Yesterday, we established that
even though God is the creator of the heaven and earth, the maker and owner of
everything living and breathing or not, the father of all, there are still
people say are not his people.
The fact that you attend church
does not mean that you are one of God’s people. The fact that a person calls
him ‘Lord’ is not a guarantee that such a person belongs to God. Matthew 7:21
says “Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven…” Therefore, it is safe
to say that it is not all about being in the Church as good as it is to be, but
more importantly, it is the state of your heart and relationship with God.
Matthew 15:8 explains this further when it says “This people draweth nigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from
me.”
Does your confession that Jesus
is Lord align with your behavior in secret? When the lights are out and no one
is watching, will you still be the choir singer or evangelist that people know
you to be! Are you just a ‘mouth-Christian’ whom like Matthew 15:8 says draws
near to God with the mouth and honour God with the lips but your heart is a
long way from God?
I once heard of a story many
years ago of a seemingly devoted member of a church, a chorister in the church
who was sexually abusing his eight year old daughter. When this kind of person
would lead worship, it would feel like the heavens had come on him but after
service, when he gets home, it is a whole new ball game. The book of 2nd
Timothy 2:19 teaches profoundly; “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth
sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone
that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
It is unquestionable that not all
the people we see in church are God’s people. That notwithstanding, the Bible
says God desires to make them his people. He wants to be their father and He
wants them to call Him God (Hosea 1:13). This is not a case of pointing fingers
at other people, you who lays claim to being of Christ but still has an issue
of iniquity to settle, God is saying to you today, Depart from iniquity.
FURTHER READING: Hosea 2:23, Matt 15:7, Matt 7:21
PRAYER/CONFESSION: Oh Lord, by your grace i will serve you all the days of my life.
WORDS OF
WISDOM: Judgment
will begin from the church. Be wise, don’t be a cheap captive to iniquity.
Eagles Devotional is a daily revelatory and inspirational Publication by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the founder and presiding Pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, Nigeria.
African Broadcasting Network
Eagles Devotional: Ayo Oritsejafor Ministries (Word Alive Publications)
Comments
Post a Comment