Are You Being Exploited?

Unexpected Intro: I didn’t plan this introduction, but God just showed me something that is very crucial (so if you’re reading this post around 6:30pm tonight, what I was shown occurred within the past hour. I had written the actual lesson earlier today, of course minus this paragraph). I have found that most people who are being exploited live under the banner of “You Can’t Judge Me!” In fact, they will take that a step further and say, “not only you can judge the person (which we actually can’t do), but you can’t judge the actions (which we can do).” Exploited people will never want to own up to the fact they’re being exploited, so they live in a constant defensive state. They will defend those in the pulpit (who are actually living foul), they will defend those who are not even Christians and say they are Christians, and lastly, they will defend whatever belief system they believe knowing there’s a strong chance their beliefs are wrong.

The focus passage will be 2 Peter 2:1-3. It says: But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

I like the KJV’s term for sensuality, they use pernicious ways (translation: sexual immoral).

I remember when I was a baby Christian reading this, and I thought about this one man who came on the radio and he was constantly begging for people to send $500 or $1,000 and that would eventually drive me away from listening to his show. But as I’ve gotten older, I would see ministers and gospel music artists who have pernicious ways, exploiting Christians with their false words. I’ve said it on multiple occasions that we Christians can be so gullible at times. We’ll buy into anything or anyone that says God or Christian, not even thinking a second that a person is NOT a Christian, but actually a Yoruba priestess (translation: an astrologist). And yes, there are supposed Christian ministers following people who are not Christians for the sake of unity and/or coexisting. Now you can say, oh, this is outreach and don’t judge! Are you serious? It’s easier to pull someone off the table (especially if your faith was wavering since day one) than it is to bring someone up to the table (of course, all things are possible with God).

Let’s talk for a minute about what Yoruba is about (since many of us have our heads stuck in the sand). The Yoruba believes that all human beings possess what is known as destiny/fate and are expected to eventually become one in spirit with the divine creator and source of all energy). The thoughts and actions of each person in the physical realm interact with all other living things, including the Earth itself. Each person attempts to achieve transcendence and find their destiny in the spiritual realm of those who do good and beneficial things. One’s spiritual consciousness in the physical realm must grow in order to consummate union with one’s spiritual self. The Yoruba believe in reincarnation within the family. The names Babatunde (father returns), Yetunde (Mother returns), Babatunji (Father wakes once again) and Sotunde (The wise man returns) all offer vivid evidence of the Ifa concept of familial or lineal rebirth. There is no simple guarantee that your grandfather or great uncle will “come back” in the birth of your child, however.

How dare we Christians allowing someone who believe what I just typed to FIX OUR LIVES! If we feel they can actually fix our lives, than every other religion should be able to fix our lives. Jesus is the only one who can fix our lives, if we humble ourselves and give Him our hearts!

One of the reasons why we’re being exploited is because our flesh is being satisfied. The minute someone hear words such as declare, decree, increase or money, we near drop our sanctification cause we now have goose bumps. Never mind if the person speaking it has pernicious ways (or is “fruity”). A leader is to set the example for the church. But of course we don’t hold leaders accountable, we pacify them instead (hence we have the cycle of the blind following the blind).

Of course, this brings me into the next passage from 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The reason why many of us don’t hold people accountable is because we have heaped to ourselves teachers having itching ears and have turned unto fables. Why haven’t we rebuked leaders and/or ministers who go on National TV and say that Jesus is not the only way to heaven? And why haven’t we rebuked those who don’t preach salvation from the platform because I don’t want to offend people? I’ll tell you why we haven’t done it. We’ve been exploited by these false ministers and false gospel artists, our flesh is getting immediate gratification, and we have goose bumps. And as a result, we give to what we know or might not know is false! When we’re in that exploited state of mine, we say what the children of Israel say in Isaiah 30:10 to those who are exploiting us, “prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.”

Now you know when the world glorifies Christians that constitutes a major problem! James 3:1 says clearly that there should not be many teachers for they will receive the greater condemnation.

In closing, 2 Peter 2:3 (in the KJV) says “and through covetousness shall these false teachers with feigned words make merchandise of you.” This is saying that these people will do what they can to steal your money! Do you get this? Just because your flesh is being satisfied by certain words they say, doesn’t mean they’re legit. They could use the Christian lingo all day long, but you could be giving to someone who’s just a hireling or is part of a religion that’s not even Christian. Try every spirit, not every spirit who says God or Christian is part of the body of Christ, not every spirit in your church is a true to the bone Christian, not every spirit who sings gospel is a Christian. Seriously people, we need to heed 2 John 10-11 when it says “receive them not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”