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At Last, Where?

by SIXTUS ONYEANUSI  
6/04/2011 / Christian Living




"It's just thinking...of what use is it if a person is known by the whole world BUT Jesus still says to that one "Depart from me; I don't know you".
-Okwudili FoolforGod Umeweni



The above dismissal word is the worst thing that can ever be said to someone.


Living without the view of eternity is the greatest foolishness of a man who walks alive everyday.

Knowing that the real you is the spirit man inside the physical body should keep you uncomfortable until you figure out where you shall be after you die away from the face of the earth.

Naturally, everyone is craving for recognition and honor among men- "superstars" want their names known and even worshiped..."geniuses" and "trail-blazers" desire to have their names written in Guinness book of records, but omitting the weightier matter pertaining to their souls for eternity.

As for me, I rather have my name written in God's book of life than breaking new grounds in Guinness book of records, and yet die without Heaven recognizing me for good.

We the redeemed and sanctified church of the Living Jesus should not be feeling inferior amidst this boastful and self-seeking world, knowing that we are greater than the world's greatest, more glorious than all the glories in this present world put together (though they know not, but should their ignorance influence our consciousness and assurance of this truth? God forbid, we know who we are and whose we are, but we humbly wait upon He that will come, that our real glory will be revealed to the shame of the world, and glory of the Father. Knowing this fact of how highly God hath exalted us His heir of Salvation and joint-heirs with Christ, do we now become boastful and be puffed up by this knowledge of truth? God forbid. If we are to boast, we should boast for partaking in the sufferings of Christ, we should keep working out our salvation with trembling, not thinking that we stand infallible, depending on The Spirit, examining within us whether we are still in faith walking in the truth, lest we lead our pilgrim life and yet end up being a cast away. Because I am sure that among those people that The Lord will turn His back on, He was knew them, an they once served Him with genuine love and uncompromising consecration until they slept and the enemy sowed tares in that good ground of their heart).



"I don't know you"

What a simple but shocking response? After I have served The Lord and have been called by His name? Does it mean I've been deceived or was it me that deceived me? Does it mean that The Lord has betrayed me or was I the one that betrayed Him all this while and did not realize that, and never even cared to seek out, because I was satisfied with my position in the church, magnified with the gift of God in me that I allowed religion (having the form of godliness but denying the power-the life and truth of Christ) to rob me of my "first-love" for Christ. I've rendered unto The Lord a half-baked service all along, thinking that "it doesn't matter...God is love, merciful and gracious...He understands...he tampers justice with mercy".

"I don't know you"...says Jesus to those who came short of His standard in their Christian life and ministry.

"Depart from me; you workers of iniquity...you hold the word of God in unrighteousness, thou knowest the truth but teach men damnable things that are oppose to my words brought and taught you in my days visibly on earth, right from my mouth and the mouths of my holy apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers.

"Depart from me; I don't know you.

"I don't know you."
Though men celebrate you, and your posters appear in all the four-corners of the world, if thou deal not as unto me, my life, my pattern and purpose, "I don't know you."

Though you build great edifice and tour round the world in my name, if you do not edify my body-not the blocks, and spend and be spent on sophisticated equipment for the propagation of the gospel, as good as your efforts are, "Depart from me; I don't know you...you preach me in mouth but denying me in your daily life and conducts among men.


"I don't know you."
You do not what you teach. You hide what is against thee, and teach what will profit thee...you never cared to glorify me in truth.

"I don't know you."
You wink at adultery and cry against poor offering.


"I don't know you."
You compete with other people, and forsake the "little" corner whereunto I called thee to labour.
"Let every man abide where he is called."

"I don't know you."
When you do something that positively profits other people, you blow trumpet and take the glory.
"Let him that give do it with simplicity".

"I don't know you."
You rejoice when a soul prospers financially for thou wilt have a share of it, but becomes envious when a soul among thy congregation prospers spiritually-raised and equipped for my use; you shut him out and silence him that men would not hear My Voice through him...you celebrate yourself and are blinded in self-love. "I have ought against thee..."


"I don't know you."
You that is in the assembly of the living...even among the believing, the people may know you in the open and call you good, but I see also in the innermost secret, even in your heart. Thou hast a name that thou livest, but behold, thou art a hypocrite...thou worketh iniquity in the secret, putting my name in secret shame, and soon will put my name in the public shame. But I am not shamed, it is you that is walking in shame and guilt within. The elders of the church may know you, but The Lord of the Church does not know you.


If you want to know me, I will make myself known in you and to you, if you inquire and seek diligently with all your heart. My Spirit and true seeds are here and there working to show men the pathway of Light, that they may be eased from their loads, ceased from their religious and worldly unprofitable labours and enter into my rest and serve me acceptably in my beauty of holiness, Grace, love and truth.


If you really know me, I will know, and you will know also.


How painful and shameful it is to parade on earth as God's general and end up at the gateway of Heaven as a castaway. How disgraceful it is to see even unrecognized, unappreciated, unknown, unloved, uncelebrated, uneducated and even "barely-gifted-with-one-grace" but faithful disciple of Christ trained in and by The Spirit to emerge the most decorated rewardee with brightly starry crown of eternal precious stones and Heavenly refined gold, standing then tall and bold before the Lord's Throne.


This highly elevated and celebrated kingdom star may not even have been as gifted as others, but yet, there is one simple but uncommon gem in him-he was faithful and enduring till end...he kept the sincere faith and against self and opinions of men pleased God in all things. He did not divide his work and walk into two: one is circular and the other sacred...no, he wholly committed God in all things, practicing the presence of God everywhere he is, that by any means he may attain unto the resurrection or meet rapture at any given moment. Yes, he lived all along with the unfailing hope of rapture and, the scripture says, "he that hath this hope purifies himself even as he is pure." Would you see such a person messing up his body? Because he knows that the body belongs to the Lord...he was purchased with a price, and now the body is no more for fornication or anything immoral, but for the glorification of God in holiness-radiating the beauty of His new life. You won't see such person living loosely, talking filth or without bridling his mouth, you won't see such a person spending more time with men than with God, you won't see such a person speaking evil o others behind, you won't see such a person bearing grudges against his offenders...he effortlessly forgive hi offenders and forget their offences. Though he may have been accused falsely and even persecuted...yet he sees the dire need to love in moment like this. You won't see such a person pray selfishly only for himself, his family, his needs and wants...without praying for his neighbours, his enemies, the brethren, the ministers, the new converts and the unconverted, that walk in the light and truth of God all day long till the Lord returns for the great harvest. You don't see such a person do God's service for vain glory, or give in order to be seen of men and applauded for his generosity. All these gems, though they appear "little" and insignificant, yet the Lord esteems it in His vessels.



We now have a generation of ministers and ministries that men magnify their spiritual gift more than The Giver of the gift, they are more conscious to function in their spiritual gift than they are in bearing the fruit of the presence of that Spirit. It is not your gift, exploits or charisma that guarantee you a welcoming and well pleasing stand before the throne of the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven; it is your level of yilededness to the Spirit in other to allow Him effortless bear His virtuous fruits of Christ-likeness and shape your character to be meet for Heaven's standard. Are you more gifted than those that "stood" before the Lord at the last but were shown the way to eternal damnation in the fires and brimstone of hell.


There were those that even had "double portion of anointing", did "great" exploits...they healed the sick, worked miracles, raised seed-faith and block building funds, cast out devils, faithfully paid tithes and bountifully gave offerings, talked in tongues, sang worship and praise songs even with wonderful voices, preached true salvation messages, cried against sin and were used of God to deliver men from addictions and condemnations, some, they had gift of word of knowledge and wisdom that their counseling was like that of Ahitophel.

They ran fervently, passionately and diligently with the vision of Christ and even carried their cross farther...but "when men slept, the enemy came and sowed the wrong seed-tares".

When men slept.

When men slept. When men slept. When you slept. Is that excusable? "Lord I didn't know when it happened, I was asleep" you my say, but hear, each moment WE ERR, God tells us, instructs, rebukes, corrects and edifies us directly from His Spirit in us and also with His human vessels of honor. Anyone who stops halfway in running the race in truth and whole holiness has no excuse for that. The Lord did all He could as a loving and much more caring Holy Father to restore such an one, but because of the self-willed nature of the victim, he falls inside the ditch and snare of the enemy.

When men slept...when you slept...when you became careless, unconscious of divine presence in you, when you become indifference and begins to treat the word of God without trembling and reverence...you've become familiar with your bible and the preacher...you have lost sight of your old filthy and deadened life before you were redeemed by the power and Grace of Jesus...you have known more than others and now esteems and thinks more highly of yourself as you ought not to...you have lost that priceless virtue of meekness and attentiveness to divine instructions...you presume you have become immortal that cannot sin anymore, wherefore you now boldly relax with the opposite gender all alone...discussing things that have no eternal weight.

When men slept...when men cease from working out their salvation with trembling and fear, when men no more deem it necessary to instantly confess even the minutes sin of lying...when men slept...when men become unconscious...when men cease from being conscious of the consequences of omitting their quiet time...when men slept...when men forget their earlier days of consecration and constant separation unto God. When men slept...when men no more gird the loins of their mind...they now allow the root of bitterness to abide and trouble them, and many be defiled thereby...when men slept...when men cease from being at alert and earnestly hope of the immediate sounding of the trump!

I bet those people that were rehearsing their efforts and exploits before the Lord were highly gifted and "anointed" during their course and ministry on earth, and probably when they deviated from the sound doctrine of Christ Jesus built upon the Apostles' foundation and Jesus the Chief Corner Stone, their gifts were still functional. They could still see visions, talk tongues, sing, pray mechanically, preach "powerfully" and get the audience so excited that they, bring enticed, run forward to sow MONEY with high expectations of tapping their blessings (at best, financial and material blessings).


After ministration, they receive fat envelops for a job well done. The host minister I am sure would judge his level of performance by the high level of ecstasy and excitement he kept "his members" during and after the message. This is not God's measurement of success in ministry and ministration...to God, success means the saving of souls, establishment of His people in His truth, keeping their hope fresh and alive in His promises, especially the promise of His coming, making them to become more sober and submitting themselves to one another in love and compassion. It may not call for excitement, but their spirit and gifts have been cheered and stirred. I bet the preacher would be putting on the best tie and one of the blazers suits, to attract the honor of his audience the more. If truth be told, he didn't spend quality time with God before appearing before the people to speak on behalf of God. For the truly anointed, when your anointing shifts from how raw, pure, awakening and peaceable it used to be, it indicates lack of deeper consecration and it means whatever leftover you are still functioning in is a mere makeshift. For me not to be a cast away at last after all the magnitude of exploits I have made in the name of The Lord, I must watch, pray, be open to the Lord's rebuke, instructions for proper corrections, whether they come through human vessels, my duty and major concern is to be acceptable in His sight at last...standing before Him blameless and holy in love. This is my aim and my expected end!



Lord, thou knowest me, and you see my heart. Search me through and through...make my heart to always be correct in your Divine measurement. When I want to "sleep", wake me up. I may not like the means you will use to do it, but help me to respond rightly.


Lord, when my eyes shift from your cross, cry out that I may turn again and see thy bleeding side.


Lord, when all around me seems to have hated thee, help me to love you, and also love them with your love.

Lord, when all around me seems to have isolated me for thy truth's and righteousness' sake, remind me your instant presence and comfort me with thy comfort.

Lord, when my little or excess success seeks to mar my eternal relationship with thee, break me to go down more that I may bring you more glory, for greater success lies ahead...help me put away whatever attainments and press forward that I may attain higher heights in the likeness and fullness of Christ.

Lord, when I begin to depend on myself to effectively use my gift, cause me to fail, for when I succeed, I will go farther away from depending on you.

Lord, when religion seeks to creep in and replace your true form of godliness within me, cause me to see and flee from it and maintain your truth.

Lord, if you see something in me that you disgust, cause me to see with your eyes, understand with your heart and eschew that same evil trait.

Lord, I do not want to run this race, carry my cross daily, be deprived of worldly and fleshly pleasures, hated and isolated among men for thy sake, and after everything hear thee say to me, "Depart from me; I don't know you".

Whatever it is that will deprive me of your kingdom, and send me to hell after answering a child of the Most High God here on the face of the earth, may I work and walk with you to wean my heart and life of all the contradictions.

It will be the biggest blow in our souls, and of course the worst show to hear the Lord say to you at the last day, "Depart from me; I don't know you". I am afraid to many will receive that as a response to their boasts and vainglories. This is my fear. But I am confident that My Father who has begun this good work in me will perfect it as I abide in Jesus, receive His word, continue in His Word and remain open and meek for corrections and more edifications unto perfections.

"We learn Christ daily as we continue in His word with unfeigned love and dedication."

Oh! What a joy! What an unending joy....when you hear from the Lord's heart and mouth, "Thou good and faithful servant, come over to the bosom of the Lord." This is my soul-cry...my earnest desire and eternal plea!


..of what use is it if a person is known by the whole world BUT Jesus still says to that one "Depart from me; I don't know you".

..of what use is it if a person is known by the whole world BUT Jesus still says to that one "Depart from me; I don't know you".

I rather have my name written in God's book of life than breaking "new ground" in Guinness book of records and yet die without Heaven recognizing me for good.

Being born again is the greatest "new ground" to break, because it does not only open you up to a new experience of the beauty and hidden mysteries of life, it also makes you a worthy celebrity till eternity.

If you have not been born again, this is a great opportunity to. It's simple. Just come with an assurance in your heart that God can still forgive you...then go ahead, by faith in His Love, death and resurrection, ask Him to forgive you, receive you as His child and be your Lord and personal Saviour. Just this simple prayer prayed with a repentant heart would definitely turn you into a new man.

As you ask Jesus to come into your heart, be sure you keep your holy promises to Him. Abide in Him and He will make your new life to become so real that everyone around you cannot deny the radical change that has occurred in you.

If Jesus could save me, He would also save you. Just go ahead and do what you've been told above.

See you turn into a brand new person.

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