"HE who is often rebuked, AND HARDENS HIS NECK, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
Proverbs 29:1 (NKJV)
15 AND the LORD God of their fathers SENT WARNINGS TO THEM BY HIS MESSENGERS, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. 16 BUT THEY MOCKED THE MESSENGERS OF GOD, DESPISED HIS WORDS, AND SCOFFED AT HIS PROPHETS, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy."
2 Chronicles 36:15,16 (NKJV)
• If through a divine arrangement, you find yourself under a leader who teaches you the Word of God and the practicing of it, you should see it as a great privilege.
- A leader who teaches you, and possibly always on your neck to do or practice whatever he or she has taught you, should be heeded and revered. Practice whatever such is teaching you—that is in line with the Bible!
- If you are carefree and indifferent to the Word you are being taught, God may allow you to be moved away or wandered away from such a leader that you may have practical experience of what you have been taught.
- A leader who is teaching you, who is concerned about your growth; physical and spiritual well-being, and he or she is taking a spiritual oversight of your life in prayer, should be heeded and honoured:
7 REMEMBER THOSE WHO RULE OVER YOU, WHO HAVE SPOKEN THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU, whose faith follow, CONSIDERING the outcome of their CONDUCT.
17 OBEY THOSE WHO RULE OVER YOU, AND BE SUBMISSIVE, FOR THEY WATCH OUT FOR YOUR SOULS, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (Hebrews 13:7,17 NKJV). - If you do take the person for granted, their labours; the Word of God he or she teaches you, their prayers, encouragements, and the practical trainings they give to you—God would allow you to miss such a leader.
- God may allow you to wander away from him or her, or through a divine arrangement, such a leader may be moved to another place where you may not be able to access them.
- When such a leader is taken away from you, you face the reality of all he or she has been teaching you—which you did not heed.
• If you are planted in a church or found yourself under a leader who is concerned about your spiritual and physical well-being, I would enjoin you not to take such a leader for granted nor leave the place—under his or her coverings.
- Someone who wants you to do well spiritually above all other things, is your best friend—such is the person who loves you.
- If your leader usually scolded you, corrected you, or reprimanded you, when you were negligent about spiritual things; you should be appreciative to have had such a leader (Proverbs 3::11,12).
- Apostle Paul was telling the Galatians:
"Have I therefore BECOME YOUR ENEMY because I TELL YOU THE TRUTH?" (Galatians 4:16 (NKJV).
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not DESPISE the CHASTENING of the LORD, Nor be DISCOURAGED when you are REBUKED by HIM; 6 For WHOM the LORD LOVES He CHASTENS, And SCOURGES every SON whom He RECEIVES" (Hebrews 12:5.6 NKJV).
• A number of people
WHEN I was operating as a pastor, a good number of those who left the church because they were being corrected and told the truth, are not what they supposed to be today.
THEY have lost most of the blessings God did bless them with. Some their businesses and other means of livelihood are gone.
WHEN some of them were leaving, God said: Wherever they go, they will meet Him, God, there—except they do not want to serve Him again.
- If you jump the church because you are being corrected or rebuked there, know that, wherever you go, you wil still meet that same God—it is the same church of Jesus Christ, although under different names.
• Note: There are leaders, pastors, who do not care about how you live your life, who do NOT teach the undiluted Word of God, and are less concerned about the practicality of the Word of God (Acts 20:20,21,27).
- If you think the Word you are hearing in a place is too hard or the Pastor seems to set eyes on you to live right; I want you to know that, it is for your good:
"BUT IF YOU ARE WITHOUT CHASTENING, of which all have become partakers, THEN YOU ARE ILLEGITIMATE AND NOT SONS" (Hebrews 12:8 NKJV). - Do not leave the place! If you stray away from where you are being taught the truth, you would be allowed or permitted to learn those things which you do not want to learn where you left—in a hard way.
• The prodigal son left his father's house, left the fatherly care. He thought he was not given enough freedom to do whatever he pleases; but when he left the home, life taught him a lesson—in a hard way (Luke 15:11-21).
- Thank God, he quickly retraced his steps back home, before it was too late.
- If you are contemplating of leaving where you are being fed with the Word of God, and being cared for by a good leader, pastor; I enjoin you NOT to leave the place.
- However, if you had left the place, I want to encourage you to retrace your steps back there.
- And, if you find it difficult to do, possibly because of one thing or the other, ask God to replant you in another place where you can be fed, properly nourished, and cared for—under a good and God-fearing Leader.
• You will not fail Jesus' name.
- The healing power of God is released on your life as you respond to this prayers, and you begin to do whatever you were unable to do before in Jesus' name.
- You are healed now and the affliction will not rise again in Jesus' name.
Peace!