Friday, 15 November 2024
“These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River” – Deuteronomy 32:47 NLT
One of thee most brutal and seemingly cruel acts you will ever witness as an African, is a grandmother feeding her infant grandchild. She restrains his/her feet and forcefully shoves food down the infant’s throat. From time to time it will look like the infant is choking and aspirating, and then the grandmother will take a brief break to let the infant catch their breath. When the infant is “stable” and under the false assumption that the ordeal is finished, the grandmother continues with the “assault”.
As a child, your diet can be varied, but what it needs is calories that are made up of fats, carbohydrates (starch), and protein. In rural areas and impoverished townships where there isn’t enough money to provide all these three nutrients, babies end up receiving a starch-predominant diet that is deficient in protein. In the absence of protein, the body can’t form antibodies and molecules that are essential for healthy development and the immune system. As a result, these children have poor immune systems and they grow up sickly and frequently get admitted to hospitals. This condition is called Kwashiorkor (Protein Energy Malnutrition: PEM). All this is because, at a very critical point in their growth, these kids don’t receive a diet that meets all the requirements of their growth.
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions” – Exodus 16:4 NIV. GOD wanted the Israelites to depend on Him for their daily sustenance and that’s why He gave them manna for each day of the week. They weren’t expected to store manna for the next day (except on the sixth day). This same principle applies to our current walk with the LORD, we are meant to receive daily manna (Word). When the Israelites disobeyed and tried storing manna, it turned into maggots and began to smell.
Unfortunately, that is what’s wrong with Christianity today, you have millions of Christians who, instead of seeking the face of the LORD and receiving daily manna (new revelations and teachings) from the Holy Spirit, they want to be sustained by old revelations and teachings. When GOD brings teachers into their lives to feed them (Ephesians 4:11-13), they instead want teachers who will feed them what they desire, which unfortunately isn’t what they need for their growth (2 Timothy 4:3). These real and godly teachers, like African grandmothers forcing food down their grandchildren’s throat, are also there to feed GOD’s flock even when the flock is refusing or fighting the feeding. They aren’t there to massage egos but their only purpose and desire is for the growth of those GOD has entrusted under their care. Like the grandchild refusing and fighting the feeding, the Teachers/Pastors/Apostles/Prophets/Evangelists are there to forcefully shove godliness down the throat of their flock.
Because true and godly discipling doesn’t feed the flesh or bargain with it, many will forsake it and seek false teachers who will hurt and destroy them because they imitate their father who comes only to kill, steal, and destroy, while the real servants of GOD who, like their Father, come to give life in abundance under the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. True servants of GOD give life-giving counsel and only have the best interest for GOD’s flock. They only teach one gospel, they only teach from one foundation that is Jesus. This is why Apostle Paul said he knew nothing except Christ and Him crucified. He teaches nothing else but the good news that Christ is risen and all who call unto His name are saved. He only teaches and gives manna and no drama. Anything less will produce a flock that is deficient in manna (protein) and as a result, will produce unhealthy (PEM) Christians that will be tossed to and fro, Christians that can’t stand on their own two feet under trials and tribulations, Christians that have no backbone and succumb to even a common cold.
Because true and godly discipling doesn’t feed the flesh or bargain with it, many will forsake it and seek false teachers who will hurt and destroy them because they imitate their father who comes only to kill, steal, and destroy, while the real servants of GOD who, like their Father, come to give life in abundance under the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
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