COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE..

"Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]" (Matthew 24:4, Amplified).

The level of deception that has befallen the saints of God is becoming increasingly disturbing and alarming. The church of today is definitely a ship adrift on the ocean of worldliness. Our depth in matters of spiritual perception, commitment to the will of God, willingness to be openly associated with Christ at critical times and

genuine demonstration of undying passion for the kingdom of God has become unpardonably shallow. It is  unfortunate that carnal reasoning has taken the place of spiritual perception and divine revelation. For a church of the living God that has the hope of reigning with Christ, this is completely unacceptable.

But such situation is the natural consequence of our abandonment of the presence of God, our neglect of discipleship, our preference for the gratification of the flesh and our chase after the wind of material success. Things cannot be otherwise when man has replaced God in the church and the vast majority of people who are supposed to have congregated for worship have actually come for other things that have nothing to do with God. In such a circumstance, satanic deception easily engulfs the church and spreads through the body like a wildfire during harmattan. That is the sorry state of the church today.

In times like this, my dear friends, you ought to take personal responsibility for your spiritual wellbeing. You cannot afford to leave your spiritual health in the hands of anyone else, not even the pastor. I have taught on this subject several times and I will yet teach it a thousand times over. You will please God or displease Him primarily because of what you do or don't do about your spiritual condition. You will go to heaven or hell primarily because of what you do and how you live. Every man is not just the architect of his own fortune or misfortune, but also the primary determinant of his status with God and of his eternal destination.

If you are deceived and led into error, you are entirely responsible for allowing that deception. If you are misled, even by a supposed man of God, you will still be personally answerable to God for your misdeeds. This is why Jesus said you have a duty to yourself to ensure that you are not misled. You are the one that must be careful and do all that you can to prevent your being deceived and being led into error. You do this by seeking to know the truth and what is in the mind of God concerning everything you are involved in. In the process of fortifying yourself with the truth, you must learn how to employ the weapon of prayer and meditation in the word of God.

If by this message I have stirred you up to take immediate steps for your personal development in the things of God, I give God the glory.

If you have been challenged to take responsibility for your spiritual health, I praise the Lord. May you receive grace to walk worthy of the bLord unto all pleasing.