The Deception Of Spiritual Activities And Manifestations.


Of what purpose is all our bible teaching conventions, prophetic meetings, prayer and fasting conferences and programs, when that one mark/sign of discipleship is no longer found amongst us? 
These spiritual activities are utterly useless and deceptive if we are found wanting in love for one another; much more when even the basic brotherly kindness/feeling is lost, and there's no sense of brotherhood left in us. 
This is the very sad situation today. There is so much of spritual activity and programs, with very little or nothing to show for it, in the moral character and conduct of love. 

John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Note: Disciples/servants of Christ are not known by media publicity; adorning all the media billboards in town with their images and upcoming events/programs, preaching on all the TV stations, or making the headlines on the front pages of the dailies. They are known by their love for one another, it is thus, a very sorry and dark day when you look around and all you see is pride, strife, envy and rivalry/competition amongst professing christians and ministers of the gospel. 

1 John 2:9 "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now."

It is better and safer to withdraw from spiritual engagements when you know your love life is down; better to withdraw from activities and seek the Lord in prayer to restore the flame of his love in your heart. When this is not the response of our heart to such a serious red flag, and we go on comfortably engaging and driving all the way in what we deem to be spiritual activity and service to God; we make ourselves nothing but noisy brass and clanging cymbals, set on self destruct; empty and noisy vessels, which are a nuisance to the Lord, and which he will have no choice but to reject at the end, seeing they were of no use whatsoever to him, but rendered a disservice and dishonour to his name.

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing."

In 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 we are warned with the sad history of the children of Israel, who despite their engagements in spiritual activities and raw manifestations of God in the wilderness(eating of spiritual meat and drinking of the spiritual rock which is Christ); ended up as a sore displeasure to the Lord and were destroyed. In all their exposure to spiritual activities and raw manifestations of God, they were all the more hardened in their hearts.
Earlier in Chapter 9 Vs 26-27, Paul himself expresses his godly fear/caution even in the spiritual activity of preaching/ministering to others; knowing how deceptive it could be to merely engage in it without first taking heed to himself.  He knew the possibility of the repetition of Israel's sad history, for God's people today who are careless/care-free and lightly esteem/neglect the so great salvation they have been called to, as to work it out with fear and trembling. 

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
10:1-5 "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness."

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