Thursday 19 November 2015

Spiritual Adultery in the Church (Jeremiah 23 :9-16,28-32)



 MZBC, Douala
Introduction
In Bamenda earlier this week on Tuesday 17/11/2015, I was told by my brother that there is a Muslim man in Nigeria are performing miracles in the name of Allah. That this man has tankers of water he calls Holy water which he distributes to his followers. I have also heard that some so called Christian churches pray to God without passing through Christ.
Before we enter into our text I want you to understand that “No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ”. He is the only way! If you do not believe this; then you are not in the right place this morning. You had better carry your Bible and go home. I’m sorry, there’s no better way I can sound serious to you about Christ and the way to God. Prophet Jeremiah sounded the same when he had to correct spiritual adultery amongst the Israelites. But what is spiritual adultery or prostitution?
a)      Spiritual adultery
Adultery is defined as unfaithfulness between a married person and a person who is not their spouse. We always sing this song here in church “I am married to Jesus Satan leave me alone… My husband is coming to take me away to ever lasting life” Do you really mean it when you sing this song?
Christians these days move from one true God to a false worship in search of miracles and signs. It is not strange to find Christians today in “marabout’s” house for sorcery. Anyway, they do not need to move; because sorcery has entered the church today and that is because the itchy ears of Christians love that rather than the oracles of God. You are married to Jesus but you have concubines all over. People find you in places that are very doubtful though you claim to a child of God.
You are abandoning the legal place to the illegal. So prophet Jeremiah received a word from God concerning this adultery. The word of God was bitter, full of anger and Jeremiah was confused. His heart was broken, his bones shaking and he was behaving like a drunkard. God spoke about His holiness and how His people have forsaken Him and gone for other Gods (Baal).
Many of us today even in this church are adulterers. We came ti church every Sunday but we worship other God’s. It may be our job, our money, our family. Worst, some of us are moving from men of God to men of God. We want miracles; but we do not want the word or oracle of God. Yes, because when we listen it passes on through the other ear else we will not be prostituting men of God. Are we searching for God or for men o God?
Some of us get worried when services get long because we want the pastor to finish fast. We do not want to miss the services of prophet A or B in the evening. You are here in church but your mind is elsewhere. Why are you even here? You had better follow your prophet. Why do these prophets hold their services only in the evening? They are waiting for spiritual prostitutes to finish with their normal services before coming.
Any one can perform to you miracles if that is what you are interested in. When Moses performed in Egypt the magicians also changed their staffs into snakes. Does it mean their powers were from God? Answer for yourself. Some leaders in our churches are even those who are enticing other Christians to follow them to those so-called prophets. Ask those leaders or Deacons why they attain church where they are. Let them go to the prophets and receive the reward of those prophets.
b)     Christendom is full of adulterers vs 10
Why is it that as many prophets and bishops and apostles are increasing, trouble and curses are increasing? Just as to the Israelites, our churches are full of adulterers.
That is why many have hardship in every aspect; family, financial, spiritual or health wise. The Bible says “The pleasant places of the wilderness have dried up…”(Jer 23:10c). Those places that were pleasant to you even in your difficulties, in your wilderness, your desert are no longer pleasant to you. Ask yourself, why is it that in your difficulties you no longer go down on your knees but you run from one prophet to another.
Before then, God was your refuge but now Mr Prophet is your refuge in your widerness. You are cursed with evil for spiritual adultery. Some are sitting here with leader bags tied to their waist. Some hang them in their houses or door poste. Spiritual adultery!! God says you are cursed!  How I wish those things catch fire here in your pockets. Some of you will be shock seeing some kind of people jumping here and there because God has thundered. They can be leaders, Deacons or even pastors. It will soon happen, because God will visit them.
c)      Prophets and priest in spiritual adultery vs 11
The prophets and priests brought their idols into the temple in Jerusalem at the time of Jeremiah. It is not different today. Some of them have done just the same; and they call the name of the Lord in their selfishness. God says He has seen their wickedness; and will make their way slippery. God will surely visit them
d)     Why do these false prophets preach this? Vs 13,14
These false prophets are doing these for their selfishness and their own gain and nothing less. Never for God’s glory. They cause God’s people to commit error.  
In order to maintain their position, they preached what the adulterous people wanted to hear. They did not tell the people their wrong deeds and so they lied, strengthening evildoers. That is the same thing we find today. And God consider them like Sodom and Gomorrah. Meaning that they deserve to be judged by the mighty hand of God.
Conclusion
Verse 16 of Jeremiah 23 tells us not to listen to those prophets. They are making you worthless. That means you are just like the prophet you follow. If he is to be judged than God will also judge you the follower.
To the true men of God, continue to speak the word of God even I the people desert you. You will receive your faithful reward, if you remain true to the word of Jesus.
Jer 23:28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream. And he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? Says the LORD.”
God says He did not send those false prophets or command them. They speak of their own imagination and people who follow them follow dreams but God wants you to follow Hos word not dreams or He says in verse 29 “Is not my word like a fire?, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”  Be watchful and remain steadfast.

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