Has anyone come to your door before, knocked and tried to give you a booklet?
You looked at the title and you knew that the content was not based on the Word of God. The individual then not only wanted to give you the booklet but also wanted to start a conversation with you however you knew that the conversation would have no scriptural basis. What did you do?
Let’s see how the bible tells us to respond. 2 John verse 10 to 11
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
I believe that we need to be very careful. The bible has its reason why we have been instructed to give no place to such people. The best way to avoid deception is to give it no attention.
Next time you get a knock on your door, you know what to do.
Lets look at another example from scripture. 2 Thessalonians 3 verse 6
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
The bible is saying, withdraw thyself, no room for compromise. Why? Giving heed and associating with such a person can be an entrance for deception into our lives. We are not to hang around error or else unknowingly and very subtitle you may begin to yield to it. This is the same principle the Lord used to warn the Israelites:
Exodus 23 verses 32 to 33 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
The Lord has His reasons why He asks us to take hard stands on some things.
1 Corinthians 15 verse 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
The Lord has given us instructions on how to deal with disorderly people and unsound doctrines. When followed we will not pay attention or yield to deception.
Proverbs 4:23 (King James Version)
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Ephesians 4:27 (King James Version)
Neither give place to the devil.
Let’s obey scripture and walk in the purity of the Word.
Bisi Oladipupo
A disciple is not one who says bless my plans but ‘God what are your plans for me’.
When we find wisdom and retain it.
Proverbs 3:13
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Proverbs 3: 18
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
When we have mercy on the poor.
Proverbs 14: 21
He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
When we trust in the Lord
Proverbs 16: 20
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
Loving and serving one another.
John 13:12-17
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Doing things that you are convinced in your heart that is okay for you to do.
Romans 14:21-23
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Don’t let anyone put pressure on you to make you do what you feel is not right.
The correction of the Lord.
Job 5: 17
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
We need to be happy when the Lord corrects us. He corrects us for our own good and delivers us from our ignorant or disobedient ways.
Suffering for righteousness sake
1 Peter 3:13-14
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1 Peter 4:13-14
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Bisi Oladipupo
The worth of any friendship can be measured by its contribution to Gods Assignment to your life.
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the entire staircase.” M.L.King
Are you a closet christian? What do l mean? Do others know that you are a christian, or is your Christianity restricted to Sunday morning? Do you aim to live the life of Christ on a daily basis?
What does the bible have to say about this:
Romans 1 verse 16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvationto every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Luke 9 verse 26
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels
From the above scriptures it is clear that being a closet christian is not the answer. We have received so much in Christ Jesus which should be proclaimed and lived out on a daily basis.
If you have been a closet christian, you need to begin to live the life of Christ in accordance with scripture. The Lord has done so much for us, we need to shine for Him.
Matthew 5 verses 14 to 16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Bisi Oladipupo
Most of us have been to a bank before to withdraw money or pay in money. In the UK most banks have a notice up that says ‘Beware of distraction thieves’.
What then is a distraction thief.
The role of a distraction thief is to distract you from what is important. In a bank that would be your money. The thief will try to make you shift your focus, get your eyes off your money and then steal it. The tactic is to get your focus off what really matters.
Distraction thieves come to all of us in many ways. You are about to pray and the phone rings. Instead of you letting the call go to voice mail you pick it up and stay on the phone for one hour. You drop the phone and then find it difficult to pray.
The Lord gives you direction to move out of town for a work He has for you to do. That’s when your firm decides to offer you a promotion and pay rise. Subtle but calling it what it is, it is a distraction thief.
We need to realise that the enemy is a thief. That is one of his main job descriptions John 10:10 says The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The enemy does not come with a red hat and announce ‘here l am’ but with subtlety he tries to steal from us.
Next time something happens, ask yourself is this a distraction thief? Is this situation trying to distract me from what the Lord is saying to me. If it is, then resist it and keep your focus on what really matters. Don’t let the enemy steal from you.
