Topic: Hypocrisy Condemned
Text: I Kings 18:21-29

Miracles have been counterfeited or bastardized by many. A lot of people have equated sham with the real. Shortcuts may appear easy but they will not lead you to the realm of genuine miracles. God is always ready to manifest His power in the life of upright people. If your ways are crooked, your worship of the Lord will be in vain. According to our text, the cries of the prophets of Baal went unheeded.

The Bible says: “And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded” (I Kings 18:28). There was a frenzy of activities. They began to rip their bodies open with knives. They even prophesied.

Today, many who prophesy live in sin. Some people who come up with prophetic utterances are the same ones who visit brothels. Some attend vigils only to fornicate. To quieten their conscience, they engage in all manner of activities in the name of God. When you walk straight with God He will surprise you. But the moment you cut corners, He will leave you. Having one leg in the Church and the other in the world takes one nowhere. Those who live hypocritical lives will be disappointed in eternity.

Perhaps you have been very much engaged in an enterprise from which you get little or no reward. If you have a demon be setting your efforts it will be very easy for the Lord to deal with it. But if your problem lies in disobedience to God, your case may be helpless. But once you amend your ways, the Lord will hear you when you call upon Him.

Memory Verse: II Corinthians 7:1 - “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”