Worldly Fashions Taking Believers to Hell

Worldliness is an idol common in the lives of men including professing Christians in this Last Day. Friendship with the world is direct enmity against God. Many Christians go too close to the world yet believe that they are candidates for heaven contrary to God's Word in 1 John 2:15-17.

Worldliness manifests in thoughts, attitudes, speech, dressing and others. The following worldly, ungodly and immoral dressing places Christian believers who use them at the risk of an eternity in Hell should they die in this sin. The ungodly apparel includes the following:

 Dead women’s hair, rubber hair, afro wig hair, wool type hair, dreadlock wig, hair tintin, hair perming and relaxers, hair attachments, worldly haircut, false eyelash, eye shadow, blushing and painting, lipstick, nose rings, false nails, nail painting, tattoos, rubber bands in the hair, bracelets, leg chains, all rings of any type and purpose, ear rings, neck lace, neck chains, all beads, waist beads, body piercings, men’s chains.

 Others include enlarged breasts, strapless, spaghetti, backless, exposed cleavage, body hug, armless, tight gowns, transparent lace, short blouses, patted skirts, tight skirts, miniskirts, bum knickers, unbuttoned shirts, sagging, ¾ burger, bum pads and hip pads.

 Ungodly apparel includes leggies, women trousers and men platted hair.

The Scriptures that condemns ungodly apparel are many and includes the following:
• Proverbs 7:10; 1Timothy 2:9; Revelations 12:9; Romans 1:26; Ezekiel 23:39-40
• Jeremiah 4:30; Isaiah 3:16-24; Colossians 3:2-5; Leviticus 19:28
• Zephaniah 1:8; Deuteronomy 22:5; 1 Peter 3:3; Hosea 2:13; Exodus 33:5

Do not join the army of believers that will end up in eternal hell due to worldliness. James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15-17 warns against friendship with the world. Friendship with the world is a pollution that makes a Christian believer an enemy of God.

Do not listen to the false doctrine circulating in the church that says that God is not interested in one’s outward appearance but in his heart only.

Romans 12:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 counsels Christians to keep their bodies holy and as a living sacrifice as the temple of the Living God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 warns that God will destroy anyone who defiles His temple which is the body of man.

We shall not go from the church to hell in Jesus name

Prayer: Spirit of the world in my life, depart by fire in Jesus name, amen.

He, who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Ayodele John Adegbulugbe
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com
www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com
www.relationship4growth.blogspot.com

Message: Accomplishment for God without Obedience…the wrong kind of story!

Message: Accomplishment for God without Obedience…the wrong kind of story!
Texts: 1 Samuel 15:22-23; 2 Samuel 1:1-16; Matthew 7:21-23

Men glory in their accomplishments for God than their obedience to Him and His Word. Obedience to God’s Word and commandments is paramount and is the most important qualification to securing an eternity in His Kingdom.

2 Samuel 1:1-16 is an interesting story of an Amalekite, a warrior who fought on the Israeli side during their war with the Philistines during which King Saul and his sons were killed and the Israeli army was scattered (1 Samuel 31).

After the tragic death of King Saul, this Amalekite soldier who survived the war ran to David in his camp at Ziklag to report the death of Saul hoping for a reward or favour by reporting the death of David’s chief enemy.

He was aware of the differences between King Saul and David and wanted to be the first to honor David with the report of Saul’s death, knowing that David would become the next King of Israel.
He came to David as if he was in great mourning and reported that Israel had lost the battle and many were killed and that Saul and his sons were among the dead. David wanted further proof about the death of Saul and the Amalekite painted a story of heroism that cost him his life. He told David the wrong kind of story trying to make it appear that he was a hero (verse 6-10).

David was not impressed with the testimony of a man who testified with his own mouth that he killed King Saul who was the Lord’s anointed, and he ordered his execution (verse 15-16). He ran in vain.
This story has implications for Christian believers that will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ and give an account of their Christian lives on earth.

On that Day of Reckoning, the fate of many Christian believers will be like that Amalekite. They will tell stories in expectation of a reward but will not impress Jesus Christ and will be condemned to eternal Hell for telling the wrong kind of story like that Amalekite.

Matthew 7:22-23 says:
‘’Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name have done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity’’.

Those that the above scriptures refer to, are believers that focused on their accomplishments for God in ministry but God found them wanting in obedience to His commands and they were condemned to eternal Hell.

This condemnation in Matthew 7:23 shall not be ours in Jesus name. We shall not end our Christian lives and race in eternal hell in Jesus name. We shall not run in vain in Jesus name, amen.

The disobedience of Adam to God’s express instructions was the origin of sin and death in the lives of men which has made all men born of a woman to become sinners and inheritors of death – physical, spiritual and eternal. From Genesis to Revelation, the Word of God lays very strong emphasis on obedience to God as the key to His blessings.

In 1 Samuel Chapter 15, God directs King Saul to attack and destroy the Amalekite nation and to destroy all humans and animals. Saul destroyed the cities but he spared their king and the best of the sheep and oxen and all that was good while destroying all that was vile and refuse in his own eyes (verse 7-9).

In the eyes of Saul, the invasion and destruction of Amalek was a military victory and an accomplishment for God and Israel but saving their king and the best of their cattle was a disobedience to God’s commands. Saul believed that he had accomplished God’s directives (verse 20) but as far as God was concerned, King Saul was disobedient to Him (verse 22-23).

In this Last Day, many Christians and ministries are operating in the opposite direction to the will of God which is tantamount to disobedience to Him. Many ministries take greater delight in the construction of Cathedrals for God above obedience to the Great Commission to go into the world to seek for lost and perishing souls. This is telling the wrong kind of story…accomplishment without obedience!

Ministers are boasting of their ability and capacity to conduct big crusades that draw crowds in the millions in one gathering…the wrong kind of story!

God is interested in the number of souls in the gathering that are saved. God is interested in whether the messages of repentance and salvation were preached (Isaiah 58:1), and not fanciful topics like financial and earthly prosperity to souls whose lives are bound in sin.

Many boast about their capacity to raise multi-million naira and dollar offerings for God’s work. One Pentecostal minister said that he has the anointing to raise money for God…the wrong kind of story!

Many are boasting of their church being the largest in the country or continent or having the largest auditorium that can accommodate tens of thousands in one gathering but if they are not preaching about the weightier matters in the Word, they are telling the wrong kind of story!

Many boast of their anointing to heal the sick, raise the dead and do many signs and wonders, but without obedience to the Word, it is telling the wrong kind of story!

Many boast about their knowledge of the Word of God and ability to recite or quote Scriptures off-hand but if they are working iniquity, it is telling the wrong kind of story!

Men shall be judged not by knowledge of Scriptures alone but by their deeds and obedience to the Word. The doers of the law shall be justified, not the hearers only.

 The richest pastor in the country but a hypocrite is to tell the wrong kind of story!
 The best dressed pastor but an adulterer before God is telling the wrong kind of story!
 The richest church but walking in spiritual darkness is telling the wrong kind of story!
 A minister whose calling is evangelism, to preach the gospel but abandoned it and veered into the pastoral ministry for financial benefits is telling the wrong story!

An accomplishment for God at the expense of obedience to God and His Word constitutes outright disobedience to Him. 1 Samuel 15:22 says:

‘’Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams’’

Obedience is more important than all forms of religion – sacrifices, offerings, rituals and ceremonies. It is the chief end of true religion; and rebellion and stubbornness are a manifestation of the failure of men to conform to truth.

 God is interested in our total and uncompromising obedience to His Word

 God is interested in holiness and righteous living (Luke 1:75)

 God is interested in our consecration to Him and separation from the world (Mark 8:34) (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) (1 John 2:15-17).

 God is interested in us preaching and teaching the congregations more about the weightier matters – such as sin, salvation, repentance, restitution, holiness, righteousness, purity, judgment, Hell, the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture of the Saints – than the minor matters such as financial and earthly prosperity (Matthew 23:23).

 God is interested in us keeping our bodies holy as His Temple and not defiling them with all manner of pollutions – sexual perversions, tattoos, immoral and ungodly dressing etc. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

 God is interested in pure hearts and the renewal and transformation of our hearts and minds (Matthew 5:8) (Romans 12:1-2)

Speaking in tongues but living in open and secret sin is a life of disobedience that ends in hell unless one repents and is genuinely converted (Matthew 7:23) (Acts 3:19)

Ministers who divorced their spouses and remarried contrary to Scripture, but have the anointing to perform signs and wonders are living in disobedience that may end up in eternal hell unless they repent and restitute (Matthew 7:23)

Building Cathedrals for God but not teaching the congregation the truths that God wants them to hear (Isaiah 58:1) is disobedience that leads to the condemnation in Matthew 7:23.

Outward holiness without inward transformation and purity ends in hell. True holiness is both within and without. (Ezekiel 36:26) (Mark 7:21-23).

Exercising the gifts of the Spirit without having the fruit of the Spirit ends in eternal hell. That is demonstrating the power of Christ without possessing the character of Christ is anointing without character that earns the condemnation in Matthew 7:23.

Preaching the Gospel; raising the dead and healing the sick; performing signs and wonders in the name of Jesus Christ; building cathedrals for Christ and raising money to finance the gospel are good and great accomplishments for God but without obedience to God defined in terms of intimate personal relations and walking with Him in obedience to His Word, those activities that constitute working for God without walking with Him are vain that will earn the condemnation in Matthew 7:23.

May we not run our race to eternity in vain in Jesus name, amen.

Prayers:
Lord, have mercy on me for I am a sinner (Luke 18:13).
Power for holiness and righteousness, possess me in Jesus name
Lord, deliver me from the power and bondage of sin (Matthew 1:21)
Lord, let not sin have dominion over me (Psalm 19:7)
Lord, deliver me from the power of presumptuous sinning (Psalm 19:7)
Lord, break me down and remould me in Jesus name.
Ayodele John Adegbulugbe
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com
www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com
www.relationship4growth.blogspot.com

What Are The Things That Are Dying in Our Christian Lives?

Text: Revelations 3:2

“Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found your works perfect before God.’’

The conditions of this world that we live in cause many to live a busy life that makes them to keep their relations with God in the backseat of their lives. Due to the rat race age we live in, a number of things are about to die, dying or dead in the lives of many Christian believers.

We need to wake up to our condition to change and regain lost grounds before it is too late because no one knows when the end will come. In the grave, there is no room for repentance and salvation for the soul.

We need to examine ourselves and our Christian lives (2 Corinthians 13:5) to know whether we are still in the faith standing or have fallen from the faith. 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns those who think they are standing to take heed lest they fall from the Narrow Way.

The verse in Revelations 3:2 is a call for regular self-examination, watchfulness and repentance. It is a reminder and a call to godly living. God wants an intimate fellowship and relations with Man and close communion. He detests lukewarmness where a man is neither hot nor cold (Revelations 3:15-16). God is perfect and wants us to be perfect too (Matthew 5:48).

There are many things that are about to die, dying or dead through neglect, in the lives of many Christian believers. They include:

1.    

 Closet Prayers (Personal Prayer Altar) Matthew 6:6

“But when thou pray, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.’’

Prayer is the most important weapon in spiritual warfare. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. An altar is a place of sacrifice, worship and prayer. It is also a place of battle and a spiritual entity where spiritual transactions take place.

The closet is the Christian’s inner chamber and personal altar where he meets with God regularly in worship and fellowship. This is where requests are made to God in prayers, supplication and intercession. This is where communion takes place and where the Christian receives divine leading and guidance on all aspects of life and ministry.

For a Christian to become an overcomer and have a victorious Christian life, a fervent and effective prayer life is necessary which is determined largely by the level of fire on his personal altar in his inner chambers or closet. The fire on the personal altar must be kept burning at all times and must not be allowed to go cold (Leviticus 6:12-13).

For a Christian Minister, the quality of prayers offered to God in his inner chambers will determine the manifestation of God’s power and glory in his public life and ministrations.

There are Ministers who occupy high offices in church and ministry whose personal altars lack fire, therefore do not receive any divine revelations and do not hear from the Lord God anymore. Their spiritual vision has been shut down by their lukewarmness and they do nothing about it like Prophet Eli.

A Christian is expected to have private periods where he will commune with God alone via prayer and meditation. Many cannot pray alone in private because they lack the discipline and many can only pray in public places where and when others are praying e.g. church.

Closet prayer in the lives of many Christians is dying or dead being threatened by spiritual dryness and lukewarmness. Many conduct it in a light and careless manner. For closet prayers to be effective and acceptable unto God there must be no strange fires offered on the altar.

If anyone offers strange fires on his altars, he risks destruction like Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-2 who offered strange fires and lost their lives. Strange fires include sinning, strange utterances and languages and ungodly dressing.

Spiritual dryness is caused by the Sin of Commission and the Sin of Omission. Sin of Commission is deliberate sinning that causes sudden darkness while the Sin of Omission through neglect of diligence gradually dims the light until it is quenched. In either case, the Christian lacks the anointing to move forward in the Spirit and is one reason why closet prayers are dead in the lives of many Christians.

2.    

 Meditation in the Word (Joshua 1:8) (Psalm 1:3)

Meditation in the Scriptures is almost nonexistent in many Christians due to their busy schedules, problems and challenges of life. Many are either too busy to find the time or too lazy to meditate in the Scriptures.

3.    

 Family Altar or Family Devotion

A Christian family must have a family altar where husband, wife and children gather at regular periods on daily basis to worship and fellowship with the Lord. A family that prays together stays together.

The fire on the family altar must be kept burning at all times and must not be allowed to go cold (Leviticus 6:12-13). If the family altar lacks fire, the devotions will be dry, uninteresting and a mere routine. The family members may lose interest. But where the family altar is fire-charged, the devotions will be rich and interesting and an event to look forwards to.

Family altar is dying because many families are falling apart and marriages too. Many homes lack a spirit of one accord which is affecting the family altar where the members are expected to congregate and fellowship with the Lord. Family members are also too busy to create the time or their hearts are devoted to idols and idolatries such as Television, Internet and Social Media.

4.    

 The Great Commission (Evangelism, Soul Winning, Witnessing) Matthew 28:18-20

A survey of Christians and the Great Commission reveals that:

About 90% of all Christians have never won a soul for Christ

About 80% of all Christians do not consistently witness for Christ

About 2% of all Christians are actively engaged in the propagation of the gospel

About 70% of all Christians do nothing towards the propagation of the gospel

About 40% of the populace worldwide have heard the gospel but have not accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour

About 50% of the populace worldwide have not heard about the gospel and have no realistic opportunity to do so

Yet many Christians are slumbering, not interested in the Great Commission which is a commandment in Matthew 28:18-20 and a responsibility of every believer (Acts 1:8) and not the responsibility of a few ‘evangelists’ in the church as erroneously believed by many Christians.

Many churches and ministries are busy and more interested investing in buildings and cathedrals for show and for vainglory rather than invest in evangelism to win the souls of the lost for Christ.

5.    

 Holiness and Righteousness

Prosperity messages are overriding holiness and salvation messages in many churches and ministries in this Last day. There are many false teachers in circulation peddling false doctrines that indicate that holiness and righteousness are not possible. 

Iniquity and lawlessness is on the increase in Christendom despite increase in gospel activity. The churches are crowd pullers but many of the members are not genuinely converted Christians. Many are merely religious but not godly and religious but not saved Christians.

 Holiness is the passport to heaven (Hebrews 12:14) (1 Peter 1:16), not prosperity.

Other things that are about to die, dying or dead in the lives of many Christians include Christian hospitality and the active waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus.

We need to examine our Christian lives and repent from where we have fallen before it is too late. Death comes like a thief in the night and there are no second chances for repentance, amendment and forgiveness of sins in the grave.

May we not go from church to hell in Jesus name.

Let us pray:

Ø Spirit of the world in my life, die in Jesus name

Ø Spirit of disobedience in my life, die in Jesus name

Ø Spirit of death and hell in my life, die in Jesus name

Ø Anything in my life, dragging me to destruction be uprooted in Jesus name (Matthew 15:13)

Ø Lord, have mercy on me and give me a second chance

Ø Lord have mercy on me and do not spue me out of your mouth (Revelations 3:15-16)

Ø Lord, as I run this race, send me help and strengthen me spiritually in Jesus name

Ø Lord, grant me leadership and spiritual guidance as I run this race in Jesus name

Ø I command any satanic agenda to pull me down spiritually to scatter in Jesus name

Ayodele John Adegbulugbe

www.xtianrace.blogspot.cpom

www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com

Are We Living or Dead Christians?

Message: Are We Living or Dead Christians?

Text: Revelations 3:1

‘’I know thy works: that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead’’

This verse talks about Christians in the Churches who create the impression that they are alive in Christ – genuinely Born Again - but in the records of heaven, they are spiritually dead. To be spiritually dead means to be separated from life in God or to be separated from the Spirit of God.

God created man to have an intimate fellowship and relationship with Him. God wants a close communion with man. The whole duty of man on earth is to fear God and to obey His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). To fear God is to depart from evil (Proverbs 16:6). To fall short of these requirements is to be cut off from God.

Revelations 3:1 refers to the Christian who is religious but not godly; religious but not saved; who is in the Church but not in Christ, who claims to know Jesus but Jesus does not know him.

• §  Matthew 7:21 says that it is not everyone that calls Jesus his Lord that will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not everyone who claims to be a Christian that will enter into the Kingdom of God. Those that will enter into the Kingdom of God must be obedient Christians. The most important requirement to qualify for eternity with Christ is obedience which the Bible strongly emphasizes from Genesis to Revelation.

• §  Matthew 7:22-23 tells us that working for God alone will not qualify anyone for admission into the Kingdom of God. It is one thing to be working for God and another thing to be walking with Him. Working for God without walking with Him ends in Hell fire. 

Anointing without having the character of Christ ends in Hell fire. One can do great works for God and have impeccable records of service in ministry and still end up in Hell. To demonstrate the gifts of the Spirit without the fruit of the Spirit in one’s life ends in Hell fire.

• §  Mathew 13:15 refers to Christians that are spiritually blind, who refuse to see the truth and refuse to allow the truth set them free. There are some Christians that say the doctrine of an eternal Hell is false teaching and that there are no such things as the existence of, and immortality of the soul and spirit of Man. They preach another Gospel and another Jesus of their own making (Galatians 1:7-9).

Jesus preached and warned about eternal Hell in many scriptures such as Matthew 7:22-23, Matthew 10:28 and Matthew 25:41. The Bible teaches about the existence of, and the immortality of the soul and spirit of man in many scriptures such as Ecclesiastes 12:7; 1 Peter 3:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

• §  Matthew 15:8 refers to Christians in the churches whose hearts are far away from Christ. Their hearts are far away from transformation; worldly, corrupted, polluted, perverted and depraved; stony and rebellious hearts. 

It is those who have renewed hearts that are circumcised and pure in heart that will see God (Deuteronomy 30:6) (Ezekiel 36:26) (Matthew 5:8). Our hearts must be renewed to bring it into conformity with God’s nature and will (1 Peter 1:4) (2 Corinthians 5:17).

• §  John 10:27 refers to the type of Christian that heaven recognizes: the sheep Christian. A sheep is an animal that is gentle, meek, obedient, peaceful, teachable and humble. A sheep is easy to lead, direct and control. In the Body of Christ, there are both sheep Christians and goat Christians (Matthew 25:31-46). 

Matthew 25:31-46 highlights how they will be separated on the Day of Reckoning. The goat Christians in the Body of Christ will end up in eternal Hell while the sheep Christians will go into eternity with Christ.

The Dead Christians (Revelations 3:1) include

•   The carnally minded Christian (Romans 8:6-14) who lives in the flesh cannot please God. His heart is set on the affections, the lusts and works of the flesh and he naturally fulfills them. To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Galatians 5:16-25 talks about how not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which is by walking in the Spirit. A carnally minded Christian is not a growing Christian who is not growing in grace (2 Peter 3:18). He has refused to grow from carnality to spirituality despite his many years in the Church. 

• ·        Those walking is spiritual darkness (Isaiah 9:2), who refuse to enter into the light and choose to remain in darkness. The written Word of God is the true light and those who want light will follow it as it is written and reject all things that are contrary to the Word of God. Anything that is contrary to the Word of God is demonic and satanic and not of the Holy Spirit.

• ·        Christians living in sins and trespasses (Ephesians 2:1-2), who believe that holiness and purity are not possible. There are sinning Christians, disobedient Christians who commit willful sins (Hebrew 10:26-31), who commit sin deliberately and presumptuously (Psalm 19:13).

Their hearts still love sin and they enjoy sinning. Some do not commit sin directly but derive pleasure when they see others committing sin. They are not genuinely born again Christians. They confess but do not forsake their sins contrary to Proverbs 28:13. They claim to repent but are not converted contrary to Acts 3:19.

• ·        Those who reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-10). The name of Christ is the name above all names, yet many do not believe in the supremacy of His name and claim to be Christians. They have placed other names above His name.

• ·        Those who live lives of self-seeking pleasures (1Timothy 5:6) are among the dead Christians in the churches. These live riotous and wanton lives (James 5:5) and are lovers of pleasures more than being lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4).  Their hearts and energies are devoted to idols and idolatry that have relegated Christ to the backseat in their lives. The Bible in Mark 8:34-36 teaches about consecration and self-denial.

• ·        Those who live lives of false spirituality are among the spiritually dead Christians. Activity in the Vineyard is not spirituality because working for God without walking with Him is false spirituality (Matthew 7:21-23).

Walking with God is close communion, intimate fellowship and relations with Him. Working for God without walking with Him in an intimate fellowship is mere noise making in the ears of heaven.

Wearing a white gown does not make anyone a Christian recognized in heaven as a holy person. Bearing a Christian name such as John, Moses or Elijah does not make anyone a Christian fit for eternity with Christ. Quoting bible verses and speaking in tongues is not the qualification for admission into eternity with Christ. Regular church attendance does not qualify anyone for heaven.

Bearing high sounding religious titles such as General Overseer, Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, Apostle, Archbishop etc. does not qualify the holder for eternity in heaven.

Having the anointing to wake up the dead, cast out demons and heal the sick will not take anyone to heaven. The most important qualifications for eternity with Christ are Obedience to God’s Word, Holiness and Love.

May we not go from church to Hell in Jesus name, Amen.

Prayers:

1.     God, shake whatever needs to be shaken for my life to become a new creature in Christ in Jesus name

2.     Lord Jesus, show me mercy and forgive me my sins

3.     Lord Jesus, empower me to labor in the right areas to get the right rewards and not a condemnation

4.     O God, teach me to bridle my tongue (Psalm 39:1) (James 1:26)

5.     Lord Jesus, shake out of me every weight and besetting sin that has slowed me down or stopped me from coming into your presence (Hebrews 12:1)

6.     Lord Jesus, deliver me from the spirit of religion without salvation

7.     Holy Spirit, pour on me the anointing, wisdom and supernatural ability that will transform me to a whole new level

8.     Power to hunger and thirst for holy and righteous living, fall on me (Luke 1:75)

9.     Holy Spirit, revive me in body, spirit and soul (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

10.                         Lord Jesus, break the power and hold of sin over me (Psalm 19:13)

11.                        Power to hunger and thirst for the Word of God, possess me

12.                         Empower me O Lord to set my affections on things that are above and eternal (Colossians 3:2)

13.                         Empower me O Lord to become dead to the vanities of life in Jesus name.

14.                        Blood of Jesus, cleanse my heart.

                     Ayodele John Adegbulugbe

                          www.xtianrace.blogspot.com

                          www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com

Beware of This Modern Day Idol That Is Sending Many Believers to Eternal Destruction

Beware of This Modern Day Idol That Is Sending Many Believers to Eternal Destruction

Exodus 20:3 says,
‘Thou shall have no other gods before me’

This commandment forbids making any kind of idol and prohibits every kind of idolatry. An idol is anything that takes over God’s front seat position in our lives. It is anything that relegates God to the backseat in our hearts and lives.

Idolatry is not limited to image worship or graven images made with human hands or the likeness of anything in heaven, on earth or in the waters underneath the earth. Idolatry includes anything on which the heart of men is passionately set, extravagant admirations of the heart.

Idols and idolatry now includes the many modern day hobbies and interests that many devote their time and energies to, which include sports, foods, sex, friendships, internet, social media, computer, mobile phones etc., seeking for a sense of fulfillment through them.

Matthew 22:37-38 says:
‘Thou shall love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with thy entire mind. This is the first and great commandment’’

These verses tell us that our love for God must come from our hearts with all its inward affections; our souls with all its consciousness and our minds with all its thoughts. That means our hearts; souls and minds must be consecrated to God only.

The heart of a man cannot operate in a vacuum. Something or someone must occupy or fill it. There are two forces that seek to gain the control of the heart of a man – God and the Devil – and the one that gains control determines it direction and its eternal destination. Hence, the heart of a man is a battle field.

The heart of a man must be devoted to an affection. Affections are those things that occupy our times, things that motivate our actions and activities and fire our aspirations.

Affections are things waiting to be captured, want to cling to something or someone. Where our affections are, there will our hearts be devoted.

Affections are determines by what a man treasures, i.e. what our hearts will be devoted to will be determined by those things we attach value to. Our hearts always clings to what it treasures. Matthew 6:12 says ‘where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’’

For our heart to love God supremely, we have to treasure Him above everything else. We have to attach value to everything that God stands for. We have to make God, His business and interest our greatest treasure.

When we divert our attention from God, His business and interest, then our love for Him will grow cold. A cold church or cold Christian is a lukewarm Christian whose heart has misplaced its affections; which treasures has been replaced and is no longer devoted to Christ.

One of the signs preceding the 2nd Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is the Social Sign. Under the Social Signs, the higher percentage of the human populace on earth are more inclined and devoted to social activities than the spiritual. The spiritual has been relegated to the backseat in the lives of many Christian believers.

This is one of the grand strategies of the Devil in this end times to lure the hearts of men away from their devotion to God,to derail the faith of many believers and send them to eternal destruction.

Many Christian believers now devote much more time and energies to social media activities –Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram and many other social forum activities chatting away their lives, salvation and destinies – than they devote to the spiritual activities that define their walk with God; that have eternal values and will determine their eternal destination to Heaven or Hell.

The spiritual activities being neglected by many Christians include study and meditation in the Word of God, prayers, evangelism, quiet time, family altar, holiness and righteousness.

It is not uncommon seeing Christians come to church with android phones browsing the net during church services especially when the sermon is being delivered.

Matthew 6:24 says,
‘’ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.’’

One cannot be a servant of sin and Satan and a servant of righteousness and Christ at the same time. If one yields himself as an instrument of unrighteousness unto sin, he is a servant of sin and Satan and is not a Christian (Romans 6:13). If men prefer sin and Satan to God, then they are of the Devil and will be sent to eternal Hell with him (Matthew 25:41) (1 John 3:8).

When a Christian believer begins to follow and serve Christ with a half-hearted devotion and neglects the spiritual endeavors that define the quality of his personal relationship with Christ, then he is looking back and is not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

Matthew 15:8 says:
‘This people draw near unto me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips but their hearts are far away from me.’’

A Christian believer whose heart is far away from Christ is a person whose heart is attached to the world, its values, systems and attitudes. He has one leg in Christ and has the other leg in the world. He is a friend of the world and has become an enemy of God (James 4:4) (1 John 2:15-17).

Remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32) who was already delivered from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah but looked back and became a pillar of salt. She was destroyed because she looked back. By looking back she lost her salvation and she looked back because her heart was attached to the world and its pleasures.

Are you a Christian believer that is looking back into the world? Learn from the tragedy that befell Lot’s wife. That tells us that salvation is not an un-forfeitable possession. One can have it and lose it afterwards through carelessness.

A believer whose heart is far away from Christ is a cold and lukewarm Christian whose fire is being quenched or has been totally extinguished (Leviticus 6:12-13). He is a spiritually dry Christian. Spiritual dryness results from two things – the Sin of Commission and the Sins of Omission.

Sin of Commission is presumptuous sinning that causes sudden darkness while the sin of omission gradually dims and obscures the light through factors such as the neglect of study and meditation in the Word of God and neglect of fervent prayers.

A lukewarm Christian that is neither hot nor cold is an abomination in the eyes of God and God says He will spue them out of His mouth (Revelations 3:15-16).

Salvation is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is based on consecration and self-denial (Mark 8:34-36). There are many worldly pleasures that Christians must avoid to qualify to end well and qualify for eternity with Christ.

The Bible says that in the Last Days, men will be lovers of pleasures more than being lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4). The Bible in 1Timothy 5:6 warns that a person who is devoted to pleasures is dead while alive i.e. he is spiritually dead as far as God and His Word go.

A Christian whose heart and energies are more devoted to the internet and social media activities at the expense of the spiritual activities that define his personal walk with Christ is a worldly Christian and an enemy of God heading to eternal destruction unless he repents and follows God with a whole hearted devotion (Matthew 22:37).

A Christian whose heart has departed from his first love (Revelations 2:4) and is now running after ephemeral, mundane and vain things that fulfill the lusts of the flesh is a person who has lost focus of the things that are eternal (Colossians 3:2-3), putting his eternal soul in jeopardy.

Revelations 2:5 warns that we repent by remembering and recalling how we fell and to return to the first works else our candlesticks will be removed from its place. If your candlestick is removed, that means eternity in Hellfire.

This is calling for us to make a sober reflection of our Christian lives and how we are standing in the Lord. Are we standing or have fallen? 2 Corinthians 13:5 is asking us to examine ourselves whether we are still in the faith. Revelations 3:1-2 refers to Christians who think they are alive in Christ but in the records of God, they are dead.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Prayers:
1. God, have mercy on me for I am a sinner
2. Revival fire of God, possess my life in Jesus name
3. Holy Ghost, incubate my life afresh with your fire in Jesus name
4. Hunger and thirst for the Word of God, possess me now, in Jesus name
5. Blood of Jesus, cleanse my heart in Jesus name
6. Lord Jesus, give me a new heart and a new spirit.
7. Powers quenching the fire of God in my heart, be consumed by fire in Jesus name

Ayodele John Adegbulugbe
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com
www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com