The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye has advised ministers and officers of the church not to only preoccupy themselves with discharging their responsibilities as church leaders but ensure that they do not drift away from the faith.
According to him, Heaven remains the ultimate goal of every Christian, as a result, they ought to go about their duties as church leaders while consciously ensuring that their souls remain saved.
Apostle Nyamekye gave this admonition during his meeting with Officers in the Dansoman Area on Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at the PIWC-Dansoman church auditorium in Accra.
The Chairman read Hebrews 3:12-15, among other scriptures, to reecho the need for Christians, particularly church leaders, to regularly examine themselves to see if they are still in the faith.
This, according to him, would enable them to hold fast to the gospel they have received, lest they drift away from the faith.
Apostle Nyamekye indicated that the “drifting process” is not instant, but gradual, hence, church leaders may seem to be going about their duties as usual, and yet, be oblivious of the fact they are slowly moving away from the faith.
He, therefore, urged them to be careful about the people they associate with, even in the church, so that they are not negatively influenced by them.
Apostle Nyamekye further noted that one key thing that could cause them to stumble is a disease of the heart known as bitterness. He described bitterness as the seeds of resentment lodging in the human heart.
Expounding on the topic: “Bitterness,” the Chairman explained that the human being is tripartite and complex in nature, in that “he is a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body.”
He added that what people usually see is the body; however, the spirit and soul of the human being is not invisible, and this is what the Bible usually refers to as the inner man (the soul or spirit) or the heart.
Apostle Nyamekye indicated that God is, therefore, interested in the state of the inner man or the heart because out of him flows all the issues of life.
He read Matthew 12:35, to reiterate that it is the inner man who dictates the actions of an individual that is why they must always be concerned about the state of the heart.
“A good man out of the good stored up in him will bring out good fruit and a bad man out of the evil stored up in him will bring up evil fruit, “he emphasized.
Explaining how bitterness gets into the heart, the Chairman said that no one consciously stores up evil in their heart, however, as they engage others and the things around them they unconsciously take in new things within.
He, therefore, cautioned them to consciously guard the heart because evil can make its way into it and cause them to perpetrate evil. On the other hand, when they allow the goodness of the love of God into their hearts, they become the good people that God has destined them to be.
He also advised persons nursing bitter emotions, to rid themselves of such negative emotions because it could lead to far-reaching consequences.
“When one is filled with bitterness, he or she is like one infected with HIV or COVID-19. This is because once you contract it, it becomes a problem for yourself and it begins to destroy you. But it does not end there. You also become a carrier of the virus which makes it possible for you to transfer it to other persons,” he explained.
Apostle Nyamekye revealed that bitter people tend to keep mental records of the wrong done to them, have sharp and hurtful tongues and are very vengeful or unforgiving. He added that nursing bitterness could also lead to insomnia (inability to sleep) and other diseases such as ulcer and high blood pressure. He also added that bitterness dries up one’s anointing and causes them to lose their faith in God.
In overcoming bitterness, Apostle Eric Nyamekye stated some five (5) facts of life that every Christian must internalize. He noted that: “to avoid becoming bitter you must accept the fact that not everyone would like or love you, not everyone would understand you, disappointment is a fact of life, the world is not fair, and bad things happen to good people.”
The Chairman concluded his message with an advice to Christians to desist from expressing their bitter emotions angrily. He said that expressing bitterness would not make them meet the standard of righteousness that God expects of them. He also advised them against repressing (suppressing) their bitter emotions, because people who do so tend to be hypocrites and live a life of duplicity. Instead, he urged them to always confess their bitter emotions to God, and if possible, to the offender for an amicable resolution.
The meeting with Officers is part of the Chairman’s three-day visit to the Dansoman Area. It is also the Chairman’s first visit to the Area since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March this year.
