Hello there, I trust you're doing well. The Lord bless you in Jesus' name.
Last night, as I scrolled through my phone checking some updates on social media, I became engrossed with a heavy concern in my spirit. It was as though a gentle yet firm old man's voice spoke to me.
The voice felt poetic, and it went something like this:
This new age Christianity of ours is amusing to God. We think we know a lot, yet we know nothing. We complained about the orthodox style of the Christian faith, thinking we now know better. Too much of this so-called knowledge has left us parading around with no substance at all.
We complained about tithing, so we stopped giving altogether and robbed ourselves of the blessings. We complained about women covering their heads, so now we see all kinds of hairstyles on the pulpit because, after all, "it doesn’t matter." We complained that church disciplines were too strict, and now we have proud 'believers' (if that’s what we can call them) who walk out on their pastor when corrected.
We said modesty in dressing doesn’t matter anymore, so now we have sisters speaking in tongues with their laps and breasts exposed, because, after all, "it doesn’t matter." We didn’t like this, so we removed it. We didn’t like that, so it’s gone.
In the grand scheme of things, I see a fire that was once burning. Then, one after the other, a hand begins to remove the logs: "This log isn’t necessary, let’s take it out. Oh, this one is too insignificant, let’s remove it too. Yes, our fire can still burn without this other log, let’s set it aside." And just like that, the fire is dying out. It’s losing its "steeze" and composure.
Now, think about it. In our quest to be knowledgeable, haven’t we become foolish and vain? Haven’t we destroyed the very essence of our faith while trying to modify it? Haven’t we already lost what we thought we were holding tight to? We sing, yes, "Faith of Our Fathers," but would our fathers really be proud of us now?
Many of us have neglected important areas of our Christian lives, thinking they don’t matter, when in fact, those are the weightier matters of the Kingdom. I’m not just talking about head coverings and the like; I used those as examples. Look closely—are there areas of your Christian life where you’ve said, "It doesn’t matter, that’s a small issue, not a big deal?" Are you the one to judge yourself? Why not check in with the Holy Spirit and ask what He has to say about it before you conclude? If He says it doesn’t matter, then truly, it doesn’t.
Beyond the euphoria of public displays of spirituality, I call you to an inner reflection—a "solemn assembly." Whether you’re in the pew or the pulpit, think about it. Are there areas God has spoken to you about that you now hold lightly? What about your calling—what God told you about your ministry in the beginning? Have you lost sight of that due to the busyness of life?
The Lord will take nothing less than "walk before me and be thou perfect." That was His command to Abraham thousands of years ago, and His message hasn’t changed.
I don’t write this to you as someone who has attained perfection but as one who is also trusting in God’s grace and mercy. It is part of my responsibility to give you God’s mind, no matter how inconvenient the message seems, because I love you and want the Lord to be pleased with you.
Pray with me: "Lord, please open my eyes to any areas of my Christian life that I have overlooked, and give me the grace to make immediate corrections where necessary. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen."
CALEB OLADEJO
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