The question of the future and what lies ahead has been a source of worry and concern to every normal human being. In order to find answers to this innate hunch, men seek spiritual guidance from all kinds of self-prophesed spiritualists. Others join cults to feel secure about the future. But where lies the solution?
To the Christian, the word of God gives confidence about what lies ahead in clear terms. What happens to our earthly bodies after we are gone? Is there any heavenly body for us? What would be the end of mortality and who holds the final ace about life after death?
Let's delve into the revelation of this secrets for constant reassurance..
'For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the seflsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that , whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent form the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad'. That is the fact of the matter. The revealed secret about our future.
One thing is very clear here. We'll decide how bright our future will be by getting involved in good work. This guarantees we live with our saviour in eternity after we must have been transformed. Can we find another reason why we must redouble our commitment to Christ?
In the word of a song writer, 'where will you be when the trumpet shall sound, where will you be when it sounds so loud, when it sounds so loud as to wake up the dead, where will you be when it sounds?
Text: 2 Cor. 5:1-10
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Lovest Thou Me?
'So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?
Sure, no disciple of Christ was so visible and courageous as Peter. He was the leader of the whole lot. Others looked up to him for guidance. What he was yet to do, no one dared to do it. After the death of Christ, he led others back into the world. They abandoned their commitment to the master and left the divine assignment.
At the point of crisis we least expect, there is possibility to abandon our divine assignment. When we do, we only attest to our love for worldly callings more than serving God.
It was a priviledge to be commissioned to preach the gospel to all nations baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost but that meant nothing to a persecuted disciple.
What do you choose when you are challenged and questioned about your faith? Very recently in Nigeria, some christians were killed right inside the church where they worshiped by overzealous Islamic crusaders. They paid the supreme price. They could have renounced their faith but prefered to align with the commitment of apostle paul in Act 20:24 'But none of these things move me, neither count I my lfie dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the minstry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God'.
Our love for Christ must be total even to the point of death. We cannot determine what situation lies ahead of us as we progress in our pilgrim's journey but we can decide to love our saviour till we breathe our last breath.
The question of Christ to Peter is still directed to us today. 'Lovest thou me'?
Text: John 21:15
Sure, no disciple of Christ was so visible and courageous as Peter. He was the leader of the whole lot. Others looked up to him for guidance. What he was yet to do, no one dared to do it. After the death of Christ, he led others back into the world. They abandoned their commitment to the master and left the divine assignment.
At the point of crisis we least expect, there is possibility to abandon our divine assignment. When we do, we only attest to our love for worldly callings more than serving God.
It was a priviledge to be commissioned to preach the gospel to all nations baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost but that meant nothing to a persecuted disciple.
What do you choose when you are challenged and questioned about your faith? Very recently in Nigeria, some christians were killed right inside the church where they worshiped by overzealous Islamic crusaders. They paid the supreme price. They could have renounced their faith but prefered to align with the commitment of apostle paul in Act 20:24 'But none of these things move me, neither count I my lfie dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the minstry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God'.
Our love for Christ must be total even to the point of death. We cannot determine what situation lies ahead of us as we progress in our pilgrim's journey but we can decide to love our saviour till we breathe our last breath.
The question of Christ to Peter is still directed to us today. 'Lovest thou me'?
Text: John 21:15
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Busy But Guilty
'Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed'.
Here is the story of a man of God who had the Lord's genuine calling upon his life. The calling was backed up with covenant. As he was serving God, the Lord gave him a home with wife and children. Having a home, good as it may have been proved to be his undoing. He could not govern his home. He neglected to train his children neither did he teach them the statutes of the law.
That was a direct disobedience to the commandment of God. We are expected to teach our children the word of God, talk about it while at home, write it upon the lintel of our homes and sing it as songs to them. Eli, the man of God could not meet up with the demands of child training. He was busy with the work of the ministry. Every year, he hosted pilgrims who wished to meet with God at Shiloh. He never failed in his ministarial duty. He was so concerned and busy that he totally failed to impart the fear of God in his children who grew to be blasphemers and adulterers. It was so bad that they made love with women right in front of the terbanacle even in daylight.
God never spared him. He judged him for this neglect and withdrew his covenant of generation past from him. He incured the wrath of God and sudden death. His generation after him suffered premature death too as a result of his sins.
What are you doing in the vineyard of God now? Do you know that you must not neglect the training of your children inspite of your ministerial duties? Give your children the priority they deserve. Honour God with their lives and bring them up in godly living. Teach them to memorize the scripures and instill the fear of God in them from their childhood. Train them while they are young and when they are grown up, they will not depart from the path you have set for them. This is the simplest way to succeed in child training.
Text: 1 Samuel 2: 30-37
Here is the story of a man of God who had the Lord's genuine calling upon his life. The calling was backed up with covenant. As he was serving God, the Lord gave him a home with wife and children. Having a home, good as it may have been proved to be his undoing. He could not govern his home. He neglected to train his children neither did he teach them the statutes of the law.
That was a direct disobedience to the commandment of God. We are expected to teach our children the word of God, talk about it while at home, write it upon the lintel of our homes and sing it as songs to them. Eli, the man of God could not meet up with the demands of child training. He was busy with the work of the ministry. Every year, he hosted pilgrims who wished to meet with God at Shiloh. He never failed in his ministarial duty. He was so concerned and busy that he totally failed to impart the fear of God in his children who grew to be blasphemers and adulterers. It was so bad that they made love with women right in front of the terbanacle even in daylight.
God never spared him. He judged him for this neglect and withdrew his covenant of generation past from him. He incured the wrath of God and sudden death. His generation after him suffered premature death too as a result of his sins.
What are you doing in the vineyard of God now? Do you know that you must not neglect the training of your children inspite of your ministerial duties? Give your children the priority they deserve. Honour God with their lives and bring them up in godly living. Teach them to memorize the scripures and instill the fear of God in them from their childhood. Train them while they are young and when they are grown up, they will not depart from the path you have set for them. This is the simplest way to succeed in child training.
Text: 1 Samuel 2: 30-37
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Glorify God In Your Body
'For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's'.
Is it possible to have confessed Christ and saviour and still be slaves to the flesh and its works? Can we say we have been saved and yet continue in our former ways? What then is the difference between the beliver and the unbelieving sinner? Would living in sin not make the saving power of Christ of none effect?
The believers in Corinth were not clear on the concept of holy living. Fornication, adultery and all other filthy works of flesh was rampant amonth them. They saw nothing sinful in sleeping with a harlot in a brothel. Surely that is not what the gospel stands for. The power of sin is broken by the extraordinary grace of God at salvation. Thenceforth we live no longer for sin. We are no longer to be slaves to the flesh and Satan. Our loyalty changes. We are now born again. That is the experience of the new birth. Old things are passed away and all things become new.
You cannot claim to be born again and be happy committing adultery. It is ungoldy. Why are you still making love to unidentified being in your dreams? Is that the life in the kingdom of God? No.
Your body is now the property of Christ. If you are truly his, live a holy life. Dedicate your body to him. Stop patronizing harlots like Samson did. That way is the highway to destruction and fall from grace. Samson had the power of God and great annointing but he broke the covenant. He disobeyed God and his parents. His life was cut short prematurely just for not glorifying God in his body. You don't want to end your life like that.
Text: I Cor. 6:20
Is it possible to have confessed Christ and saviour and still be slaves to the flesh and its works? Can we say we have been saved and yet continue in our former ways? What then is the difference between the beliver and the unbelieving sinner? Would living in sin not make the saving power of Christ of none effect?
The believers in Corinth were not clear on the concept of holy living. Fornication, adultery and all other filthy works of flesh was rampant amonth them. They saw nothing sinful in sleeping with a harlot in a brothel. Surely that is not what the gospel stands for. The power of sin is broken by the extraordinary grace of God at salvation. Thenceforth we live no longer for sin. We are no longer to be slaves to the flesh and Satan. Our loyalty changes. We are now born again. That is the experience of the new birth. Old things are passed away and all things become new.
You cannot claim to be born again and be happy committing adultery. It is ungoldy. Why are you still making love to unidentified being in your dreams? Is that the life in the kingdom of God? No.
Your body is now the property of Christ. If you are truly his, live a holy life. Dedicate your body to him. Stop patronizing harlots like Samson did. That way is the highway to destruction and fall from grace. Samson had the power of God and great annointing but he broke the covenant. He disobeyed God and his parents. His life was cut short prematurely just for not glorifying God in his body. You don't want to end your life like that.
Text: I Cor. 6:20
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