IS JESUS CHRIST MISSING IN YOUR LIFE THIS CHRISTMAS?

IS JESUS CHRIST MISSING IN YOUR LIFE THIS CHRISTMAS?

A story was told of a boy whose parents organized a birthday party celebration for him at their residence. On the day of this celebration, many invited guests of great importance came over to celebrate with him. It is a great day of joy for the parents owing to the fact that the boy is the only child they have. At the cause of drinking, eating and jubilating, the little boy who happens to be the celebrant went out completely from the crowd of people that came to celebrate with him without anyone’s notice. Walking a little distance from the residential building where the party was taking place, the little boy was knocked down by an oncoming vehicle without anyone’s knowledge. This incident happened and yet no one knew about it. The parent of the boy alongside the invited guests were enjoying themselves without the celebrant in their midst. When they noticed he was not with them, they search all round the house, but could not find him. As they took a little walk from the building, they later found him dead outside. This shows that they have been celebrating with the celebrant through eating and drinking without the celebrant being in their midst. He was missing in their midst without them taking notice of it.

         From the story above, we can liken it to this present time of Christmas celebration where many people go about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ through Christmas Carol and other means, but have no consciousness of the celebrant in their lives. We live in a world where people prefer to celebrate the commemoration of Jesus’ birth, but Jesus whom they are commemorating is missing in their lives. This period is the time where Christmas carols are organized by schools, Churches, organizations, and even government, yet, Christ has not been made resident in the life of the people who call for such an invitation and those who are invited. But for you dear friend; has this Christmas celebration become a yearly routine in your life without having a clear-cut encounter of Jesus? If so, don’t celebrate with others by means of singing, dancing, eating, drinking, etc, without making sure that you have a right standing with God. Do you know that many years ago, Jesus at the age of twelve was missing in the midst of his parents – Joseph and Mary when they were returning from Jerusalem to Nazareth after the usual Passover celebration? The bible recorded that “Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. And When Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. They thought he was travelling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they start looking for him” (Luke 2:41-44). Check your life, has Christmas turned into a daily routine for you?

·         Christmas is not a mere routine festival or feast; it is the celebration of Christ’s birth by individuals who have the life of CHRIST in them.

The bible says, “Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. And When Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration…”  The first issue to draw out from the above bible quote is the fact that it was every year that Jesus’ parents normally attend this Passover feast in Jerusalem. If you actually notice again, you will realize that it was said that when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went for this usual festival celebration. This indeed is not far fetch from what Christmas celebration of our days has turned into. Christmas celebration has now become a yearly feast/festival where celebrations of many kinds take place. It has now become a yearly mere routine celebrated by individuals who have lost the actual essence of Jesus birth. Many have forgotten consciously or unconsciously the declaration made to Joseph in the dream when he was making intentions to break the engagement between him and the Virgin Mary. The bible says, “She will have a son, and you will name him Jesus-because he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).  So we see many people celebrating Christmas by feasting with friends in bear parlors, pepper soup joints, disco halls, sharing food to one another, drinking and eating, going from one place to another, and from one friend to another, visiting places of attractions and distractions, etc., without first allowing Jesus Christ (the celebrant) to save them from their sins. It is of no meaning spending much money, energy and time in the name of celebrating a flamboyant Christmas without having been purged from your sins by the celebrant (Jesus Christ). Dear friend, don’t make Christmas just a usual festival, it is actually beyond a mere routine feast as your think. Jesus’ parents didn’t go for this Passover celebration alone, they were accompanied by Jesus. It shows that you should not afford to celebrate this year’s Christmas through whatever means if you are not sure that Jesus is with you.       

·         Christmas is not celebrated with the assumption of being saved but celebrated with the assurance of Salvation.

Do you notice that Jesus’ parents used the word, “…they thought he was traveling with some people...” when they were returning back from Jerusalem to Nazareth. It points to me that Jesus’ parents thought he was journeying back home with them from Jerusalem to Nazareth after the festival was over. They never knew that they had left Jesus behind in Jerusalem. They journeyed for a while with the costly assumption that Jesus was with them, whereas, he was not with them. Could this not portray the happenings of our generation about Christmas celebration? For me, it does portray. You can see so many people celebrating Christmas with the assumption of been saved from sin, but are not. You can see how so many people have the knowledge about what Christmas means, and yet don’t know Jesus Christ who is the reason for the Christmas celebration. At this time, you will see so many born again Christians yielding to different temptations in the name of celebrating a flamboyant Christmas. Can you x-ray your life today and check whether you are journeying this Christian race with the assumption of been born again, and yet you not? If yes, it means that Jesus Christ is missing in your life. Have you been celebrating Christmas all this while without having received the celebrant into your life? If yes, it means that Jesus is missing in your life. Making assumption that Jesus Christ is with you is a pointer to the fact that he is actually not with you. Could it be to this point in your life that you have been fooling many people around you that you are born again? Why could this be true? It is true because you still engage in secret sin, sexual immorality, fornication, willful lies and deceit, among several other evil things. It is indeed a costly assumption to be perpetually living in sin and yet claim to be a child of God. If a man is not sure of his salvation, it is a pointer that he needs Jesus into his life. Having a double thought of your salvation may shows that Jesus Christ has not fully taken his full place in your life. On that milieu dear reader, do not keep dying in silence. You need to open up to the celebrant (Jesus Christ) to help you. King David could not hold back this matter when he knows he has gone off track. The bible says, “Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I keep silence before I confessed. my bones wasted away through my groaning all the daylong” (Psalm 32:2-3). If you have not come to this point like King David did, I did. Anytime I hide any wrong deed committed against God, I become worn out all day long until I open up to Him. It is thereafter that I can get relieve and peace. What about you? Don’t go on covering your evil deeds with Church activities, or praying in tongues, or giving tithes and offerings etc when you have not settled the real issue with God. You need to open up to Master Jesus now those troubling issues of your life in order to find help as you go on to celebrate Christmas this season.       

·         Christmas celebration will be meaningful if and only if you acknowledge that Jesus is no longer with you.

If you follow the story very well, you will affirm to the fact that Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem while his parents went ahead to travel back home.  “…After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city…” The matter to note at this point is the fact that if Jesus’ parents never knew that they had left Jerusalem without Jesus company, but later realized in the cause of their journey back home that Jesus was not with them, the best thing they did was to begin to look for him and not just to continue their journey. The bible said, “… and they went a whole day before they start looking for him…” One thing that ignited my happiness concerning Jesus’ parents at this point was their realization to the fact that Jesus was not with them. This realization halted their journey to Nazareth, and they started looking for Jesus. The how far they had gone could not deceive them to continue without Jesus. They could not afford to continue their journey with such a costly assumption. A search for Jesus began. No matter how far a man has travelled on the path of sin, ignorance, and wickedness, it is never too late for him to begin to look or search for Jesus into his life when he acknowledges he is sinner. If you thought you were having a cordial relationship with Jesus, but later discovered that you were been religious, and just assuming, the right thing to do is begin to seek for Jesus rightly. There is no excuse for you to escape the search for Jesus immediately you discover that you were journeying with a costly assumption. What I mean is that, there is no need for you to continue living the life of sin and sorrow once you discover that you wrongly assumed your salvation. Dear friend, don’t go on just living your life when you still engage in masturbation, deliberate telling of lies, stealing, lust, drunkenness, smoking, etc. You must cry unto to Lord for help. Do not go on your life without settling the issues of sin right away; you must acknowledge that you are not okay. Can you take the step King David took when he says “I acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord {continually unfolding the past till all is told} then You {instantly} forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5). Don’t be like this old man who after we have preached to him one time about Jesus Christ said to us that “he has gone too far for him to accept Jesus Christ now”. Please, don’t follow the trend of others who equally say that it does not matter; the Lord understands. Don’t also join the likes of others who have decided to keep managing their life in sin even after they know that they are walking in error.  You will enjoy this Christmas if only you can x-ray your life and see where there is need to acknowledge your sin before your maker and thereafter take necessary steps to begin to look for Him.

·         Christmas will be meaningfully celebrated if only you can trace and return to where you left Jesus Christ.

The sincere truth about the search for Jesus is that, outside Him we cannot find Him. The knowledge of where I have fallen off the track will ease me the stress of going about in search of Jesus in the wrong direction. The bible says, “They thought that he was with the group, so they travelled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends. They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem” (Verse 44-45).  You will notice that in the bid of looking for Jesus, his parents went straight to their relatives and friends instead of going directly to Jerusalem where they had left him. In reality, no man can search for Jesus in a wrong place with the hope of finding him. The same is application in our world today. We see people living in sin, doing all manner of evil and atrocities only to end up telling their friends what they did so as to get help. We see people cheat in exam hall, steal money at whatever level they found themselves only to end up in discussion amongst friends. We see people say that they need God to help them stop sexual immorality, lust, secret sins, masturbation, but after doing such an act, it ends up in discussion with friends who can never help them. In the bid to look for Jesus, you must first and foremost know that no man can save you from your sin except Jesus. You must also know at this point where you have left Jesus. Ask yourself this question: Where have I left Jesus? No matter the effort you exert in finding Jesus into your life, if you do not come to Him with sincerity, you will ever be disappointed. Nobody sincerely looks for Jesus and ever get disappointed. For as long as you are not ready to point to Jesus where you have wronged him and sincerely seek him; you will ever continually be disappointed. Can you take a further step to point out to Jesus where you have left him so that you can find him correctly? You will notice in verse 46 that Jesus was found in the temple in Jerusalem among Doctors where he sat listening and asking question. “On the third day they found him in the temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions” (verse 46) You will agree with me that the effort and labour exerted by Jesus’ parents in searching for Jesus did not help them in finding Jesus as quick as possible until they return back to Jerusalem - they place where they left him. They could not have found Jesus if they had continue to search for him among friends and relatives. They step they took by going back to Jerusalem where they had left him hastened and fastened the search for Jesus. This Christmas celebration is not a moment of looking for Jesus wrongly, you must trace “your own Jerusalem” in order to facilitate the finding of Jesus Christ. Could your own Jerusalem be that small pepper soup joint where you went and drank alcoholic drink to stupor? Could yours be the unimaginable things you are prone to do whenever you get angry? Could yours be your office/place of work where you do so many secret diversion of money and thereafter cover it up? Could your own be that lust that has caused you to fall prey of sexual intercourse/immorality? Could your own be that film that exposes all naked women and men, and you watch so comfortably (Pornography)? Could your own be an addiction that takes away your attention from the celebrant - Jesus? Could your own be that group of friends who whenever you are with, you lose your peace? Could your own be a relationship that you are convicted is not under the leadership of God Almighty? Could your own be that result or certificate that you brag about knowing quite well that it was obtained through cheat and malpractice? Whatever your Jerusalem may be, you must trace it and return there in order to settle such a matter once and for all this season of Christmas. I must say at this point that it does not matter the number of days you fast and pray, so long you do not open up and cry out to JESUS where you have fallen, you will be exerting a fruitless labour in search of the celebrant (Jesus Christ) this Christmas. Dear friend; where did you left Jesus? Go back there and you will find him. Jesus is waiting for you where you left him. For as long as he did not move an inch from Jerusalem where his own parents left him, he will not move a bit from where you have left him either. To buttress this matter further, I must at this point digress a little to the story of the Recovery of  the Axe Head in 2 Kings Chapter 6:1-7 where one of the prophets in which Elisha was in charge of them had his iron axe head fallen into the water when he was cutting down a tree. Here what he said immediately the axe head fell into the water.  …What shall I do, sir?” he exclaimed to Elisha. “It was a borrowed ax!” (2 Kings 6:5b) The response he received was: “Where did it fall?” Elisha asked. The man showed him the place, and Elisha cut off a stick, threw it in the water, and made the axe head float. “take it out,” he ordered, and the man bent down and picked it up. (2 Kings 6:6-7). If you noticed, the prophet realized that his axe head fell into the water and quickly cried to Elisha. He did not pretend, but cried out. And if you noticed again, you will realize that a question was thrown to him ...where did it fall? He did not beat around the bush to answer such a question but went straight away to show Elisha the place the axe head fell. It was when he showed Elisha the place the iron axe head fell that Elisha was able to help him. I must say at this point that if you don’t get serious looking for Jesus, you will not find him. This matter of where have you fallen is critical. No wonder Jesus’ parents could not pretend; they had to travel back to Jerusalem in search of Jesus when they could not find him among friends and relatives. I thank God they did find Him at last. What about you: have you found Jesus or he is still missing in your life? Dear friend, can you check your life properly; where have you fallen short of God’s glory? Or possibly you have not, but have plan on doing one evil or the other to please people around you this season. If that is your case, resist from it now. Can you check your life, is Jesus journeying with you as you claim to be traveling back home (heaven). If no, don’t waste any time, take a good step to look for him correctly. Are you deliberately falling and rising in your Christian life, it could be an indication that Jesus is already missing in your life. The bible says in Psalm 46:5 that “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” If Jesus is with you, it shows that you have key in to the prophecy as was announced to Joseph by the angel of the Lord about the Virgin Mary. The bible says, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matt 1:23). Is God with you? Is God within you? If no, please come to Jesus. If you come sincerely to Jesus, he will never disappoint you. The reason why possibly you may not have encountered Jesus properly may be because you have not looked for Him with seriousness. The bible says that, “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed” (Jer. 29:13). Jesus is not a disappointer of those who seek to find him correctly. Seize this opportunity to come to Jesus now.   

·         Christmas is not the moment of feasting through eating and drinking but doing the Father’s business.

The response Jesus gave to his parent when they have found him is an indication that there is a business of the Master that every one of us needs to be occupied with till he comes. The bible says, “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.” (Luke 2:49-50). Christmas season has become a moment where people focus on feasting on the food that perishes forgetting about the reason for the season. Jesus Christ is the reason for Christmas and not food and drinks. Christmas celebration will be meaningful if you focus on feasting on the Word of God and thereafter preaching Jesus to others. But the question is, how can you preach the Word when you don’t have the Word in your life? That is why “You must remove the old yeast of sin so that you will be entirely pure. Then you will be like a new batch of dough without any yeast, as indeed I know you actually are. For our Passover Festival is ready, now that Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us celebrate our Passover, then, not with bread having the old yeast of sin and wickedness, but with the bread that has no yeast, the bread of purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:7- 8) The Father’s business cannot be done when you still have the old yeast of sin in your life. Yeast is anything that has the capacity of hindering and tempering your relationship with God. Yeast is that little foxes that if you don’t cut off from your life will spoil your relationship with Master Jesus. Yeast is that weight (s) in your life that you must lay aside if you intend to run this race correctly. What is that old yeast of sin in your life that you must remove this period? Don’t hesitate, cut it off. The Living Bible puts verse 8 this way, “So let us feast upon him and grow strong in the Christian life, leaving entirely behind us the cancerous old life with all its hatreds and wickedness. Let us feast instead upon the pure bread of honor and sincerity and truth.” (1 Cor. 5:8). Dear friend, Jesus is what we need to celebrate, and long to know during this period of Christmas. We should not focus on partying around without having a correct time to study the celebrant (Jesus) and preach Him. Don’t be afraid to preach Christ during this season. Or possibly you are fearful that people will see you engaging in telling people about Christ on a Christmas day and make mockery of you. Oh oh.. don’t worry about their worries and mockeries. They may not understand that you are heeding to the Fathers business as Jesus’ parents could not understand the statement of Jesus when he said that, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49).  In this season of Christmas, “...don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you...”  That Son of Man is Jesus, and I perceive Him saying to you that “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).   

·         Christmas is celebrated with Christ; outside Christ, Christmas Celebration amounts to Crisis and Catastrophe.       

The truth is that Christmas with Christ is the real celebration; for outside Christ is crisis and catastrophe. For your Christmas to be celebrated joyously, make sure that Jesus is with you. Jesus is ever willing to follow anyone who seeks him. The genuineness of my seeking for Jesus will cause Jesus to respond to me. The bible says that “So Jesus WENT back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favour with God and people” (Luke 2: 51-52) You will notice that it was from the genuine search for Jesus that Jesus’ parents found him. When they found Jesus, no matter the Father’s business that he was engaged in, he had to respond by journeying back with them to Nazareth. Jesus is often willing to abide in a life that sincerely seeks him. I must say at this point that the sincerity of your search for God to forgive you shows how He will respond to you. Jesus does not despise those who diligently seek him. If Jesus’ parents could look for Jesus in sorrow in order that he will journey back with them to Nazareth, what about you? I can see how sometimes we just approach God with a casual heart, casually praying for Him to forgive us. This perhaps shows how unserious we are to allow God journey with us. For others, they come to Church with their tithes, fat offerings, donate big sum of money during launchings, and may finance some projects for the Church thinking that through these Jesus Christ will be with them. I don’t think any of these will replace the genuine way we need to approach God’s throne to seek for him. No matter how sacrificial we are, it can’t replace a broken and repentant heart if we must seek Jesus to go with us. Do you remember that the bible says, “The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart” (Psalms 51:17) How is your life presently? Jesus is ready to turn to your direction and go along with you this Christmas if only you will be a sincere seeker of him. Jesus never overlooks nor despises true seekers. As I digress a little, why do you think Jesus interrupted his journey in order to attend to Zacchaeus when he saw him on the Sycamore tree? It was because he saw a true seeker who had resolvedly sought to see Him who he was. Zacchaeus despite his status in the society seriously sought to see Jesus who he was. Dear, if Zacchaeus; a well known chief tax collector of his time could humble himself to seek Jesus wholeheartedly, I wonder why you are still moving about lost without sincerely coming to Jesus to save you. Are you lost of the right direction to go? Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Come to Jesus and you will find the right direction to follow. It is only in Christ that our Christmas celebration will be meaningfully celebrated. Less I forget, it does not end in only receiving Jesus into your life, you must seek to be obedient to him and yearn to grow in the knowledge of God. As Jesus grew both in body and wisdom, we are expected to grow unto maturity trusting that as he resides in our lives, we will gain favour with our Father in heaven and with the people here on earth.

Christmas is here again! But the questions to unearth are: how is your life? What are your plans during the cause of this celebration? Have you planned to celebrate big when you have not answered correctly the state of your relationship with the celebrant? Don’t be like the parent of the little boy along with those invited guests who went about eating and drinking without the celebrant (little boy) with them as illustrated in the story given above. As for you, do you tell lies consciously? Do you disobey at all times to both people above you and the Word of God? Do your watch pornographic pictures or films? Do you have a boy friend or girl friend that has at a point led you both to misbehave with each other? Do you cheat others? Do you masturbate? Do you lust after the opposite sex? Do you wear short skirt or open the button of your cloth to entice people? Do you engage in secret sin? Do you smoke or/and drink alcoholic drink to stupor? Are you into relationship that is ungoldly? Do you boast of your achievement before others? Do you have pride and confidence in what you are or what you have achieved? Do you steal or cheat? Are your seeking material things at the expense of seeking Jesus? Do you organize exam malpractice for others? Are you still having desire for the lust of the eyes and of flesh? Do you engage in sexual immorality?  Are you addicted to something that takes your concentration away from Jesus? Etc.  All these are questions thrown to you to check your life and respond to Jesus quickly. This is because if you fall into any of these categories and have not confessed and forsaken them, it clearly shows that Jesus is missing in your life. The truth about this is that, it does not matter how far you have gone.  Come to Jesus and you will find rest for your soul. Do not be like Jesus’ parent who did not went straight to Jerusalem to search for Jesus, but went to their relatives and friends, thereby wasting three days before they found Jesus. You cannot find salvation in your friends or your relatives but only in Jesus Christ. If you doubt whether you are born again, it then shows that you are not born again. Humble yourself just like Nicodemus did when he went to Jesus at night to clear this matter of his salvation once and for all. Without Jesus in your life, the celebration of Christmas carol is meaningless. Remember that Christmas carol celebration without having a clear-cut encounter with Christ is Crisis. Don’t live a crisis life when you can confess to Jesus even right now. Do you know that the bible says, “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.” (Prov. 28:13).

          It is only when you come to Jesus Christ that you will have rest. The bible says, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Dear friend, do you want rest from sin and sickness, do you want rest from deliberate rising and falling life, do you want rest in your academic, do you want rest from pride, cheating, masturbation, addiction, sexual immorality, lust, anger, drunkenness, ungodly relationship, pornography, jealousy, filthy and indecent actions, disobedient. The answer is found in Jesus Christ. Confess your sin today and forsake them, God will show you mercy by forgiving you. Perhaps, you don’t want to keep such a secret life of sin any longer to yourself, you can open up (sharing) to Godly people who can help you (i.e. to your pastor or elderly ones in the Lord) Don’t celebrate Christmas or any Christmas Carol this year without Jesus.

God Bless you.      

 

THE GREAT ELECTION DAY!

WHO WILL YOU VOTE?

The political activity in Nigeria today is not news anymore to Nigerians and to those outside the boundaries of Nigeria. The talk of the town is obviously the election day. We have heard so many campaign speeches from political gladiators. We have heard so much promises and plans to be accomplished by political contenders if given the opportunity to be elected into power. The expectation of this year’s election in Nigeria is very high. But the question is that; who will be the winner?

            The question above which says, who will be the winner? is far viewed beyond the political perspective of Nigeria’s election. It is worthy to note that as humans we elect who guides and reigns over us on daily basis, as a result, makes election an indispensable matter as we journey to eternity. As good as it is to partake in this forthcoming election, it is also important to make a deliberate effort to make a vote of who will lead your life all the way till Jesus Christ comes back. As good as it is to vote the person God is impressing in your heart during this forthcoming election, it is also important to cast your vote for or against who will reign over you till Jesus returns back. The election I am driving at outweighs political election. The election is between JESUS and SATAN, and the result of this election has eternal consequences.  

To be more direct on what I am driving at, let me cast our minds back to what happened over 2000 years ago in Jerusalem where it was incumbent on the Roman governor to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd at every Passover Festival. On that fateful day, the Pilate took a vote for those who are in favour of Jesus Christ and those who are in favour of Barabbas when he asked the crowd this question, “…which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matt. 27:16b). Could you pause at this point and ask yourself this question; if it were me, what will be my response to the question raised by Pilate? Before going further to look at the response of the crowd to this question, it is important for us to have a clear picture of these two (2) personalities; Jesus and Barabbas. For Barabbas, he was a well known prisoner at that time. He was a notorious prisoner, who happened to have been convicted of murder. For Jesus, He is the savior of the world, who went around doing good, preaching the gospel, and healing the sick. Ordinarily, from these two persons, one will vote for Jesus. But to my greatest dismay, the crowd choosed Barabbas over Jesus even when Pilate tried all he could to make them understand that Jesus is innocent. For Pilate to really confirm the choice of the crowd, he further “…asked the crowd, “Which one of these two do you want me to set free for you?” “Barabbas!” they answered.” (Matt. 27:21).  To have a clear understanding of what Pilate further asked and how the crowd finally casted their vote on that day, the bible says, “What, then, shall I do with Jesus called the Messiah?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they all answered. But Pilate asked, “What crime has he committed?” Then they started shouting at the top of their voices: “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that it was no use to go on, but that a riot might break out, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am not responsible for the death of this man! This is your doing!” The whole crowd answered, “Let the responsibility for his death fall on us and on our children!” Then Pilate set Barabbas free for them; and after he had Jesus whipped, he handed him over to be crucified.” (Matt. 27: 22-26) What baffles me was there shout “Let Him (Jesus) be crucified” and insist that Barabbas be set free. Ooooh! what a vote. The way the gospel of Mark puts this kind of vote when Jesus was brought before the high priests and whole council clearly shows that the question of who will you vote? is a personal decision to make. The bible says, “The High priest tore his robes and said, “we don’t need any more witnessed! You heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” they all voted against him, he was guilty and should be put to death.” (Mark 14:64). The same opportunity given to the crowd then to choose between Jesus and Barabbas is the same opportunity given to us every day we have the privilege to live to vote who should guide us. The question to unearth as one is granted opportunity to live is this; have I voted Jesus into my life as to permanently remain my candidate till he returns or have I voted other things to reign over my life? This question calls for you to personally answer.     

            The scenario given above also depicts the state of our world today. The privilege given to a man to live, avail with it the need for that man to choose between Jesus and the devil. The truth is that if you are not for Jesus, you are against him. There is no lukewarmness in this matter. No wonder Rev. 3:16 settles this matter when it says, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!” This election I am driving at is beyond been neutral in your vote. It is not a matter of standing on the fence. It has to be a clear cut vote for Jesus or against Jesus. For neutrality, Governor Pilate tried it, but he didn’t succeed. You can either receive Jesus or reject Jesus; there is no two ways about it. Beloved, it is critical to note that critical matters are not treated less critically. Therefore, don’t take the counsel of voting Jesus as your Lord and personal savior lightly. This election between Jesus and the devil is actually between life and death. “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (Deut. 30:19).  Choosing life simply means that you have voted Jesus (Son of God) into your life. This was made much clearer when the bible says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. I have written in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” (I John 5:12). Do you sincerely have Jesus living in your life at the moment? If no, today avail an opportunity for you to do so.

In a more practical perspective, I must admit to you this truth that on daily basis, people wrongly or wisely vote. In our present world, we can see how people are choosing pleasure, position, fame, money, and many other things that have no heavenly benefit, at the expense of accepting Jesus into their lives. This is but a foolish vote against Jesus. Nowadays, there is no much talk of God anymore. People call the name of the devil even more than the name of Jesus. The messages that go on in our Churches simply shows much emphasis of how people must make it in life at the expense of preaching Christ and Him crucified. People are running helter skelter labouring for the food that perishes, but despising Jesus who is actually the bread of life. There is no consciousness of eternity in people’s heart any longer. All these suggest the fact that people are voting against Jesus Christ.  It is very pertinent to note that everyman will end up in any of these two (2) destinations; heaven or hell. The person you choose to follow today while on earth will determine who you will end up with tomorrow. Those who vote Jesus consciously into their life will certainly end up with him tomorrow. But those who vote for the devil consciously or unconsciously to control their thought, choice and action will end up with him tomorrow. The best thing is to meet up with the entry requirement into heaven; which is by consciously deciding to be born again. There is only one way to heaven; it is by voting Jesus into your life today. There is no any other name under heaven give among men by which we must be saved. Jesus told Thomas back then that “…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Don’t look for Jesus wrongly for such wrongly search for Jesus will never grant you access to the Father.

            God has never forced a man to vote him. Political leaders might campaign rigorously in order to give you good reasons to vote for them; but for Jesus, He only spells out the implication of you not following him. Everybody is a follower of something. What have you been following till now? For you to matter in the sight of politicians, you need to get closer to them; invariably, for you to matter in the sight of God, and in time and eternity, you need to vote Jesus into your life and get closer to him. The vote as earlier stated is between Jesus and Satan which determines life and death. The ballot box is set before you today; who will you vote? In your day to day activities, you can either be voting for Jesus or against Jesus. There will be a day of accountability, what account will you render to God on the last day of the life you lived here on earth? As good as it is to vote in the forthcoming presidential, senatorial, and governorship election in Nigeria, it is much more important to vote for Jesus and make Him your permanent candidate such that in tough and persecuted times, you will hold on to Him till he comes back. It does not matter the sin that has separated you from voting Jesus before now, the call of heaven is that “..the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7) and He is offering us an invitation in Isaiah 1:18 which says, “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” This important choice of voting Jesus into your life does not warrant any accreditation of “PVC” before you elect. It does not mean that if you don’t have PVC you cannot vote. It does not necessitate you queuing on the line for hours before you vote. It may surprise you also that this decision of been born again does not come by pronouncement or declaration made unto you through any medium; television or radio. It is for you to personally decide by confessing your sins and forsaking them, and thereafter following Jesus in His step. Joshua understood the necessity of this voting when he said, “…choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”(Joshua 24:15). As for you dear reader, who will you vote; Jesus or other things?

It is worthy to note that making Jesus your candidate permanently until he returns has with it a reward that cannot be compared with any reward that is accruable to you when you vote for, campaign for, argue for, and/or even died for any political candidate. Political leaders might come out smiling and making promises to you to vote for them with their personal interest in view, but Jesus will never call you into this new life to make airy nothing of you, instead, He calls you to help you. Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Gal. 6:7). Follow Jesus today and you will be on your way to life. A man back then wanted to follow Jesus, but has the intention to settle other things he consider important, Jesus responded by spelling out the need for him to seize that day. The bible says, “Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.” Jesus said, No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Luke 9:62). Your choice/vote today has eternal consequences because it will actually matter in time and eternity. Voting for your right choice in this forthcoming election in Nigeria may not have eternal consequences on your person, but voting for or against Jesus has eternal consequences on you. Vote wisely by accepting Jesus into your life today to secure a better place in eternity. Who will you allow to win over your life today; Jesus Christ or the devil? May God bless us all, amen.             

“God loves you the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus” (Max Lucado)

THE CROWN OF LIFE.....

THE PRIZE OF VICTORY

The price to pay for victory paves way for the prize of victory. We cannot access life as the prize of victory if we have not paid the price for victory. There is no victory in a battle without a fight. There is no success without passing though failures. There is no overcoming without passing through ups and down. There is no victory therefore without a price. In reality, many people want to be victorious in life, but not everybody wants to pay the price. Are you willing to pay the price in order to access the prize?

            There is no doubt that nobody wants to associate with failure. An athlete in a race does not run for nothing, he runs with the mindset of winning the crown. A warrior preparing for battle will nurse nothing else but victory. A student preparing for exams will expect nothing else but the best. Everyone desires to get success as an end result but only few know that there is something that needs to be done in order to access this success. There is a goal for us to reach, are you running focus-ly towards it or you are walking aimlessly towards it? For Apostle Paul, he said, “I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.” (Philippians 3:14). When you have not acknowledged that there is a crown for you to win, it will be dicey to get access to the crown.

“Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize. Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever.” (1 Cor. 9:24-26) Apostle Paul uses a victory crown for winning a race as a parallel to running and winning the race of life. The crown and wreath are used to describe the prize, but how long would the victory crown of a winning athlete remain fresh and green? Not for very long. This is because it would soon shrivel and thereafter lost its value/worth. BUT, the prize of victory I am driving at in this write up is eternal. It is based on Gods own eternal word. The question is, what is your crown? What do you want to be successful at? Is it at riches, fame, wealth, material possessions, etc. all will soon fade in glory? There is a victory crown which can last forever, will you be ready to pay the price to access it?

            Many years ago, a crown was placed on Jesus’ head by the soldiers shortly before the crucifixion. That crown was the ‘victory crown of thorns’ which many say is the most unusual victory crown of all time. Many people at that time most especially the soldiers mocked Jesus and believed that the battle is over and that Jesus has lost. Three (3) days later after His crucifixion, Jesus won many victories by fulfilling the prophecies concerning His life, accomplishing His mission/purpose for which he was sent to this world, and he also defeated death. Oh dear reader, for this reason, I am positively green/sure that Jesus will come back again to take those who are faithful to Him. He is at the right hand side of the father with a wear of a heavenly crown which the enemies could not have stopped. Are you ready for his coming? Are you living with heaven in view? If he comes today, will you follow him? These are questions you must unearth as you journey through life to eternity. 

            The Christian race is not without its suffering and ups and down, yet God expects us to be faithful to the end. There would be a testing period which I often refer to as the wilderness experience period. Remember that this wilderness experience period won’t last long; it is just for a while. There will be trials and temptations, challenges and tribulations on the way, but you need to be faithful to God even to the point of death. If this prize of victory will cost you your life, please never quit and never fear the suffering you will pass through before being crowned by the righteous judge “at that day” (day of judgement). The bible says “Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory. (Revelation 2:10)

            What actually is this prize of victory and to whom would it be given to? From Revelation 2:10 quoted earlier, the prize of victory is the crown of life. It will interest you to know that the believers are eternally rewarded by Jesus at the judgement seat of Christ with rewards for being faithful to the end and a reward for loving Jesus to the end. These crowns and rewards are the “crown of righteousness (loved the Lord’s appearing), incorruptible crown (disciplined bodies/self control), crown of life (endure patiently through trials), crown of glory (godly leaders who were examples to flock), and crown of rejoicing (soul winners)”. How you live your life here on earth determines the reward you will get on that day.  There is a reward for those who win the race. There is a reward for the overcomers. My dear readers note that Jesus will surely award us with the crown of righteousness if we run this race successfully to the end. Please, don’t give up so soon.

            If you are not aware of these crowns, you may get tired of suffering for the Lord. There is crown if only we wait patiently to the end. The phrase ‘The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer ten days…” (Rev. 2:10) simply suggests that there will be a time where you might think you are in a prison for living a righteous life, but just know that it is for a short moment as signified from the phrase ‘ten days’ which clarifies how short the testing moment would be. Please endure patiently for James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” How much love do you have for God? A question you must not leave unanswered as you journey to eternity.

            How then can you live your life in such a way as to be given life as the prize of victory? The first step in reality is by being born again. There is possibility of accessing life as the prize of victory by accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal savior through repentance. In our generation, we have many people who claim to be born again; yet, their lives don’t show forth the life of Christ. Being born again is not an improvement of your character or morality; it is a new life that Christ Himself gives. Do you know what the new birth experience really means? The bible says “This means that ANYONE who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Dear reader, do you have the new birth experience? If no, today is an opportunity for you to accept Jesus as you Lord and personal savior.  Jesus has actually paid the price for your salvation on the cross of Calvary. “You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for by Christ); then do not yield yourselves up to become (in your own estimation) slaves to men (but consider yourselves slaves to Christ) (1 Cor. 7:23). Jesus is waiting for your response. To access life as the prize of victory, you must remain faithful even when facing death. To ensure victory, you must exercise self control, practice self discipline, fix your eyes on Jesus, focus on the race’s end and run with endurance, never grow weary in waiting for Jesus’ return, loving God with the whole of your heart, and then keeping His commandments.

            Eternal life in itself is a victory crown, and that death loses its victory in Christ. For the faithful, even death brings life; thus, do not be afraid of suffering for Christ. Jesus suffered death so that we might live eternally. “There is a blessing on the man who undergoes testing; because, if he has God's approval, he will be given the crown of life, which the Lord has said he will give to those who have love for him.” (James 1:12) Jesus is our salvation. We must not get tired persevering for the Lord and we must not get tired loving Jesus. If we don’ get tired, victory is sure in the end. As the hymn rightly puts it, “O victory in Jesus, my saviour forever. He sought me, and bought me, with His redeeming blood.” That’s it…so we could have overcome the world. So we could rejoice forever with crowns that do not fade.” In want to conclude with what Apostle Paul said many years ago, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have served the Lord faithfully. Now, a prize is waiting for me - the crown that will show I am right with God. The Lord, the judge who judges rightly, will give it to me on that Day. Yes, he will give it to me and to everyone else who is eagerly looking forward to his coming.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). May God grant us help us to run this race in such a way as to receive these crowns at the end of our race in Jesus name, Amen.

“If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.”

(Apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians 15:19)