YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD ON YOUR OWN TERMS

When a person gives his or her life to Jesus Christ, there is usually great rejoicing in heaven (Luke 15:7). As the Word of God tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "When anyone is joined to Christ, he is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come."

Drawing from this second Scripture reference above, it is expected that a person who knows Christ should live a transformed life, visible even to those who knew the individual before.

This visible transformation is made possible by the power of God's Holy Spirit that He makes available to all who diligently seek Him in spirit and truth.

It also means the transformed person is so committed to the things of God that even his or her old friends who are still engaged in worldliness know the limits of doing or saying things that offend God in the Christian's presence.

The light of Christ must be visible in the life of a Christian not just to showcase the Gospel message of Salvation in word and deed to those in dire need of Christ's transforming power but it should be a constant reminder to those who need Christ that without Him, their lives cannot move forward.

Unfortunately, in today's world, we see so many people who claim to be Christians or believers in Jesus Christ living a double life, trying to serve God on their own terms and not on God's terms.

The Word of God says clearly in 1 John 2:3-6, "If we obey God's commands, then we are sure that we know Him. If someone says that he knows Him, but does not obey His commands, such a person is a liar and there is no truth in him.

But whoever obeys His Word is the one whose love for God has really been made perfect. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God: whoever says he remains in union with God should live just as Jesus Christ did."

Every Christian who is sincere to himself or herself knows that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God Himself. Jesus Christ lived a righteous life, showed love, forgave sinners, rebuked hypocrites, healed the sick and all who were afflicted by the devil.

Jesus Christ taught love and prayer for our enemies, forgiveness for those who offend us no matter how often and so many principles that Christians should emulate as His followers. Jesus summarized the whole commandments of God into two: love of God ABOVE all things and love of our neighbours as ourselves.

Therefore, no one can serve God on his or her own terms. Anyone who does will certainly miss the mark and offend God. I will give several instances to buttress this very important point:

(1) God's Word says Christians should meet regularly (Hebrews 10:25). The Church, led by God's Holy Spirit, has chosen Sunday or Sabbath and other days' fellowship activities for this. Today, we find self-professed Christians who refuse to go to Church to thank God, listen to His Word and worship Him.

(2) God's Word says we should pray in and out of season (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Today, we find Christians who cannot pray even twice a day (morning and evening) or even pray before a meal in public because they are ashamed of being identified as Christians.

(3) God's Word says we should pay tithes, first fruit and offerings and God will bless us (Malachi 3:6-12; Proverbs 3:9), but we find so called Christians not only refusing to pay tithes (just 10% of income as salary earners or profit from business) but stating that it was only for the time of the Israelites of old and does not apply to today's world.

Such people forget that without tithes, the Gospel work to preach, help those in need and win lost souls would suffer.

(4) God's Word says we should fast and pray (Matthew 6:5-18) but today we find Christians who find it difficult to fast.

(5) God's Word says men are not to wear women's clothing and women are not to wear men's clothing (Deuteronomy 22:5) but today, we find women who claim Christianity wearing trousers meant for men and justifying it with excuses about cold weather and convenience.

(6) God's Word says we should not put our trust in human beings but only in God (Psalm 146:3-7; Jeremiah 17:5-8). Today we find Christians worshipping their fellow humans for all sorts of favours and justifying it that God will not come down from heaven but will use people to help.

The question to ask such people is, have you asked God for His help, believed He can do all things, waited patiently and never received an answer?

(7) God's Word clearly condemns homosexuality (Genesis 19:1-11; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; 1 Kings 14:24; 1 Kings 15:12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; Jude 7) but today we find people who claim Christianity not only supporting it but talking about protecting the human rights of homosexuals.

(8) God Word says people who serve Him should dress decently and modestly (1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Corinthians 11:5-10) but today, we find self-professed Christians dressing indecently: women dress half naked and expose their bodies, do not cover their hair in Church, paint their faces with make-up and lipsticks and wear all manner of hair attachments and jewellery.

We find the men wear singlets to Church and outside their homes in public and carrying long hair and young men sag their trousers to reveal their briefs and even come that way to Church.

It is so bad that today one cannot differentiate in dressing between a prostitute and a man or woman who claims to be a Christian.

(9) God's Word says we should pray for and show love to our enemies (Exodus 23:4; Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 6:27-36; Romans 12:14, 19-21) but today we find so called Christians praying for the death of their enemies and rejoicing when evil befalls them.

The Word of God says in Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." God's Word also says in Job 31:29-30 "I have never been glad when my enemies suffered, or pleased when they met with disaster; I have never sinned by praying for their death."

(10) God's Word says we should not tell lies or deceive people (Leviticus 19:11; Psalm 119:163; Proverbs 12:22; Proverbs 13:5; Proverbs 14:5; Proverbs 17:7; Hosea 11:12; Zephaniah 3:13; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 3:9; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Revelations 21:8) but we find people who claim to be Christians engaging in all manner of deceit and telling lies to defraud unsuspecting individuals.

(11) God's Word says no one should use His Name in vain (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12) but today we find so called Christians using God's Holy Name to swear, tell lies and deceive people without caring about the consequences.

(12) God's Word says He hates divorce and those who do such wicked things to their spouses (Malachi 2:16) but today we find even pastors who divorce their wives to marry someone else whilst even telling lies and claiming it was God who told them to do so.

(13) God's Word says God does not change and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8) but we find today's Christians trying to recreate Christianity even in the so called Christian songs they sing after worldly fashion.

One cannot even distinguish many of today's so called gospel songs from worldly music because the singers sing to appeal to the world and not to honour God. Even in dancing, it is the same.

You even find so many of today’s so called Christians not only enjoying and singing worldly immoral music that glorifies satan but also dancing to it and saying it does not matter.

They play such songs even at their own parties, whether wedding, birthday or whatever celebration. This is so, so sad.

(14) God's Word says there is ONLY one God and the ONLY way to serve Him is through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5-6) but what do we find today? People who claim to be Christians say we and other religions are worshipping the same God.

We find so called Christians engaged in disgusting occultic practices at night and going to Church at the same time. We find so called Christians visiting strange temples and places of herbalists to seek solutions to their problems!

Dear friend, by now it should be clear to you that what God's Word says and what we find many so called Christians doing today are at serious variance. We find people today serving God at their own terms and not on God's terms.

To such people, God is secondary and comes to their minds only when they feel they have need for Him. This ought not to be so.

Anyone who is living this way is not only living sinfully and dangerously but is in dire need of repentance and Salvation and is in danger of going to hell FOREVER if the person dies in sin without repentance and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

The truth is, no one can serve God on his or her own terms; it is just a waste of time and an exercise in futility. God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent and He knows every single person and He knows those who are serving Him as He has commanded.

As far as God's laws and commands are concerned, it is either God's Way or no way. There is simply no middle ground.

Today's world is filled with so many nominal self-professed Christians who have allowed themselves to be deceived by satan and his agents into thinking that a lifestyle that contradicts God's commands does not matter.

You see people who use tattoos and claim to be Christians, saying it does not matter and that what matters is your soul. God says we should not use tattoos (Leviticus 19:28) and anyone who preaches contrary is offending God and misleading souls into going to hell fire forever.

Dear friend, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour gave His life for mankind on the Cross of Calvary to break the curse that was on man when satan deceived him at the beginning in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). 

The same Jesus Christ has been warning and continues to warn mankind to stop sinning and making nonsense of what He did on the Cross, turn to Him sincerely, obey His commands and live a holy life.

Jesus sheds tears when He sees souls sinning and especially when they have died and gone to hell FOREVER where satan tortures them even when it was the same satan who deceived them while they were alive here on earth.

If you say you are a Christian, make up your mind to serve Jesus as He has commanded. His Holy Word, the Holy Bible, is clear on how to live a life that pleases Him (Joshua 1:8; Matthew 4:4; 1 John 2:27). If you are yet to give your life to Jesus, the time to do so is now, not tomorrow or later for it may be too late.

Many souls are now in hell forever suffering for eternity and regretting all because they refused to listen or believe the Gospel message of Salvation when it was preached to them. Please, I beg you, do not allow your situation to be like theirs.

Give your life to Christ today and save yourself from eternal damnation when the end comes either in death or when Jesus returns now as He has been warning.

Do not say no one told you because satan and his demons will remind you in hell that you read this message but refused to heed it.

God bless you today as you heed His Word, act on it and share with others in Jesus' Precious Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.