-
‘I'm thirsty. Look at this bottled water - it looks pure; it looks clean.’
-
Watch out.
-
The days of just accepting something as pure because it looks pure are gone.
-
In this generation, you need to go deeper to confirm - is it really pure?
-
Grace and peace to you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.
-
Yes, in today's edition of ‘Take Care of your Heart’,
-
I want to share with you a sermon that is both challenging and thought-provoking
-
titled, ‘Finding Truth In A Fake Generation’.
-
And I encourage you to watch this message with an open heart,
-
with your undivided attention.
-
And remember to examine whatever you hear in the light of God's Word.
-
Let's watch together in Jesus’ name.
-
We live in a fake generation
-
where it is very difficult to be real.
-
I mean, it is so difficult to live for God.
-
That’s what the Bible says in Matthew 22:14, “Many are called; few are chosen.”
-
In this generation that we're in today,
-
don't just quickly arrive at a conclusion
-
without examining what you hear in the light of God's Word.
-
Those days - the days of just taking what you hear, see and read at face value -
-
those days are gone.
-
Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
-
Tell your other neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
-
Let me try and explain what I mean and give some practical examples.
-
‘Look at that beautiful lady! I love her.’
-
People of God, those days are gone.
-
In this generation, you have to look deeper.
-
You have to go beyond the makeup.
-
Why? Is she beautiful on the surface or beautiful in the heart?
-
Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
-
‘Come and look at this breaking news online!
-
Quickly share it on your WhatsApp group. Wow!’
-
Be careful.
-
In today's generation, don't just quickly take what you read without confirmation
-
because fake news is everywhere.
-
Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
-
Or you receive a phone call -
-
‘Look, I promise you! I'm ready to help you.
-
I’m ready to do it. Just give me one week; I’ll settle everything.’
-
Brothers and sisters, don't be too quick to jubilate.
-
The days of taking people at their word and holding onto their promises are gone.
-
Love everyone; trust only God.
-
‘I'm thirsty. Look at this bottled water - it looks pure; it looks clean.’
-
Watch out.
-
The days of just accepting something as pure because it looks pure are gone.
-
In this generation, you need to go deeper to confirm - is it really pure?
-
Lest you take something that is contaminated.
-
Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
-
Another good example - you tune onto your TV and see a pastor preaching a message.
-
You see the charisma of the pastor.
-
The pastor is saying, ‘And the Bible says in Psalm 23:4 that even though I walk
-
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’
-
The days of merely listening to a pastor, a prophet, a priest, a bishop, an apostle -
-
those days are gone.
-
The message may be true on the surface, but you still need to confirm the messenger
-
because anyone can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’.
-
You need to confirm who is the person that is talking to you.
-
In the same vein, the days are gone when you can allow anyone to pray for you,
-
to lay their hands on you.
-
Those days are gone.
-
I'm not excluding myself.
-
As you are listening to my message today,
-
please go and confirm it in the light of God's Word.
-
Don't just take what I say.
-
Those days are gone.
-
What of our politicians?
-
Put your on your television and you will hear a political rally -
-
someone campaigning for President, Governor, Mayor, this or that.
-
They say, ‘I will defeat terror within five months.
-
I will provide jobs for all the unemployed youth within six months.
-
I will put food on everyone's table and money in everyone's pockets
-
if you vote for me now!’
-
People of God, be wise.
-
The days of listening to a political campaign and immediately accepting
-
what they say are gone.
-
You need to examine what you hear in the light of God's Word.
-
You see someone crying today.
-
Look, I'm not saying you should not comfort them.
-
Go and comfort them.
-
But be careful of their tears.
-
Some tears full from the eyes, but not from the heart.
-
That's why I said we are living in a fake generation where it is difficult,
-
very difficult to be real.
-
That's why you have to examine everything in the light of God's Word.
-
What do I mean by ‘examine’?
-
Examination means don't just take things at face value.
-
Don't just accept things at face value.
-
Brothers and sisters, I would like you to reflect on your life.
-
In this moment, viewers around the world, reflect on your own life.
-
Many of the situations we find ourselves in today
-
are as a result of not examining our deeds,
-
our relationships with people, our encounters with people,
-
the promises people made to us, the phone calls we exchanged with people,
-
the emails we exchanged with people - not examining them in the light of God's Word
-
has put many of us in the situation we are in today.
-
Turn to your neighbour and say, “Neighbour, appearance can be deceptive.”
-
This is why the Bible says in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray.”
-
Watch and pray - because of the generation we are living in today.
-
Just go to a market.
-
Pick any popular market in your state, your area, your country, your residency.
-
Go to that market - to find a genuine product is difficult but fake is everywhere.
-
To get something genuine, to get something authentic,
-
you have to go deeper because we are living in a fake generation.
-
This is why the Scripture tells us in John 8:32 -
-
“Find out the truth and the truth will set you free.”
-
This brings us to the title of today's message, ‘Finding Truth In A Fake Generation.’
-
Turn with me to the Book of Acts 19, which will be our proof text for today's message.
-
And I'm going to read from verses 13 to 16.
-
This is the case of the seven sons of Sceva. I’m sure you know about it.
-
Acts 19:13 - “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke
-
the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon possessed.
-
They would say, ‘In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’
-
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.”
-
Now, take note of Acts 19:15 - “One day...”
-
Tell your neighbour, “One day.”
-
“One day, the evil spirit answered them,
-
‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’
-
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them,
-
overpowered them all and gave them such a beating
-
that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.”
-
Now, I want you to focus on those words in verse 15.
-
The subject we're looking at here is those two words - one day.
-
Don't forget that the seven sons of Sceva were fake.
-
They were unauthorised to do the job they were doing.
-
And one day, they faced a question they could not answer.
-
People of God, you can be rich and famous and yet be fake.
-
One day...
-
You can be popular, influential and yet be fake.
-
One day...
-
You can even claim to have reached the peak, the pinnacle of your career and yet be fake.
-
One day...
-
One day, you will be asked the question,
-
‘What are you doing?
-
Where did this come from?’
-
In other words, one day you will face a test of legitimacy.
-
What does this mean?
-
This means a season is coming where you will not be able to go further
-
because the only One who can take us to the end is Jesus Christ.
-
Nothing can take us to the end without Jesus
-
because He is the beginning and the end.
-
I hope you understand what I'm saying, people of God.
-
You know, if you have a race - let's say I’m going to run from here to the pulpit.
-
If I'm going to start this race, the beginning of the race does not determine the winner.
-
Okay, let's go halfway.
-
The midway point of the race does not determine the winner.
-
What determines the winner? The end.
-
Only Jesus can take you to the end because He is the beginning and the end.
-
The beginning, start, mid-point are ‘off record’.
-
The end will set the record straight.
-
Are you a graduate?
-
And you know how you got there.
-
You're using someone else's certificate or you cheated in your exams.
-
One day...
-
Have you travelled abroad to another country using a a fake visa,
-
using someone else's name or passport?
-
Look, you may get there. You may seem to be enjoying yourself.
-
One day...
-
Is your income coming from the proceeds of corruption,
-
misappropriation of public funds?
-
Is it coming from stealing, fraud or deception?
-
Look, you may seem to be enjoying yourself today.
-
One day...
-
Everyone will face that question one day.
-
What are you doing?
-
Where did this come from?
-
I want you to ask yourself this question.
-
Are you real? Are you true?
-
Or are you simply imitating or copying someone else?
-
Because people of God, anything that is real, anything that is true
-
will stand the test of time.
-
It's a common principle.
-
Real products last; fake products fade.
-
Tell your neighbour, “Real products last; fake products fade.”
-
Ask your neighbour, “Are you real?”
-
An original document lasts; a photocopy fades.
-
What are you doing today that is not real and yet seems to prosper?
-
One day, it will leave you at the time you need it most.
-
This is why Prophet TB Joshua says,
-
“To become God's person, you must follow His process.”
-
The problem with our generation today -
-
we are too impatient to go through the process,
-
which is why we seem to prefer fake over real.
-
Look, I can give you examples of this - they abound in our society.
-
Just look at marriages.
-
If you are married here today, just raise up your hand.
-
Thank you. I know there are more married couples than that!
-
Now, please don't be offended by what I'm going to say but I'm going to speak a reality.
-
Marriages today - if they are marriages, if there is marriage -
-
many of them nowadays are fake.
-
The reason of many marriages today is outward things - money, appearance, fame.
-
In marriage of today's generation,
-
it's a matter of body agreement, not heart agreement.
-
So if something happens that tampers with those reasons -
-
something happens to the appearance, money or fame -
-
the marriage has nothing to rest on and collapses.
-
Or you marry because of urge.
-
Let me tell you, brothers and sisters - getting married cannot stop that urge.
-
You marry because of depression.
-
Getting married cannot solve the problem of depression.
-
You marry because of age.
-
God's time is the best.
-
It’s not the right person that brings the right time.
-
It's the right time that brings the right person.
-
What of our political life today?
-
You know, democracy was created to be a government by the people,
-
for the people and of the people.
-
But today that no longer seems to be the case.
-
Why is it today that our voices no longer seem to be heard?
-
The opinions of people don't seem to matter anymore. Why?
-
Because for many, the process of their ascendancy to power was tainted.
-
Well, I have a very simple message, a very clear message.
-
If you are a businessman here or a politician
-
and you have built your career upon a stolen mandate -
-
my brother, my sister - one day, a test of legitimacy is coming your way.
-
People of God, reflect on this message.
-
Ponder on this message and ask yourself:
-
Are you living by imitation or by inspiration?
-
Are you moved by worldly comparison or godly conviction?
-
Are you respecting the principle of processing
-
or are you attempting to find a shortcut?
-
Well, let today's message remind you of this truth -
-
whatever is built on a foundation that is fake, that is faulty -
-
it will eventually collapse.
-
It's a matter of time.
-
The test of time is the clearest trumpet of truth.
-
Your exit will be remembered longer than your entry.
-
Your ending speaks much louder than your beginning.
-
And no matter how fast fake appears to run at first,
-
what is true will eventually overtake it.
-
What is real, genuine, authentic will eventually overtake it.
-
Remember what the Scripture says in Proverbs 10:22
-
that God’s blessings do not add any sorrow.
-
But whatever is given by the world has sorrow attached.
-
Everyone will face that test of legitimacy one day.
-
Don't wait for that question to be asked of you before you repent and run to God,
-
before you repent and embrace the truth.
-
Yes, we are living in a world dominated by falsehood,
-
a world where there is so much fake, so many people living in fantasy.
-
That's the reality.
-
But in this world, the only thing that can sustain you is the truth.
-
And there is no other source of truth outside the Living Word of God.
-
I pray that the message you have received today
-
has ignited your desire to serve Jesus in spirit and in truth.
-
And I pray that this message has increased your alertness.
-
Watch and pray.
-
Thank you, people of God, for joining us for today's edition of ‘Take Care of Your Heart’.
-
Continue to seek God's heart to see your life clearly in Jesus’ mighty name.
God's Heart TV
