But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and anon with joy receives it; yet hath he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended. Matthew 13:20-21.

The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent takes it by force.

To overcome to the end requires praying daily and asking God to be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness, glorying in your tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Christ has foretold that the believers shall face tribulation in the world, but shall have peace in him, cheer up he says, I have overcome the world. John 16:33.

There shall be different kinds of challenges to compromises with the word of God and gospel lifestyle, but you must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, not to be afraid of the things you will suffer for his name’s sake.

You will suffer persecution because you have chosen to shun ungodliness and worldly lusts, different lifestyle from your brethren who are also born again by the incorruptible seed of the word of God, but chosen to continue living corruptible lifestyles. 2 Timothy 3:12.

The men of the world will seek to force you to admit and accept what is not biblical, but your determination to speak and defend the truth shall bring you into contradiction of sinners: be not weary, neither faint in your heart. Quit you like men, fight the good fight of faith, earnestly contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints of old to the end.

The world behind me, the cross before me, – those who will get to heaven will not be offended in Christ Jesus; that is, they are not influenced, bothered or sickened by whatever they will go through or by any of the evil –disappointing behavioral reports from the church among their brethren to allow any of those things to stop or weaken them from walking uprightly, – not becoming an offense to anyone, and are not offended by anything or anyone while they live on earth for Christ.

They know that the assembly of the church of Christ is a company of a mixed multitudes of good and bad people, lying and genuine professors, pretenders and sincere believers, sons and daughters of Satan who have mixed up with the sons and daughters of God, to commit iniquity, to blackmail the works of God, to slander and to cause divisions and offences.

God will never let down any of his children, but he will defend them, help and comfort them in their afflictions and tribulations: but those with little or no understanding of the reality of spiritual warfare are disappointed in him in the days of adversity, having put their hand into the plough, but looking back for whatever reason, how can they inherit heaven?

It is only those with no slight of idea of the consequences of the fall of man that the whole world groans and travails in pain, even us which has the first fruit of the spirit, waiting until the manifestation of the sons of God.

Those who are ignorant of the present terror reign of Satan as the god of this world, ruling with a fierce anger over the nations shall be offended and disappointed in their God – O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Micah 6:3-5.

You must know whom you believed and what the purpose of your calling is if others have missed theirs, lest you react to make a bad decision against what God is bringing out of your life because of the bad reports, misconducts and gross iniquities heard and seen from the place of righteousness – church. Ecclesiastes 3:16.

As a child of God, while not ignoring the scandals coming from the church, you must continue to pray daily for the nations and the universal body of Christ against the evil therein as you keep looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, prayerfully guiding yourself against any spiritual distraction as the results of the evil reports coming from the church’s conducts, faithfully  moving forward with what Christ is doing in your personal life, knowing that it has been written that so should it be in the end times, and what is written is written, it must come to pass – And the Lord said unto him, go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. Jeremiah 9:4.

How can you overcome those spiritual annoyances designed by the Satan to influence your faithfulness and steadfastness to the Lord if you don’t know what the scriptures foretold about the last days, and you don’t really love the word of God?

Otherwise, being offended will cause your mouth to sin and certainly demoralizes your walk with the Lord because of those who are not living up to the standard of their worthy name as children of God.

The Christian life, – the believer’s present life in Christ Jesus is the most blessed and rewarding in heaven, if we sincerely serve the Lord, – if the salt we are called to become on earth is not tasteless and the light in us is not darkness, otherwise, those who have lost the purposes of their calling shall not receive a warm welcome from the Lord at the end- you are witnesses, and so is God, how holily, justly and blameless was our behavior toward you who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Thessalonians 2:10.

Likewise, the Christian life is the most dangerous and implicating if your lifestyle is in opposition to the truth you claim to stand for, misrepresenting the Lord by causing others to speak against God and Christ, or by causing the fall of others people, to make them sin against the Lord.

If you are not walking in love by showing the attitude of inconsideration to restraint your liberty in Christ if any action of such liberty should negatively impact the faith of others, you’ll be held responsible for their sin – wherefore, if meat makes my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my brother to offend. 1 Corinthians 8:13.

Your life should only be producing sweetness as a good tree will always bring out a good fruit, not a bad reference for any provable or verifiable evil report, if you are walking contrary to the truth of the gospel of the cross of Christ.

God will require and hold you guilty and condemn you for the blood of men and women who have turned their back from following after Christ because of your misconducts and hypocrisy, – but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it was better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he was drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Matthew 18:6-7.

Don’t forget that Satan orchestrated offense against God to influence the fall and expulsion of one – third of the angels of God from heaven. There is no justifiable reason to be offended in Christ Jesus, but this is what Satan is all after, that you might be offended, and he will not stop at anything to incite you to be offended in Christ Jesus.

Christ forewarned that in the last days, brothers shall betray brothers for whatever reason. Trust and true love of the brethren shall be betrayed in the church, over looked it and move forward with the help and presence of the friend closer than any brother – Christ.

The words of the talebearers shall wound like a sword from inside the church – hatred stirs up strife, but let love covers multitudes of sins. Note: hate the evil and love the good. Those who are overcoming offenses in the last days shall not be overcome by evil, but will overcome evil with good, and they shall be reckoned as overcomers by the Lord.

Private and personal confidential words shall not be kept secret by the confidant in the church, and whisperers shall separate good friends inside the church – be not offended to stop gpoing to church.

Some pastors shall use your words during your one on one counseling period with them to preach as if it’s the word coming from the Lord in the church – don’t be offended, just learn from it and stop visiting his counseling season.

Annoying, false and misleading prophecy spoken in the name of the Lord, but coming out from the pit of hell in the church, but what will you do? Leave the church? All you need to do is to abstain from what is evil and hold on to that which is good through discernment of spirit.

Pastor and church leaders, like the sons of Eli are having unlawful sex with female worshippers in the church, should that stop you from following after the Lord? All you need to do is to pray and look for another good church, but not to stop or forsake the assembly of the saints altogether.

False brother shall defraud another brother of his wife in the church, while false sister will seduce the husband of another sister from the same church, and they both will leave for another assembly where they are not known. What will you do? Run away completely from the church, so that you don’t experience such thing? No, you just have to keep reminding yourself that the tares and the wheat must grow together until the time of the final harvest when the good shall finally be separated form the bad, and the latter cast into everlasting fire.

The fear of God shall diminish from the land while iniquity shall abound everywhere, both in the world and inside the church.

It is only those with discretion and discernment of the time and season we are on earth whose love shall not wax cold shall overcome the evilness from the church, not walking in the ways of sinners or the ungodly, knowing that God will judge the righteous and sinners: though they are grieved for what is going on in the church, but shall be without offense till the day of Christ. Philippians 1:10.

Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33. 

The level of spiritual maturity or carnality of certain men of God or children of God are known by how they handle criticism from other people.

The You tube videos is full of the attackers, those who have been truly wounded from the fraudsters inside the church, and the offended ones, while funny and shameless church leaders are abusive of one another and criticizing one another at the same time on You tube.

Where is someone like David who says, they also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that opens not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that hears not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. Psalms 38:12-14.

Whatever the church or world is throwing at you in terms of persecution, do not take offence in the Lord, such is the pain of faith. Christ suffered every humiliating treatment for our sakes on earth, but never takes an offense; when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously. 1 Peter 2:23.

Blessed are ye (if you are not offended by those things you suffered), when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:11-12.

Moses was personally offended by the conducts of the Israelis which caused his failure as a leader and was severely punished for it by God. Every man shall bear his own burden. Why should you be angry to sin against God because of the rebellious of others against him?

While should you allow someone who is not running well to affect your own race? Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win.1 Corinthians 9:24.

The athletes don’t look back or stop to continue the race because one of the competitors in the field event has fallen behind; rather, they focus in their race until they reaches the finished line.

You are not helping the situation by running away from the church because you are pissed off – offended. Stay and interceed with the rest of the faithful brethren that the word of God should have free course and be glorified. Whatever evil is going on in the church, do not be offended to walk away from the Lord or forsake the assembly of the saints.

It is the enemy’s trick to isolate you: give no offence, – cease from anger, and forsake wrath: do not fret thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the land. Psalms 37:8-11.

Great peace have they which love your law, nothing shall offend them. Psalms 119:165.

Satan will do anything to hurt you and get you offended. Don’t quit the church and don’t stop praying because you’ve been praying for too long, but continue to pray like the widow woman kept imploring the unjust king until justice was delivered her.

Daniel was not grieved against God for delayed answer until his response came after Twenty one days of persistence waiting on God in prayer.

Hannah kept going to Shiloh yearly until she received her miracle, though her rival would provoke her and taunts her viciously, she never took offense against God, neither against Peninnah, – even, after when the prophet Eli falsely accused her of intoxication, she was not offended, but answered back gently and wisely to protect what God was doing in her life. 1 Samuel 1:6.

For whatever reason, be not offended against the King of heaven and earth in whom there is no rising up. Proverbs 30:31.

This was the reason the Israelis made a breach of promise and God sworn that they shall not enter into the promised land. They saw the giants and were offended in God for bringing them to face the giants in battle, having forgotten that the battle is of the Lord. They insulted God, Moses and Aaron, and they will not stop at lapidating Joshua and Caleb. They protested to go back to Egypty, but were wasted in the wilderness.

We should ask wisely concerning the ways of the Lord, lest by being ill informed, our own foolishness should pervert our way to cause our heart to fret against the Lord (Proverbs 19:3); lest we miss the eternal reward for the fellowship of Christ suffering we are called to share or be a partaker therein. Philippians 3:10.

As you have been partaker of his grace, you must also be a partaker of his sufferings, and of the glory that shall be revealed at his appearing and kingdom. Persecutions, afflictions and troubles shall come because of the word of God, but if the seed sown has fallen into stony place in the heart, you will get offended in the Lord and charge God with folly. Matthew 13:20-21.

The wife of Job was greatly offended in God and would prefer that she and her husband should curse God for the sudden calamities and wastefulness of their possessions, but Job would not comply with her suggestion. Job never dissaproved of what God allows in his life, saying, he perform thing that is appointed unto me, and many such things are with him. Job 23:14.

Life is a battle field with different challenges; but like Isaac after the death of his father, you must keep moving forward, avoiding quarrelling with anyone for anything; for the weapon of your warfare is not carnal.

Isaac was not offended by any of the evil intents of the Philistines meant to stop him until God led and brought him to the land and place of Rehoboth, where all his enemies were made by the Lord to make peace with him. Proverbs 16:7.

Lot never looked back because his wife looked back contrary to the instruction they both received for their salvation and deliverance from Sodom and Gomorrah.

If heaven is your goal, the fall of anyone in the church should not occasion your fall in the Lord; neither should any of their sin weaken your hands to hold fast your righteousness in the Lord to copy sin.

You don’t have to fall down with anyone who has fallen down from the top, or falls aside because the leader has fallen aside, or falling away from the Lord because the lead pastor has fallen away from the Lord. Is it not written that the first shall be last, and the last, first?

How are the mighty fallen, and weapons of war perishing? How are the mighty fallen with their anointing as if they were not appointed and anointed by God? Why should you allows the little folly discovered in someone who has been in reputation for wisdom to occasion weakness of heart in you to turn to old ways as dogs turns back to his vomits?

Christ, the chief Shepherd has been smitten, and the sheep has once been scattered.  

Let no one in the church or anything from the world cripple your walk or distract your continuation to walk faithfully and steadfastly with God.

Taking offense for any reason in the kingdom is dangerous, capable to cause a great botch in your relationship with God –  though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not you unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, the Lord is alive. For Israel slides back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place. Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. Hosea 4: 15-17.

The children of Satan mixed up with the children of God inside the church are going nowhere, staying to fulfill the lusts of Satan their father, – seeking and working to defile the holiness of Zion and to discredit the integrity of her inhabitants – Now, also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make your horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shall beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. Micah 4:11-13.

Be not offended to speak amiss, or shy away from your spiritual duties to speak and stand up to defend the truth: though the tares are growing among the wheat, there is time for everything: then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:36-43.

John the Baptist was once enthusiastic to testify about Christ person and his mission on earth before the public: – the next day John sees Jesus coming unto him, and says, behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1:29-34.  

Downhearted, confused and discouraged by false expectation of the messiah’s role on earth, his imprisonment by King Herod completely made him unable to think clearly any more on the Messianic role of Jesus he publicly endorsed as the Lamb of God to be slain for the sin of the world – Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. Matthew11: 2-6.

It is an offense – sin to be offended in God: giving no offense in anything that the ministry be not blamed. But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching’s, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6: 3-10.

The church is the house of God, the ground and pillar of truth, but full of incorrigible men and women who take offense to persecute the pastor, – make him an offender for speaking the truth, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and they leave a good church because the preacher is true, teaching to corrects them in righteousness (Isaiah 29:21): then came his disciples, and said unto him, know that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matthew 15:12-14.

Truth is very hurtful to those who don’t want to be healed from the wounds of their deadly sins.

It is only those who are faithful to their calling in God that can preach it without any fear of repercussions from men, – only those athirst and hungry after righteousness that can learn of Christ without seeking fault against it, or offended by his word – truth. Galatians 5:11. Note: those who get offended by any of the word of truth shall found Christ as the rock of offence; because they stumbled at the word, they shall be judged and condemned by the same word they rejected (John 12:48): wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. 1 Peter 2:6-8.

What a pity when the deceitful pastors and leaders softens and sweetens the gospel’s truth to make it without offense for their listeners to feel good, just because they don’t want to offend anyone by the word of truth. What condemnation they bring themselves under? Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches (stay out of trouble messages from the false preachers) deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. Romans 16:17-19.  

Though we don’t cause offense, neither should we show any offence from anyone trying to deter us from doing the will of God, but to walk away from them, avoiding them altogether.

Jesus resisted Satan in the life of Peter while trying the enemy trying to obstruct him from going to the cross through Peter, so should we rebuke and resist obstrcution from any one against the will of God in our life – from that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Matthew 16: 21-23.