THE CAT IN THE MONASTERY

 *The cat in the monastery* 

Some monks  that lived in a cave discovered that rodents were disturbing them. They tried different kinds of traps on the rats, but that was also distracting them because any day they don't set up the traps, the rats would destroy more things. So they decided to buy cats, and that also kept the rats away, and so the tradition of keeping cats in their monastery

That generation of monks passed on until the fourth generation. Soon, there came up a generation that did not know the reason the first monks brought in the cats but began to see the presence of cats as one of the principal requirements to set up a monastery. Even priests who lived in places where there were no rats still purchased cats. It soon became a subject for theological misunderstanding

Some world refer to books written by great teachers to support the presence of cats in the monastery. Others argued against it and also quoted great scholars as they condemned the practice. Time was wasted arguing about cats or no cats. Some monks broke away to set up their own monastery because the mother monastery accepted or rejected cats

Today, we have many such useless disagreements in the Body of Christ. One major one is the question of which version of the Holy Bible is the best. Even though some honest scholars have done their best to show us why modern day translations are making some changes in some translations, some believers still insist that devil had used some people to change some passages in the holy Bible. Yet, not to mention my humble self, great servants of God like Bonnke, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Hagin, to mention a few have used the New International Version of the Bible In fact, NIV has remained my official version for anywhere I ever pastured and for my new converts. I can boldly recount many places where those I ministered to fell under the power of the Spirit as I read from NIV

There are those who still insist that William Shakespeare grammar is the only correct language that Jesus Christ and the early saints spoke. 

This is because they don't know how the CAT CAME IN TO THE MONASTERY

I've met many Roman Catholic faithful arguing for or against the cat in the monastery

Pentecostals and Charismatic faithful also argue against the cats in the monastery as they discussed Christmas or other Christian ceremonies. 

In all this, they don't consider the danger and confusion they are causing for new comers to the faith and the resources they are providing for the enemies of the Church

In the face of the encroaching rampage of Islam abd violent revival of idolatry across the world, some prominent Christian leaders started some arguments, CHRISTMAS IS NOT A CHRISTIAN CEREMONY. We all saw what played out, Roman Catholic and Anglican faithful rose, and began to call them names. The Roman Catholics and Evangelicals mocked the Pentecostals on social media in the open view of the enemies of the Church 

That argument was still on when a church leader was killed in Adamawa State for refusing to renounce Christ. As if to balance up a Roman Catholic seminarian was killed in Kaduna State for the same reason. Their killers did not ask them whether they believed in Christmas or not. They were killed because they believed in Jesus Christ. 

Those for and against this argument did not care to know that the enemies of the Church were nodding their heads.

There are many of such argument today that are based on irrelevant disputing about words that have no use to the souls of men

I would not bother myself if some people I respect have not gotten lost in this kind of thing and make posts on social media, which I consider unfortunate

Here is what the Holy Spirit said through Apostle Paul 

Romans 14:1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters.

Romans 14:3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.

I don't mean that we should not try to correct one another and where need be, outrightly rebuke, but before you take such a step, just ask yourself, what will I achieve by this? Is it possible that what I say about this could become a tool in  devil's hand to disturb the faith of someone?

I'm often tempted to post some things on social media, but when I remember that I have thousands following me, I just back down One time, I posted something I love about Donald Trump, President of the USA, and only discovered too late that an American lady who was following me for teaching and counselling was anti-Trump in her political ideology. Argument erupted between her and another follower that lasted for days, and I had to block her. But then it wasn't her fault; I was the one that messed things up

On another occasion, I made a  post concerning  a minister of the gospel whom I felt was in error. It also turned out that one of my online followers held that man highly and, in fact, a member of his church. The subject I posted on was not that serious to turn it to an issue. I apologized and deleted my post, not because I was wrong but because of what my post meant to somebody

There are some men I respect who would post a joke. For an American, that could be a joke, but for me, a typical African, I may misunderstand it to be news. So, I humbly ask us the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ not to lose sight of the battle before us as we do anything.

More importantly,  is to make distinction between substance and chaff as we argue some matters. IIn fact, you may be twisting the Bible as you try to argue for or against the cat in our monastery because those that brought in the cat were not looking at the Bible, but their environment

Christmas 

For those who celebrate it, Happy Christmas and remember to share your delicacies with me.  Those that won't celebrate it, but would rather organise gospel campaign or prayer retreats,  please remember me in your prayers. Let's keep our focus on the harvest of souls in a perishing world. 

Emma, your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com