A Simple Approach to Bible Study

A simple approach to Bible Study

By Benjamin Kerns on Mar 17, 2016 06:00 am

 ENCOUNTER: Read Matthew 24:3

What are you curious about?

There are so many things that capture my thoughts, so many rabbit trails that I find myself on.  I got a new running watch and couldn't figure out how to program it, so I googled it, which got me thinking about my new training schedule, which sent me to look for a race to run, which got me to a clothing site, to swim suites, to the ocean, to surfing, to wipeouts, to epic fails!  And like that 45 minutes were wasted and my original issue didn't even get resolved.  

Bible Study is the spiritual practice that helps keep our thoughts and curiosities within the rails. We all head off on in different directions and there are many shinny objects that catch our eye.  I think God might have actually made us this way.  In this passage in Matthew, the disciples who were with Jesus were not simply satisfied to be in the dark, the wanted to know more, they asked questions.   

The gentile nudge is that we dive more and more into scripture, that we be curious about the things of God, about the people of God.  There are lots of strange and unique things in scripture.  There are difficult teachings and challenging rebukes.  Bible Study keeps our eyes on the road and allows us to dive deeper into our own mental and spiritual formation.  

In the same way we have become experts on our own personal mental hobbies, may we as a church, encourage each other more and more to wrestle with scripture, to dive deeply into this foreign culture that scripture was written in, lean into the deep spiritual truths, so that we can have our views of God and ourselves sharpened by His very Word.  

LET'S TRY SOME BIBLE STUDY:  (PROAPT)  Grab your Bible, a piece of paper, pen, and a cup of coffee, and lets get after it!

PRAY:  Ask God to illuminate your study, to meet you, to speak to you, and for you to be open to whatever God has for you.

READ:  Pick a passage.  Why not Colossians 1:15-23 (One of my favorites).  Read it through three times, slowly, being aware of what catches your eye.  

OBSERVE:  What stands out?  What questions do you have?  Who wrote this?  What were they trying to say?  Why do you think it has been seen valuable over centuries? If you let your curiosity go, what would you google? What questions does this raise?  Where do you need to go to learn more?

APPLY:  This is where our weekly devotional rhythm comes in.  Be Reflective, Be a Blessing, Be Together.  Based on what you have just read, now what?

PRAY:  Pray again and thank God for this time, ask for the courage to get after whatever He has put on  your heart.

TELL:  Go and tell someone about what you have learned or how you have been shaped by this passage of scripture.  (Or in general)  Tell me, I would love to be encouraged by what God is doing in your life!

May God meet you, encourage you, sharpen you, and equip you for every good work!

Are You a Compromising Christian?

It was at Antioch in Acts 11:26 that the disciples were first called Christians when the people of the city observed that the way of life and behavior of the disciples was not different from the Christ which they preached.

Therefore, the name Christian means a Christ-like personality.

A Christian is a person sanctified in Christ i.e. a person set apart or consecrated to the service and worship of God .He is a person called out of the world to become a saint(1 Corinthians 1:2). Though he is physically and geographically resident in the world, his heart and affections are in heaven (Colossians 3:2).

He is an ambassador of Christ on Earth and a citizen of the Kingdom of God. As a citizen of God’s kingdom, he is to live by the principles and doctrines of the kingdom of God while resident on Earth.
He lives a separated life, separated from the world.

Separation means that he will not comply, conform to or compromise with anything that is contrary to the mind of God (2 Corinthians 6:14). The world refers to unregenerate mankind whose lives are organized on the principles of the Devil also known as Satan, who live for things but not for GOD; who live for self but not for others; who live for time but not for eternity. Their worldliness comprises of the lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17).

A separated Christian will not allow the cultures of the world around him to mold his thoughts and actions (2 Corinthians 6:14).

The world is represented by four places in the Bible as follows:

• Ur of the Chaldees standing for the religions of the world
• Egypt standing for the pleasures of the world
• Babylon standing for confusion
• Sodom for the sins of the world

A citizen of the kingdom of God must be separated from these things

When the Jews were redeemed from Egypt by the blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:12-13), they had to leave Egypt for Canaan. Therefore, the first effect of redemption is separation. A sinner who has become a Christian redeemed by the Blood of Jesus cannot continue to relate with the world as before. He lives in the world, but not of the world.

How can he become a compromising Christian?

When the Jews were leaving Egypt, Pharaoh offered them four compromises which the Devil continues to use today to pollute the Christian life of many Christians who fall for his compromises and rendering them unfit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

Compromise Number 1 Sacrifice to your God in Egypt (Exodus 8:25)

Pharaoh told the Jews to remain in Egypt and render their sacrifices to their God while resident in the land of Egypt. How does this affect many Christian believers today?

The Devil tells them that it is not necessary to become a Born Again Christian in line with the Scriptural requirement in John 3:3 but to become a good man and do their best i.e. to continue to serve and worship God with their old Adamic nature without a complete and total repentance and conversion which the new life in Christ stands for (2 Corinthians 5:17).

As a result, many Christians who fall for this compromise may repent but are not converted (Acts 3:19). They confess sins but do not forsake the sins (Proverbs 28:13).

Compromise Number 2 Go, but do not go far away (Exodus 8:28)

Pharaoh tells the Jews to go and sacrifice to their God but not to go far away from Egypt.
How does this compromise many Christian believers today?

The Devil tells you that you can become a Christian but should not become a fanatic; do not have a holier-than-thou attitude because you did not kill Jesus; that you should take it easy because God is not as strict as some Christians take Him to be.

The Devil is telling you to continue to remain in the darkness or in the twilight of the Light of the Gospel. Those who fall for this compromise are easily overcome with darkness without any resistance.
Among them are the Christians who dress in ungodly apparel, which the Bible refers to as strange apparel (Zephaniah 1:8). The Devil deceives them that God is interested in their heart only but not in outward appearance.

But Jesus said that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. This means that there is a connection between your heart and your outward manifestations. If you are corrupt or polluted in any of your outward manifestations, it indicates that the inward –heart and mind – is corrupted being immoral, unclean and harboring unholy thoughts.

Their language, manners and conversation has not changed. In the name of fashion and to look acceptable, they dress like Jezebel. You may be a Minister of the Gospel, a Man of God, Pastor, Prophet or whatever you call yourself in Ministry.

You may have the anointing to see visions, call down fire from heaven like Elijah or raise up the dead like Jesus did. If any of these four compromises are in your life and ministry, forget eternity with Christ in heaven.

Remember Matthew 7:21-23 where Jesus foretold how on the Day of Judgment, many powerfully anointed Ministers of God will be sentenced to eternal hell for being workers of iniquity. Compromise is one of the reasons that will condemn them. Compromising your Christian faith is an iniquity.

A Christian who is determined to make it to heaven must take heaven by force and by violence (Matthew 11:12) with no room for compromises of any sort. God’s standards are high and He is strict and is the reason why the Bible tells us that few will make it to heaven while many will be lost (Matthew 5:48) (Matthew 7:13-14). He does not tolerate lukewarm Christianity (Revelations 3:15-16).

Compromise Number 3 Go you that are men, leave your wives and children behind (Exodus 10:7)
Pharaoh meant that only the men should leave Egypt to sacrifice to their God while their families remain behind in Egypt.

It is God’s programme that a man and his entire household be saved. Biblical examples of whole households that were saved include Noah’s family (Genesis 7:1), Rahab’s family (Joshua 6:17-25), Zacchaeus family (Luke 19:9), Cornelius family (Acts 10:2) (Lydia family (Acts 16:15) and Crispus family (Acts 18:8).

By this compromise, the Devil tells you to become a Christian but not to worry about your wife and children. When you become a Christian, you have a responsibility to labor and pray for the salvation of your family members. Many who failed in this have had their Christian testimonies rubbished by unsaved, wayward family members.

Recently, in one of the South African countries, the flourishing ministry of a respected Man of God was rubbished through his daughter who lived a wayward lifestyle. Her boyfriend posted nude pictures of the Man of God’s daughter on the net and that was the end of the ministry. Many of the members left in thousands in disgust. What a tragedy!

Remember the tragic ending of the great Prophet Eli in 1 Samuel Chapter 3, who had no control over his wayward children. He fulfilled his ministerial calling but neglected his parental responsibilities to his children which turned out to become his waterloo.

Compromise Number 4 Go serve the Lord but leave your flocks and herds behind in Egypt (Exodus 10:24)

The Jews were shepherds and their business at the time was rearing sheep. Pharaoh wanted the Jews to leave their flocks behind in Egypt.

The Bible says in the book of Matthew that where your treasures are, there your heart will be. If your business is still in Egypt, then your heart will be in Egypt which means that you are yet to be separated from Egypt and what Egypt stands for. You will surely backslide to Egypt where your heart and its affections are.

Here, the Devil tells you to become a Christian but that it does not matter how you do your business as long as money flows into your pocket. You can do forgery and pen robbery to enrich yourself, false weights and measures, inflate invoices, loot public funds, give and collect bribes, sell alcohol, run gambling and lottery outfits, work in brewery and cigarette factories, invest in brewery shares, sell your body for money and many other ungodly businesses and incomes that do not glorify God.

Many Christians, in fact the overwhelming majority are in one or more of the four compromises.
Examine yourself whether you are still in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). A compromising Christian is one that is looking back like Lot’s wife and therefore not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

To please God and live for God, all the four compromises must be far from you. To be far from the devil’s compromises, certain things must happen as follows:

You must have the determination of Daniel not to defile yourself (Daniel 1:8)
You must have the commitment of the 3 Hebrew boys who vowed never to bow down before Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image (Daniel Chapter 3)
You must submit totally and fully to God on His own terms and resist the Devil (James 4:7)

If we are unable to abide by the three conditions above, then we are not ready to be a Christian on God’s terms. If we are not Christians on God’s terms, then we are on our own, deceiving ourselves by being Christians to please the world on the terms of the world.

That means, we are friends of the world and enemies of God (James 4:4). If we are enemies of God, how are we going to enter into His Kingdom to reign eternally with Him?
Let us meditate upon and ponder about these things if you know that eternity with Christ is your real ambition.

May God empower us and strengthen us to live to please Him in Jesus name

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

DRESSED IN STRANGE APPAREL?

DRESSED IN STRANGE APPAREL?

Genesis 34:31, "But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”

We often define a harlot or prostitute to be a woman who usually has sex with different men for monetary gains. But the reality is that, being a harlot or prostitute is far beyond being a commercial sex worker.
In the light of the Word of God, a woman can be a prostitute or harlot without being a commercial sex worker. A woman can be a harlot and still look and behave decent; be a zealous Christian woman, and may even be a minister or a minister's wife.

It is inadequate insight and knowledge to regard only the commercial sex workers as harlots or prostitutes. There are different types of harlots or prostitutes, but before God, all are seen as harlots.
Let's see another type of harlotry apart from the commercial sex workers:

HARLOTRY BY APPAREL

Genesis 38:15, "When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot"

You can be registered as a harlot in heaven simply by the way you dress. You don't need to become an active sex worker; you don't need to commit a single sexual immorality with a man before Heaven can recognize you as a harlot. In fact you may be a virgin but still a heavenly recognized harlot.

How does this happen?

It happens simply by what you wear. If you wear low-cut dress or low necklines including ball gowns that expose your cleavage, meaning that it shows the upper part or that exposes any percentage of your breasts when you bend down, you are a harlot by apparel before God.

You don't need to go half naked before you become harlot by apparel, but as long you wear any clothing that reveals your cleavage a little, you are dressed in strange apparel. Also if you wear tight clothes that shows the anatomy of your body to the world as to show your shape, you are dressed in strange apparel; if you wear transparent or perforated clothing that shows your inner-wears, you are dressed in strange apparel; if you wear any dress which does not covers your arms or your kneels, you are dressed in strange apparel.

You may be a pastor, a minister, deaconess; you can speak in tongues of angels, you can sing like angels, whoever you are or claim to be does not matter, but to God, you are a harlot in apparel. If this is too hard for you to take, you can wait until you get to the gate of heaven, only that will be too late, and I will not advise you to wait that too late to make correction.

As a Christian woman, what will be your reason before God for wearing strange apparel that exposes your cleavage? How will you defend your motive for wearing tight, transparent, perforated and short dresses?

Zephaniah 1:8 says ‘ and it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes and the King’s children and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

Deuteronomy 22:5 says ‘ the woman shall not wear that which pertains to a man and a man shall not wear a woman’s garment for all that do so are an abomination to the Lord.

Leviticus 19:28 says, ‘you shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord. (Refers to things like tattoo)

1 Timothy 2:9 says, in like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls or costly array

Hosea 2:13 says, ‘ and I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and jewels, and went after her lovers and forgot me; says the Lord

For clarity and avoidance of doubt, strange apparel includes the following:

Beads, blush, necklace, tattoo, lipstick, nail paint, false nails, piercing, waist beads, enlarged breasts, bum pads, wigs, leggies, short knicker, strapless, spaghetti, backless, tight gowns, short blouse, tight skirts, mini skirts, trousers, body hug, patted skirt, transparent lace, open cleavage, worldly cut, dreadlocks, ear rings, sagging trousers, chains, wedding rings, body piercing, 100% Indian hair, rubber hair, tintin, eye lash, false lens, eye shadow, small earrings, big earrings, nose rings, neck chains, leg chains and bracelets.

Ezekiel 33:5 says, ‘he heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

May we not go from church to hell in Jesus name (Matthew 7:21-23).

Ayodele Adegbulugbe

How to Become a Bride of Jesus

How to Become a Bride of Jesus

Jesus is coming soon for his bride, a bride without spot, wrinkle or blemish.

To become a bride of Jesus Christ, the following are essential:

Spend a lot of time praying and having a daily relationship with Him. Let Jesus be the center of your life not just sometimes but always. You cannot please God without fearing Him.

You must place God above everyone and everything in your life (Luke 14:26-27). Live a holy life by the Word of God. Walk a narrow path (Matthew 7:14) and endure hardship as a soldier of the Lord (2 Timothy 2:3)

Great work for God alone will not qualify anyone for the Kingdom of God (Matthew 7:22-23). The most important qualification is our obedience and love (Matthew 5:19) (Mark 12:30-31) (John 14:23-24).

If we love Him, we must forgive others (1 John 2:11) and we must separate from the world (Romans 12:1-2) (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) (1 John 2:15-16). No unforgiving person will enter into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:14-15). Love others enough to witness to them to be saved.

Receiving Jesus into our life by faith is not enough. In addition to this a pure heart is required (Matthew 5:8) (Ephesians 5:27) and holiness (Hebrews 12:14)

Give up all worldly habits such as worldly things on television and worldly music. We cannot love both God and the world together (James 4:4) (1 John 2:15-17)

Copied from www.choothomas.com/urgentmessage.html

Is God a Democrat?

Is God a Democrat?

The God of the Bible is not a democrat because His Kingdom is not a democracy where majority votes count.

His Word in Exodus 23:2 says,

‘Thou shall not follow the multitudes to do evil’

And in Luke 16:15 He says:

‘…for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God’

The fact that a majority flow in the same direction does not make it accepted or lawful before the God of the Bible whose Word is sacred and cannot be altered to benefit anyone who cannot submit to its dictates.

His heavenly home is for a few who can take it by violence. Matthew 11:12 says:

‘From the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent taketh it by force.’’

Matthew 7:13-14 says:

‘’enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in there at. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to life and few there be that find it.’’

Luke 13:24 says:

‘Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able.’’

These Scriptures point to one fact: the God of the Bible is not a democrat.

Out of the 600,000 men from age 20 and above who departed Egypt in the Exodus for The Promised Land, only two men entered the Promised Land while the rest perished in the wilderness.

When the world in the days of Noah was destroyed by floods, as judgment for sin, only eight persons were saved while all others perished.

In the destruction of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, only three persons were saved while all others, the multitudes perished.

The above precedents point to one fact: the God of the Bible is not a democrat.

The multitudes may be flowing in the same direction in false doctrines, sin and iniquity, marital unfaithfulness, premarital sex, divorce, sexual perversions, oral sex, masturbation etc.

If the Word of God says it is not right, then it can never be right. It makes no difference the millions and billions of persons doing them because the God of the Bible is not a democrat (Exodus 23:2) (Luke 16:15).

Eternity in heaven or hell, the choice is ours because God created us with freewill.

Let us pray:

Mercy of God, overshadow my life in Jesus name

Lord Jesus, I have started this race. Give me the grace and power to run to the very end in Jesus name (Luke 9:62)

Lord Jesus, give me the grace and power to endure to the very end in Jesus name (Luke 9:62)

Spirit of worldliness in me;jump out of me by fire in Jesus name (Romans 12:1-2)

You, the Devil, you will not write the last chapter of my life in Jesus name

My marriage will not take me to hell in Jesus name, amen.

Ayodele Adegbulugbe.

Are You Looking Behind?

Message: Are You Looking Behind?

Text: Genesis 19:17

‘’…escape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed’’

Lot and his family were already saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis Chapter 19). They were instructed not to look back but Lot’s wife looked back and was destroyed: she became a pillar of salt. She demonstrated a willful disobedience to the Word showing to what extent she had become attached to the world.

When a person receives salvation through Jesus Christ, he is called out of the world to become a saint (1 Corinthians 1:1-3). If looks back into the world like Lot’s wife, then destruction awaits him. This is telling us that salvation is not an un-forfeitable possession. It can be lost if one is careless with it.

Jesus said in Luke 9:62 that, ‘’No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.’’ Losing the Kingdom of God means ending up in Hell for all eternity.

Ø  Looking back means conforming to the wicked ways of the world (Romans 12:1-2) (1 John 5:19) 

Ø Looking back means losing focus of the things that are eternal and focusing on the things of the earth that are temporal and perishable (Colossians 3:2-3)

Ø Looking back means mixing righteousness with unrighteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Ø Looking back means seeking all the other things above the kingdom of God and its righteousness (Matthew 6:33)

Ø Looking back means doing what is right in your own eyes (Joshua 21:25) and not what is right in the eyes of God (Deuteronomy 6:18).

Ø Looking back means serving two masters – God & Mammon (Matthew 6:24)

Ø Looking back means indulgence in sin and iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23).

Ø Looking back means mingling with the world and becoming a friend of the world and an enemy of God (James 4:4) (1 John 2:15-17)

Ø Looking back means working for God but no more walking with Him (Songs of Solomon 1:6)

Ø Looking back means worshiping God with your lips while your heart is far away from Him (Matthew 15:8)

Ø Looking back means trampling on the sacred Blood of the Covenant of your salvation (Hebrews 10:26-31) by returning to a life of sinning.

Were you once saved but now backslidden like Demas who returned to the world? (2 Timothy 4:10)

Are you despising spiritual things like Esau who despised his birthright? (Genesis 25:29-34)

Are you willing to trade away your salvation (eternal values) for a meal of porridge (momentary pleasure) like Esau?

Have you turned back from following Jesus Christ on his own terms (Mark 8:34-36)?

God is merciful, not willing that anyone should perish but that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He is willing to accept you back into his fold if you can humble yourself to repent and return to him like the Prodigal Son.

Learn from Esau… he tried to regain the blessings associated with the lost birthright but could not though he sought it carefully with tears (Genesis 27:38) (Hebrews 12:16-17). 

Many are in Hell now crying out in repentance like Esau did but it is too late. May this eternal tragedy not be our portion in Jesus name.

You have a role to play in the salvation of your soul: willingness.

Are you now ready and willing to reconcile afresh with the Lord? 

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, forgive me all my sins and transgressions (1 John 1:9)

Lord Jesus, cleanse me with your blood from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

O God my Father, show me mercy (Exodus 34:6) and uphold me to the end by your Spirit (Zech.4:6)

Lord Jesus, deliver me from the power of presumptuous sinning (Psalm 19:13).

Ayodele Adegbulugbe

www.maritalsuccessresource.simplesite.com.

www.relationship4growth.blogspot.com.

www.xtianrace.blogspot.com.

Post 21: BACK TO THE BIBLE

Post Number 21: Back to The Bible

Back to the bible is a call that draws attention to the fact that the body of Christ in the modern days has deviated from the standards set by the apostles, hence the need to return to bible standards of Christianity. It is a call to return to the revival of apostolic signs, Holy Ghost fireworks, miracles and unlimited demonstration of the power of God to deliver to the uttermost. 

It is a call to return to teaching absolute holiness within and without as a pre-requisite for heaven. It is a call for the modern day Church to conform to the standards of the Early Church founded by the apostles. It is a call to return from modern church to model church. The early church of the apostles was the model.

Back to the Bible is a call for a return to spiritual worship which is the power of God to achieve the following:

1)    To produce in men a new birth which is a spiritual process also known as a regenerative revival that redeems a lost soul from spiritual death to a new life in Christ Jesus (John 3:3) (1 Peter 1:2

e    To establish people in the faith (Romans 16:25)

3)    For spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2)

4)    To cleanse the church (Ephesians 5:26)

5)    Peace and protection (Ephesians 6:17)

6)    To prepare a people to be partakers of the Kingdom of God

We see in the modern day Church an increase in the number of church ministries without a corresponding increase in the number of regenerative Christians whose lives have been transformed. There are more of sinners known as church sinners than saints in the congregation. Many are in the church but are not in Christ therefore are not new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The practices of the modern day Church have been modernized and are not consistent with Scripture. The standard set by the apostles was the doctrine of apostolic teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42).

 The early church was a glorious church that performed signs and wonders empowered by the Holy Spirit; were together in one accord, having all things common; breaking bread from house to house and eating their meat with singleness of heart; praising God and having favor with all the people.

 

In the early church, the Word of God was preached to the people on daily basis and the Lord added to the church those that should be saved, who heard the Word and were obedient to it (Acts 2:42-47). It was a balanced church which foundation was built on the Word which produced Power, Purity and Prosperity. In the modern day church, prosperity is available but power and purity are scarce.

The modern day churches pursue signs, miracles and wonders without the Word as their foundation. Any church built on miracles will fade away but any church built on the Word will abide forever because the Word of God abides forever (Isaiah 40:8).

The teaching standard of the apostles taught the nations ALL things in the Word that Christ commanded. No person had the right or the authority to qualify or limit, add or subtract from any of the original teaching and practices lay down by Christ. Every word of the Bible was taught and practiced by all Christians.

The fellowship doctrine of the apostles is based on fellowship with God the father and His Son Jesus Christ in who are light and in whom there is no darkness (John 8:12). It is a fellowship that did not mingle with the world of iniquity and darkness because God is Light (1 John1:1-7) and in Him is no unrighteousness.

The modern day church has imported the darkness in the world into the church to the extent that it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between a Christian coming to church and a disco dancer in the world. The most glaring evidence of worldliness in the modern day church lies in immoral dressing.

 The early church focused on preaching a regenerative revival that brought sinners to the altar in tears to accept Christ. The regenerative revival in the early church was a revival that translates a sinner from death to life which is Jesus basic mission. The sermons preached from the pulpit in the early church were as flames of fire that rend the hearts of the hearers (Acts 2:37) to run to Christ. 

 

The modern day church focuses more on a materialistic revival in which the physical and financial wellbeing of the flock takes precedence over their spiritual wellbeing. However, the spiritual wellbeing of the flock should be the basic occupation of a true Minister of the Gospel (Matthew 6:33).

The modern day church attracts unbelievers through messages that have been watered down; that meets the needs of their body rather than their soul; that promises happiness on earth, rather than righteousness that leads to eternity; that makes sinners comfortable in sin and iniquity yet claim to be saved.

The modern church consists of more professing believers than real practicing Christians whose profession and practice do not align (Matthew 7:21) (Proverbs 11:4). Proverbs 30:12 says,

‘There is a generation that is pure in their eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness’

Many modern day churches do not teach ALL things that Christ commanded but teach selected topics that the people want to hear contrary to what God wants them to hear (Isaiah 58:1). It teaches fanciful and misleading messages to a congregation whose lives are bound in sin rather than teach about sin and how to be delivered from sin which is Jesus basic mission (Matthew 1:21) (Galatians 1:8).

Another principle in the early church that the modern church has neglected is making disciples of men. A disciple prefers his relationship with his Master above all others (Luke 14:26). He bears his Cross and follows His Master continually and not for a while. A disciple forsakes all that he has whenever required for the Kingdom of His Master (Luke 14:27, 33).

Discipleship is to perfect and release a convert who has become a disciple into the ministry (2 Timothy 2:2). Many modern day churches keep members in their fold for many years without discipling them to become useful vessels for the Lord’s use in ministry especially in evangelism which every believer is called to do (Matthew 28:18-20).

In the modern day church, unlike the early church, there is much moral decadence and lawlessness. There is powerlessness unlike the power demonstrated by Paul and Silas in Macedonia who turned the world upside down in Acts Chapter 17.

The average modern day Christian cannot hear directly from the Lord and runs after pastors and prophets to do the hearing for him. There is a shift from focusing on Christ to focusing on men which leads many men to worshiping the creature more than the creator (Romans 1:25).

Pastors of many modern day churches do things to glorify themselves and not to glorify Jesus Christ. They draw attention to themselves rather than to Jesus Christ who is the founder of the church and who has a name above all names (Philippians 2:9-10).

A typical example is where a pastor says, ‘meet me on the mountain on Sunday for solutions to your problems’, which draws attention to self as the solution provider and not to Jesus. Many modern day pastors display their pictures on their church signage to draw attention to themselves. These actions constitute vain glory which is a sin damnable in hell.

The average modern day Christian does not live his Christian life in the right manner. He does not study the Word of God on his own and does not attend bible study lessons and Sunday school classes in church.  In many modern day churches, the majority of the members and leaders do not attend bible classes and house fellowship. They cannot give their time to God but want to receive.

 He is also a prayerless Christian who does not pray habitually but prays only in church to ask from a God whom he has refused to get intimate with through His Word (John 8:31). He does not want to pay the price to know God and His righteousness but wants the blessings and the promises in the Word fulfilled in his life contrary to Matthew 6:33.

 

The modern day church has in its fold too many baby Christians who fail to grow, who spend 10 to 20 years in church but whose lives are not transformed to spiritual giants, and are enslaved to their pastors and prophets. Many modern day churches teach messages that entertain their members rather than convict sinners for repentance.

Many modern day churches teach that one can follow Christ without carrying a cross i.e. that one can serve Christ without dying for him; without suffering persecution and without forsaking anything contrary to Luke 14:26-33.

Many modern day church pastors have become ‘gods’ in their assemblies where their members build a relationship with them rather than build a relationship with God. Therefore, the average modern day Christian is an idol worshiper who worships his ‘church’ and ‘pastor’ above God. Denominational ism is self-righteousness which is damnable in hell fire.

          

The offices of Pastor and Prophet have been so bastardized by con artists in ministry that many well-meaning Christians do not wish to associate with them. It is becoming more of a stigma to be addressed or identified as a Pastor or Prophet in these modern days.

Therefore, the modern day church is a modernized church that lacks fire and power unlike the early church which operated in One Accord and brought down fire from heaven (Acts 2:1-4).  It is the Pentecostal fire that comes through tarrying in God’s presence that makes soul winning to be effective.

 The TV & radio evangelism noises of many modern day churches, their financial/prosperity bait used to attract sinners, their attractive buildings and beautiful pulpits and other gimmicks without a genuine and practical devotion and dedication to God can bring sinners into the church auditorium but cannot win their souls into the Jesus Kingdom. If souls are won, usually they do not abide (John 15:16). Therefore, the modern day church is a master at creating backsliders from inception of their soul winning campaigns.

 

The modern day church pulls huge crowds to its crusades, but is a noisy church that lacks the power to make a positive change in the society. Many modern day pastors teach superficial religion and messages based on human wisdom mainly for amusement and a temporary emotional experience but certainly not a genuine encounter with the Holy Spirit. Where the church ministry does not have the level of spirituality required to convey God’s mind to the congregation, then it is all a ruse and noise making! (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

Therefore, Back to the Bible is a call for a restorative revival (Hosea 6:1-2) to cure the worldly and backslidden condition of the congregation in the modern day church. It is time to revive the church as in the days of Ezra in Nehemiah chapter 8 where the Word of God was preached to the people distinctly and interpreted in the way it was written and meant to be understood, not giving a personal interpretation.

Back to the bible is a call for a restorative revival that will create an awakened people whose transformed lives will preach the gospel to others as in Antioch (Acts 11:26) where the disciples were first called Christians. An awakened church can only preach the gospel to a dying and lost world through its own awakened people whose lives have been transformed.

 Transformation of lives from darkness to light is the basic mission of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Any gospel that cannot transform lives from sinfulness to the righteousness that is of God (Deuteronomy 6:18) is not of God and is another gospel and a false gospel (Galatians 1:8-9). The gospel of Jesus is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

 

Back to the Bible is a call to church leaders to return to the apostolic standards and practices that nurture their members with the right teachings to mature them for ministry and to move out of the church to work for the Lord.

Further, back to the bible is a call to you and me as individuals who will give account before Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) to return to bible day Christianity. You and me as individuals constitute the church of Christ and not the buildings. The church buildings are merely the geographical address of the body of Christ in a locality. Back to the bible implies that you and me return from following the multitude doing evil (Exodus 23:2) and start doing what is right in the sight of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:18).

In conclusion, Back to the Bible is a call to you to live a transformed life that preaches the gospel to unbelievers. Many want to see the power of the gospel at work in terms of holiness and righteousness in the lives of men that will make them believe that salvation is real. It happened at Antioch (Acts 11:26) where the disciples were first called Christians when the people in the city saw that their lifestyle and behavior were not different from the life of Jesus whom they preached.

Is your Christian lifestyle a reproach to the gospel? Return to the bible day apostolic standard.

Prayer: O God my Father, revive your church starting with me.

Ayodele Adegbulugbe

www.xtianrace.blogspot.com