As I sat at my desk at work, I felt the urge to call my mum. It hadn’t been long since my last conversation with her but it was always good talking to her. So I called her and we spoke generally about how we were both doing. I told her about my work and the amazing things I was getting to do. I also told her about the idea God had just given me, speaking confidently about it because God had also given me boldness - boldness that awakened me to the fact that anything is possible for me because I’m in Christ.
My mum shared an awesome testimony with me. She had been looking to start an academic program for some time and to do this, she need to fulfill certain requirements. She needed her GPA from her previous program to be higher than the stipulated minimum and she also wanted a program that would offer funding. After a prolonged period of waiting and inquiring, she finally got her GPA. It was less than what was required but on getting home, she found that there was a mistake in the calculations. By God’s favor and grace, she got it corrected and in the end, her GPA was higher than the required minimum!
This was absolutely amazing and what’s more was that she found a program that met her criteria! It came with a scholarship, was at a renowned institution, and its location would allow her to be close to her house. Her testimony got me really excited. God is faithful! I thanked him for giving us the desires of our heart and that His plans for us are always huge and fueled by love.
Today, I thank Him for inspiring faith in me with all the wonderful blessings he gives me.
In addition, at work I’m doing things that are absolutely amazing and I’m thankful for the opportunity. I’m constantly reminded that, as he told me, His word propels me and sets me apart in everything I do!
I was responsible, reliable, a role model, smart, and above all, I was religious! Every mother praised me, my teachers liked me, my peers admired me, my juniors wanted to be me, and guys wanted to date me. What more could I ask for? This lady wanted more. I was born into a Christian home. All my relatives are Christians, therefore I accepted the baton of Christianity. I regarded the concept of being a Christian as a responsibility which I was willing to undertake. I prayed on most mornings, read my Bible, and went to church every Sunday.I was living the religious life. I did all these not because I was interested in knowing God, but I felt it was compulsory, and I would be stricken by God if I disobeyed. I deemed God to be some improbable figure who was far off, unreachable. Some big guy up in the heavens to whom I could mumble a few words in prayer. How wrong I was.
The first time I felt the urge to discover something much more was in my JS1. I dabbled in Islam for a couple of weeks, but was reprimanded by a cousin of mine. After that detour, I diligently persisted in reading my Bible, which I understood not, and praying with a lukewarm attitude. In my final year, I was made the President of a Christian group in school. Apparently I was found worthy of the title, and accepted it with pride. I was pleased to be considered religiously superior. I look back at those days, and all I want to do is spank my younger self for such arrogance. As the day of my graduation loomed, the urge arose in me for something more. I couldn't place my finger on it, so I was easily deceived, by some of my peers, into clubbing and dating. It was an EPIC FAIL. I became more depressed, felt the void in my spirit enlarge. I became moody and short tempered. I graduated without knowing the true love of God for me.
During my gap year, I came to the realization that I had been searching for a true relationship with Christ. I gave my life to Christ over and over again, but this never lasted more than a couple of days, because I kept turning back to the ways of the world. My first semester at college was my turning point. I made friends who were not Christians, and was carried away by some of their perceptions. I went to a couple of parties, but I was so disappointed by what I experienced that I declined later invitations to other parties. To God be the glory, I was invited to a particular Christian fellowship, but I made up excuses not to go.
On April 24th 2010 I attended one of the Christian services, due to some nudging I received in my spirit. That was it. Oh he (God) touched me!! He spoke to my heart during the sermon, and during our heartfelt prayer at the end, he revealed to me my wrong ways, but assured me that I was forgiven. I wept till I could see no more. I was overcome by his love for me. This love that I couldn't find in guys, in parties, I found in Christ who died upon the cross for my sins. His pierced hands reached out to me, and all I could do was weep and thank him. I love him because he first loved me. Now I read my Bible because I long to know him more. I pray to him because I long to be in his presence and confide in him. I am a new creature, and my old nature has passed away. Joyce Meyer once said "you can get bored with religion but you can't get bored with a relationship with God." It's not a religion, but a way of life!
I grew up thinking God was this big guy up there, looking down on us from His throne in heaven. I grew up thinking He was a very difficult person to please and that at the slightest mistake, He would reach down and punish me. So I grew up wanting to please God, not really because I wanted to please God but because I didn’t want to get punished for doing something wrong. So I strove to do all the right things. I went to church, read my Bible, prayed and tried my best to be a good child. By doing all these things, I would always be in God’s good books, or so I thought. As it turns out, this was all religion!
There comes a time when you get tired of doing everything you are told. You get tired of doing all the ‘right’ things and being ‘good’ all the time. So you decide that from that time on, you would do things differently- you would do what you please and in your own time too. So you embark on a journey. This time, it is your journey and you make your own rules. You are excited and you look forward to all the wonderful experiences this journey has to offer. On the way, you meet many people, each different and unique but all like you- searching. These people make your trip more exciting. They add adventure and excitement to the monotony of the undulating road. They are wonderful, you think to yourself, until you realize that a few miles behind, they had taken a detour. Then you realize that you are actually alone. You search for the next fellow traveler but can see none in sight. You sigh, you have acquired so much along the way and your bags are getting heavy- really heavy. You really need someone to help. You won’t really mind anyone, even if the person is all dusty and dirty looking, you say in your mind. You carry on like this for miles. You pass a young lady sitting by the roadside. She smiles at you, you smile back. You wish she would offer to help you but there’s so much worry on her face. You look closely and notice all the bags around her. You realize she’s just like you, with her bags to worry about.
You meet yet another person on the way. The person looks your way but there’s so much going on around that all he can offer is his fleeting glance. So you continue, telling yourself, as you pass by different people all with their own bags, that no one will come to help you. Something beside you suddenly catches your attention. You move your bags around to get a better look. There’s someone beside you and from the looks of his shoes, he’s been walking for a long time, maybe even as long as you have. Apart from his dusty shoes, he looks okay but unlike everyone else you have met, he’s not carrying anything. So you ask him where all his bags are. He smiles and asks to help you carry yours. You are skeptical; maybe he’s a thief. Again, you ask him where his things are and he simply asks to carry yours. You are suspicious, so you keep moving, dragging your bags along with you. Funny enough, this guy keeps walking alongside you. You begin to wonder why this man hasn’t left you. You glance occasionally at him and every time, he catches your glance and reaches out signaling that he wants to help with your bags. Each time, you hold on tighter to your bags; he smiles and keeps walking. Soon enough, you get tired. Seeing your fatigue, he offers again to help you out. This time you agree.He picks up the first bag with ease and then the next one. There are still a couple of your bags on the floor but your shoelace is undone and you bend to tie it. When you get up, you notice that this man has carried all your bags. You wonder how he can still stand upright with all the bags he is carrying. You ask him to give a few to you to carry but he says he can carry them all. From what you can see, he’s telling the truth. So you carry on, grateful for this stranger carrying your bags. You ask for his name and he’s surprised that you don’t know. He says you grew up with him and that as you converse, his name would come back to you. The conversation carries on and you find out that he is an artist, a king, a shepherd, a lover and a friend.You wonder how anyone can be so many things at once. You don’t ask. You find the way he talks rather romantic, but you just met this stranger so your guards are up. He seems more interested in talking about you than about himself and begins to ask about the places you have visited on your journey. You tell him of all the wonderful places you have been and your souvenirs. You decide to rest and use the opportunity to show him all your souvenirs. As you rummage through one of your bags, something falls out. You had not intended to show anyone, let alone a stranger, what fell out so you quickly put it back in the bag. You finally find what you were looking for and turn around to show him. From the first look, you know he knows! He had seen what had fallen out. You try to explain yourself but your words are jumbled up and tears flow down your cheeks. You have no words, only tears, but as you look into this man’s eyes, you are surprised. Where you expected to see condemnation and disgust, there was love- a deep river of love. He opens his arms and strangely enough, you want nothing more than to be in this stranger’s arms. So you walk closer to him, into his arms and you cry. Tears of shame and disgrace roll down your cheeks but he holds you tighter, wiping them away and whispering in your ear. You can’t really hear what his saying but the warmth in his arms is amazing. It calms you until you are ready to walk again.
After a while, you realize that he is one bag short. When you ask him about it, he tells you he dropped a bag along the way- you didn’t need it. You start to protest but restrain yourself- he is right. You don’t need anything in that bag. So you keep walking and several times, you break down because of something in one of your bags. Each time, this man takes you in his arms and hugs you until you are ready to walk again. Every time this happens, he drops a bag. As you continue to talk, you realize that you might actually know this man; parts of his name begin to come to you. At a point, you stop; the man has no bags left! He smiles at you and hugs you like he always had, whispering in your ear. This time, you hear clearly: I love you. The warmth from his voice fills your heart and tears roll down your cheeks. This time they are tears of gratitude, tears of love. You remember where you were before this man came along, the tears and hugs along the way. You love this man! This man is no longer a stranger to you but you still don’t know his name. Your head still on his chest, you ask him for his name. He replies, Jesus. You are amazed! You had heard about this man before. You had heard stories about him from people and from the Bible. Surely, this couldn’t be the same man. Jesus explains that those Bible stories you had grown up hearing were true. They spoke of Him as the Greatest Lover. He tells you that when you read your Bible and prayed and when you didn’t, He loved you. When you were ‘good’ and when you weren’t, He still loved you. He explains to you that He wasn’t looking for Bible-readers or churchgoers. He was looking for friends.
So as I pick my Bible up today, I’m excited. Not because I would have a star beside my name in God’s book but because I can’t wait to hear what my Lover has to say. When I pray, I don’t do it because praying makes me good. I do it because Jesus and I are walking down that dusty road together, hand in hand, conversing. The best part is, I’m not the only one talking. All the while, he says to me, I love you, friend. As it turns out, that’s all relationship!
Are you ready to let Him carry your bags? If you are, please say the prayer on the right and give all your bags to Him.
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
I was a good girl. At least, by many people's standards I was. I was born into a Christian home and grew up in Church. Growing up, 'God', 'Bible' and 'prayer' were not strange words to me. I was an active child in Sunday School. I always enjoyed being in plays and presentations at church especially when I was the 'star'. Bible recitations were probably one of my favorite activities. I was a smart child (still am, Thank God!) and for my age, was very good at memorizing Bible verses. Bible recitations were the best avenues to "wow" the mummies and daddies. Looking back, I probably did not have any ulterior motive for participating in those presentations but I must have enjoyed the attention.
I was a good girl. I did the right things, got the right grades and made friends, for the most part, with the right people. My life was pretty good. And then came those years when your mind tricks you into believing you're old enough to run your life. The rebellion kicked in slowly. It started with minor grievances with my parents -most of which I did not really voice out because if I did, I might have been rude. Now that would have been bad, you see, I was a good girl. Then it escalated to angry words and hot tears burning with anger over something they did or did not do- like not letting me wear the clothes I wanted. The anger continued to grow and would often invite loneliness and sadness. Together, they would have a feast on my insides, leaving me hollow and empty. Still, I was a good girl. I was able to whip out my dimples on many occasions, masking the sadness within. I pulled off the facade really nicely but one person was not deceived - my mum.
I was a good girl; everyone but my mum knew that. She saw right through me, like a good mother would. She tried to talk but I shut her off emotionally. She was the one with the wrong perspective and the restrictive views about who she wanted me to be. Though I was adamant, she refused to let me go. How could she? Her daughter was a very good girl going to a very real hell. Luckily, this good girl's mother was a praying woman. With tears in my eyes, I can imagine my mum on her knees, crying to God to save her daughter. I can imagine her going to weep before God, every time we had a hurtful conversation. I knew I was hurting her but I was not sorry. Why should I have been? I was a good girl.
Good but empty, I depended on compliments and people's opinions about me to keep me happy. I sought companionship and was happy when I found it. I loved my friends a lot (I still do). I may not have known it, but I was looking for love - not the "butterfly-in-your-tummy" kind that ends but the deep, long-lasting one that never fails. Yet, in my quest for love, I turned away from the only One who could ever love me the way I needed - God. But this good girl had a praying mother. For a long time, I was satisfied with mediocre love - the kind that fades with time. I was like Prophet Hosea's prostitute-wife (Hosea 1-3), running away from my True Love.
On the 15th of July, 2008, this good girl finally went for the real thing. That night, on the floor in my room, I allowed the Lover of my soul, Jesus, to love me. I accepted His love and asked Him to come into my heart. He did!
Today, this good girl isn't just good anymore. She's righteous by reason of Jesus' blood! Goodness without Christ won't get you anywhere. Allow him to love you today. Accept Jesus into your heart. Ask Him to cleanse you with His blood and make you free and whole. Don't wait till you feel you are lovable - that day will never come! Accept His grace today. He loves you just as you are. He loves you so much!
This righteous girl is Christian because she has found True Love in her Savior, Jesus!
I leave you with this verse from the song, How He Love Us by Kim Walker
He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane,
I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of
His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me
A wonderful testimony from Ceejay in Baltimore, MD...
I had lived most of my life in religion…it was like a ritual to go 2 church every Sunday. Even at that, we (‘we’ means ‘I and my nuclear family’) always came late …like the church was the pastor’s and we were doing him a favor by attempting to come. We also had morning prayers at home every day, and the prayer was like a pattern – I pretty much learned about prayer as a means of getting God to do stuff for you, you know? When I got to high school in 1999, it didn’t help me that much, because I didn’t know God personally; just thru the patterns of prayer I had learned at home. I attended the schools services though, and most of my friends were from Christian homes as well, so that created a blanket of ‘self-styled goodness’, which prevented me from doing things that every normal high school kid would.
In 2004, June 22nd, or a Sunday around that date, an alumnus of the high school I was attending was the guest speaker for the school’s service. He talked on the Holy Spirit, and explained how he gives us the power to speak in tongues. Before then, I had heard my Mum speak in tongues occasionally around the house. I didn’t know what it was she was saying, and it sounded like some variation of a Dead Sea language to me. But she didn’t speak it very often. When this alumnus (his name is Ovie Onokpachere – can’t forget the name because of what happened next) finished talking, he asked us to begin praying, and told us that as many of us that wanted to receive the Holy Spirit could do so at that moment and start speaking in tongues. Since I had heard it before from my Mom, I knew it was possible for someone to speak in tongues and I desired to commune in the language as well. As we worshipped, I just started saying some strange things…had no clue whatsoever what I said. But yet, I knew I was praying – in a way I had never prayed before. Surprisingly, there were only 2 people that spoke in tongues that day. Much, much later on, I came to realize that receiving the Holy Spirit does not automatically ‘shoot’ tongues from one’s mouth; it could happen as soon as the person received the Holy Spirit, or could happen sometime else. Then I also realized that I had received the Holy Spirit long before that event – maybe 1 or 2 years before, and HE was the reason I couldn’t do what everyone else was doing, not my ‘safe haven of Christian friends.’ Unfortunately, after that experience, I did not maintain the habit, and it sort of ‘died down.’ The fact that we did not speak in tongues during the family morning prayers did not help either.
On a nice sunny Sunday at church in July 2005, during the worship session, I ‘got lost’ in worship as I praised God in English. Then, something else happened. As I closed my eyes, I began seeing words that were written out – like they were written on my heart or a tablestone or something…most were written with letters from the English alphabet and I did not know what they were, but they were definitely not in the English language. I tried pronouncing them, and as I did, they would be replaced by new, different words, and I would try pronouncing those as well. I continued doing that throughout the time for worship, before I finally realized that I was speaking in tongues! Wow! It felt so good too! I just started thanking God and praising him for restoring what I thought I had lost (though we know now that the gifts of God are without repentance). And, during the coming weeks, I learnt in the church that God speaks to everyone, and we should take time out to listen, and that He loves us. So one fateful day, after the family morning prayer, I tried it – I stayed behind and just bowed my head to listen. I know the first words I heard were, “Chijioke, I love you. I will bless you like no other” and several variations of it. I suddenly felt basked in the Father’s love (though I didn’t know what it was called then), like layers upon layers of a thick warm blanket were placed over me, yet I felt co comfy. Finally! This God I’ve heard so much about speaks! And he knows my name! And he likes me!!!
I felt on top of the sky throughout that day, skipping everywhere and dancing to made-up tunes. As I was going to bed that night, I remember the last thing I said was “Good night Lord”….then I heard clearly, “Good night son.” I was his son! It felt different hearing it from him that from others. The next day, I awoke with a ‘Good morning Lord’, and suddenly all the blanket layers were back. And then I went: “So, what should I wear today?” And He went “Put this shirt on, and match it with this pair of pants and do this and that.” By the time He was done grooming me, I was astonished at myself. Ever since then, I’ve had impeccable dressing sense – He taught me what I know about fashion today. Ain’t it cool?
It got even better. As we communed, He would point me to a verse, and would explain it to me. Then he would tell me some stuff about some people, so I could pray for them. During this period, my desire for reading the bible became like…the closest thing I can describe it to is the same hunger with which a vampire desires blood (apologies for the description) but the Holy Spirit is his Word. Naturally, as we spent more time together, I desired more of his word…like I needed to catch up on something. I read copious amounts of the bible per day…and whatever I found interesting, I underlined, or wrote down. And later on, as I went back, and studied, he taught me. Once (very late at night), I asked him a question on a quite puzzling scripture, where it says “The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” I asked him, ‘Why? It is strange, and not supposed to be so. Why did Jesus say that?’ Before I knew it, I had written seven pages on the subject. WOW!
And you know what? All that happened BEFORE I came into Christ Embassy as a member, although I was an ‘outside spectator” for a while. And with the amount of knowledge on the Holy Spirit that Pastor Chris has dealt us with, can you imagine where I am now? St. Burnivine, ‘This Goke Boy Sef’ and Abimbola E. can testify, not so? LOL.
I want to sincerely thank the Holy Spirit for what He has made me, and also for reminding me of parts of this story I had forgotten…I had to edit some parts where he reminded me that what I wrote was partially inaccurate…He’s so cool! He loves me, and if you are out there reading this, He loves you too. He’s right next to you, always waiting to hear, ever ready to help and answer – because He loves you for you, like no other person can ever or will ever love you. Why don’t you speak to Him now? It’s as easy as you think it is, and that shouldn’t discourage you because you think you have to deserve any kind of love you get. He just loves you, and that’s it! Talk to him now; He’s waiting….
So I said I was going to put up the Facebook note. Here it is:
For many years of my life, I stumbled in darkness. Sin is like a black hole, without help, one would simply sink deeper. For many years, I was in this black hole called Sin, sinking yet not wanting any help. I had grown accustomed to the darkness- I liked it! But deep within, because I had been brought up in God's Word, I knew there was something much better than darkness. I knew there was light. I knew there was Jesus -THE light. At times, I would try hard to get to the light on my own but I never could. I prayed and read my Bible, most of the time still in sin, but praying and reading the Bible alone don't save you. One night, God made me see how much darkness was around me. He opened my eyes to see the error of my ways and the emptiness of religion, which tells you that your good works can save you or that going to church, praying or reading your Bible can save you. God didn't do this to condemn me. Oh not at all!! My God loves me!! As soon as I called out to Him, He reached out and pulled me out of the hole. I needed a Savior and being the only True Savior, Jesus stepped in. His blood washed me clean of all my sins (and still does) and God put His Holy Spirit in me.
I'm Christian because God loves me. He sent His Son to die for the sins of the world, forgiving them and making it possible for everyone to be reconciled with Him. I accepted this forgiveness and so I'm reconciled with God. I'm righteous; In fact, I have been made "the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus" (2 Corinthians 5:21). I'm Christian because I love God and everyday, in His strength, I live for Him. I'm Christian because I'm saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8) and by the blood of Jesus. I'm Christian because God's Holy Spirit lives in me (1 Timothy 1:14, 2 Corinthians 1:22), loving me, directing me and keeping me (John 14:26, John 16:13). I'm Christian because "my life is hid in Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 4:19).
Before I go on, I'll like you to know who's in charge here. It's not me and since you didn't write this, it definitely not you! This blog is run by the Holy Spirit of the Most High God! Yours truly is only an employee- a very happy one though! He's really wonderful to work with! That you are reading this is no coincidence. Trust me, my Boss knows. He actually planned it.
Now that you know who's Boss, you can relax and keep reading.
A few weeks ago, I asked myself why I was Christian. I only got to think about it for a short while before something else caught my attention. This question must really be important because a few days later, it came knocking at my door again.
You see, that morning, I woke up with the words, "in the place of prayer" on my heart. So I sat down at my cousin's desk, armed with my Bible, my devotionals, paper and pen. I don't remember if I had begun to pray or not but the Holy Spirit brought the question up again. This time I wasn't going free. He whispered, "Write". And that's how I wrote my note on Facebook titled, "I'm Christian because...". That's where all this was birthed: in the place of prayer and by the Holy Spirit.
The note, which I'll post soon, tells about God's love that pulled me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). It's my answer to the question. With the note, I completed the sentence - I'm Christian because...
The Holy Spirit also gave me Revelation 12:11 which reads, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...". This is a movement of overcomers! By telling our testimonies, having been washed clean by the Blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we have overcome the devil!
God's love is boundless! He loved us even while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). A Holy God loved us unholy, unworthy people! So He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us that through Jesus' death, we may be reconciled with Him! Then, when we were reconciled with Him, He put His Holy Spirit in us! God's Spirit is in you! Amazing! Now we are called to live victorious lives through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37)!!
This is a movement of testifiers. People who are not ashamed to say what God has brought them through, what He has delivered them from. We are not ashamed to say we are saved! We believe our God and have faith in His words and promises and so He is not ashamed to be called our God! (Hebrews 11:16).
So we are young (if not physically, then at heart) and unashamed and we shout and declare, We are Christian because...
I've done my part, do yours: Complete the sentence!
