Lazarus, who often sat at a rich man's gate, expecting crumbs. Suddenly, we are presented with the spiritual states of both the poor Lazarus and the rich man, after their death. It is only then we realise that poor and sickly Lazarus lived a righteous and holy life, despite severe economic and health challenges in his lifetime.
You, probably, grew up to realise you were born out of wedlock, physically challenged and/or into a poor, wretched family background. However, things could be better today.
For example, Steve Jobs and Dr. Ben Carson had challenging family upbringing, but later triumphed. Helen Keller was blind and Thomas Edison was partially deaf but left behind great legacies.
Spiritually too, you can learn from Lazarus. Ignore your unpleasant circumstances in life; seek Jesus today, obtain forgiveness of sins, and faithfully hold onto Him in holiness till death. You will wake up in eternity and find yourself in the bosom of Jesus Christ.
• Quote:"Ignore your unpleasant circumstances in life; seek Jesus"
• Chɑllenge:"In spite of your condition, God can take you higher"
• Prɑyer:"Help me, O God, to overcome, like Lazarus"
"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Luke 16:23).
In Luke Chapter 16, we see a brief record of a very poor and sickly beggar, Lazarus, who often sat at a rich man's gate, expecting crumbs. Suddenly, we are presented with the spiritual states of both the poor Lazarus and the rich man, after their death. It is only then we realise that poor and sickly Lazarus lived a righteous and holy life, despite severe economic and health challenges in his lifetime.
You, probably, grew up to realise you were born out of wedlock, physically challenged and/or into a poor, wretched family background. However, things could be better today.
For example, Steve Jobs and Dr. Ben Carson had challenging family upbringing, but later triumphed. Helen Keller was blind and Thomas Edison was partially deaf but left behind great legacies.
Spiritually too, you can learn from Lazarus. Ignore your unpleasant circumstances in life; seek Jesus today, obtain forgiveness of sins, and faithfully hold onto Him in holiness till death. You will wake up in eternity and find yourself in the bosom of Jesus Christ.
• Quote:"Ignore your unpleasant circumstances in life; seek Jesus"
• Chɑllenge:"In spite of your condition, God can take you higher"
• Prɑyer:"Help me, O God, to overcome, like Lazarus"
Peter, the apostle, warned people about ALL MOGs (False Prophets and Teachers), from about 2000 years ago.
2 Peter 2 vs 1-7 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. 2. Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. 3. These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them.
4. When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them.
5. And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.
6. God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. 7. But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. 8 This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14, 15).
What a paradox, that life should come only through death! The Jews schemed, plotted ceaselessly until they had their way, as it seemed, to eliminate their prime enemy, Jesus Christ, through crucifixion. Interestingly, they were too blinded by hate, borne out of their depraved hearts, to perceive the divine wisdom that underpinned the entire process. The Bible records, "...had they known it (God's wisdom), they would not have crucified the Lord of glory {1 Corinthians 2:7, 8}.
Providentially, Jesus died to remove the three types of deaths: spiritual, physical and eternal. Methuselah lived for 969 years, the longest by any human being, but still died physically. When anyone goes into sin, he or she dies spiritually, and if there is no repentance before dying physically, the person goes into eternal death. However, Jesus died to save humanity from sin and its consequences, including death. Our deliverance from inbred sin and committed sins, is only possible as we put our faith in Christ and the finished work on the Cross of Calvary. Jesus only gives eternal life. Received Him now!
• Quote:"Jesus died to remove the three types of deaths"
• Chɑllenge:"Wouldn't you look up to Jesus today?"
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14, 15).
What a paradox, that life should come only through death! The Jews schemed, plotted ceaselessly until they had their way, as it seemed, to eliminate their prime enemy, Jesus Christ, through crucifixion. Interestingly, they were too blinded by hate, borne out of their depraved hearts, to perceive the divine wisdom that underpinned the entire process. The Bible records, "...had they known it (God's wisdom), they would not have crucified the Lord of glory {1 Corinthians 2:7, 8}.
Providentially, Jesus died to remove the three types of deaths: spiritual, physical and eternal. Methuselah lived for 969 years, the longest by any human being, but still died physically. When anyone goes into sin, he or she dies spiritually, and if there is no repentance before dying physically, the person goes into eternal death. However, Jesus died to save humanity from sin and its consequences, including death. Our deliverance from inbred sin and committed sins, is only possible as we put our faith in Christ and the finished work on the Cross of Calvary. Jesus only gives eternal life. Received Him now!
• Quote:"Jesus died to remove the three types of deaths"
• Chɑllenge:"Wouldn't you look up to Jesus today?"
Jesus Christ lashed out at Scribes,Pharisees, and MOGs... Teachers of the Law who were not chosen by God to Teach His people but assigned themselves as Teachers/gods over His people anyways.
It was only as part of the old Covenant that MOGs known as 'men of God' were set up to teach God's people, the descendants of Israel, about God's commandments and ways. However, the office was hijacked by men who took to installing themselves according to their own rules, as leaders over God's own people, setting themselves up as dictators over God's people where it God and matters that concern God. With His New Covenant, God declared that the office of MOGs null and void. Instead, as part of His new Covenant, God declared He alone will teach His flock about Himself.
So your MOGs, who pretend to be of Jesus Christ, were never set up as Teachers over God's people... they were simply meant to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to those who were not saved... not to install themselves as managers over those who were, but instead, these men have
1. Set themselves up as 'spiritual' leaders/authorities over Jesus Christ's flock
Matthew 20 vs 24-28 (ESV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 25. So Jesus called the followers together. He said, “You know that the rulers of the non-Jewish people love to show their power over the people. And their important leaders love to use all their authority over the people. 26. But it should not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be your leader must be your servant. 27. Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. 28. Do as I did: The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.”
2. Spiritual 'Abbas over those they have been sent out to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to
Matthew 23 vs 8-9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.[c] 9. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
3. Planted themselves as go-betweens between God and His flock
Matthew 6 vs 24 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 24. “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money[d] at the same time.
4. Established themselves as teachers teaching doctrines and traditions different from what Jesus Christ taught them
Matthew 23 vs 10-12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11. The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
5. To add insult to the pile, your MOGs add rules/commandments to the set of rules that God has set up for His people to obey.
Mark 7 vs 1-13 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2. they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly,[a] holding to the tradition of the elders, 4. and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.[c]) [b] 5. And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6. And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7. in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the (doctrines and rules)** tradition of men.” 9. And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11. But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)[d]— 12. then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13. thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
** substituted from another Bible translation for better understanding of what is impacted
If you study the Old Covenant Teachers of the Law, you will find that these were the same infractions Jesus Christ leveled against them while He was here on earth. And He did warn us, using the Old Covenant Teachers of the Law as examples, against men who would establish themselves in a similar manner over His own followers, all while pretending to come to us in the name of God.
I can go on but the truth is, your MOGs exist in direct disobedience to the very commandments of Jesus Christ. Peter, the apostle, warned people about ALL MOGs (False Prophets and Teachers), from about 2000 years ago.
2 Peter 2 vs 1-7 (ERV) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. In the past there were false prophets among God’s people. It is the same now. You will have some false teachers in your group. They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost. And they will teach in a way that will be hard for you to see that they are wrong. They will even refuse to follow the Master who bought their freedom. And so they will quickly destroy themselves. 2. Many people will follow them in the morally wrong things they do. And because of them, others will say bad things about the way of truth we follow. 3. These false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against these false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape God who will destroy them.
4. When angels sinned, God did not let them go free without punishment. He sent them to hell. He put those angels in caves of darkness, where they are being held until the time when God will judge them.
5. And God punished the evil people who lived long ago. He brought a flood to the world that was full of people who were against God. But he saved Noah and seven other people with him. Noah was a man who told people about living right.
6. God also punished the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned them until there was nothing left but ashes. He used those cities as an example of what will happen to people who are against God. 7. But he saved Lot, a good man who lived there. Lot was greatly troubled by the morally bad lives of those evil people. 8 This good man lived with those evil people every day, and his good heart was hurt by the evil things he saw and heard.
