Are You Awake?
Throughout Biblical history watchmen walked the streets amongst the populace warning all that were within earshot of coming judgments as they prophesied to God’s people. Often those people shut their ears as they gave themselves over to pleasures, to food and wine, to buying, selling and building.
I see all too many people that claim to be Christian that were once ‘on fire’ with their testimonies and were stirred by the words given them by Pastors. Now it is often as if they are too busy to take the time to seek God and their love of Jesus Christ grows colder with each passing day.
These are the type of people that will not abide any preaching that convicts them. They would rather hear a Pastor deliver a sermon delivered in a short time period that builds up their self-esteem or somehow helps them to become more successful in gaining wealth.
Brothers and sisters make no mistake in identifying such men and women; they have fallen asleep, sound asleep!
Our Heavenly Father instructed His prophet Jeremiah to warn His people thusly:
Jeremiah 7: 27 "When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28 Therefore say to them, 'This is the nation that has not obeyed the LORD its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.
God’s servant Paul similarly wrote in God’s New Testament:
Romans 11: 8as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."
Why do so many that once were so ‘on fire’ now turn away from godly reproof? Why is there such judicial blindness? Why does it appear as if there are Pastors that preach a self-centered message of wealth expectations as they omit the true Word of God?
A growing number of Pastors of today have drifted from the preaching of the Cross. The message as it relates to the poor, homeless, suffering has become almost an insult and an offense. The messages of the poor, homeless, and suffering is the mere mention to pass around the collection plate once again.
The call to sacrifice has become, ‘give a little more money,’ not, ‘take up your cross, embrace rejection for Jesus’ sake, die to your carnal needs, repent and be humble!’ The topics are avoided and replaced by sermons of happiness and wealth and any apostolic warnings of the end being near are muted.
Brothers and sisters, He is coming and I ask that you ‘turn up your lamps, shine, prepare to meet the Bridegroom for the hours in late and He is coming only for those who are seeking Him!
It is detestable, but there are Pastors that actually teach that Jesus Christ was a wealthy man. They teach things such as ‘Christ had to be wealthy as He had to support 12 apostles and pay for their travel expenses.’ They preach that, ‘even the cloak of Jesus had to be very costly as the Roman soldiers would not have gambled for it if it was not the finest of garments.’
Other Pastors join in with this type of preaching attributing their standing on, ‘200 kings came to the birth of Jesus.’ Their message is, ‘these kings came laden with gold and gems as He had to be wealthy. How else could the old adage be applicable of, ‘The words of a poor man are soon forgotten,’ be seen as true?
God set forth His Word respecting this:
Jeremiah 6: 13 "From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
For anyone to preach that Jesus had to be wealthy to gain such a following as true Christians are is reflective of their lack of knowledge; Biblical knowledge!
For any to teach that wealth is the way to God is asleep! He or she has a concept of Christianity that is not of God’s teachings and certainly not of His Word.
I attended a series of sermons that the Pastor delivering them entitled, ‘Your Wagons are coming.’ The entire message was based on Joseph’ time in Egypt . The whole message was pray, wait and you will gain wealth. I now shake my head as I recall those words from the pulpit.
What you must hear and what I must say to you in order to speak as a true servant of God anointed to deliver His message is, ‘There will be a day of destruction and it will come suddenly. In one hour all the material things of this world will be rendered worthless. They will be absolutely of no value whatever.
Jesus Christ will appear and if you think for a single moment He will be impressed by the opulence of your standard of living, by the value you paid for the car in your driveway, by the amount of money in your bank accounts or stock values, think again!
The Bible, God’s Word, is not a handbook for prosperity and the possession of earthly riches. God’s Word teaches us His values, His precious knowledge and what He wants us to learn. Not once does He tell us to earn more and more to prove our spiritual worth. He does not teach of earthly holdings and even speaks against those that are rich!
Matthew 19: 24 “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
The Bible, God’s Word IS the, ‘door to peace and safety as it reveals Christ and His teachings.’ Christ is the riches we must seek, He is the gold we must possess as He is the only wealth we must enjoy.
Fellow Christians, this is the gospel taught by true Christians as it is Christ we must serve as we abide by His teachings.
I ask you again, as I did at the onset…”Are you awake?”
(Closing prayer)
Almighty God, Creator of everything, we come to You with praise in our hearts and worship for You and You alone. You are our God and You are the Power of the Universe. Nothing is greater than You and we bow before Your throne. Holy are You Lord, Holy, Holy, Holy.
Father we thank You for Your Word and for having the love for us to give us the knowledge to gain Your eternal lives with You in Paradise . Lord, it is You that has provided all of the wealth we need. Nothing here on earth could possibly have the slightest value in comparison to what You offer us, Your children.
As the hymn we sing to You says, “Open the eyes of our hearts Lord, open the eyes of our hearts, we want to see You...” We await Your Son’s return and ask that He deliver us from the evils of this earth. You are our God and it is only You that we seek to serve.
Lord, there are men and women that call themselves Christian as they practice a religion that is not of Your teachings. Father, we ask that You enlighten them and their Pastors and bring them back into Your fold. There are others that pray to a god we do not believe in and do not intend to bow to. Lord, we ask that You also enter into their hearts and teach them truth and of Your way and bare the truth of their false god to them.
Open their eyes to You Lord, open their eyes to You.
These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord and Savior, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,
Amen, amen and amen.
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