Eternity Beckons

 

When a soul passes into eternity, those of us still alive, must pause and check our lives. Last night, I heard the news of the passing on into glory of a young Pastor I will describe as a casual friend in ministry. We met at a conference just about a month or two ago and passionately spoke about ministry. Now just a few days down the line, this young university graduate, who chose to go into ministry instead of the corporate world—while some of us play it safe with one leg in—has passed on into glory.
 

I write this with tearful eyes and asking, “What’s going on; God, why didn’t you allow this young man to live long to see the results and fruits of his labour?” I can only conclude and say "in your Sovereignty, you alone knows what you doing"

The more I ponder this, the more it becomes clear to me we are all living on borrowed time. Our days are numbered: Life on earth is just a fraction of eternity. One day we will all depart. Every waking day is a day closer to eternity. My heart is broken, this is a young man who carried such passion for the Lord and desired to see a revival in his days. But just like Paul, I believe he also fought a good fight, finished his course, kept the faith and is going to receive his crown of righteousness (see 2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Now, no matter how long we live, one day we will have to depart; it’s inevitable because “…it is appointed unto men once to die and after that the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27). Even if you live to be 100—which some of you have faith for—you will still have to depart one day into eternity. I wonder what you need all those years for anyway? I plead with you all my friends. In all sincerity of heart and love, be ready, you can be called home anytime. When that call comes—and it will come— will you be ready?

Where will you spend eternity? If you not sure, settle that now. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

Great Is Thy Faithfulness Part Two

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end they are new every morning; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV ).

At the root of all of humanity’s predicament is a sin problem: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

However, where there is sin, the grace of God also abounds.

Let’s not lose sight of the background of the text “great is your faithfulness”. The writer didn’t write that piece of Scripture in the midst of fanfare. He didn’t write in response to a breakthrough or a great miracle from God. He wrote in the midst of adversity and great loss.

As previously expounded, Lamentation is a funeral song: a dirge. The question I asked myself was “if Jerusalem is the city of God, what could be the cause of its destruction to the point of warranting a whole book of Scripture?"

 If you will find the time to read through Lamentation, the cause of the destruction is explicit.

Let's sample a few verses from Chapter 1:

1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! 5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; FOR THE LORD HATH AFFLICTED HER FOR THE MULTITUDE OF HER TRANSGRESSIONS: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. 8 JERUSALEM HATH GRIEVOUSLY SINNED; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Clear, self-explanatory words. At the root of Jerusalem's destruction is the sin canker: "...For the Lord hath afflicted [Jerusalem] for the multitude of [Jerusalem's] transgressions...Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore SHE IS REMOVED...."

SHE IS REMOVED. That sounds familiar. In Revelations, we see a series of rebuke to God's people, and a warning of been "removed": "...I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will REMOVE thy candlestick out of his place, EXCEPT THOU REPENT". (Revelations 2:4-5).

In His great faithfulness, God warns us of the ramifications of sin.

If you are living in any form of sin as a believer, repent! Until we have a good grasp of how God abhors sin in our lives, we will have a distorted view of God's great faithfulness, love and grace. Love that doesn't correct and discipline is no love.

A father who doesn't address His children's waywardness is either weak or apathetic to their wellbeing. Not God; His purposes concerning our lives has to be established and hence, in His faithfulness, He rebukes and disciplines us when we find ourselves in sin. That's great faithfulness; ensuring His best for us by correcting us, even if it means causing us pain to bring us back to Himself:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.(Hebrews 12:6-11).

To Be Continued

Great Is Thy Faithfulness Part One

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV ).

The Bible brings to us the true story of a Holy God's relationship with sinful humanity and His redemptive plans in reconciling us to Himself. 

Neatly woven in the tapestry of Scriptures and human history is the faithfulness of God in carrying out His redemption plans without fail. In the garden of Eden where sin was first mentioned, the faithfulness of God was revealed: 

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."(Genesis 3:21).

"God clothed them", you can't read that and not see the faithfulness of God at work.  Right there in their sins, God covered their shame. He cleaned their mess and revealed His plans concerning the redemption of humanity. In Genesis 3:21, we see the righteousness of God in Christ revealed. Remember, before He clothed them, they had covered themselves with fig leaves(their own righteousness).

The "coat of skin" mentioned is an animal skin, meaning blood had to be shed to get that skin. The blood and animal is a type of Christ slain before the foundation of the earth to give eternal life to those who will come to God through Him.(Revelations 13:8).

The story of Adam and Eve is equally our story. It's your story, it's my story. It's the story of the condition of humanity: depraved and wanting independence from God at all cost. "All", Scriptures say "have sinned and come short of God's glory". We were created to reflect and radiate God's glory and live in His presence for ever, but our sin and rebellious life deprives us of that privilege till we are reconciled to God through faith in Christ . 

Our sin is bad and ugly, yet God doesn't relent in His faithfulness towards us. Everyday, in His GREAT FAITHFULNESS He pursues us to reconcile us unto Himself.

Today, if you will listen, don't resist Him. He is faithful to His words, He forgives sin and remembers them no more. Come just as you are. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).

A Blessed Good Morning

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;his mercies never come to an end they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV ).

Image: Courtesy cranberryteatime.com

Life can't get any exciting and glorious than this; the unceasing steadfast love of the LORD plus His unending mercies renewed EVERY MORNING. What an encouragement! Have you ever heard someone responding to a good morning greeting by asking "what's good about the morning?" That's ungratefulness of the highest order. Here is what is good about the morning: Every morning is a gift from God; we wake up and face the day with a new supply of God's love and mercies: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah" (Psalms 68:19KJV). 

Regardless of our situation, we should make a commitment to keep hope alive in God.

Every morning is a good day. It's a day the Lord has made. There's no day we can run short on God's supply. His love---agape love--- for us never runs out. His mercy is ever available. In the wilderness, when the Israelites were fed with manna, God categorically warned there shouldn't be any leftover manna for the next morning. This I believe is an indication of how God renews His Provision every morning. I pray that by the time I finish with these portions of Scripture in Lamentations, no spirit of discouragement will find a foothold in your heart. I pray that yours will be a heart that bubbles with joy and glories in the grandeur of our soon coming King and Saviour ; Jesus Christ. Who loved us and offered Himself as a ransom for our sins to reconcile us unto God our father (2 Corinthians 5:21).

In Scriptures and I believe in our everyday life, "morning'' signifies a season or period of newness, new beginnings and freshness. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 11:6, advises that," In the morning, sow your seed...". That text speaks against procrastination. It entreats us to seize the moments and opportunities that comes our way. And it's amazing he used the morning season. It simply tells us every morning comes with it's new opportunities. One of the popular text of Scripture many have found encouragement in, mentions "morning": "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

Morning also signifies a period we renew our fellowship with the LORD. In Genesis 3:8, we are introduced to a phrase "In the cool of the day''. I believe in the morning---cool of the day---God came for fellowship with His creation after ''His image and likeness". Jesus Himself also used the morning season to rejuvenate His strength: "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." (Mark 1:35). Every new day(morning) is an opportunity for us to be showered with the blessings of the Lord. It's an opportunity to experience the benevolence of God anew. Be blessed as you start the day in the renewed steadfast love and mercies of the Lord.

...Showers of blessings/Showers of blessings we need/Mercy drops round us are falling/But for the showers we plead.

God's Mercies Towards Us.

...His mercies never come to an end they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.(Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV ).

Mercy!Truly it is Mercy---God's mercy---that sustains us. A piece recently made the rounds on my facebook news feed reads " If you think it's your alarm clock which woke you up this morning, try putting your alarm clock by a corpse". Isn't that so true?

Image Copyright: artfire.com

We are seeing today because the Lord's mercy has spared us. David said "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me."(Psalms 3:5). David acknowledged he is seeing another day just because God watched over him. All he knew was that he slept and woke up having contributed nothing to it.

Our very existence has nothing to do with what we have done so well. In fact, if God is to weigh us on the scale of our own righteousness, none will survive: " He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities." (Psalms 103:10). 

It's God's mercy and providence that has granted us life. If you're one of those who acknowledges God for today, join me in saying "thank you LORD for a wonderful day. This is the day you have made and we will rejoice and be glad in it" We will proclaim your love and your mercy to the whole world! Praise be unto your name.

If it had not been [you] who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: Then the proud waters had gone over our soul. Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.(Psalms 124:2-8). "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth[and everything in it including us]": That's meat to chew on! Our help is not in our smartness, or riches. Neither is it in our giftedness or intelligence.

This morning, let's step out with confidence knowing God's abundant and never ending mercies has granted us life.

God's Unwavering Love

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;his mercies never come to an end they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.(Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV ).

Lamentations, as the name suggests ---weeping, dirge---is a book written to mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Popularly ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah who is also described as the weeping prophet, Lamentations 3, where we find vs 22-23, paints a very sad and hopeless picture .

" I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. " (Lamentation 3:1-8KJV)

However, as gloomy as the situation was, it's heartwarming and comforting the author of Lamentations still found the strength to pen the words : "The steadfast(unwavering, persistent, firm) love of the Lord never ceases" .

That should be our attitude: things might not always go as we expect. In fact, life presents everyone of us with our fair share of troubles, pain, hurts , disappointments and challenges . But in the midst of it all, we have a God whose “ steadfast love never ceases". That's enough a guarantee to keep our heads up. Whatever life throws at us, we are persuaded nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us form the steadfast love of God.

As a new week begins, may you have  a blessed and wonderful week.

Dealing With Life's Uncertainties Final Part

Here is the final part of a series I have been writing on concerning life's Uncertainties. Please refer to the previous posts if this is your first read. I hope the series was a blessing?Enjoy.

3: Obedience to God’s Word

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went (Hebrews 11:8)

“By faith Abraham…obeyed….”: The end result of faith is obedience. You can’t profess faith in God and disobey his word. Faith and obedience walk together. Faith must equal obedience: They are congruent; wherever you find faith, you must of necessity see obedience.

In our moments of uncertainty, we will be faced with the challenge of compromising, cutting corners and going our own way. But that will rather complicate matters. Acting against God’s word rather sets us up for failure. In our moments of uncertainty, we must equally hold the word of God in high esteem. What He has promised, He will do. Though it might delay, His words will never fail. It’s natural to look at our circumstances and start wondering.

Sometimes, the least on our mind, when life is hitting at us like torrents, is God’s word. Suddenly, God’s word becomes less appealing to a struggling soul. The word, which once awed and captivated us, suddenly, becomes dull to the soul. The mind begins wandering, and if you are one of those who describe themselves as smart and problem solvers, you suddenly start thinking through all options available.

In extreme cases, in our uncertainties, we cut corners rather than staying the course. But when dealing with God, the course we must stay! There are no shortcuts here friends. Shortcuts rather complicate issues. God is an expert in long hauls: Nobody He uses suddenly shows up. Every great life God uses, goes through the long haul. When God delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, he took them through “a long route” instead of the shortest route available. (see Exodus 13:17). Be forewarned! It is not going to be an easy ride into your destiny. When you hear the inspiring messages, when the prophets declares over your life; gird up your loins, the battle has just began.

“Obedience is better than sacrifice” is a popular saying that has its roots in one man’s disobedience to God in his moment of uncertainty. “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22). You can check up the full story. Another young man, Joseph, in Genesis 39 stood up to the test and obeyed God instead of fulfilling his own desires. Consider these two lives and make a choice: “…be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22).