A retrospective look into the terrain reveals an imbalance in the scheme of our human activities. The Lord has set us up in this estate called the world, to harness it and return back to Him. But our activities under the sun tell a different story about us. The reason of our calling, to liberate the land from the hand of Satan, is fast taking a different direction. It is quite unfortunate that Jesus Christ has today almost no authority at all among the groups that call themselves by His name. That is, among the gospel Churches, Christ is now in fact little more than a beloved symbol. "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" is the Church's anthem and the cross is her official flag, but in the weekday conduct of members someone else, not Christ, makes the decisions. 

In the conduct of our public worship, where is the authority of Christ to be found? The truth is that today the Lord rarely controls a service, and the influence He exerts is very small. We sing of Him and preach about Him, but He must not interfere; we worship in our own ways and it be right because we have always done it that way.

We can be sure that true Christianity owes its supreme test for the present soundness and ultimate worth of everything religious to the place our Lord occupies in it. A Church becomes worldly when Jesus becomes a symbol and not the Lord in charge of its project but merely one of the crew who helps to carry out the plans of other people.

In fact, there is no more fundamental statement than that the world is to be renounced by every true disciple of Christ, and that to love the world and the things of the world puts us in open and standing enmity to God. By virtue of the relationship of love or friendship to the world, we are the enemies of God. There needs no other sin, no other crime by virtue of our attachment to the world. By that alone, we are the enemies of God.

Are you now on the path of worldly pleasure yourself? Remember Samson. Samson was a man of in-like manner with wisdom and power, who grew and walked with the Lord (Judges 13:24-25). He threaded the path of unstraigh-forwardness.
An uneven, unpredictable, winding path that only divine wisdom can unveil to the hearts of men. That was the path of Samson's fall - the worldly path! It was a path of many “slips” - the slips of the eyes, slips of thoughts, etc. Indeed, it was a path of many steps some even looked spiritual, highly anointed but wrong steps; steps that brought great victories… but all the same steps in the wrong direction!

You, man of God, the lesson of Samson had a lot to teach you today (Judges 14: 1-3). Samson had an eye for worldly pleasure. Samson was a man of pleasure who was easily fascinated by the appearance, the dressings, the make-ups, the hair-dos of ladies and got lost as he imaginatively followed each passing lady with his eyes, until he no longer could have a good and clear view… then he switched to another. He took particular interests in beautiful looks, neck-twisting and body-shaking deals of the daughters of Philistine that gave the enemy the ground to explore (Judges 16:1). He was everywhere but in each case he saw nothing but women! When he sees a woman, all discussions become suspended until he either touched the woman or caressed her. When decent women were not available, he turned to harlots - the commercial sex workers! Also, like Samson, many people had taken a dangerous hasty decision. He told his father: "I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah; NOW get her for me as my wife" (Judges 14:2).

Haste was another "slip" that plagued his life. He rushed and rushed, until he rushed his life to an abrupt end. The Bible says, "For you shall not go out with haste…" (Isaiah 52:12). Instead of listening to God, many men of God insist on their own self-will. They look through the window bent on copying whatever they set their eyes upon. They are always in haste. Most ministers today do not draw programme outlines until they see others do so, just to have a clue on how to pattern theirs. A lot of programmes and crusades today are floated to enrich a certain group of individuals. We have threaded where angels dread. Many of us are experts in raising money in programmes, selling indulgences - the very worst thing that Martin Luther condemned in the Cathedral. It is good to have crusades, revivals, seminars, etc, but what is the motive?

There is also the evil of caging people in a particular place not minding what they are being fed with. People are afraid to lose their members to a better godly Church where they learned a great deal during a Revival Programme. This time they are denied access to learn about the Lord from a better preacher. This is why Church programmes clash with one another in dates and time, only the venue remains different. But that is not the solution. The solution lies in the time you spend to do your home-work; hence not everybody has the same calling and gift.

Believe it, your ministry may not start out with a miracle, but every ministry starts off with God doing miracles for someone, somewhere. There is always a need and God steps on the scene and turns things around. Why run the race alone? That is Samson's spirit. I mean the same spirit that made Samson to throw his parents' counsel into the wind and insisted on his own self-will: "Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well…" There was no room to inquire about the lady, none for family discussion, none for Holy Spirit ministration, and infact, none for prayers! Notice the desire for self-pleasure: "…for she pleaseth me well". It is one of the quiet "slips" in the life of Samson that ruined his life. Women were his undoing! Now therefore, beware! Yes, you may be careless before now; looking through the window, copying whatever thing that pleased you. But now, be careful! Be wise! Do not be careless any more.

Beloved, you should always allow God to be the centre of all the programmes or activities of your life by giving Him the chance to plan and fix those programmes Himself. When He has had His way in these activities, you can then look conveniently at each time span, with all its ups and downs, both unplanned and unexpected circumstances, and rejoice! The Psalmist says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23).

Therefore, if we are connected to God, He will direct our steps. Today and every day God is interested in what comes our way and is in wait to direct us if we let Him, and our aim of liberating the land will be achieved.

 


Comments

Gates

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:07:26

Sure, we're reading you sir. It involves collective responsibility. Remain blessed!!!

 



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