Merchandised faith, why many Christians are wayward

I will not mince words in this address to agents of the devil on the issue of the ‘spoil and rots implanted’ in the Christian faith. Anytime I turn on my TV all I hear is: "promotion, promotion, promotion! Water, handkerchief, anointing oil and other special mantles are in stock at the church premises".

When I try to stay on a little longer, I hear prices of being quoted for consultation services. I panic at what the church is gradually becoming in our generation.

There are several television stations that are nurturing half-baked Christians with false faith. They merchandise spiritual service to the spiritually poor, which is such a very huge market.

Because of the false Christian faith the fetish priests who used to offer filthy spiritual services for cola nuts and white hen are also now advertising their services on television and radio. They are no more hiding in the bush, drinking hot liquor and palm wine, jumping and turning around in the filth of the bush, but are rather providing services from huge mansions in the nation.

In the ambiance of an air conditioned office, they comfortably sit awaiting their clients for their daily bread. They have secretaries and treasurers employed to properly administer their business. Going around the nation, I have seen huge billboards belonging to spiritualists all around. This is getting very interesting.

I wonder if these people are paying taxes to the nation. When money exchange hands in the manner of delivery services at a cost, it becomes a business and due taxes must be paid for such operation. And in this address I will urge the government and the Christian council to sanitize the Christian faith with strict rules pertaining to church operation based on the authority of the faith; the Bible.

I blame some unfortunate beliefs which are supposed to be outdated; specifically, not part of the new covenant but are being capitalized on by some preachers to dupe the vulnerable masses. The new covenant is total liberation from the hands of the prophets and teachers who merchandised the faith in the old covenant. This situation is not new.

Micah 3:11 says: "Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”

This is exactly what was happening in the old that necessitated the new Zion to come. This is what happened in the old that necessitated that the Christ should come. Christ means "the savior". He did not just save us from sin but also from the teachers of the law who knew not the truth but interpreted the law for a price. He saved us from prophets like Balaam, a diviner who corrupted his gift for a bribe.

I hear of signs and token and I ask myself, of what place has this in the new covenant? These are rather business strategies from the business developer siting at the presbytery. The motive is just to make money and nothing else. There are always new ideas from the god men to package a new product for sale. Personally, with my experience about those things, I will advise any one truly looking for Christ Jesus to stay off these items and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

There are sincerely genuine men of God who are also selling these things because they have believed in them. Believing in them is like idol worship. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost and in the Holy Ghost springs all the anointing.

The mystery of our faith is "Christ in you; is your hope of glory". It's all about Christ residing in you and not a supposed token in the form of a handkerchief you keep under your pillow when sleeping. It's complete ignorance to think that a handkerchief can save you in times of trouble. Permit me to giggle and laugh at this believe. Don't put your faith in items to grow little idols in your home. Because of your unbelief in the unseen, you are leaning on the seen items to give people a business for living.

Growing up in methodist, I didn't see these things happening. All I knew was my bible and the hymn book. There were sound teachings that shape one's life for a noble life. Teachings that make you seek God and live right. It is important the fire of God be rekindled in the church, like speaking in tongues, divine healing, and prophecy but it should not lead us to do things that are not coherent with the faith.

Our faith is a pure and Holy faith. It's not a merchant. We don't sell prayers. We don't sell teachings and we don't sell miracles. Jesus never did that so why should we do it? Jesus never sold water and handkerchiefs to anyone. Jesus never taught signs and tokens to any man. Just see this scripture:

1 Corinthians 1:22-23, "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles," The typical behaviour of the Jew is seeking after sign and wonders and so many of our church folks have become Jews. The don't want to hear the message, they are just demanding signs and that has been the reason for this merchant.

Matthew 16:4, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed." Jesus called such generation an evil and adulterous generation.

The sign of Jonah is the belly of the whale. When you refuse to hear the message and preach the message you will find yourself in the belly of a whale. You may not be lucky to come out of it like Jonah did.

Go for the word and stick to the word. Stop going round for some magical elements to help your inadequacies. Stop going for items, instead pray that the Lord anoint you for whatever thing you are doing. Remain blessed!