“If the world hates you, remember that they hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as it loves its own people. But I have chosen you to be different from those in the world. So you don’t belong to the world, and that is why the world hates you. “Remember the lesson I told you: Servants are not greater than their master. If people treated me badly, they will treat you badly too.." John 15:18-20 (ERV)
Several years ago, the queen of Sheba visited King Solomon to test his wisdom. She brought artificial flowers so perfectly formed that no human eye could detect them from real flowers. She put them in a vase on Solomon’s table, next to his flowers. As he came in, the queen of Sheba said, “King Solomon, you are the wisest man in the world. Tell me without touching these flowers, which are real and which are artificial'' King Solomon studied the flowers for a long time and spoke nothing, until finally, he said, “Open the windows and let the bees come in.” (When Religion Becomes Real by Brooks Ramsey)
One of the challenges in our world today is how to identify the real from the fake. The number of fake things in circulation have outnumbered the real ones. For instance, there are more fake drugs, fake news, fake friends, fake believers, fake pastors, fake law enforcement agents, fake engineers etc. in our generation more than ever before. It is now becoming more and more difficult to identify the genuine ones from the fake.
However, in John 15:18-20, Jesus Christ gave us a simple but very profound guideline for resolving this crucial matter. His advice clearly corroborates the response of king Solomon in the story above. Jesus affirms that the easiest way to identify a real flower is to check whether it attracts bees or not. Persecution is a bee that can easily distinguish true Christians from fake ones. Only those who are genuine followers of Christ attract the bees of persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
''Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ
Jesus will be persecuted.'' - 2 Tim 3:12
Friends, is the flower of your career, marriage, and ministry
attracting bees of persecution? Are you being treated badly or unfairly for no
reason? Then, it is most likely that you are one of the few real flowers or
genuine ones in this generation. Obviously, it is an indication that you are
still walking on the narrow path and growing in the likeness of our master -
Jesus Christ. So, please count it all joy that your life is attracting bees
(James 1:2). Keep asking God for grace to endure the sting of the bees
patiently until you see Christ in glory (1 Corinthian 4:12, James 1:12).
"..When people abuse and insult us, we respond with a
blessing, and when severely persecuted, we endure it with patience. When we are
slandered incessantly, we always answer gently, ready to reconcile.." - 1 Corinthian 4:12-13 (TPT)
Friends, are the bees of persecution far from you? Please don't be excited about it yet. This may be a strong indication that you have formed an alliance with the prince of bees (the god of this world). Don't you know that the devil doesn't fight his own people? Bees are not coming towards you because you are one of his artificial or fake flowers in this generation. Therefore, you should be very worried and concerned about this bitter truth. But you can become one of the few real ones if you genuinely repent and surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Please do it now.
One hymn that re-echoes an important decision anyone who
wants to become real/genuine flower must make on earth is titled "I Have
Decided to follow Jesus".
I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS (Sadhu Sundar Singh)
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
no turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, I still will follow;
though none go with me, I still will follow;
though none go with me, I still will follow;
no turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
the world behind me, the cross before me,
the world behind me, the cross before me;
no turning back, no turning back.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.
May God uphold all the real Christians to withstand the
sting of bees till Christ returns to take them home. And may all the fake ones
be real by deciding to follow Jesus before it will be too late, Amen.
On behalf of my esteemed father in the Lord, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Pastor E. A. Adeboye, I will like to invite you to the 2022 Holy Ghost Congress. Theme: DOUBLE PORTION. Date: 5th to 10th December, 2022. Venue: Km 46 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Redemption City, Ogun State. Nigeria.
Good day and God bless, Amen.
Maranatha!
Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo
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