Are You A True Child of God?

Many Christians claim to be sons of God because they are born-again. Yes it is true that you are a child of God once you have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord.

But, is that all that is required of you, just confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and continue in your sin?

No-No-No!

Call me a prophet of doom if you so wish, but I tell you the truth, God is angry with many Christians, pastors and priests because they have turned His words upside down, preaching, teaching and doing what pleases them but not following the commandments of God accordingly.
God asked the Israelites in the Old Testament through Prophet Malachi these questions, in Malachi 1:6-8

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests. “A son honors his father, a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for Your name?”

Many Christians are constantly offending God in their daily conducts and dealings with Him and other people. They don’t give honor to His name and yet they claim to be His children.

Which father will be happy if his son wakes up every morning looks him in the face, without saying a good morning tells him to give him money for his welfare?

Or which father will be happy to take the left-over crumbs from his son’s table as his birthday gift? Yet many Christians would rather spend the bulk of their income on partying, clubbing and other earthly pleasures and leave just crumbs for God!

Malachi 1:7 says, “You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’ You have defiled them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect”

Where is the altar of the Lord? Where you worship God, be it your house, or your church. The altar of God is your heart; how you worship God, is it in truth and spirit? Wherever and whenever you worship God, it must be with a lot of respect and honor. You must learn to acknowledge Him. Don’t be casual with God the way you will be with a friend or a colleague.

Imagine the way you talk to your boss in the office, it’s not the same way you interact with your other colleagues in the office. You talk with your boss with respect and honor and care. Most of the time you respond with a “sir”. How much more God Almighty who created you and provided you with all the things that you have!

Malachi went on to tell the people this: “When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

I have seen people place birthday greetings for their bosses, politicians, governors and presidents on “full page” “double pages” “inner cover” “back cover” and several pages with full colors on Newspapers and magazines running into several hundreds of thousands or even millions of naira. The irony of it all is that these people may never get to see the greetings. But the same people will not spend one thousand naira to propagate the gospel!

During festive periods, gifts running into millions of naira are given to the same rich and influential people who by the way do not need them, but those in desperate need are ignored. Remember the word of God that says what you do to these people is what you have done to me. So when you give for humanity cause, you are also giving to God.

The same people, Christians who spends millions as gifts for their godfather will not give ten thousand as offering on Sunday service for the propagation of the gospel.

But when they now have problems; health issues, financial problems, attacks etc. they will run to God who they don’t value initially for help!

Malachi 1:9 says, “Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should He show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies

“By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s Table. You say, it’s too hard to serve the Lord, and you turn up your noses at my commands, “says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ‘Think of it! Animals that are stolen (Money stolen or gotten through dubious means) and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?’

He is asking you today, should He accept the offerings you bring to church that were gotten from dubious means, through cheating, armed robbery, and advanced fee fraud. Should He accept offerings that are the left over from your table, your crumbs, after you have spent the bulk of your wealth on partying and clubbing and womanizing? (Read Malachi 1:12-13)

Remember that when you were seeking for favor from God you made so many promises to Him. You promised to give Him the best of your earnings in your desperation you made so many proclamations that you have no intentions of fulfilling. Now you are giving to Him left-overs after He has blessed you.

He says, “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king.’ Says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and my name is feared among the nations!’ Malachi 1:14

Steps to take:

1- Ask God for forgiveness, confess to Him that you have been unfaithful and now you are willing to change

2- Go back and make sure you fulfill all the promises you made to God when you were seeking His help

3- Start giving quality offerings to God Almighty from today

4- Give to the needy, the widows, and the orphans, remember anything you do for any of these people, same you have done for God.

God bless you.