WOW-31 January 2024: WE ARE THE OPEN BIBLES (CONT’D)

Senior Pastor Daniel O. C. | Jan 31, 2024

Calvary greetings to you in the blessed name of Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen!

EVIDENCE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

Simple profession of Christ’s saving grace without a transformed life to back up that testimony is empty profession.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

If you profess to be a child of God, the question you should ask is:

Where is my identity card?
Where is the identity card of a true believer?

The identity card of a believer is the change of life.
It is that transformation that makes you not to fight unnecessarily anymore, not to steal anymore, not to engage in fraudulent activities anymore, not to tell lies anymore and not to engage in illegal activities anymore.

Paul the apostle had this change of life after he met the Lord Jesus (Galatians 1:13-16).
Prior to Apostle Paul’s conversion, he was an injurious blasphemer and murderer.
He was known as a notorious and dangerous man.
He persecuted the Christians exceedingly, but when he met Christ and everything changed.

If we say we know and love Jesus, do our neighbours see the evidence that we truly belong to Jesus?
Can they testify that things have changed in our lives and that we are truly born again?

The jailor in the Book of Acts chapter 16 asked Paul and Silas a pertinent question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (Acts 16:30-33).
Notice that Paul did not say, “Join our church and you will be saved.”

It is Jesus who saves us from sin. It is your hearing the gospel message, accepting it, believing it and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour that you get saved. After being saved, the jailor took Paul and Silas home (Acts 16:33-34). Prior to him being saved, the jailor did not care for anybody, but after his conversion and encounter with the Living Saviour, he demonstrated genuine compassion and mercy.
The jailor rendered services of kindness and mercy to the Apostles. This is known as a change of heart and life which God expects to see in us.

Another account of a changed life is recorded in Acts 19:18-20.
These people once depended on occultism, magical powers and lying wonders.
But after they came to the Lord, they surrendered all the occultic materials and burnt them.
They identified publicly with Christ and denounced all evil practices.
Thus, the Word of God grew mightily. That means every believer there became a Bible for others to read.
The changed lives of these believers became indispensable evidence of divine encounter.

You are indeed your neighbour’s Bible.
Let them read the Bible through your life.
Let them read the message of salvation in your life.
Let them see through your life that it is possible to be sanctified and made holy.
Let them see through your life that believers do not waste their time pursuing fashion and mundane things of life.
Let them see your light (Matthew 5:16).

To be continued.

Remain blessed and rapturable,
Yours to reach this generation with the Gospel,

Dr. Daniel O. C.
Senior Pastor