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.
