By Sola Olufemi
Something seems to be missing in our practice of Christianity. We seem to be doing everything right, but Heaven is not seeing the expected outcome – our spiritual efforts are not yielding the right fruit. There is a missing link somewhere.
In Israel’s practice of righteousness, the Bible says in Isa. 58:2, “…they seek me daily…” What does that translate to us in our quiet time today?” Quiet time is a way of seeking God daily in our family and office devotions, church services and prayer meetings. We measure ourselves by these things. These things are good but if not well used they may be a façade, just an appearance. It is just like a building. It has a face, but that face may not be the correct representation of what is on the inside. Our devotions and church services are good, but they do not necessarily mean we are right. It’s just like the children of Israel who were seeking God daily even in their backslidden state. Though they had abandoned God they were still seeking Him daily.
Reading the Bible but Not Seeking the Lord
Jesus said about the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the elders in John 5:39-40, “You search the Scriptures because you think in them you have eternal life and yet you refuse to come to me.” How do people read the Bible, and search the Scriptures, and yet they refuse to come to the Lord? This shows there is a problem. One could be engrossed in reading the Bible but yet not seeking the Lord. God’s assessment is that the heart is not there.
In the Old Testament, the first practice of righteousness had to do with justice, and how to deal with their fellow human. In the New Testament, people came to Jesus, brought this adulterous woman and said to Him, “Moses told us that those who are caught in this kind of act should be stoned. What do you say?” They were seeking the opinion of Jesus as a man of God. Some people brought a coin to Jesus and said to Him, “Ceasar tells us to pay tax, what do you say about it?” Jesus tells them whose inscription is on the coin, and said, “Give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar and give to God what belongs to God.”
(Luke 20:25).
They were always seeking God, just like today we have prayer meetings and conferences, some people even add, ‘Prayer and Fire conference’. There are a lot of prayer retreats, and some people add fasting to it. In our Country, churches fast for: 7 days, 21 days, 40 days, 80 days, 100 days, but how do these things reflect in the society? What impact has it made in the society? The children of Israel were doing that. God said, they drew near to Him with their mouths, but their hearts were far from Him, Mt.15:1-13. Would Jesus say the same things to us? The Bible says, “In vain do they worship me teaching the traditions of men….” Vs.9
People can satisfy their hearts that they have done a good Quiet Time, yet they would not obey God. You
can satisfy your heart, appease your conscience that ‘I have fasted, I have prayed, I have gone to church’ and yet your life does not measure in any way to that of Christ. In John 5:39-40, Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures thinking that in them you have eternal life, but they are the ones that point to Me, but you refuse to come to Me.” You can search the scriptures, read the Bible, do Bible studies, and preach yet your heart is not in it. So, people search for Him but do not practice or show interest in what God wants.
Some Christians are interested in practices, traditions and searching the Scriptures and yet it doesn’t lead them to the truth of God. They are ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7-8). Not arriving at the truth, they become the opposer of the truth. Their hearts have not been touched, their hearts have not been converted, and their hearts are not following God the way it should. Today there are many conferences- both virtual and physical prayer meetings. People travel all over the world for meetings and sometimes one wonders if the End Time prophecies are not being fulfilled. It says in the last days knowledge will increase but there is no evidence of the power of God. People have a form of the knowledge of God, but they deny the power thereof.
Motive Matters
In our seeking God, are we sincere? Are you seeking God with the right motive? You may be seeking God so He would keep you safe in these difficult times. That is the reason you are always in a prayer meeting. It is not because you love Him or want to be with Him, but because you want Him to do something for you. We sing, “There is something that makes me come into Your presence, my helper…” It’s a very good song but it can also be sung with a wrong heart. If the reason is not Him every other reason is wrong. Another song says, “I’ve come back to the path of worship and it’s all about You, Jesus.” That is what God is looking for. One of my favourite Scriptures is the passage that says the eyes of God are running to and fro and He’s looking for those whose hearts are perfect towards Him that He may show Himself strong on their behalf.
God said to those who were trying to draw near to God that they were doing it for their pleasures, Isaiah 58:3. It is touching that one can be fasting for twenty or forty days, yet it is for the person’s pleasure. It is only God that ought to see the prayers we pray in secret so that He will reward us openly. Men in darkness want to see our actions as we shine the light so that they can see. There is a need for us to examine our lives.
Sola Olufemi is the National Director,
CAPRO Nigeria, Abuja. He may be
reached at brodasola@gmail.com
