By National Prayer Altar
William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, served the Lord in India for many years. He was very concerned about his son, Felix. The young man had promised to become a missionary, but he reneged on his vows when the Queen of England appointed him ambassador to Burma. Carey wrote to his friends, asking prayer for his son. He said, “Pray for Felix. He has degenerated into an ambassador of the British government when he should be serving the King of kings.”
If Felix were a brother in the present-day Church, he would have been crucified by his own brethren if he turned down the appointment as British ambassador to Burma and became a missionary. Some Christians would have cursed his ‘overzealousness.’ Felix’s choice, which his father described as “degeneration”, would have been the ‘perfect choice’ of many professing Christians today.
The modern Church has managed to produce many Christians whose priorities in life are not in alignment with the preference of heaven. Consequently, we have a disconnect between what Christians are and what the Scriptures call them to be. That disconnect has created a conflict within the Church, so that many believers struggle between what they read in the Bible and what their environment demands of them. To resolve the dilemma, we must return to the Scriptures for what Jesus empowered Christians to be and to do.
In one of our previous prayer calls, we pointed out that God gave the Old Testament saint the power to get wealth (Deut. 8:18) but gave the New Testament saint power to witness (Acts 1:8). It can be said therefore that the materialism that elevates the _“power to get wealth”_ is inconsistent with the reality of New Testament life.
The word translated “witness” in Acts 1:8 is the Greek work _martus,_ which has the same toot as “martyr”. What the Lord was saying, in effect was, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be martyrs unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
To help us to better understand what the Lord was saying in Acts 1:8, we shall render it thus, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall die for me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Some people had to die for Christ before the gospel could reach us. That was the call that Peter, James, Paul, Matthew, Thomas, and all the other disciples of Jesus Christ obeyed; that was the call that enabled them to serve Christ in their generation. Everywhere the gospel has made impact, people have laid down their lives in obedience to Acts 1:8. The Church of Jesus Christ makes impact where men willingly lay down their lives, passions, ambitions, and reputation for the sake of the gospel. It is only when the corn of wheat falls and dies that it brings forth much fruit (John 12:24).
In our generation, God’s call for His people to be witnesses has been diverted into a call for the “power to get wealth”. That is the reason we lack men and women who are willing to defend the righteousness of Christianity with their last breath. The result is a Church that is making itself irrelevant to heaven, and lacks impact on the earth. The power of the Church is made manifest where there are people willing to lay down their lives, as Jesus commanded. The Scriptures confirm in 2 Tim. 2:11: _“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”_
Today, the Church is reeling in scandals upon scandals, and the positive impact of Christianity is no longer strong on the society. As the salt of the earth and the light of the world, the Church is failing in its commission because there are fewer people willing to be “witnesses” for Christ. Being a “witness” as Jesus commanded in Acts 1:8 is more than going out on evangelism or conducting outreaches. It implies a life that is unwavering in obedience and commitment to Christ, even to the point of death.
A “witness” for Christ in a government ministry in Nigeria, at the risk of demotion or even dismissal, should reject his ‘share’ from extra-budgetary allocations. A “witness” for Christ in politics should not steal public funds, even at the risk of not winning re-election. The “witness” for Christ in University administration should keep from embezzlement of funds, and “witnesses” for Christ in the Police, Customs, and the Army should reject inducements to abuse power and extort money from defenceless citizens.
One major area where “witnesses” are lacking is the altar. Most of those who lead the Church in this generation have shown, by words and actions, that they did not receive the power to be “witnesses” for Christ. Much of the crisis of credibility assailing the Church flows from the pulpit. The “hirelings” who have invaded the altar should be cast out. Those who get more committed to the power to get wealth than the power to die for Jesus should not be given recognition as “servants of Christ.” They are priests of Mammon.
Until Christians begin to take a stand for everything Christ represents, whatever it costs, they will make little impact in their generation. A life surrendered to the Lord lasts longer than the life that pursues the vanities of the world. The disciples were lowly and uneducated men, their only recognition being that they had _“been with Jesus”._ Peter, James, and John did not sit with the elites in the palace where Caesar held court; they were not one of the Senators who ruled the Roman empire. However, today, we call our sons “Peter,” “James,” and “John,” while we call our dogs “Caesar,” “Nero,” and “Brutus.” That’s the difference between lives committed to Jesus and the rest.
We received power after that the Holy Ghost came upon us. That power was to enable us to take a stand for Jesus, even if it meant death. Anyone who claims to have received the baptism in the Holy Ghost but cannot stand for truth and righteousness needs to check the power that they received. Therefore, “pray for Felix” and for every Christian whose priority in life is like that of Felix. Anyone who has placed temporary comfort and worldly recognition above the call of Jesus requires prayers. It is not wisdom to jeopardize eternal glory for temporal luxury and fame.
Every Christian must stand for Christ while there is time. For Christians in Nigeria, it is time to place righteousness above material and temporal needs. The involvement of Christians in acts of corruption must cease. Rather, they should stand for truth and righteousness at every point. That is the way to the new Nigeria. God bless you.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Eph. 2:8-9
Thank God for your salvation. It is by grace that we are saved. Thank God that the gospel came to Nigeria.
2. 2 Cor. 5:21
Thank God for the sacrifice of atonement through Jesus Christ. Thank God for that sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven and we are saved.
3. 2 Cor. 5:15
Pray for total commitment to Christ by all Christians. Pray that in all things, Christians shall receive grace to place Christ first.
4. 1 John 2:15-17
Pray that the glamour and fake beauty of the world will not seduce Christians away from Christ.
5. Philp. 1:20-21
Pray for purposeful determination by Christians, to do the will of God.
6. John 10:11-13
Pray that God will uproot all hirelings from the Nigeria Church, who teach errors and lead Christians away from the Good Shepherd.
7. 1 Pet. 1:13-16
Pray for the spirit of sanctification to rest upon Nigeria Christians, to be separated from sin and evil, and to be consecrated to God and His ways.
JOIN US AT THE DAILY PRAYERS FOR NIGERIA
started since 18th April 2022
TIME: 9.00 – 10.00pm daily (Nigeria time)
VENUE: ZOOM
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LINK TO MARATHON PRAYERS ZOOM ROOM
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Meeting ID: 940 6425 9957
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repent@csmnigeria.org
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● The National Prayer Altar, is co-ordinated by Pastor Bosun Emmanuel and Professor Trinya Kontein.
