CRAVE FOR FAME DESTROYS FAITH
John 5:44 “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”
Religion creates an indelible dent on the human psyche
resulting in low self esteem and an insatiable quest for relevance often manifested in the idolization of personalities.It was the pursuit of these sublunary and ephemeral ideals by the Pharisees that placed them
always at loggerhead with Jesus whose teachings were considered as a euphemism of their
objects of worship.
Jesus was the opposite of
everything the religious folks of His time stood for: he was a threat to
their way of life just as the teachers of the message of salvation by grace
through faith are seen as a threat by religious folks the world over because it
ascribes all glory , honour and praise
to God with no room for human worship . In John 5:1-44 Jesus healed a man that
had been ill for 38 years, by simply saying “rise, take up your bed and walk” (Vs 8). This was done in
contravention of the law of the Sabbath. No man was allowed to carry any object
on this day and penalty for violating the law of the Sabbath was death
(Exo.35:2).
For 38 years this man had been in religious
bondage because he trusted
in man’s’ ability more than God's. Religion cannot
be faith. Faith is the total reliance on God through His word. It comes from
hearing the word of God (Roman 10:17). The scriptures declare Jesus Christ as
the Word of God in human form (John1:14). God and His word are inseparable.
Only God can heal the way Jesus did; a proof of His divinity. It was until the
sick man broke through the shackles of his religious veil that He received faith
while listening to Jesus’ instructions
and was made whole from that moment. Jesus told Him to pick up His bed; a
statement which implied that until he was willing to turn his back against the
approval that came from observing a lifeless religion, he can’t be healed.
Many persons are in bondage as a result
of the choice they’ve made to put
the observance of religion above God’s word. They are comfortable in their misery as long
as they keep receiving accolades from pharisaic institutions. That’s one of the reasons why many Christians
do not see the manifestation of the power of God in their lives. Religion is
like being told to walk with one's head.
Miracles are made possible by faith alone expressing itself through love
(Matt9:22, 29, Matt17:20, Mark5:34), which comes from hearing God’s word. Faith grows when we pursue
divine responsibilities instead of fame. God isn’t against us receiving honour from people but the
craving for it. Jesus was not desirous of the honour that comes from men; He
was always in tune with the father (John 6:15 KJV,) He preferred a
life of prayer than a craving for temporal honour. The scripture says in John
5:41AMP “ I receive not
glory from men [I crave no human honour, I look for no mortal fame],” temporal fame hinders our faith growth.
It is the reason why many celebrities tend to embrace the world of the occult due
to their inability to commit to a life of prayer. Constant prayer while
meditating on God’s word is the
surest way to grow one’s faith and it
requires overcoming the distractions that comes from the pursuit of fame.
There is honour attained by serving God and it is accompanied with peace, integrity,
dignity , love, truth and joy in the Holy Ghost and it is yours as you read this now in Jesus name.
Prayer/counseling +2348098536911(whatsapp),+2348035536911 email: michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com
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