LIVE BY EXAMPLE
Dearly beloved, I bring you greetings in the name that is above every other name, Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God and our soon coming King. It is with great joy that I come your way again this beautiful Sunday morning, the first Sunday in the month of July. We truly have cause to give God praise, for His goodness and mercies towards us. Irrespective of the challenges facing you, you are still around and that is enough reason to give God all the glory, honor and adoration; thank you Jesus.
On this beautiful morning, I want to encourage you from this scripture:
“For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that sent greater than he that sent him.’’ (John 13:15-16 KJV)
Beloved, one major reason God allowed you to stay here on planet earth after you gave your heart to Christ was because He wanted you to become an example of how He lived here on earth. He wanted you to be His Ambassador for change. That was why Jesus in His Priestly prayer in John 17 prayed that the Father would not take the disciples out of the world, but that He would rather keep them from the evil one. In other words he wanted His disciples to showcase His lifestyle rather than run from those who opposed them. He wanted them to be different from the pack.
Beloved, in like manner you need to also understand that you are in the world to make a difference. You are in the world but not of the world. The scriptures say that you are the salt of the earth and light of the world. As salt, you are meant to give taste and preserve things; and as the light of the world, you are called to show others the way. If salt loses its flavor then it is only fit for the dung hill and of course no man lights a candle and put it under a bushel, but he puts it on a table so that every person can see.
Decide today to rise from every form of complacency and compromise. Refuse to join the world in the way they do their thing. Understand that you are a different person – a new specie that has never existed before, called out to show case the glory and Excellency of our God. Whether you are a business person, full time house wife, career person, teacher or student know it that the time for mediocrity is gone. You can no longer afford to do things shabbily, because it is an indictment on the church when people turn to the world to get things done. It’s actually unacceptable.
As I close, remember that you are called to take charge and lead the way for others to follow. If you truly run with all the teachings and principles that have been shared from this pulpit and function as you ought to, you will blaze the trail and shine in whatever area God has located you. In addition, always stay connected to God and be a stickler for the Word of God. It has to be the Word or nothing else. As long as you stick to the word, you cannot fail.
I declare that you will not be defeated. You will not end this year a failure. 2019 will deliver all its goodness for you. You will not carry cup in your hands begging. You will not weep nor lament. You are Above Only.
Maranatha!
In His Royal Service
Dr Mike Okonkwo
The Presiding Bishop
