Christians must learn make Christ the centre of their lives and ministries. They must learn to focus attention of all to Christ and no other. They must teach that life is all about him.
John the Baptist’s outlook and attitude to life and ministry was that they were all about Jesus. Short of which life has no meaning and ministry makes no sense. He teaches us that:
- Knowing who we really are and who Jesus is and relating with him and ministering on the basis of that knowledge is the essence of our existence. Obviously true knowledge of His person puts him first before anything that we can ever aspire to be in life. Once we mix the order by swapping positions with Christ, we will have identity crisis in life and ministry.
- Knowing our subject well gives power to our testimony. Here Jesus is the subject of life and ministry. John the Baptist knew Him very well. He called him, the Lamb of God, the one who takes away the sins of the world and, the son of God. It is what we know about Jesus that we tell others. What and how we say about Jesus depends on what we know. Cultivating a deep relationship with Him is key in knowing him. The closer we are, the more we know him and the better we can testify about him to the world.
- Knowing our limits enhances our effectiveness. We have not been called to do everything in ministry. Let us not enter into a ministry that does not belong to us. John knew he was a voice calling in the desert. He knew he was called to baptise with water. He equally knew it was Jesus prerogative to baptise with the Holy Spirit.
- Knowing where to direct people’s attention reduces the temptation to call same to ourselves. John the Baptist knew to say, “This is the Lamb of God,” or, “This is the Son of God”. Whatever people thought to make of him he knew to equivocally say, ‘I am not the Christ”. If what we are or do is all about Christ then all the attention should be directed to him. He alone should be given all the honour, the glory and the praises for our successes in life and ministry. We exist to reveal the person of Christ to the world; not to project ourselves or ministry over and above Him. Neither should we block people’s view from seeing Christ with our ambition for renown even if people think we should be made known.
- Knowing that satisfaction and true joy comes from doing what heaven has assigned to us. It isn’t that we decide what in life or ministry makes us feel good. Strictly speaking, ministry is not about personal enjoyment. It is about God deriving pleasure from what we are and what we do. However, satisfaction here talks about contentment and finding joy that our call is from heaven no matter the circumstances surrounding us. It is the satisfaction that is glad to let Jesus be in the limelight and go back to sleep soundly that Jesus took all the glory for my efforts and successes.
- Knowing and consciously accepting that this life and ministry is not all about my personal gain. I therefore should not strive to compete or manipulate others to gain an upper hand over them. I should not fight or bring others down to be known as a great man of God. I should not scheme or stage-manage being in the limelight. John the Baptist understood the central position Jesus occupies in his life. He gave what should be a check to any Christian or servant of God that might want to project himself above Christ. “He must become greater and I must become less”. This should be the motto of all who truly and humbly follow and serve Christ.
Conclusion
If all we live for is about Christ, then let us make conscious effort to reveal him indeed. Let us not become like the tourist guide who after leading people to view magnificent works of arts in a gallery was no longer satisfied being just a guide but began to stand between the art and the people. The people soon got irritated because they had come to see the art works and not the guide. If people were to ask like they told Phillip “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (John 12:21). Would you take them to him and then step aside for them to view Jesus fully or would you stand between Him and them, telling what a great servant of God you are? Remember: It is all about him. Will you let him be greater and you fade into nothing?
Namani J Nharrel
Last week, we looked at the importance of being constantly reminded of God’s Word. The Psalmist said ‘Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word’ (Psalms 119:67). Consider also Psalms 119:11.
In Lamentations, I love the attitude of the prophet when he said in Lamentations 3:21 – 24 ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him’. (Emphasis mine).
However if there is anything we should crave to forget or rid ourselves of, it is ‘filthiness’ and ‘superfluity of naughtiness’.
Other translations render it as ‘uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness (Amplified)’ or ‘moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent (NIV)’.
I desire we consider this from the angle that the Christian ought to lay aside regularly. Christianity isn’t just about amassing some religious form of knowledge. Need we remind ourselves again that ours is a culture borne out of the life we have received in Christ Jesus? In simple words – It is a lifestyle.
Yorubas (A tribe in Nigeria) have a saying that, ‘It is the inability of the mad man to take his eyes off things that causes his luggage to become unduly plenty.’
The Christian ought to realise the Word is not just some other information. It is life. It is our very existence. It defines who and what I live for. In line with this, other irrelevant thoughts, actions, motive ought to give way to the manifestation of God’s word in our lives.
James goes further in chapter three of his glorious epistle to admonish us of the effect of the outpouring of this life in us which should birth a radical change in our speech. Notice the order.
The change is not for the congregation. It is not for the pulpit. But it is a change resonating with the frequency we have been called to in Christ Jesus.
As Christians…
- Darkness ought to give way to light.
- Wickedness ought to give way to righteousness.
- My lust and curiosity for evil ought to be replaced by a continual longing for righteousness.
Back in school I felt I could just switch between lives … Like Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde. But a constant look into God’s word leaves me with no other contemplation than we have been called into a single fellowship. 1st Corinthians 1:9; 1st John 1:3. To this, I ought to devote all.
Lastly, Paul again is more graphic when he says that we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness is a constant and continuous activity for the believer hinged upon the dawning of God’s word in our lives. Consider 1st Thess 1:9;
To be continued…
Cheers!
-Dr. Bolaji Akanni
In ministry, all we need is to be faithful in whatever God has entrusted to us. Heaven will demand an account from us for what He assigned to us. However knowing that my brother’s ministry is also assigned from heaven would require:
That John the Baptist did not deceive himself nor kept anyone in doubt about his person or the nature of his ministry even if his disciples thought to exalt him to a position he did not attain or merit is a lesson for us to learn. He did not give a second thought when the disciples told him about Jesus and the crowd he was pulling. He quickly deflected the attention back to Christ. He earlier told people who he was not and who he was. Of himself he said:
In comparison with Christ, John the Baptist didn’t think himself anything. Yet this same man was the very one our Lord told the crowd “…of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11). Just as John the Baptist had a right view of his person and ministry he also had a proper understanding of the person and ministry of Christ both in their global context and in relation to his own life and ministry. He might as well have told his disciples, that man you saw baptising and people trooping to him is the very reason I exist and minister. ‘You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ but I am sent ahead of him’ He exalted Jesus in the following words:
The purpose for which John was sent was to reveal Jesus to Israel. He was contented with that and sought no more. He was satisfied being a mere helper of Christ. When it came to comparing him with Christ he had only one desire, “He must increase, but I must decrease”(John 3:30). P.S. Watch out for the concluding part. -Namani J Nharrel |
Matthew 19:26
Are you HIV positive? Do you believe your status can change to Negative?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Were your certificates burnt in a fire incident? Don’t you think you can get a good job without certificate?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Have you lost your womb? Haven’t it occurred to you that you can have a miracle baby?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
It does not end here.
Have you taken lives and committed so much atrocity? Is it not possible for all you sins to be forgiven and you are accepted as a friend again?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Is it possible you live your youthful life without immorality, not even a thought of it?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Do you doubt you can hit your sales target without lies or deceit?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Do you believe you can live a holy life in this present world?
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Can one be perfect in this life?
“And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27
Is it breakthrough in our health, daily provision, our spiritual life; no matter how difficult it seems to be, God can do it. “…He hath done all things well:” Mark 7:37
Do not lose hope. Keep “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;” Hebrews 12:2
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of Christ:” Ephesians 4:13.
– okenna obi-igbokwe
We are living in a day and age where everything is customized. From T – shirts, to shoes. Even haircuts. Nobody likes to be among the majority. Everybody wants to have his own version of everything. “I am doing it this way because that is the way I want it” is a popular expression. That is the way I like it.
A problem however is that Christianity is now also being defined by the person. Each person has his own idea of how he ought to live as a Christian. Haven’t you heard “Well that is my own way of loving, I cannot kill myself”. Or “I cannot do what he is doing as a Christian but I can do this one”.
Christianity however is beyond what each of us wants to make of it. It is a life and not a religion that considers the input of each individual person. It is not defined by factions or by groups. Not by a person.
Rather we all have been called into a unique lifestyle. The very life of God. I love the way Ephesians 4:20 puts it … ‘you have not so learned Christ’. It is he who defined the standard when he birthed us as new creatures. While your personal opinion is important. It is given significance only when it has been subjected to the will of God in Christ Jesus.
The early church all walked with oneness by giving heed to the apostles’ doctrine. Let us learn to peer over the word understanding who we have been made in Christ. Let us learn to exalt the word above our differences. Let us learn to exalt the new creature above our desires or our shortcomings.
Let us learn only to walk according to one rule. That is the rule of the new creature. Gal 5:15 – 16
Peace
Dr bolaji akanni
Let’s talk about you and your salvation? What do I mean by salvation? Well, primarily it speaks of how you got saved, rescued from the slavery you were held in. A vital question along these lines is ‘Who is Jesus to you’?
Too often we fail to realise that Jesus is not just an open door leading to all of God’s riches. He is actually the blessing of God personified. No wonder we are called to look only to Jesus and no other. All starts and ends in him.
Again we fail to realise that Jesus didn’t come to give us a second chance at life again. What is the meaning of this you say? Have you ever watched a repeat game of football? The players are very much the same, with the same obstacles as before. Their weaknesses have not changed either. They try so hard perhaps the victory may just come around this time. Only difference is they have another opportunity to right the wrongs they made.
But thank God for His grace, God delivered us once and for all time. He has changed our destiny eternally. Our history has been completely re-written. No wonder our existence now is described in a form of newness which has not existed before. The totality of our being now bears the stamp of God. Our strengths are gone; the weaknesses are gone too. There is a new man now altogether whose strength and weakness can only be defined in God.
Permit me to re-emphasize the first point. Jesus – the way, the truth and the life. Fullness, wholeness, completeness lies in Him. He told Philip “A look at me should suffice you. Don’t ask me to show you who God is or where he is”. John 14:9 (Paraphrased). Christ fills you through and through; He is not pointing you to another. He is life itself; He is not pointing you to another. He is all and besides him there is none other. Take time to thank God again for all he has done in Christ Jesus. I tell you friends God has emptied his all in Christ. Now consider what it means when the bible says your life is now hid with Christ in God. Are you looking for another……?
– bolaji akanni