Have you ever come across preachers who were once on fire for God but
are now preaching a new gospel? A gospel of gratification, a gospel
that only satisfies the flesh, a gospel that takes man's focus of his
redemption in the blood? This is very common in our time and we should
expect to see more in the coming days. We are living in a time where it
will be very difficult for people to stand for the truth. In Matthew 24
when the disciples asked The Lord about His coming, the destruction of
the temple and the end of the age, He was not in a haste to tell them
about planetary alignments or any other cosmic reactions. The first
thing He highlighted was guarding against deception. "Take heed that no
man deceives you". Jesus knew deception had a direct effect on the soul
of any man so He forewarned. Then in Luke's account He also warns of
surfeiting(over eating and merry making)and the cares of this life.
Luke 21:34
And
take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that
day come upon you unawares.
He also talked about offences taking place because of the gospel.
Matthew 24:10
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
If
you study Matthew 24 critically there are so many things in there
before the rapture. The rapture is an event that will happen suddenly
as described in the bible. "In a twinkling of an eye" as the bible puts
it but let us take a look at certain critical occurrences that precede
the rapture. Before the rapture takes place there should be a great
falling away.
DECEPTION
1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
So
then the bible says in a time to come which is now there will be people
who once advocated for the gospel will rather fall away. Demons will
deceive them into thinking that they are speaking the truth. This will
creep into the body of Christ furtively. The gospel that will be
preached will not be a Christ centred gospel. People will be made to
feel good for their sins. True grace will be misinterpreted.
PRIDE OF LIFE
Luke 21:34
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares.
This
scripture most likely talks about a day where Christ's comes for His
bride as a thief in the night. It can also be viewed from another
perspective. A day or a time where men forget they are in a battle field
and are overtaking by the cares of this world. Jesus wasn't saying we
shouldn't eat good food or live good lives. The emphasis he lays is on
the third foe of the kingdom of God which Apostle John mentions in 1
John 2:16 "the pride of life". If any man is caught in this then the
devil is competing for his soul since such a person is operating in his
economy. So The Lord warns do not be overtaken by these things
forgetting you are on a battlefield. The Lord warns about lasciviousness
i.e. inordinate affection for the things of the world.
Let us
relate it to the days of Noah. Jesus said during those days they were
eating, drinking and being given into marriage. Obviously none of the
activities mentioned is wrong but they missed something. Their souls had
cleaved to this corroded world so it was difficult for them to merge
the message of righteousness together with their lust of a world that
was about to pass away.
Matthew 24:38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
In our
days this is the state of many believers. Many believe in investing
more of their time and resources in the world that is passing away. The
issue is not the activity per say but the lasciviousness. We work for
money to live good lives on earth. I don't know any individual who wants
to sleep on the streets. We haven needs as humans but the problem
begins when believers begin to crave for more and more of the material
and less of the spiritual. Gradually such a one starts to believe that's
all there is to life. It doesn't start in a day. You can go back and
find old tapes of preachers who were once revivalist but have now turned
the pulpit into a wheel of fortune. Why? Bit by bit they were taken
aback by the cares of this life.
Jesus said your heart will
cleave to where you keep your treasure. Gradually the devil has
infiltrated them with such lies so the gospel has become a gospel of
gain instead of the gospel of Jesus crucified.
OFFENCES
Matthew 24:10
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Luke 12:49-52
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
If
you ever loved something for 20 years and suddenly I tell you to leave
it because it is not going to add any value to your life you will most
likely retort. You believe its right for you. I might have used it and
had side effects. Perhaps a few might have used it and complained about
it. It may have even harmed you but because you covet it you wouldn't
let it go easily. What will you do then? It is very likely I will lose
you as your friend. When Jesus walked the earth he encountered a lot of
religious leaders. Prior to his ministry, it’s very likely some of these
scribes were good observers of the Sabbath, good observers of the moral
law. It was very likely a staunch religious leader will not miss the
morning and evening sacrifice for anything. It is also likely that they
made a lot of prayers to God. Suddenly Jesus comes in and begins to
preach hey, you have misinterpreted the law. I'm here to correct your
errors. You know definitely they will get offended. They have built
their own altars in their hearts. Their intellect has been challenged.
Jesus has proven to them that they are in darkness. A religious teacher
for over 30 years gets offended because a young man of about 30 years
has touched something within which he wanted to protect. Now, the
religious teacher has a choice either to continue in the commandments in
which he followed faithfully and correct the errors or get offended by
Jesus' teaching and continue to walk in darkness.
Matthew 23:3
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
According
to this scripture, the Pharisees had good knowledge of the law. They
could expound on it so Jesus encouraged his followers to observe what
they teach from the law. Again Jesus warns His disciples not to do as
they do. So the Pharisees had an outward form of piety but within they
had gods that they had been protecting. They could quote the Pentateuch
off head. Jesus comes in with a big bang. Now many of them are offended.
Many rather fall into more error. The full gospel will always bring
division. It will separate those who appear to love the gospel but are
protecting idols within from those who are willing to be martyrs for the
sake of the gospel.
Until that time, the
religious leaders were seen to be good. They appeared to be people who
taught God's people to keep His commandments. When Jesus touched the
evil in their hearts, they began to persecute Him. Its quiet easy to
shout Jesus on top of the roof but wait till God instructs you to give
up on your idols. Are you going to preach the same Jesus Christ of
Nazareth? Wait till God exposes your favourite preacher. Are you still
going to go out for Him? Are you going to cry out and surrender to Him
for His light to shine in your heart? Are you going to open your heart
for Him to heal your wounds? He says, He has come to send fire on the
earth, a fire that brings separation. Today His fire continues to burn
within His faithfuls. A fire that brings separation. A fire that
distinguishes the sheep and the goat.
You may say
in your heart “LORD I will never get offended at Your WORD". Allow Him
to reveal the condition of your heart. You may have countless idols. If
you humble yourself He will treat you so you can speak His Word with all
boldness. If you try to hide, you will stumble. Gradually you will
begin to expose what is in your heart. You will begin to teach things
you thought you once hated. Don't think in your heart that you cannot be
deceived. Don't think in your heart you cannot be overtaken by the
cares of this life. Don't think in your heart you will always defend the
truth. Cry unto Him that you may stand. Cry out to Him that you may
continue to walk with Him. Cry out to Him that He will help you embrace
the fullness of His truth.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalm 145:18
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Scripture
says He is near to those of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. He
hears those who call upon Him in truth. Personally I have had The Lord
reveal certain things in my life which I thought were trivial. There
have been times I have felt like dying when He touches the wickedness in
my heart. Cry out to Him in your closet. Don't be overconfident.
PRAYER:
Father in Heaven, Your Word says the way of a man is not in himself. I
cannot Direct steps myself neither can I make my heart pure. Fill me
with your Spirit so that I will be able to walk in Your truth and
discern every error that comes my way. Help me to serve you faithfully
until Jesus appears to take His bride home. Amen!!!!!
Glory To Jesus
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