What is your Excuse?
272,000 of 7.7 million people in London are considered to be Born Again Christians. A number I recently came to know from a teaching I heard. Shocking isn’t it?
Reflecting on this teaching and the numbers gave me some cause for concern in sense that I was made aware on how much work still needs to be done in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. If you are like me, it is probably something we shy away from, hoping that we live good enough lifestyles where the impression of us as Christ followers does the talking more that our lips should.
I find that most times there is always a comfortable excuse for not actively winning souls for God bearing in mind that the bible does say that those who win souls are wise. A lot of excuse range from past mistakes, experience, culture, personality, dispositions, limitations and understanding.
Let us look at a few good excuses from some people that God still used irrespective. My interpretations of their excuses yet God saw them fit for purpose.
Peter- Had anger issues that one time, his anger made him cut off someone’s ear
David- Scheming and a conniving adulterer who murdered for his lust
Moses- Struggled with stuttering and anger
Gideon- Didn’t think he was good enough and suffered insecurity issues
Noah- Mr Noah had issues with being drunk with too much wine
Jonah- He wasn’t bothered about anyone, so he did a runner from responsibilities set for him
Mary- She got her kick from being a worrier
Sarah- wanted things to be done her own way at her own time and that made her impatient
Paul- We know Paul hated Christians and did all he can to wipe them away from the face of the earth
So what is your excuse?
I am learning that God doesn’t use perfect people, He doesn’t make mistakes and He doesn’t waste his resources. God is the God of hearts and he alone equips to do the work. What we need to do is stop looking at the imperfect and look at what actually works within us. God is the transformer and the owner of all, so rather than focus on our limitations or whatever reason, why not look at what you have and let God use that seemingly insignificant to cause a significant impact for the kingdom.
J. Moss’s song titled ‘We must Praise’ says no matter who we are, no matter your vocation, your limitations, your gifting or lack of it, we must praise. If God created you, you have something to do for him.
Do you remember Mr Zacchaeus? The bible described him as being petite, or challenged in his height. He learnt Jesus was coming to town and decided to climb a tree so he can at least see the great man Jesus and guess what? Jesus noticed him and it was in Zacchaeus’s home that Jesus decided to visit and have dinner.
What we see as excuses is actually what God can use. Remember God doesn’t think like we do or analyse like we do, HE IS NOT MAN!
272,000 out of 7.7 million are born again Christians in London, that is a wake up call for us all to see beyond ourselves and share the good news of gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I ask again, WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?
Get a Life!
While reflecting on my achievements and what I am yet to achieve, I came across this article which I hope will make you think like it made me. It is an advice from novelist Anna Quindlen at a university graduation ceremony, here goes-
Don’t confuse your life with your work. What you are will always be more important than what you do. There will be many others with your same degree, doing what you want to do, maybe doing it better. But you have sole custody, not only of your life, but of your mind and of your heart.
It’s easier to write a resume than craft a spirit or build a character. And a resume is cold comfort when you are sad, broke, lonely or you have received back the test results and they are not so good. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I make my marriage vows mean something. I pray. I’m good to my friend, because without them I’d be a cardboard cut-out.
Get a life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion or bigger paycheque or larger house. Do you really think you’d care about those things if you had a suspected stroke or found a lump in your breast?
‘Get a life’ in which you are generous. All of you want to do well but if you don’t do good, doing well will never be enough. ‘Do it right the first time because life’s not a dress rehearsal. Discover God’s will for you and give yourself unreservedly to it. Live with the end in view; the final graduation when you’ll want to hear the words ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant‘. Matthew 25:21 (NIV)
Source: The Overcoming Series by United Christian Broadcasters (UCB)
If being a Christian was a crime, will you get convicted?
Like most people, I enjoy watching dramas that have a court case type setting in it’s script. It intrigues me the way the lawyers bring their cases forward with evidence for or against and the tasking job on the jurors to decide, based on evidence and closing argument, if the accused is innocent or guilty of the crime. It’s hard to tell sometimes that these are actors actually.
In the real world, court cases also play out like we see in the movies only difference is the crime is real and the prosecution is also real. I attended a lunch time bible study and we all discussed about various characters, habits and behaviors we see today and sadly most of us testified that such seemingly negative behaviors are prevalent amongst us Christians. (A marvel why most of Apostle Paul’s letters were addressed to the churches right?) It got me thinking and evaluating so many aspects of my life in relation to warnings Apostle Paul wrote to the churches.
The bible says in Mathew 5;16 (paraphrased) that let your light so shine before men that they (the men/women/people/community/nation) may see your good deeds and praise your father who is in heaven. So I asked myself,’ If any one sees me (my actions, reactions, behavior, opinions), will they immediately or easily be motivated to serve God or will they turn and run the complete opposite direction?
“By their fruits you shall know them” is another verse from the book of Mathew that shows that people of a ‘certain kind’ produce fruits of a ‘certain kind’. It all adds up doesn’t it?
So imagine this court case scenario (you need to imagine to get the gist here)- you are brought into court and accused wrongly however the Judge decides that to set you free, your lawyer needs to produce evidence that shows you are a Christian. What do you think your conviction will be based on the evidence you have? Get the picture?
My point is this- how often do we gladly stand against God rather than stand for him? How many brethrens could be with Christ from just observing our lifestyle centered on Christ rather than live the way that leads to obvious eternal destruction? How many homes and relationship will be saved if we choose to set or live it the way God intends with biblical examples? How many more souls remain un-accounted for when we choose a selfish way of thinking rather than a selfless service to God and humanity?
For you and I to be convicted as Christ followers we will need to have some of these evidence: exhibit the fruits of the spirit with wisdom, living a holy and consecrated life, loving freely without reserve, forgiving, peaceful, upright, successful with integrity, not given to carnality, not boastful, not proud, not arrogant, not envious, not dubious and not a liar, loved by all, a giver, tither, selfless service to God’s Kingdom, never overcome with anger, bitterness, malice nor strife, soul winner for Christ, list is almost endless. (The bible contains a whole lot more of Christ like evidence, all easy to live by with the help of the Holy Spirit)
So, I ask again, will you be convicted of being a true Christian if it was a crime?