Episode 10: Ever-Ready Servants of the Master
The Unreserved Grace of God
Memories can be a treasure or a scar on the heart, judging from how we lived in the past. Looking back, I find that some Christians are ashamed of their past lives before they come to know God.
Whatever feelings we have concerning our past lives, we ought to be grateful to God for making His grace abound to us to save us from the hanging eternal death sentence we were doomed to face had we not accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour.
Looking back now, I have counted myself very fortunate to have appropriated the unreserved grace of God in my life. God freely gave this grace to every human to be reconciled to Him through the death of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, upon acceptance of His free gift of salvation.
I had been born into a family that has very strong religious beliefs against Christianity and Christ. If I hadn’t been saved by Jesus but had continued in my wretched sinful life, I could have been doomed for life, while still holding on to, and being blinded by false religious beliefs.
Jesus is the Way to the Father
Many are there in other religious faiths who, like Apostle Paul before his conversion, hold tenaciously unto their religions and would gladly kill or be willing to give their lives to be killed just to uphold their beliefs. This is because the devil has blinded their eyes to the truth of the gospel of Christ through false religious dogmas.
Hmm… so you would agree with me when I said I count myself graciously lucky to have availed myself of the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. I’m glad to have stood my ground to remain faithful to Him, despite all persecutions for being a Muslim convert.
And this is why I’d love to encourage you. Yes, you reading this Christian Pilgrim Diary. Regardless of the challenges and persecution you may face, I encourage you to hold on tenaciously unto the faith you’ve got in Christ Jesus. It is the ONLY WAY out of eternal doom. regardless of the challenges and persecution you may face.
As For Me and My House…
Now in my 50s, I am so grateful to God that, as for me and my entire household — which includes my husband, three grown children (two of whom are happily married with one child each), my four siblings, aged parents (including my fanatic Islamic crusader father), some Muslim relatives, friends, colleagues and many associates who I come across, we will serve the Lord. We are now strongly in the faith through my Spirit-led evangelisation and importunate prayers to God for their deliverance and salvation.
In my over 33 years of faith in the Lord, I have come to understand that every saved individual has a God-assigned purpose to fulfil. And for that purpose to be fulfilled, the Christian must endure some pains, struggle, trials, persecutions and sometimes suffer the bereavement of a loved one (the list of woes is endless). So that the seed planted in them by the Lord at salvation would germinate and bear fruits in their lives.
More so, the decision every Christian undertakes to stand for Christ despite all persecutions and travails they may face during their early years in Christ, determines the fate of many other people who may come to know the Lord through them.
For instance, if I hadn’t stood my ground to never renounce my faith when my father persecuted me, all my household, (including my father) who are now saved probably may not have been saved. And some may have died in their sins.
Therefore, as a Christian, you have to be careful how you live your life. The status of your walk with God can affect many more people and generations to come than you can imagine. What would be your testimony to your younger generations or descendants?
Think about Abraham and his faithful walk with God and see the profits that that simple act of faith affords humanity.
Also, consider the sacrifice of Jesus, who left His throne in heaven and endured over 33 years on earth just to die for your sins. It makes you understand that every sacrifice must be paid to remain steadfast in your faith irrespective of any persecution you might face.
The Christian is to Grow
Meanwhile, most people are open to the idea of God, but don’t know how to live life in God. The Bible teaches that the Christian life is one of constant growth. When you were born again, you were born into God’s family. It is God’s purpose that you grow in full stature and become mature in Christ. It would be against the law and nature of God if you were to remain a baby, a spiritual dwarf.
In 2 Peter 3:18, the Bible says that we are to grow. It implies steady development, constant enlargement, increasing wisdom.
For one to grow properly certain rules must be observed for good spiritual health. Let me quickly share with you some rules to observe to grow in faith, which helped me a lot.
1. Read your Bible daily.
Do not be content to skim through a chapter merely to satisfy your conscience. Hide the Word of God in your heart. It comforts, guides, corrects, encourages – all we need is there.
2. Learn the secret of prayer
Prayer is communicating. Every prayer that you pray will be answered. Sometimes that answer may be “Yes” and sometimes “No,” and sometimes it would be “Wait.” Nevertheless, it will be answered.
3. Rely constantly on the Holy Spirit.
We know that the Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8), and what a comfort that should be to the weakest of us. Stand aside and let Him take over all the choices and decisions of your life.
4. Attend church regularly.
The visible church is Christ’s organization upon earth. Christians need one another, we need to gather together to worship God and nothing can take the place of church attendance.
5. Be a witnessing Christian.
We witness in two ways: by our lives and by the Word. Where possible, the two should go hand in hand.
6. Let love be the ruling principle of your life.
Jesus said to those who followed Him, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). The greatest demonstration of the fact that we are Christians is that we love one another.
7. Be an obedient Christian.
Let Christ have first place in all the choices of your life.
8. Learn how to meet temptation.
Temptation is not sin. It is yielding that is sin. Let Christ through the Holy Spirit do the fighting for you.
9. Be a wholesome Christian.
Your lives and appearance should commend the Gospel and make it attractive to others.
10. Live above your circumstances.
Don’t let your circumstances get you down. Learn to live graciously within them, realizing the Lord Himself is with you.
Now, what’s the purpose of living a Christian lifestyle? Your choice to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life changes your lifestyle dramatically. Your friendship, the activities you engage in and even your health issues should receive careful evaluation.
Hence, the purpose of living a Christian lifestyle would be to:
1. Remain connected to God through Jesus Christ (John 15:4–8). A life that’s cut off from God withers and dies – physically as well as spiritually.
2. Remain faithful through persecution and resist false doctrine (2 Timothy 3:12–17). Your testimony and knowledge of the Scriptures should arm you against any deceivers or deceptive ideals or false religion.
3. Present the Good News to a lost world (Mark 16:15-16; 1 Timothy 6:12). Like an athlete or soldier, present your best efforts to further the faith. Your transformed life should compel you to share the gospel’s impact not just for your “today,” but for your eternity.
Finally, to live as a Christian requires having the character of Christ. A transformation must first occur, as a result of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling (Galatians 5:24-25). And this starts at the point of salvation.
Are you desirous of having eternal life with God in heaven? Then take a decision to live for Christ alone and make a determination never to depart from the faith despite any persecution.
If you need any counsel, do not hesitate to reach us and the Lord will see you through. Amen.
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Thank you for reading through my Christian Pilgrim Diary. God bless you.
THE END.
