The world is currently stooping under the burden of the corona virus pandemic. This corona virus pandemic has shown how much connected human beings even as they live widely apart and across the world. It has also exposed the fragility and inadequacy of all the systems set up by human beings purportedly for the good of human beings.

Further, it also demonstrates that the only things that can endure are those things that have the approval of God.

Right now, numerous people are living in fear of the corona.

Why? They fear death.

Why?

I don’t know but the possibility is that the average person does not want to meet God yet. Many have suddenly realised that there is a God and that we humans are responsible to a God who is not only higher than us but who has the authority and power to make us give account to Him. Hence, many are not prepared to go to their maker to render the account of the life He gave them. But eventually, by whatever means as determined by God, we all will give account at the time appoint by God.

Please, use this period for a useful reflection if you are a Christian, a genuine child of God by adoption through the Lord Jesus Christ.

How has your life of faith been brother, sister?

If the Lord is to call today, are you ready?

What will your account show, seriously unrighteous deficit, or God-pleasing righteous surplus?

Now more than ever before, recognise and accept the authority of the word of God over your life. Let the word of God be the ultimate authority for life of faith and practice.

 Move closer to God now. You have nothing to lose other than sin and all its consequences. Rather, you have everything to gain from God who alone can deliver, protect, provide, and keep us secure in and for Himself

So, I implore you to stop living on the faith of others only. Stop living only on the crumbs that fall from the tables of those who take their faith seriously enough to make time for diligent study and practice of the word of God. But in addition, do your own diligent study too. It is as you study the word of God yourself that the word is able to come into your and do its work in you through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Realise that if you don’t seek, know and practice the truth of the biblical Christian faith, you are practicing a false religion and you can only spread and encourage error as a false teacher, a purveyor of death. And may that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

But seriously speaking, “Who will you blame if you don’t make it to heaven in spite of your long association with the church?”

Nobody but you! Again, may that not be your portion, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Stop giving excuses that you are busy! Now for many of you, the current lock down has taken away the excuse of being busy. Except of course if binge-watching of TV can be considered more worthy of your time than making time to nurture your relationship with the Lord.

You can spend hours watching TV, surfing the net and chatting on the phone yet you have no time to improve your knowledge of your faith!

How can you love a Lord you don’t know and whose instructions you don’t care to find out?  Know that ignorance is no more an excuse before the Lord. I implore you to stop wasting the precious time God has given you.

What is more important than that you should practice your faith according to how God demands to be worshipped and as detailed in His written word?

Know this, that amongst those who claim to be Christians one of the greatest weapons of mass ruin and suffering is ignorance of the word of God. Ignorance of the word of God is a very potent weapon in the hand of the devil. It is a major reason why false teachers and heretics are getting away with murder literarily.

I concur with that old saint who has now gone home to be with the Lord. He said “it is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals than to speak falsehood that comforts and then kills.”

On my part I will rather you hate me for declaring the whole counsel of God than you love me for telling lies and hiding the truth because of any potential, perceived or real gratification.

Please, remember this: That numerous others had lived true to this faith in God all their lives and God testified to their faithfulness. They lived through much persecution and suffered much for their faith in God and in Christ, but God supplied the grace they needed to live true to God in the midst of the ungodliness of their day.

Jeremiah was not cast into the dungeon that has no water but mire (Jer. 38:6) for patting sinners on the back and telling them “God loves you but hates the sin in you!” Rather, against powerful forces and all odds he persisted in declaring the true word of God.

Stephen was not stoned (Acts 7:54, 57-60) for proclaiming to the Jewish religious leaders that all roads leading to God. That we all worship the same God, but the methods are just different! He neither spoke politically or socially or religiously correct language. Rather, he spoke godly correct language that cut to the heart of the ungodly who were claiming to be worshiping God.

John was not banished to the island of Patmos (Rev 1:9) for conducting deliverance services for people who were supposed to have been saved but were continuing in their sins and cultural practices and loving it; people who claim to be free while still being shackled by their traditions and superstitions and other consequences of syncretism.

Peter was not kept in prison by Herod and released by an angel (Acts 12:3-12)  and years later killed for preaching prosperity message and declaring to sinners walking contrary to God while claiming to belong to God “God is here to bless you. Indeed, he has sent me to bless you. You can have your best in the here and now. You just need to sow more dangerously. Speaking prophetically, you are getting a miracle within 72 hours!” Rather he preached the gospel of Christ without fear or favour. 

Neither was Paul imprisoned and later beheaded for conducting seeker-friendly, friendship evangelism, saying to the people who were helping him: “Don’t talk about their sins. Rather tell them that God is here to listen to them and do just what they want and give them all the desires of their heart. Let them come in first and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. And while at it let them know that we are ready to listen to them tell us how we should do church; we shall to whatever they want so they can stay and be blessed” Rather, he preached the whole truth of the gospel against all odds.

This is not calling you to become violent in any physical way for violence is alien to true biblical Christianity. But it is a wakeup call to you in case you are beginning to slumber or are even asleep spiritually already!

Part of the reason the author and finisher of the biblical Christian faith the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified was because He told sinners: “Except you repent, you will likewise perish” (Luke 13:3-4).

When God ordered the extermination of Sodom and Gomorrah, He did not tell them: “I love you and hate your sin”. Rather, the sinner and his sins are one and are destroyed together. The sinner either forsakes his sins and turns to God and is saved or he holds on to his sins and God turns from him and he and his sins perish together. 

True, God is love (1John 4:8). But God hates sin.

He is as is said of Him: “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” (Hab. 1:13).

He alone is the judge, and no one can deliver from His hand.

“I, even I, am the Lord; And beside me there is no saviour.” (Isa 43:11).

That is why “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:31).  

“Christian” where do you stand?

How are you involved?

Remember, we all shall give account. ALL without exception!

Brethren, may it not be that you treat the written word of God as a common thing, of less value than the opinions of men!

Don’t tell me that “but I’m not Jeremiah or an apostle” for the Holy bible says you belong to “a royal priesthood” (1Pet 2:9).

Do you believe that? Then act as a priest of the Lord Most High now.

I pray that you may come referentially and humbly before God to seek the understanding of the word of God and that He will give you both the courage and strength to be able to declare the whole counsel of God under the power of the Holy Spirit always in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you are not yet a believer in Christ.

However, if you are notyet of the Lord. If Jesus Christ is not yet your Saviour and Lord, the starting point for you is to come to the Lord asking Him to save you and become your Lord. It is after that you can begin to speak of the word of God becoming the ruler of your life.

I pray that God will have mercy upon you as you humbly come to Him for your salvation through Jesus Christ. That He will hear your cry for help and extend His forgiveness and peace to you in Jesus’ Name, Amen.