CHRIST OR YOUR LIFE?

About two weeks ago, the Lord asked me a question which I didn’t answer at the time and as days passed by, it became more difficult to actually answer that question and I want to throw the same question to you.

The Lord asked me; “Obinnaya, are you willing to give your life for Me?”

You would think that the answer to that question should be a swift YES in caps. But being that it was my Father who was asking, I knew He was not just asking another question.

In response, I said; Lord, You see my heart and you know what I can and cannot do for You Lord.

A few days later, someone sent me a post on WhatsApp, an excerpt from God’s Generals. The excerpt was on how most of the martyrs died. Now if I had not had the conversation with the Lord a few days earlier, this would have been another very good read, but that conversation had me woke and alert. As I read those stories, I kept putting the scenarios side by side by what is obtainable with the church of today and we fell short by a very wide margin. I don’t know how many pastors now that are willing to be stoned to death for Christ. I’m not sure how many pastors are willing to be boiled in hot oil. I don’t know how many pastors that will choose to be hung upside down rather than be nailed to a cross in the exact same position as Christ. I am not even sure how many pastors are willing to be tazzed for Jesus.

And I am careful to use “pastors” cos we are the ones that are supposed to be equipping the saints and I am convinced that the Lord is saying something.

I read the stories of these martyrs and a burden came upon me.

As if that was not enough, someone sent me a message saying that one of the Dachi girls that were kidnapped in Nigeria refused to deny Jesus. The moment I heard that story, I leaped for joy in my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I was not happy the girls were kidnapped (whether or not it was a real kidnap is a deliberation for another day) I was excited that what the Lord was speaking to me about, He had gone a step further to get my attention and someone was proving that some people are still standing for Christ.

As Easter draws nearer, I want to ask you child of God; are you willing to lay your life for your belief in Christ? When the chips are down, will you deny Christ or stand for Him? Are you going to compromise or stand for Christ? Are you going to sleep with him/her or stand with Christ? Are you going to alter that document or stand with Christ? Are you going to tell that lie or stand with Christ? Are you going to keep that malice or stand with Christ? Are you going to take/give that bribe or stand with Christ?

Jesus left all His divinity just to come lay down His life to reconcile us to Himself, yet we are quick to deny Him both in our words and most times by our actions. Most of us don’t even wait to resist talk less of to the shedding of blood and we are very willing to give in rather than stand for Christ.

The days ahead are going to be demanding for true sons of God as He will be passing His own through an alignment test. There is a separation going on for the advancement of the Kingdom. The men who shook the world as stated in scriptures were not in the multitude.

Will you stand for Christ? 

Will you give your life for Him? 

Can He find you worthy?

I eventually answered Him...

But what is your own answer to that question?

Are you willing to lay down your life for Christ?

Selah!

WORKER OR FOLLOWER?

The general idea I used to have about walking with God was that if I wanted to follow Him, I must serve Him. Now based on this ideology, the moment I came to Christ, I quickly started the new believer’s class and upon graduating from that class I quickly started the workers training in order to join the church workforce.

Anyone who can still remember how they felt when they came to Jesus can attest to the zeal and fire to just do any work that is available in the house of God.

My dad was a pastor in a Pentecostal church in Nigeria and this resulted in us being the first to arrive church and often last to leave. This for me was so much fun, it gave me an opportunity to do so much work for my Father (both heavenly and biological).

As I grew in the faith, whenever I lead people to Christ, I also encourage them to join a foundation class to grow them in the knowledge of Christ and introduce them to the workforce. The idea for me was that proximity to “church” is a great elixir to building a lasting relationship with God and the level of commitment to working in church a pointer to one’s level of commitment to God. This ideology however has birthed so many church workers who in reality are no different from unbelievers…

Then recently, the Lord caused me to stumble on a scripture that has turned everything right side up for me;

John 12:23-26

23But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

This passage literally left me shook especially verse 26.

Let us read the portion in bold highlight again; Vs 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Apparently all this while, I had it backwards. My love for Jesus had driven me to work for Him and was the basis for me driving others to work within the workforce. And I must state it categorically at this point that your love for Christ will propel you to action. However, Jesus was saying that if anyone will serve Him, they fellow must ‘FOLLOW’ Him.

And as I spent time meditating on the implication of this, then I understood why Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the more important thing.

Please permit me to liken the “activities” of working for God in church to the busyness Martha was burdening herself with whereas the desire in the heart of the Father is that we follow Him just like Mary did by seating at the feet of Jesus. Jesus said; “where I am, there my servant will be also”. Remember Mary sat with Jesus while Martha busied herself in the kitchen with 'seemingly' important hosting activities. It is interesting to note Jesus' comments that Mary had chosen the important thing. 

Please may I ask you child of God, right now as you read this, where is Jesus and what is He doing/saying right now? Do you know? If you don’t, may I admonish that you check your followership status.

It is when you follow Him that you will know what He requires to be done. He will instruct you Himself and when He instructs you, He is counting on you to execute to the letter every instruction you receive. I love the way verse 26 ended. It says; ‘if anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor’.

This means that God the Father will honor you only if you serve Christ Jesus. And the only way to serve Christ is to follow Him. I pray God that He will expand this insight for you.

As if the flogging above was not enough, He then said to me; Son, Disciples aren’t formed from crowds.

Selah!!!