7: The Church Trimester 3 (Part Two): Can We Find a Bible-Believing, Bible-Teaching, Bible-Living Church Today?

The Lion Is In The Way    

In Chapter 4 of THE LION IS IN THE WAY!: A Message to the Naked Church, Rev. Anyamesem shares the heart-breaking fourth and final revelation of the oracle: On my way to the house, behold, I looked and saw a lady walking toward me . . . . Her hair was braided, her face was covered with white powder, and she was dressed in a white piece of cloth that covered her from the breasts downwards.  She appeared to be my own matrimonial wife! A woman who was supposed to be a dynamic Christian turned out to be a fetish priestess.  It was the Lord’s intention to close the oracle by letting me be shocked and feel how it is for a beloved wife to turn adulterous . . . to feel how He feels for the wayward Church.  The Church is the wife of our Lord Jesus Christ (pp. 34-35).

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  This means that the Word of God is as active and alive today as it was when it was first spoken: “Let there be . . . “ and written; and that the Word of God will still be active and alive tomorrow.  Yet, as times have changed, man has oftentimes failed to put God’s Word into practical usage to guide his life; and, today, he refers to the Bible as an ancient text useful only for years gone by, disregarding the Bible as the most valuable tool for Salvation—to save humanity from its dispensational struggles (what we deal with or cope with every day) and leading humanity into everlasting life.

The Book of Revelation (Chapters 2 and 3) describes the Church Body today in a seven-fold metaphor describing its symptoms from 2000 years of long-suffering.  The Book of Revelation simultaneously speaks of things past and things to come.  The seven churches of the past are the seven kinds of churches of today.   And the freshly convicted soul stepping toward salvation must discern which Church is Almighty God-approved, and not adulterous-idolatrous god-accepted.

The Symptoms

1 The Loveless Church

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.  And you have tested those who say they are apostles [prophets] and are not, and have found them liars and have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love (Rev. 2:2-4).

A Church that has fallen in this way prides itself on its past ventures so feels it can relax now knowing that God approves of its beliefs, teachings, and practices.  But it gets so comfortable that it stops doing what it used to do to help lost and re-born souls.  Today, when souls come into this Church, they do not get fed the necessary diet to give them growth and power to overcome the wiles of the evil one; and as a result, most of its members are malnourished and still sickly.  In this state, the whole body can turn to spiritual and worldly adultery or waywardness looking for love in all the wrong places.

2 The Persecuted Church

I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are [God’s people] and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.  Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested . . . . Be faithful . . . and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:9-10).

This is the Church that is called “rich”, not with money, but rich with the Love of God and their acts thereof: When they see the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned, they act in righteousness—the Spirit of Christ—to feed, to take in, to cloth, to heal and to visit as spoken in Matthew 25:34-40.  The Bible-believing, Bible-teaching and Bible-living of this Church are worth more than gold in God’s eyes.  Yet this Church suffers so much demonic attack and violence that, if these souls stop looking up to Jesus in bold (hardened) faith, they could become overwhelmed and leave this Church and its suffering to go a chasing after prosperity messages and false prophetic signs and wonders just to feel “comfortable”—“a going fishing” (Reread The Lion is in the Way, Chapter 2).

3 The Compromising Church

I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.  And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith . . . . But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans —[seduction by idolatry and sexual immorality] (Rev. 2:13-15).

This Church may be positioned in the midst of a culture that has not fully understood what it means to be Christian; and as such, adopts false teachings into their worship of God, though, when it matters, they call on the name of Jesus.  Souls embedded in this Church most oftentimes find themselves in bed with other members, engaging in all kinds of lustful actions or imaginations believing that God will forgive them if they constantly call on His name.

4 The Corrupt Church

I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as far as your works, the last are more than your first.  Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and [idolatry]. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her . . . . I will kill her children, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.  And I will give to each one of you according to your works (Rev. 2:19-23).

This Church Body isn’t corrupted in monetary terms, but is dirtied and defiled by allowing Jezebel to teach its members.  A “Jezebel” is a woman or man who appears to have good intentions for others, but her or his primary goal is to seduce the Pastor and his flock into sexual submission so that she or he can control their hearts and minds.  She or he uses the power of idolatry (consulting mediums where Christ does not dwell), sweet flattery, seductive dressing and all sorts of acts of financial and other kindness to capture weakened minds and souls looking for easy solutions to their troubles.  Even if it is not physically seen in the Church today, Pastors and teachers can be possessed by that Jezebel spirit and therefore it will still exist in the minds and hearts of most of members who have itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4) to follow the easy way out of the tribulations that come with Christianity.

5 The Dead Church

I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God (Rev. 3:1-4).

Awesome power in praises and worship and miracles may emanate from this Church, but when the Sunday “show” is over, so too is the concern for the flock.  A full entertainment escapade has been delivered and the offerings have been collected, but where are the weekly prayer meetings, the visitations, the Bible studies discussions?  The souls locked up in this church appear sanctified and revived, but faith without Matthew 25:34-40 works is dead.

6 The Faithful Church

I know your works.  See I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.  Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan . . .  to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.  Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on earth (Rev. 3:8-11).

God loves this Church because, through it all, they trust in Him to make a way for each soul to become like Jesus in every way, while the world tries to stand in their way to block The Way.  Pastors and teachers in this Church are attacked on every side by the unbelievers and by outside Church folk whose churches aren’t blessed with God’s heart.  A soul who enters this Church will be given the weapons of warfare and the armor of God to keep persevering until He comes.  Here is where you can also find the Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, Bible-living Church.  Ask the Lord to direct you to find it with spiritual eyes, for we walk by faith, not be sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

7 The Lukewarm Church

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked—I counsel you to buy from My gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich . . . clothed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock . . . . (Rev. 3:15-20).

As stated above, what is rich in God’s sight is not enveloped in financial prosperity on earth.  This Church is too comfortable in its thinking that “because we are rich, we are blessed and loved by God.”  Most of these members have forgotten that there are still souls outside and many inside sitting next them every Sunday, or singing in the choir or ushering that are hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked and imprisoned.  This Church has become the Matthew 25:41-45 which will go away into everlasting punishment. Jesus yearns for this Church to be saved and become hot—He’s knocking at the door of its heart—because it has the earthly means to make abundant heavenly deposits—winning the lost at whatever cost.  

LET US NOTE THAT, WITH ALL THESE SYMPTOMS, IT’S NO WONDER SOULS GO A CHURCH-HOPPING TRYING TO FIND GREEN PASTOR IN WHICH TO REST, GROW, AND GAIN STRENGTH TO ENTER INTO THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM.  AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE (Matthew 11:12).  Violence is an action or words intended to hurt people using extreme force.  Satan uses it on every Christian every day, in every way.  Hey, Child of God, are you afraid to offend Satan?

THE LION IS IN THE WAY!: A Message to the Naked Church contains the fourth and final revelation of the oracle which warns us to watch out in how we fellowship with other members of the Church Body and how we worship our Creator in our daily living. The Church has gone wayward and it is evidenced in the seven symptoms above.  Though one of the churches is loved by God, it is still warned to:  Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown (Rev. 3:11).

Pastors and parishioners—Members of the Body of Christ—submit under the God’s Word for healing, then rise up, put on your armor of God and TAKE IT BACK!  The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. It’s time for the CHURCH to go back to its roots.  It's time for Church leaders to be fearless!

CHURCHES CAN BE HEALED AND BE FAITHFUL AS AT THE BEGINNING.  In God’s time, there is no end.  In man’s time, all things are coming to the end.  Where do you want to be found when Jesus comes?

It is in the 3^rd Trimester that LIGHT can be seen by the fetus positioned head-first in preparation to be born.  The sinful soul, now hardened in faith, finally sees the light and positions itself head-first (the seat of his or her will to change, to repent) to be charged by the pangs of re-birth to come out into a climate of Light (out of darkness) and into Fatherly Love.  Can this born-again or Re-Born soul find such a climate of Light and Love today?

At the end of this chapter, the question asked is May the Lion in the Way meet you at your shore to bring you back before you die?

 

Let’s continue praying and reading to help us find The Way forward as FAITHFUL MEMBERS of the FAITHFUL CHURCH—His wife.

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It would be most helpful to journey with me, Rev. Anyamesem, if you had a brand new copy of my book entitled THE LION IS IN THE WAY!: A Message to the Naked Church.  To place your order, please contact Patience Osei-Anyamesem on Facebook or email at godspatience@yahoo.com or jesuspatience@gmail.com.

Also, I would like to answer any questions you have about the Church or about what is happening in your personal lives.  Contact me on 233-(0)548412661.

Rev. Peter Osei Akwasi Anyamesem.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THE LION IS IN THE WAY

Rev. Peter Osei Akwasi Anyamesem is a seasoned minister of Assemblies of God, Ghana; and is currently, the Head Pastor of Assemblies of God, Ghana—Philadelphia Assembly in the Ashanti Region.  He is also the Founder and Proprietor of Global Village Christian Academy Int’l School, a private Christian school dedicated to academic excellence and the winning and keeping of the souls of children and teens for Christ Jesus.  He was born on April 16, 1956 in Achinakrom, Ejisu—Ashanti Region in Ghana, West Africa.  The Lord has blessed him with a dynamic wife, Mrs. Perpetual Osei-Anyamesem, by whose assistance, he has reached his current level in his career and in his personal life.  In 1979, at the latter part of October, he confessed Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord according to John 3:1-5.  Rev. Anyamesem’s educational background includes current Masters Degree studies in Educational Psychology; Diploma in Theology from the Mid-Ghana Bible College—Assemblies of God School; Ghana Institute of Languages, Kumasi, English Proficiency Level; and graduate of Faith School of Evangelism.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Lion Is In The Way is an oracle for today’s congregations and tomorrow’s generations.  It is a revelation about the attitude prevailing in our contemporary churches.  This revelation is concerned with the behaviour of complacency among His Church leaders; and how Jesus grieves about how His Church has gone wayward.  This book reveals to all readers, especially to the born-again who are walking in the narrow way to heaven, the warning about the consequences of backsliding.  His appearance is to correct the errors of those going wayward and bring them back to The Perfect Way in order to avoid His wrath before His second coming.  He is coming soon!

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The Lion Is In The Way