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The Church's Dark Age of IndulgencesHere Again!

by SIXTUS ONYEANUSI  
5/17/2011 / Christian Living



History told us that there was a time the church entered into a "dark age", that is, when unbiblical teachings and practices, hypocritical lies and heresies were introduced into the church which ought not to be so because the Church of God is and should be the pillar of truth. It was an age when the true revelation knowledge of God was lost, it became dim and shallow, as the ones who were still holding forth the word of truth-the word of faith were excommunicated, beaded and terminated from the face of the Church.
We heard and read it as a history, and it was true, even the present day church is still suffering from that great set back. Just like it began little by little before it developed, enveloped in nations and influenced the whole church around the globe at that age, it has also began again in various "Christian" gatherings and denominations.
So God, through this piece and other various ways would be helping us to see these decays, and with no delay make straight our way if in any way we have ignorantly fallen into such practices.

"But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there must be first teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." 2 Peter 2:1-3

"Anywhere you go to for prayers and are told to bring money so as to purchase some items for the prayers...runnnnnn!!! THAT'S NOT THE SPIRIT OF MY JESUS*
- Okwudili FoolforGod Umeweni (Evangelist)
"And the worse thing about most of them is that they still collect money to buy candles, birds, incense and so on for their so called prayers. ...and that's what grieves Jesus the most. May God have mercy!!"
- Okwudili FoolforGod Umeweni (Evangelist)

After I read through the brother's comment above, The Holy Spirit echoed in my soul "Freely you received, freely you give."
"If any man has not the Spirit of Christ (no matter his fame, name, exploits, position and manifestation), he is none of His."
Who paid Jesus My Lord for His mountain-moving-healing-pouring-Lazarus-raising prayers?
When a preacher asks for money for prayers, it's obvious he's received his reward here on earth.

The Lord by His mercy has granted that He may share with us some of these things needful to perceive, know, understand and apply especially in these last days. Seeing the wrong teachings and practices, and great omission of discipleship and commission of evangelism (one-on-one) in the Christendom, and how iniquity is abounding even in the household of faiththe mystery of iniquity greatly at work, we need not to be told that we are in for the Second Dark Age!
This is the last days, and what happened in the early days (the Dark Age) is about to or rather, already happening.
Juju priests (sorcerers and witch doctors) are scarcely now in their thatch houses, or under the oji tree (the shrines for their idols), they have modified their appearances and modernized their modus operandi. The Bible confirms that the devil has transformed (disguised, changed, hidden his real identity) himself as angel of light.
When we talk of anti-christ, with the wrong mindset we mostly look out for a dark and ugly fellow with two piercing horns upon his forehead...but that's not itit's not the description the Bible gave of the devil in these last days.
When God gave Brother John the beloved the revelation of this truth, he shouted, declared and sounded the warning: "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that anti-christ shall come, even now are there many anti-christs, whereby we know that it is the last time." IJohn 2:18. He realized that the person they were looking out for to come has already come from behind the door of ignorance. They knew it not. And even at that, they were expecting him to come with obvious devilish image and likeness, but it wasn't so. Then The Lord by His Gracious revelation granted him an insight into these deep things of mystery of iniquity already at work silently.
When he saw it, he did not keep silenthe didn't hold his peace, he quickly extended it to the brethren, that they may know and be sober, watchful, prayerful, studious and yet zealous for the unfeigned gospel truth of faith.

Anti-christ is a spirit that opposes the personality and authenticity of Christ Jesus; it invisibly but visibly goes about seeking entrance into the hearts of men and brethren, especially leaders and preachers to make them go contrary/anti/against, opposite, negative in the way, pattern and life of Jesus.

An anti-christ minister will not tell you that he is, and most times they don't even know it, but they exhibit it in their thought-life, words, life and ministry...their message is not Christ-centered, it's not Christ-glorifying, it's not Christ-pointing, and their practices are not Christ's pattern, the spirit at work in them is religious, zealous and even "anointed", but not the Spirit of Christ Jesus, thus they are anti-Christs.

How to know them is by their fruits, according to our open scripture verses 2 Peter 2:1-3. Did you notice the application of "even denying the Lord that bought them"? You may go back to that verse (verse 1 precisely) and see for yourself. Do you know the implication of that phrase? It depicts the picture of putting the Lord in an open shame, bringing reproach to His glory in their words and life. They would mount the pulpit, cover the Lord's glory with grammatical jargons and bogus enticing words and after all the "jumping ups and shakings, story-tellings and excitements", and finally still perch unto money matters. Of course I acknowledge the important role money plays in the propagation of the gospel to reach the unreached, and even as people give and sow into the man and work of God, they get blessed reward in return.

Simply put, an anti-christ minister is more concerned with the mundane things of this present world-their messages and life are not pointing men to Christ, they are not making them sober for Heaven and hopeful of the imminent return of the Lord.
And it grieves the heart of God to see His people live like those whose hope are only in this present world; whatever things of this life they can't get from God, they become ingratitude to the Lordforgetting all His eternal benefits, promises and provisions. There are promises of now life and in the life to come, so we should know how to handle the both so as to not embezzle the now one and miss out on the latter which is greater.

These falsehood ministers go against the way of Christ, they despise them that are good who still hold unto the initial unfeigned word of truth; who are despised but still being used of God to get men established in righteousness, holiness and eternal commitment unto God.

These zealous ministers often began well from the ancient path, until they stopped abiding in their first-love of learning Christ, leaning on Christ and looking unto Christ; they began to compare themselves with themselves...they began to copy 'ministerial patterns and styles" from others who neither copied it from Christ, nor did they follow the pathway of the early church as road-mapped in the book of Acts and other Holy Ghost-proven epistles.

When a preacher asks for material things and indulgences to make prayers for his members, or rather his "victims", he's shifting the faith of the people from the invisible but visible reality of the power of God in the message of the cross, prayer of faith, power of the Blood and FireBurning-HammerBreakingPiercing Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God); he's shifting their faith from these eternal realities to the physical things of the sight. Do you still remember we walk not by sight but by faith?
This is idolatry and mystery of iniquity at work. This is religion; it's not Heavenly dominion aka Christianity. And you and I know that Christianity is not a religion...it is the Word of God made flesh; dwelling amongst men...it is Heaven on earth...it is God in His fullness coming to made His abode with His child(ren).

Jesus died, broke the grave, defeated death and rose again for something more than religion...think about this: if it were to be religion, God would have been okay with Judaism, but something more powerfully and wonderfully made was needed to show the perfect power and life of God to man, thus Christ came to fulfill it. Why do we still need extra-self help with these indulgences when we already have a perfect sacrifice made? It is high time we started exploring and exploiting the wondrous benefits of the finished work of Christ-His death, burial, the reason He spoilt principalities and powers in low and high places down in the grave, rose again powerfully unhindered...seen of Angels, appeared unto the saints, breathed powers, gave us His authority, and commissioned us to live purposefully for Him and by His Spirit.

He only gave us His word and Spirit...He didn't give us any red candle, or black, or white, or blue, no birds, no pigeon, no hanky, no "anointing" oil, no chick, no coconuts, as a matter of fact, He commanded us to walk in His footsteps, walk in His word...the word of faith..."the word of faith which we preach".

It grieves The Holy Spirit to see His children being deceived, after they have of His fullness received. It grieves Him when His children make for themselves an idol in the bottle and call it anointing oil, replacing His place, His unction and function in the life of a believer...

When suddenly something bad happens, or someone maybe got spiritually attacked, the first thing that comes to their mind is the oil in the bottleforgetting that they have something more than thatthe Name of The Lord Jesus (called out of a pure heart of faith and trust) and the word of God which when proclaimed settles great deal of troubles. Brethren, these things ought not to be sowe should be more conscious of the Holy Ghost in us than the indulgences we have within our reach. There's no need for indulgences whether for prayers or just keeping it at home for "protection" purposes. Why are we Christians really? Are we really that unique and peculiar people from different species and linageChrist is pattern of Bloodline. Why have we turned back from following in His footsteps, and have refused to be His express image we ought to be?

It grieves Him to see when His children who should be living in His consciousness and get established in all righteousness, growing in the knowledge of Jesus-The Truth and greater faith upon His word, are being shifted from their initial unfeigned love and faith in Him, because they failed to watch, pray, study (like the Berean brethren) and flee from falsehood teachers in the brotherhood of faith. To flee is the best way....to flee means to shrink back, run and jump at the same time.

"The just (the believerthe born again child of God) shall live by faith and not by indulgences."
Were it not for these wrong practices and amongst others that led the early church in Rome and other parts of the world astray into the Dark Age, for that God raised great reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Charles G Finney, and hosts of other great revivalists. These practices of selling and buying indulgences for prayers and other religious purposes are what were prevalent in the days of Martin Luther. God by mercy gave him a revelation of truthhe understood by faith that the just shall live by faith.
"He understood by faith that the just shall live by faith."

The dark age of indulgences is here again. I perceive in my spirit that the same reformation is about taking place...as people are thirsty for the truth and are willing to travel from far and near to hear the truth and be filled deep within.

Where are those days preachers mount the pulpit with the intensified fire in the heart to have souls turn to Christ Jesus for salvation and thorough liberation? We now see preachers (though not all) who when invited to preach in a particular denomination, may preach "powerfully", and mostly will may not call for souls to sow their heart at the feet of Jesus, or may do it "to fulfill all righteousness" (not really as a burning burden in the heart, but as a word in the mouth). He may fail to call for souls to come forth and get saved, but must never fail to call for souls to come forth and sow their seed-faith for "prophetic released of anointing and grace for success". Bogus jargon crafted by men to entice and beguile the ignorant ones. Where did you copy such time? It may be from other people, or even as an inspiration, but of course it is not from The Lord Jesus, not the apostles and prophets upon whose foundation we ought to be built upChrist being the Chief Corner Stone.
People are allowed to go the way they came without a piercing sword of the Spirit-the undiluted word of truth, cooked and shared on the holy altar of His Presence cutting them in the heart. What the people come into the temple with has become of utmost importance than their blind-sickly soul yearning for a touch from Heaven.

In the first Dark Age, what matters to the people at the altar was their belly, pleasure, honour of men, reputations; they cared not about the state of the flock of Christthey lorded over the sheep instead of walking in the footstep of the Saviour-that Good Shepherdto feed and to keep.

I don't blame God for calling these ministers who dabbled into falsehood and are now perverting and commercializing the gospel at the expense of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus, no, I do not blame Himno not once. He didn't call them to bring shame and reproach to Him, rather, to depopulate the pit of hell and populate The Kingdom of His Dear Son, by the preaching of the message of the cross of Christ, living His life, abiding in Christ, raising men who will reign with Him...walk with Him in the beauty of purity and humility.

This is why He called them...to pass through them as channels and flow out His LightLife into the world of man. But the men He called failed Him like Saul of old upon whom He regretted for choosing him to be king over His Israel. They failed God because they omitted the crucial process of baking, making, breaking, moulding, trimming, testing and filling on the course of deliberate discipleship under God, directly from the Holy Spirit and also from other proven vessels of honour.

Whom God calls, He also makes...crucifies (putting flesh and self to death that he may decrease and Christ in Him increase), whom He makes, He also sanctifies, whom He sanctifies, He also uses effectively, and whom He uses fruitfully in life and ministry (who still remain faithful and humble), He also glorify and richly rewards. May God never regret choosing me and you as a vessel in His hand to use and impart and plant His truth and kingdom on the face of the earth, in Jesus' Name.
This is the last time, and the enemy is spending his last dime to see that the gates of hell prevail over the remnants of the true seeds of truth. But he's lost the battle since the Holy Spirit has been poured out wherein is excess in this same last days. God whom is "All wise God" knows what and how the last days would be or look like, so by His foreknowledge He promised and fulfilled that "And it shall come to past in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy" Acts 2:17. For what purpose was the Spirit poured upon all flesh? It's that all may have the revelation knowledge of the Holy, walk in the pathway of God, and be able to discern good and evil doctrine, and choose good, for the Spirit will abide in you and teach us of all things that pertain to pleasing God and leading acceptable life in the sight of God, even before all men.

Every day, people are encountering the truth and breaking off the chains of deception into the true knowledge of the true Holy God. The problem is that most of these people engaging in such unbiblical practice are highly acclaimed, for they answer the people according to the idol already set up in their heart. They feel (mark the word feel) very satisfied when they are being given something physical to go home with...just like someone returning from a witch doctor. Give them something to keep in their home, or rob on their skin, or place on their door, or apply on their head or clothe for "favour" and "protection", give them something like "holy water", anointing oil to drink or rob on their forehead, "holy salt", "black stone from holy land Israel", mustard seed.

Why this great fall? What are all these for? Were these what the apostles, and earlier FaithRace runners used to run well? Not so preacher. Not so brother. Not so prophet. Not so prophetess. Not so Evangelist. Not so teacher. If these are what are obtainable in the household of faith, household of the Living God- The church of God the pillar of truth is far and exceedingly and powerful than and without those human ideas and self-help.
If we practice these may be because others do and they are working for them by the spirit and power of the mystery of iniquity, what's the hope of the nations? If we follow the way of the heathen, where now is the hope of Heaven? What's the difference? Why are we Christians? Are we not children of faith? Are we now sliding back to sight and rituals? We should know more than these.
As a Christian, you may have all these while been ignorantly deceived into this falsehood. But may I tell you that you don't need all these mundane things and indulgences that pass away and cannot stand the test of time; you already have more than enough Divine deposits in you to conquer every form of challenges that are likely to come your way in this journey from Earth to Heaven. Look at all you've got: you have the Father, You have The Son, you have the Spirit, you have the word, you have the blood, and you have the grace- you now see you've got it all. You are already well loaded with powers and much more enough strength for daily victory over Satan an already defeated foe.

You may have had a genuine encounter with Jesus in the past, and was much more gladdened that you touched Him, or rather He touched you. But because of the cares of this life let the unfeigned faith you had in Him to slip. You are no more willing to sit down and personally cry out to God to intervene in your situation while still abiding in the truth and unadulterated biblical practice, rather, you are more willing to go even extra-mile to do just anything to see that you get out of the situation. But I know you have been frustrated and almost giving up your life.

I know of a brother whom I preached to, and God by His abundant Grace made a way for him to enter into the Door. He encountered Jesus and got saved. The evidence was therehe turned away from his sins and denied the hidden things of dishonesty. He was a drug addicthe quit. He was a fornicatorhe quit. He was into all sorts of iniquities but God got him delivered. But one thing he failed to watch was his inward cares of this lifetheir family, his business and brethren were in crisis, and thoughts of that got him weighed downit crippled him on the way. Before he got saved, he was doing virtually nothing, owed huge amount of debts and are being sought for to pay his debts. But in the midst of all these, this brother was being filled with joy in the Holy Ghost. Apart from me, other brethren stayed close to him, kept him company and encouraged him. We all prayed together and ate together, attended fellowships together, sang together and danced together. There was no money, and yet God provided.

But at a time, this brother (zealous and serious, meek to receive instructions and corrections) slept and the enemy sowed tares into his heart. He resolved and believed that he needed just money to get the problems solved. He was wrong. He failed to know that God had allowed those things to surround him so that he could learn the art and act of trusting God in all things that he may grow in faith and knowledge of Him. And again, he omitted and failed to meet up with the primary condition of discipleship, that is, denying father, mother, brother, sister, friends and self, then bearing your cross daily following Jesus. He wanted to carry the loads of his family upon him, still bear his cross and follow Jesus. No, salvation is a personal encounter. Does that mean that when one gets saved and start becoming a disciple, he should feel so less concerned about the welfare of his brethren in the flesh? That's not what I mean, it's not even what The Lord meant-He was trying to show us that when we make up our minds to follow Him, we should not allow distractions to get our attention, and these distractions are very most likely to come from our immediate acquaintances. So, to really make it in following Him, we must root up those attachments we have so long had glued inwardly in us, we should separate unto Him, we must put Him first in all things, for a servant does nothing but to please his Masterhis Lord. When a need arise for us to get it solved, we must learn to lean on The Lord and direct their hearts to the Lord.

So, each time I pay him a visit, there's nothing more to be grateful for but murmuring, being weariedthe love he had for God began to water down. Cares of this life crippled him. All this while he's been surviving and living, God has been providing, but he did not recognize that it was a miracle of God's faithfulness and love.

On the course of his complaining to someone, a woman heard him and "kindly" offered to take him to "somewhere"- a place where he will find solution to his problems allowed the situation to shift him, he went into falsehood (the white garment "church") and that was where he missed it. The woman took him to their pit; they gave him a list of indulgences to buy for prayers and other rituals. After he came back from his "journey" to the "quick solution-ground", he still concealed itnever told me at once. But later he reluctantly told me, and I was shocked that he went there, after knowing the truth. He allowed his pressing need press him off the way of truth-simplicity of faith.

Not only that, he dabbled into many illicit acts for money to solve his needs, and got himself pierced with many sorrows. He consulted other mediums and his spiritual state worsened. He lost the joy, the peace, the sound mind, the liberty of approaching the Father, the love for the brethren and fellowship. He missed out. And even now, the problem remains unsolved. He went out of the way to do it his own way, and ran into the ministers of falsehoodpromoters of doctrine of Satan. He went back to his old sinful life, and even doubled up. And even now, many more problems encompass him.

The same may be said to be your present situation. Woes and regrets now clothe you like a robe. You are almost gone, and if not God, you wouldn't have been found reading through this message. Or do you suppose you came in contact with this by accident? God had arranged it, that He may restore you. His mercy is still available for you. Because you are still alive, no matter how long and how far you've gone out of the way of God, He has decided to bring you back. You are going to call upon Him and plead for His mercy to return to you again. Yu once had a sweet communion and solid relationship with Him. It's not all been destroyedhope has come. I hear Him saying today, "I'm still waiting for you. My love for you is still intact. I know you feel guilty and filthy, but even now, my love and mercy have appeared before you. You still have a place in me. Come from afar and I will come near and nearer to you. I AM the One to forgive you. Turn to me and find rest unto your soul. You are still my child."

You are fully backed by Heaven, for you are Heaven's product-a citizen of the kingdom of light whose name is enshrined in the Lamb's book of Life. It is a shame to belong to this prominent position and still go around as a beggar in prayer houses, looking for whom to pay for prayers and even willing to buy materials for the so called prayers. A Christian? Why would these be connected to a Christian highly esteemed in the heavenlies, among angels and even among men? What a fearful woe! You don't know your Divine rights, because if you do, you wouldn't have need of those things. You would only need to be grateful to God for where He's brought you, and then by knowledge being to maximize the benefits of belonging to Jesus.

Where is your faith? In the face of trials and temptations, when the going gets tough, and prayers don't seem to be heard or answered, where is your faith? When your problems seem to be above your progress, where is your faith? Where is your faith? Is your faith on the living God or on those indulgences-those dead works which you must repent and from them turn away? Is your faith still upon God's word or has it been shifted towards the human ideologies and ministerial gimmicks of mere men who have no intense compassion and Heavenly vision for your soul?

These indulgences are snares initiated and set by the enemy to capture you at the point of your pressing need and challenging times, to turn your heart away from the unfeigned faith you had toward the True God, "whom you having not seen, ye love ; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (IPet1:8).

These indulgences may seem to work, but may I tell you that not all things that work in the name of God as actually worked by God? The enemy, the father of all lies will make it work today, yes he has powers, but his power is on the negative, and when the enemy's power is compared with the eternal power of God upon the life of a child of God, the devil has no standing common groundhe trembles at our presence. Oh! God's heart-beat is for us to know these things, and happy are we when we do. We led a peaceable and victorious Christian life. Again, these indulgences may work today, but for the sole purpose of turning you away from your true and non-compromised faith, and channel your heart's attention to these idols and symbols, and when that has been achieved, after getting you deceived and confused, it stops working, and tracing your way back home would seem impossible to you. What's next? You start trying all your best by the arms of flesh, and that deepens you more into confusion and calamities. You find yourself; or rather you walked yourself into the dark but seemingly easy road success but woes in disguise. You discover you've fallen into the pit, and now sits upon woes, wolves, in thick darkness and blindness, don't know what to do. Daily your sorrow is greatly multiplied.

"The just shall live by faithnot by these indulgences you see, handle and carry around. We walk by faith, not by sight"
"The just shall live by faith, not by indulgences. Christianity is far and exceedingly greater than thatit is faith in the invisible God, but so visible in our hearts and inner eyes of faiththe Spirit bearing witness to our spirit that we are the children of God, and showing us all things that pertain to God, even the God we have not seen with the physical eyes, but His reality and personality is settled in our heart beyond doubt. You don't need indulgencesyou only need diligence in seeking Him, and He shall be found of you.
It is with simplicity of faith that we serve the Lord, not with indulgences.
Why are we turning from the reality of the Eternal and Kingdom life back again to religion of rituals and dead works which has already been done away with by one Man Jesus Christ the Righteous? Now we need no pigeon, no blood of a bull or goats before we could approach the temple of His presence and see the High Priest- the Man Jesus who has made the way plain for us to come boldly to the Father through His Name, by His Spirit to receive grace of life. We no more need any external self-help of indulgence in order to be prayed for, or be blessed, or have a hearing before the Father, for by The Spirit we have access to the Father, and we are made near to the Father by the Blood of Jesus. Now tell me why you now think that you need these indulgences, seeing that you have these unmerited favours without the labours of the flesh, by the reason of your new birth experience through Christ ( if indeed you have been born again). Why do you still need extra-works humanism to add to what Christ had already perfected for you on the cross? Whatever power you desire to overcome is at the cross of Christit is the power of God. Have knowledge of it, and by faith on the finished works of Christ, you would convictedly and convincingly know that you need not those rubbish make-ups of mere men before you be the Christian you ought to be. Did you pay to be saved from sin? Why do you think you now need to pay for someone's prayer, and even applying these indulgences, as the expense of your earlier unfeigned (pure and unadulterated) faith in Jesus Christ. Couldn't you hold on and fight the good fight of faith? Yes, when these wrong teachings and practices and damnable heresies start coming our way, even seemingly prosperous than the truth we are living in, it is time to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on our first love, our pure truth and word of faith which we received and preach. If we don't take time and stand firm, we may be discouraged and enticed away. May God help us to stand and hold onto the horn of His truth with all our might and love, no matter the iniquity that is abounding in the world, and even in the household of faith in Jesus' Name.

That you were asked to use those indulgences by a notable man of God does not authenticate it. Not all famous preachers, prophets and steward in the vineyard of the Lord are indeed notable and acceptable in the Kingdom of Jesus. Don't run your race putting your faith in a mere man, though he be a man of God, respect him, but still make Christ your standard and your eyes ever on Him. Don't join them practicing itthey did not receive it from the Spirit of my Jesus whom is Our Ultimate Pattern.
The reason you are running from pillar to post in search of solution to your problem is because you are yet to know by deep revelation and understanding the immortal power of God imbedded inside of you by the Holy Ghost.
It is a shame to be a Christian without power even after the Holy Ghost has come into you.
"You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses"
I did not see The Lord Jesus give us any indulgence to add together with the power the Holy Ghost comes with. It was the word of faith He said that is enough to settle the question of power for victory.

Too many of us have got the power already, but we have been robbed of that knowledge by the enemy, because we have positioned our mind towards our needs and situation instead of focusing and re-focusing on the power and eternal provision already made available for us by The King of Glory.
You are His witness, so arise from your slumber and weaknessesbe His witness that you ought to bethrough your daily overcoming life, burning word and excellent works, be the witness of His infallibility, my power, my provision of redemption, deliverance and absolute victory and dominion over sin, Satan, grave and death.

This is not like the time when the Holy Bible was kept off the reach of laymen, meant only for the clergymen, even the least in the house of God has it in many versions. Why still sit we here watching the walls of our fathers of faith fall asunder and almost beyond repairs, no matter how many Nehemiahs that come to the rescue mission. We must know the truth by giving ourselves fully to the Spirit of truth, dwelling at His feet and delighting ourselves in His Presence...personally giving ourselves, pouring ourselves into studying His word, with intensified hunger and zest.

It grieves God seeing his children obey those teachers and preachers who beguile, compel and intimidate them in the name of God to yield to falsehood. We should be rooted and grounded in the truth, being sober and diligently seeking the Lord with all our heart, lest we ourselves that think we stand be shifted from the ancient pathway.

Whether as laymen or clergymen, we must lay aside the garments that are stained with falsehood, hypocrisy, sins, compromise, ulterior motives, party spirit, competitive spirit and guile, and after putting off these hindrances to the full manifestation of God's truth in His Church, must we also and crucially, critically and fully put on Christ- have His mind be in us, if we must make a Heavenly kingdom difference everywhere we are, on the pulpit and on the street, at the closet and in the open. We must stop setting men before us as our standard of Christian faith, for when they peradventure deviate, we would hardly dictate it, because we have not first been dealt with in the personal altar by The Spirit of Truth. No matter how popular and highly esteemed a preacher may be, as good as that is, Christ is still our ultimate Model and pattern for life and ministry, and it takes being baptized fully and controlled by the Spirit of Jesus before one can build in God's Christ-founded pattern. May God help grant us understanding and revelation in this truth that we may cry out unto Him to align our individual hearts and congregational hearts to this truth of Christlikeness in Jesus' Name. Amen.

This is the heart-cry of God that we His children grow into Christ in all things, become Sons that we henceforth be not like children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine of men...damnable heresies, no matter how mentally and physically appealing they appear to be.

Oh God, keep us from wolves and woes, but better still, sharpen our inner man and intuition that we by discernment and revelation knowledge and studying of your written word dictate the spirit of error and anti-Christ, though they appear like angels of light.

Now we must arise and do something:
We must arise and pray, watch and act. Pray for the victims of these false practices to be liberated by the truth and personal knowledge of the Holy. Instead of spending much more time only complaining, murmuring and pointing fingers to true and fake ones, we should rather abound and increase ever more...shining brighter and brighter in the truth we are walking in, that way, we would bring the knowledge of the Holy to the people in every nook and cranny who are willing to receive everlasting life impartation. Nothing can cover the truth entirely, not even the bribe of the Pharisees and Sadducees could bribe away the truth of the Resurrected and Ascended Jesus....the gates of hell will not prevail as we abide in Him, become more like Him and steadfastly walk in truth. Remain true to God still, though the ancient path and the highways be lonely and narrow, yet it pays to walk in them. Many may have departed from it and call old fashioned and scornful names, yet shall you hold unto to the old rugged cross message and holiness and righteousness of life. And as you remain there unmovable with a grateful heart, others would join thy chariot when the glory of God's approval upon your life and ministry shall envelop your life and humble abode.

"Christ in you is the hope that you will be glorified, much more as you abide faithfully in His pattern of life and ministry. He is our standard and any other model opposite Him is substandard. May God help us to serve Him His own stipulated and acceptable way, and not our own logical and seemingly sensible way, that we may not employ in vain in Jesus' Name, Amen.
God has no greater joy than to hear and see that His children are and keep walking in truth.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3John vs. 4.

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith"
1Cor.16:13


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