Social Media and the social Christian

Keeping up with the frenzy of social media is fast becoming a herculean task for most people. More worrisome is the impact of this trend on an average Christian. 

Today, being social or sociable is measured by several  parameters, beginning from how many friends you have on Facebook, how many people are following you on Twitter, Google+ etc.

The point is, what do we really do with the 1000+ friends on Facebook, other than like their pictures and send birthday wishes? When we get on Twitter, what do we Tweet about? Should we really accept everyone’s friend request? 

I see respectable Pastors post 30 to 50 pictures of a Church service on Sunday afternoon after Church. Some of the pictures are intended to help us see how the Holy Spirit moved in the course of the service...nice! But sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t have been more impactful sharing highlights from the message that was preached. Are we really evangelising here? We all seem to be caught up in this ‘show me – see me’ band wagon. So, we are here sharing pictures, viewing pictures, liking and commenting where necessary, at the expense of several more important things in our lives.

Before you accuse me of judging you, I am also a culprit. How many hours, huh! (did I say hours)...I mean minutes do we really spend reading our Bibles? Is there such a thing as a time for meditation anymore? Sadly, the world is steering us in the wrong direction in the name success and knowledge. I see believers  typing ‘amen’ at a picture of pregnant women as a demonstration of their faith to get their own babies. Hmm...m! Who has it ever worked for? Find Bible passages that are relevant to your situation, read it, eat it, pray it and the creative power in the Word will come through for you. Anyway that’s the subject for another day.

There’s also the endless streams of WhatsApp messages and videos. One day, I spent close to two hours responding to WhatsApp messages. That’s when I started asking me questions.

My point dear friend is, most of us are wasting our destinies on social media. The devil wants to keep us at the level of the physical....enhanced pictures, flashy cars, fashion and all of them. Remember also that the things that are physical are temporal...flitting...ephemeral! 

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 NKJV

Please let us do more to invest in our spiritual lives. That’s where the power lives. That’s what will count in the end. Please as a matter of urgency, censor your social media time! 

#stayfocused

Christ is Risen! The tomb is empty!

Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” Mark 16: 2-7

May the power that raised Jesus from the grave set you free from every captivity of the wicked. All of the pain and shame of Calvary and His resurrection is to enable you and I walk in our dominion and authority.  
No matter how large that stone of limitation is, the Spirit of the Lord shall roll it away for you as you embrace His love today!

Happy Easter dear friend! 

The Purpose of the Cross

When the Cross is mentioned in  certain circles amongst Christians, all that come to mind is pain and agony. You get to hear someone say about a difficult spouse or child- ‘leave it, that’s my cross to bear’. To a lot of us indeed, the Cross is misunderstood as a symbol of defeat or ill-luck. There’s also the very interesting group that sees the Cross only as a symbol of Christianity. Such people put it on their door posts and use it as ornaments. 

The Cross is much more than all of those. It’s symbolic of Christ’s triumph over death and the grave. It’s the miraculous reconciliation of mankind to God. If you study the book of Leviticus; all that we were to keep doing in other to be in right standing with God, then you’ll better understand the purpose of the Cross. 

The death of Jesus is the once and for all sacrifice that released us from the bondage of atonement by the blood of bulls and goats. Sacrifices that were in themselves a futile effort to take away sins.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Hebrews 10:4

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, Hebrews 10:11-12

So powerful is this sacrifice that it not only redeems us but also secures our future. 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Cross represents our triumph over sin and the condemnation of the wicked. It’s a seal on our adoption (Gal. 4:5-6) and our access into the promise of the eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15).

As we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus this season, may the purpose and the power of the Cross find FULL manifestation in our lives!

Put the Word to Work

It’s one thing to receive a gift and quite another to know how to apply or put it to use. We’ve talked about following the example of Mary who went after the one thing that is needful. However, it’s possible to know the Word yet not know how much of it can produce our much needed results.


To make the Word work, we must have faith in the Word as God’s testament, otherwise it will not profit us anything.
 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. Hebrews 4:2 NKJV.
It is faith that translates the letters of the Bible into the Living Word of God and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is in our hands like the rod of Moses, waiting for us to have faith enough to put it down. It is only when we put it down by faith that it can swallow the snakes of the Egyptians.


Thirst for revelation! It’s very dangerous to get too familiar with the Word of God. When you get to that point when you think you know too much of the Word, it ceases to produce something fresh for you. Be expectant each time you approach God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit for something new- revelations, breakthrough...!
The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure. Psalm 119:162
The Psalmist's attitude to the Word was always that of someone who found great treasure. A heart like that will certainly encounter the power in the Word.
To receive revelation, you must also learn to meditate on the Word (Joshua 1:8).


Share the Word. God’s principle of giving and receiving works with the Word as it does with everything else. The power of the Word multiplies in our lives when we share it with the lost and seeking.
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Mark 16:20 NKJV


Action Point
Put the Word to work!

Does the Church have a culture?

Culture, we’ve been told is a people’s way of life. Also, that without culture, a people is bound to go into extinction.
Growing up, it was easy to tell a born-again Christian from an unbeliever. Christians dressed and talked in a certain way.

However, today with the advent of knowledge and illumination so falsely called, none of those can be seen amongst Christians anymore.  What really happened? Did we find out that it was wrong to choose to be identified by our appearance while making sure that our inner life reflected the nature of Christ? Is it still in a bid to let them ‘come as they are’? How did the Church become such a place where there are no standards anymore? Jennifer Hudson and five other superstars performed at the Shell energy innovation day – Best Day of my life Best day of my life. They were all dressed decently at their level. Our own Yemi Alade didn’t wear bum shorts. Jennifer’s outfit looked like something for a Church outing. The reason was because they know the culture around a corporate place like Shell.

It’s good that we found the ‘truth’ about wearing certain clothes or jewelleries but can’t we at least wear them as men and women professing godliness? 1 Timothy 2:10. How is it that Christians are the most careless of all the religious worshippers?

The culture of a people is the most potent tool of colonisation. Anytime you see a country that has been colonised by another, you would notice that they talk and dress like their colonial masters. That’s the reason I am writing this in English and not Igbo. Culture is important and from every indication, the world has colonised the Church.

In the movie industries around the world, in order to depict a certain character, costumes will be changed. That goes to affirm that the way we dress or look can be read as who we are.
It's really sad to see Pastors today wearing claws in the name of nail extensions, earrings that run all the way down to the collar bones, not to mention the display of cleavages. Men sag their pants in the Church! Yes, nothing wrong with all of those because it’s not written in the Bible but how would you interpret- Phil. 4:5: Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Moderation and modesty is our simple rule. I think that's the culture of the Church.
 
A lot of my friends fuss about islamization of Nigeria and other nations of the world and I always tell them this – “the situation that offers the platform for the islamization of any people has the same potential to bring about the Christianization. The difference is how much we are ready to stand for, or sell our identity. 

What we preach is not half as effective as how we live; our culture.

Please let's bring back the culture of the Church... our identity; who we are!

Gain is not godliness!

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Tim. 6:6-7 NKJV


In these days when Church meetings have become nothing other than a business summit, it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell which is the correct standard from God’s perspective- gain is godliness or godliness is gain.
I am not in the least opposed to messages on prosperity or the success of believers but I do not agree that any of those can equate to a right standing with God. The Bible says that godliness with contentment is great gain. It’s  important to note that contentment is a godly virtue so even when there is gain, without contentment, we are bound to continue in the vicious cycle of chasing the wind.
What’s my point? Let us make effort to pursue godliness as much as we pursue success or even more than we pursue these physical gains. Everyone of the fruits of these successes that we pursue so fervently these days, do not have eternal relevance.


For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark 8:36


This question of our Lord Jesus is more relevant today than at any other time. What are you chasing after? Have you put more premium on it than you have put on your soul? Please make effort to study the Bible for your self. The Word of God does not define gain as godliness. If gain were to be godliness then the Bill Gates and Dangotes of our time would be high priests.
It’s quite regrettable that we are taught today that affluence is equal to living right with God. It's a lie of the enemy to keep us where he wants us to be.
God wants us to prosper in all things but only as our souls prosper.


Prayer Point
Lord, please help me to pursue after godliness so that every other gain will be added to me.

One thing is NEEDFUL!

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” Luke 10:39-40 NKJV


The lesson from Martha and Mary’s encounter with our Lord Jesus on His visit to their home is so important for us today. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to hear His Word while Martha was busy trying to make sure that the Master was well entertained.
Martha was genuinely  busy, in fact she was the one who seemed to show reverence for our Lord yet the Bible calls it 'distraction'.


And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42


Today we have even more of those ‘many things’ that our Lord cautioned against. There are genuine and wonderful pursuits of our lives that are not necessarily ‘needful’ by God’s standard. While it’s not bad to give your best to your job, get more degrees/certificates, let us always bear in mind that all of those will be taken away from us.
Jesus described the Word as the ‘good part’ which will not be taken away from Mary. The Word bears such fruits that are not only relevant to us here, but all the way into eternity. His response to Martha is clearly a pointer to how much premium we ought to put on the Word.


Quite interestingly too, Mary’s decision to listen to the Word instead of entertaining the Master was her choice. Jesus could have called them both to come and sit, but He chose rather to let them choose what’s important.


Action Point
The choice is ours to make. Choose that ‘good part’ that will not be taken away from you.