Who is like unto Thee, O Lord! Who is like unto Thee, O Lord among the gods who is like Thee You are glorious in holiness fearful in praises during wonders alleluia.2x wonderful marvellous are the works of the Lord, praise be the Lord, wonderful marvellous are the works of the Lord, praise be the Lord!
Praise be to my Father Who art in heaven, let Your Name alone be glorified. You are God and liveth forever more alleluia. Glory, honour adoration be unto Thee alone Who is worthy of our praise. Thank You for the parked blessings you have planned for us ahead of today. We will lift up our voice to glorify Your Holy Name forever in Jesus Name.
Precious Father we thank You, let glory and honour be ascribe to You who love us without measure, who accept us for who we are and make us what you want us to become. Praise be to Him alone in Jesus Name.
Beloved, praise God! How are doing? Hope you are making progress in the victory match? We will all testify at the end but make sure you are putting to work all that we are instructing you to do and you will wear a smiling face at the end in Jesus Name.
We have a wonderful topic before us today. Can you give a clap offering to the Lord? Are you excited to know that there is a crown that awaits you at the end of your walk here on earth? Wahoo! Am so excited because I am not just walking on this part of eternity but am hopeful that I will be rewarded as God has assured me in several verses of the bible what about you?
Beloved, there are several crowns as written in the Word of God. We have a Crown of glory Prov 16:31, Crown of pride of the drunkards Isa 28:1, 3. Crown of beauty in the of Jehovah Isa 62:3
This Crown can destroyed as in Jer 13:18. Jesus won a crown of thorns Matt 27:29, Mk 15:17, Jn 19:5. We have Corruptible Crown and Incorruptible Crown as in 1 Cor 9:25. There is also a crown of glorying 1Tim 2:19. We have a crown of righteousness in 2 Tim 4:8. There is a crown of life which we will receive at the end of our life here on earth. Jas 1:12; Rev 2:10.
We have as well a Crown of glory 1pet 5:4. Beloved it might interest you to know that Jesus our Savour also have His crown calls a “Golden Crown” Rev 14:14.
However there is warning to us which we must adhere strictly to. That is what the devil is fighting daily to take away from us and Jesus has warn us ahead of time. I have experience it and am still experience it and I know if you are truly a child of God you must be passing through same phase.
But there is a way out for you and I. there is no temptation common to man that God has not make a way of escape.
Let’s go to Rev 3:11, and it read “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” Rev 3:11 (KJV)
Did you read that “.hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” That is where our daily struggles lies. Not in your repenting or getting born again, not in your confessing about Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, the underlining factor here is your holding fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown away. Can someone shout alleluia!!!!!!!!!!!
Therefore stand and stand firm in righteousness and in faith and “hold that which thou hast.” Praise God.
Beloved, so many people are working tirelessly for a perishable crown. But the crown we are discussing here is a not corruptible crown, is not perishable crown. The race we are running daily is for that of “Imperishable crown’
If you are interesting in that type of crown, please come along with me as we consider the ministration below:
Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.—1 Corinthians 9:24–25
Athletes are willing to push themselves harder and longer and farther than anyone else. They strive to bring their bodies and minds completely under control so that they excel and receive a prize. Others go home to relax, but athletes continue to train.
While most people protect themselves from any form of discomfort, athletes push themselves to the limits of their endurance. While some remain satisfied with mediocre performance, athletes pay any price for excellence. Paul said that despite their most valiant efforts, the athletes’ successes and prizes are eventually forgotten. Even the greatest athletic achievements have not affected eternity.
If an athlete can be motivated to make incredible sacrifices for a perishable reward, how much more ought Christians to strive for an imperishable one? If an athlete will labor day after day in order to receive glory from others, how much harder ought Christians to work for the “well done” of their Master?
Are you striving to bring your body into subjection for the glory of God? Are you training your mind to think the thoughts of God rather than thoughts of the world? Are you disciplining your life in prayer? When others are sleeping, are you interceding? Have you studied God’s word so diligently that you are prepared to find answers to the challenges you face?
Have you equipped yourself in evangelism so that you are ready to share your faith? Have you prepared yourself as a Christian in order to qualify for the imperishable crown that awaits you?
Wahoo! What a profound discovery we have there. Are you working in line of the message above? If not beloved, read in between the lines as you go through the message again so that you will not only receive well done from our Lord and master but also an imperishable crown from Him. Praise God!
The next message is what we must give an urgent attention to. Is that the kind of Christianity we are professing? Beloved, let us find out what is contain therein before running our conclusion.
Non-Toxic Christianity
Most professed followers of Christ live a “non-toxic” brand of Christianity. That is, their “Christian” lifestyle tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. Their lives exhibit little, if any, self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, or a fear, as well as, love for God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain.
Let me propose five root causes:
- Religious Individualism – We have come to believe that religious authority lies in us rather than in the Bible or in church leadership. Thus, we have become our own final court of appeal as to what is right or wrong: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” (Judges 17:6)
- Shallow Superficiality – Most of us have only a scant acquaintance with Biblical truth, because our exposure to, and understanding of the Scriptures lacks discipline, focus and scholarship. If the Word of God is not spoon-fed to us in “touchy-feelie” bite-size portions, we soon loose interest.
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear… ” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4a)
- Religious Consumerism – Exercising our ‘divine right’ as religious consumers, we buy as much Christianity as we seem to want. The cost is low and customer satisfaction seems guaranteed. If our present religious “provider” fails to cater to our whimsical fancy, we flutter across town to one that will.
- Cultural Christianity – Our values, norms and modes of interpreting reality have been entirely emancipated from any dependence upon God. Overwhelmed as we are by the pervading culture, we have accommodated our beliefs to fit in with its norms and values to the point that our Christian witness has lost its authenticity. Thus, the persecution mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:12 is alien to our experience: “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
- Frenzied Materialism – While we slave away at obtaining the “finer” things in life, we openly profess a strong distaste for materialism. Yet we have become amazingly adept at learning how to deliberate an uneasy union between the spiritual and material.
QUESTION: How would you evaluate your brand of Christianity? Is it of the non-toxic variety that offends and affects no one? If so, what changes do you need to make at this time?
Are you here with me now? What can you say of what you read? It is interesting to know that this type of Christianity will not get you the “Imperishable Crown”
Are you in to obtaining the Imperishable Crown? Your life of Christianity must offensive. Pardon me for using that word but you must live for Christ and be pleasing unto Him alone and not unto man.
May God help us to behold “our imperishable crown at the end of our journey here on earth in Jesus Name! Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let no one take away our crown in Jesus Name!!!!!!!!!!!!! For we perish Christ crucified 1 Cor 1:23.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
