A Message from GOD to His Church (The Body of Christ)

Scripture Text:  Jeremiah 9:3-14 

Throughout biblical history, mainly in the Old Testament, we have seen how the children of Israel disobeyed God's Instructions and did many things that were not pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. We modern-day believers often wonder why the children of Israel never seemed to adhere to the Lord's instructions. Why are they so quick to forget God's mercy and goodness in their lives? How can they be so ungrateful after everything God did for them? It's so easy to pass judgment on our fellow human beings while failing to see our shortcomings. In the case of the Israelites, that is what believers today always do whenever we read the portions of scripture that range from Exodus to the Book of Malachi. Brethren, you and I are no different from the children of Israel when it comes to sinning against God repeatedly. We are blessed that you and I are not living and being judged under the Mosaic Law like the Israelites were back then. Otherwise, many of us in this generation would have quickly faced God's judgment of physical and eternal death. We thank the Lord for His grace, sufficient for us today.

Brethren, we live in dangerous times where sin is rising, not just among unbelievers but sadly among those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ. Like the Israelites in the OT biblical times, many of us have abandoned God's instructions and have refused to obey Him. We have stubbornly followed our selfish desires, putting things, e.g., careers, educational pursuits, wealth, ambition, and our image (i.e., obsessed with how we look), etc., above God. We have put people, e.g., spouses, children, friends, celebrities, mentors, politicians, religious figures, etc., above God in our hearts, and such acts are called "idolatry." See Exodus 20: 1-15. Whether we believe it or not, we have made such things or persons, idols (we idolize/worship these things or individuals) in our hearts, so the space the Lord is meant to occupy in our hearts, other things, or persons have been put there knowingly or unknowingly. This act grieves the Lord.

Friends, the Lord has given me a message for His people today. The scripture text, Jeremiah 9:3-14, was given through the Holy Spirit during my quiet time last week, and the Spirit of God ministered to me there and then about what His plans are this season/period for His Church. The Lord says there is so much filthiness in the church today, starting from the leadership. The hearts of many have gone cold towards the Lord and the things of God. Many in the Church are not serving and worshipping the Lord the way He should be served. God is calling on His Church to repentance today. The Body of Christ is "spiritually" sick. The things that the Lord detests, stated in Proverbs 6:16, are rampant today in the church. They include pride, despising one another, false accusations, murder, betrayal, lying, etc. Jeremiah 9:4-8 states that all these things grieve the Lord, and He wants us to repent and turn from our wicked ways individually and collectively as a body. Beloved sexual sins, i.e., adultery, homosexuality, and fornication, are found among children of God; it shouldn't be so. Several in the church, including leaders, justify these sins to satisfy their desires and make others feel good. We are truly living in the last days. Several ministers of God have stopped preaching biblical truths and sound doctrine for fear of losing their congregations and financial donations. Many believers today cannot even stand up for the truth and what they believe in because they are afraid of what their friends, colleagues, relatives, etc., might say or think of them. Brethren, in these end times, we are called to be the light in this dark world; Ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ, not caring what people might say or think of us. The minute we surrendered our lives to the Lord, we became outcasts and enemies of the world. Scripture has already warned us of how the world will hate us for His namesake John 15:8, Matthew 10:22, so why should we be so consumed with what the world thinks of us or says about us? Our loyalty and allegiance are, first of all, to God, not any man, and He has assured us, His children, that He will always be with us.

And so I plead with you, my brothers and sisters today, to stand up for all that is righteous and true. Keep your mind fixed on the CREATOR and NOT the creation. Stop being so concerned about how the world perceives you or what they think of you. It is time to stop trying so hard to please others. Focus instead on pleasing the ONE who holds the power of life and death in His hands. Deut 30: 15-19

Let your light shine forth for all to see so that the name of Lord God shall be glorified.

Remember, Christ is coming soon!   Ask yourself this question "When He returns, will I be among those who will be raptured?"

"And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."   Matthew 10:28

In times of oppression, GOD assures..........

"  When you go through deep waters,  I will be with you.
      When you go through rivers of difficulty,
           you will not drown.
            When you walk through the fire of oppression,
               you will not be burned up;
                   the flames will not consume you. "  Isaiah  43:2-3  NLT



    Beloved, if most of  us  look back on 2015 or the previous years, I am sure you would have asked yourselves, how was I able to survive that situation, that storm, that trial!    Well, I will tell you, It is because the Lord has already assured us that in the midst of the trials, the storms of life He will be with us.  We will go through all these things but it will not drown us, it will not consume us as His word clearly states in Isaiah 43: 2-3.    The year 2015 was a very trying year for my family and I but at the same time as the year was coming to an end, we began to see God's mighty move in our lives.. He was with us every step of the way through it all.     The Lord Jesus also reminded us in John 16:33 that here on earth, we shall surely encounter many trials and sorrows, but we should remain calm, steadfast, take heart because He has overcome the world. 

Praise Jesus beloved, that you and I  have gone or are still going through trials because it makes us stronger, vigilant and matures us as believers.  Facing trials and tribulations leads us to a higher level in our Christian journey, and scripture even reveals to us in 1 Peter 1:7 that when we endure many trials for a time, it shows our faith is genuine because it has passed through the fire, it has been tested and we can stand strong through any situation and come out victorious.   Trials in a believers life can prove we are doing something right because a lot of times when we are facing some serious battles, it might be an attack from the enemy and it means the we are a threat to the powers of darkness.  The devil will not bother a person who he believes is his already.   We are Children of the Most High God and so therefore  as long as we are on this earth, we shall continue to be his  TARGET.  Scripture reminds us in I Peter 5:8-9 to be mindful of our great enemy, the devil who runs around like a roaring lion, looking for whom he will devour.  We (believers) are a big threat/problem to his kingdom and so he is constantly out to kill, steal and destroy our joy and peace.  See also John 10:10.    

 In John 15: 18-19  it states" If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you."  What does this mean? It means you and I  belong to Jesus and anyone who belongs to the Lord and Savior will be hated by the enemy and by this world.  Therefore although we are living in the world, we must remember that we are not of this world.   So beloved, just as Brother James has stated in James 1:2-3, count it all joy when troubles/trials come your way because you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to mature and become perfected. 

So in times of oppression, God has assured us in His word that we are not alone, He will be with us.  Deut 31: 6 "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”    Do meditate on these scripture verses I have provided here and claim it each time you are passing through the storms or battles of life and I assure you that God's word will forever hold true in your life, It does not change..

I also leave you with two more crucial and encouraging scripture verses  John 14:27  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. "

                                                 AND  one of my favorite verses

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."  Romans 8:28 NLT
  
Thank you Jesus....

SHALOM!

by Kemi O.