Ikeoluwapo Olanorin

In every race, all the athletes have reason(s) for competing, some for the gold medal, some to show off their skills and some to prove one or two points to their audience(could be family, friend or fans).

This scenario can be likened to the Christian journey on earth. Some are Christian because they have Christian parents, some because they have no other religion to associate with, some want to just belong to a church; so I ask why are you called a Christian?

What is your reason for confessing Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Are you chasing after God (to know more about Him and be more like Him) or chasing after His gift (blessing, miracles and wonders).

When the “bad” times are more than the good times, will you still call Him your Lord just like Job did?(Job 13:15).

When His words rebuke you and He chastise you, will you still call Him the Loving Father?

Friends, are you boldly persuaded that nothing (death, life, angels, principalities, seemly unanswered prayers) can separate you from the Love of God?

Beloved, desiring God’s gifts(Physical blessings) is good but seeking(chasing) after God and His righteousness should be our utmost desire. (Psalm 42:1, Psalm 27: 4, Matthew 6:33).

In this perverse generation with worldly pleasures abounding, chasing after God and not just after His gifts could be ‘difficult’, however I want to encourage you to keep looking unto JESUS the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross….Heb 12:2.

Our comforter, the Holy Spirit is always ever ready to help us when it seems we are falling, call for His help and strength today, for He says; His strength will be made perfect in our weakness (2Cor 12: 9)

SHALOM!

Heinsight Counsellor

Beloved please take this as a call to self examination, just as the scripture instruct us to do often to be sure we still in faith… [ 2Corinthians 13:5]

I am sure we do ‘know’ who a Christian is. However, we have made Christianity a religion and not a life style. Remember the word Christian was coined from: ‘Christ-like’.

But we have stereotyped all that attend Church services often or once a while as Christians. We have chosen to believe we are Christians once we identify and associates with a Church body.

We have accepted to be called Christians as a Title, and we have refused the onus that makes Christianity our entitlement: as exemplified to us by Christ.

We love the ‘egg yolk’ but detest cracking the egg. We forgot it is in cracking the egg we can get the yolk.

Many have opted to add Christianity to their profile, in order to win business contracts and favouritism from Christian Radicals.

Some even use Christianity as a title(I am a Christian brother… I am a Christian sister) to coy gullible ‘single & searching’ youths into marriage; because they know where the sugar pours there will the ants gather.

These and many more are very rampant in our ‘market places’ of life today. And our Christianity is now a two-face coin — a Christian in religion, but anti-Christian in character and life style.

How then can we get it right ? How then can this be checked?

This is simply by understanding Christianity is not a religious entitlement rather it is a culture — Jesus Culture.

It is a life style — the life style of Christ

It is a character — the character of the Son of God.

It is not MANY WAYS of living that pleases our respective situations. Rather, it is A WAY of living that answers the question — how would Jesus live if He was in your situation?

Don’t be deceived, any one that doesn’t strive to align his(her) character to that of Christ is not qualify to be called a Christian. By their fruit, ye shall know them…[Matthew 7:16-20].

Practical life style of Christ is what qualifies you and I to be called Christians.

Please hear this truth: what God forbid you from doing is an indication of what He will not do. And what He commands you to do, is a reflection of what He had done and will still do. Christ is a practical testament to this!

Therefore check it, if your character echoes scriptural injunctions or ‘religious demands’.
I pray we will not make a shipwreck of our faith in Jesus name. God bless you. SHALOM!