Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 28, 2019, PAGE 39<br />
,<br />
<strong>No</strong>body spoils a man’s<br />
life like Jesus. Jesus is<br />
a killer of all worldly<br />
joy. God’s attitude to the<br />
world is often lost on many.<br />
God hates the world system.<br />
The world hated Jesus <strong>and</strong> killed<br />
him. Therefore, anyone who is<br />
a lover of pleasure; anyone who<br />
likes this world becomes an enemy<br />
of God.<br />
Accordingly, James asks:<br />
“You adulterers! Don’t you realize<br />
that friendship with the world<br />
makes you an enemy of God? I<br />
say it again: If you want to be a<br />
friend of the world, you make<br />
yourself an enemy of God.”<br />
(James 4:4). Paul is of the same<br />
opinion: “She who lives in pleasure<br />
is dead while she lives.” (1<br />
Timothy 5:6). Thus, Jesus assured<br />
his disciples: “In the world<br />
you will have tribulation.” (John<br />
16:33).<br />
God is so implacably opposed<br />
to the world; he has<br />
doomed it to destruction. Isaiah<br />
says: “I have heard from the<br />
Lord God of hosts, a destruction<br />
determined even upon the whole<br />
earth.” (Isaiah 28:22). In the<br />
meantime, God plans “to bring<br />
into contempt all the honourable<br />
of the earth.” (Isaiah 23:9).<br />
God allows wickedness to<br />
prevail on earth, the better to<br />
commend to us the superiority<br />
of the kingdom of heaven. Job<br />
notes that: “The whole earth is<br />
in the h<strong>and</strong>s of the wicked” (Job<br />
9:24). This is because God allows<br />
it to be so. Thus, God allows<br />
the worst kinds of people to<br />
be heads of <strong>states</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>go</strong>vernments:<br />
“The High God rules human<br />
kingdoms.<br />
He arranges kingdom affairs<br />
however he wishes, <strong>and</strong> makes<br />
leaders out of losers.” (Daniel<br />
4:17).<br />
Wonder-less world<br />
Thanks to Jesus, we are<br />
brought to the realisation that<br />
GOD IS NOT GOOD ALL THE TIME<br />
what we deemed to be life is actually<br />
death. Under the tutelage<br />
of the Holy Spirit, believers<br />
are made foreigners <strong>and</strong><br />
strangers here on decrepit earth;<br />
having become citizens of a spiritual<br />
heavenly kingdom.<br />
Out of this new reality is then<br />
fashioned a completely different<br />
psychology. The atonement<br />
kills everything before it makes<br />
alive. This is what God says<br />
about his own peculiar process:<br />
“I, even I, am he, <strong>and</strong> there is no<br />
God besides me; I kill <strong>and</strong> I<br />
make alive; I wound <strong>and</strong> I heal;<br />
nor is there any who can deliver<br />
from my h<strong>and</strong>.” (Deuteronomy<br />
32:39).<br />
Christ makes every pain irrelevant<br />
<strong>and</strong> he diminishes every<br />
joy outside of himself.<br />
Therefore, be contemptuous of<br />
every advantage. Overlook every<br />
disadvantage. Jesus is a leveller.<br />
The kingdom of God cancels<br />
deficits <strong>and</strong> erases credits.<br />
Before the glory of God is revealed:<br />
“Every valley shall be<br />
exalted <strong>and</strong> every mountain <strong>and</strong><br />
hill brought low.” (Isaiah 40:4).<br />
God is at pains to make us<br />
see that what we call wonderful<br />
is “wonder-less.” He <strong>tells</strong> us<br />
the man who is blessed is not he<br />
who won the lottery, but he who<br />
receives forgiveness of sin:<br />
“Blessed is he whose transgressions<br />
are forgiven, whose sins are<br />
covered. Blessed is the man<br />
whose sin the Lord does not<br />
count against him.” (Psalm 32:1-<br />
My <strong>go</strong>al is to make Heaven<br />
at last (2)<br />
JOHN 6:67-68 “Then<br />
said Jesus unto the<br />
twelve, Will ye also<br />
<strong>go</strong> away? Then Simon Peter<br />
answered him, Lord, to<br />
whom shall we <strong>go</strong>? thou<br />
hast the words of eternal<br />
life.”<br />
When one professes Christianity,<br />
what he is saying<br />
is that he is on the race to<br />
be with Christ in heaven.<br />
In other words, he has a<br />
vision to make heaven <strong>and</strong><br />
no amount of discouragement<br />
or circumstance can<br />
change his decision; no<br />
persuasion can cause him<br />
to derail from this <strong>go</strong>al. He<br />
has chosen heaven as his<br />
last abode <strong>and</strong> is determined<br />
to be with the Lord at<br />
the end of this life. As far<br />
as he is concerned, it is<br />
heaven or nothing.<br />
This unshaken decision of<br />
making heaven was what<br />
Peter advocated on behalf<br />
of the Apostles when Christ<br />
asked them if they had any<br />
reason to <strong>go</strong> away from<br />
Him having been convinced<br />
He has the capacity to<br />
lead them to heaven. And<br />
Peter, speaking with conviction,<br />
said there is no alternate<br />
option to heaven<br />
than through Jesus Christ.<br />
He went <strong>ahead</strong> to assert<br />
that Christ is the way, the<br />
truth, <strong>and</strong> the life, <strong>and</strong> if<br />
anybody chooses any other<br />
way he will w<strong>and</strong>er <strong>and</strong><br />
die. This underst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
should guide all Christians<br />
in this voyage to heaven<br />
including what they engage<br />
themselves into. So, if<br />
you are a Christian it is expected<br />
of you not to have<br />
any other <strong>go</strong>al than to make<br />
heaven at last.<br />
<strong>No</strong>te that having a <strong>go</strong>al to<br />
make heaven <strong>and</strong> realizing<br />
the <strong>go</strong>al are two different<br />
things. To actualize the<br />
<strong>go</strong>al the Christian must be<br />
committed <strong>and</strong> focused in<br />
his quest of heavenly <strong>go</strong>al<br />
which entails a lifestyle<br />
that is in accordance with<br />
the tenet of the Scripture.<br />
Anybody who is having<br />
the <strong>go</strong>al of making heaven<br />
must be mindful of his/her<br />
relationship with <strong>others</strong><br />
having in mind that the<br />
kingdom of heaven is a holy<br />
place <strong>and</strong> without holiness<br />
no one shall enter. The<br />
person must take it as a duty<br />
to avoid sin <strong>and</strong> whatever<br />
that could lead to it.<br />
God prefers to<br />
make people cry<br />
than to make them<br />
laugh<br />
2).<br />
Jesus maintains the joy to be<br />
cherished is the joy of salvation:<br />
“Look, I have given you authority<br />
over all the power of the enemy,<br />
<strong>and</strong> you can walk among<br />
snakes <strong>and</strong> scorpions <strong>and</strong> crush<br />
them. <strong>No</strong>thing will injure you.<br />
But don’t rejoice because evil<br />
spirits obey you; rejoice because<br />
your names are registered in<br />
heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20).<br />
Man of sorrows<br />
God prefers to make people<br />
cry than to make them laugh.<br />
Jesus was a man of sorrows; acquainted<br />
with grief. (Isaiah<br />
53:3). The bible says of him:<br />
“It was the Lord’s <strong>go</strong>od plan to<br />
crush him <strong>and</strong> cause him grief.”<br />
(Isaiah 53:10).<br />
There is really very little to<br />
laugh about here on earth.<br />
What is there to laugh about in a<br />
world riddled with sin, where<br />
souls are perishing every day;<br />
<strong>and</strong> where the thief comes daily<br />
to steal, kill <strong>and</strong> destroy? (John<br />
Mark 9:43-48 says:<br />
“And if thy h<strong>and</strong><br />
offend thee, cut it<br />
off: it is better for<br />
thee to enter into<br />
life maimed, than<br />
having two h<strong>and</strong>s<br />
to <strong>go</strong> into hell, into<br />
the fire that never<br />
shall be quenched:<br />
Where their worm<br />
dieth not, <strong>and</strong> the fire is not<br />
quenched. And if thy foot<br />
offend thee, cut it off: it is<br />
better for thee to enter halt<br />
into life, than having two<br />
feet to be cast into hell, into<br />
the fire that never shall be<br />
quenched: Where their<br />
worm dieth not, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
fire is not quenched. And<br />
if thine eye offend thee,<br />
pluck it out: it is better for<br />
thee to enter into the kingdom<br />
of God with one eye,<br />
than having two eyes to be<br />
cast into hell fire: Where<br />
their worm dieth not, <strong>and</strong><br />
the fire is not quenched”<br />
The Scripture, in the above<br />
context, has implored<br />
all heavenly c<strong>and</strong>idates to<br />
strike at the root of all impure<br />
inclination, un<strong>go</strong>dly<br />
ambition, <strong>and</strong> irritable<br />
temper that could endanger<br />
their chances of losing<br />
the <strong>go</strong>al of making heaven.<br />
When counselling the Corinthians,<br />
Paul described<br />
himself as a careful runner<br />
with a definite objective to<br />
make heaven. His eye was<br />
fixed upon the heavenly<br />
<strong>go</strong>al <strong>and</strong> he was running<br />
straight toward it not<br />
allowing anything to distract<br />
his avowed decision.<br />
This is what is required<br />
from a true Christian whose<br />
<strong>go</strong>al is to make heaven.<br />
By Pastor<br />
Oloruntimilehin<br />
Joshua Daramola<br />
RIGHTEOUSNESS<br />
is the act of being<br />
just or acting in a<br />
moral way.<br />
Many people, religious,<br />
political <strong>and</strong> security leaders<br />
in this country believe<br />
their actions <strong>and</strong> deeds in<br />
the course of discharging<br />
their duties/responsibilities<br />
are just. But most of<br />
these, if not all, are for<br />
their selfish interest.<br />
Some religious leaders orientate<br />
their followers to discriminately<br />
avoid relating<br />
with followers of another<br />
religious denomination on<br />
the basis of mode of worship<br />
<strong>and</strong> church tenets. Imagine<br />
some Christians do<br />
not see anything <strong>go</strong>od in<br />
white garment churches.<br />
Meanwhile the Holy Bible<br />
does not condemn it, instead<br />
justifies the need for<br />
followers of Jesus Christ to<br />
wear white garment. Revelation<br />
7:13-17. Some Christian<br />
leaders preach against<br />
vision, prophecy <strong>and</strong> taking<br />
of drugs (medication).<br />
They believe any Christian<br />
that does any of these<br />
is an unbeliever. Christian<br />
br<strong>others</strong> or sisters cannot<br />
eat or drink with fellow<br />
Christians.<br />
Is that righteous?<br />
Jesus Christ <strong>and</strong> Prophet<br />
Mohammed, the proginators<br />
of Christianity <strong>and</strong> Islam<br />
respectively taught<br />
<strong>and</strong> preached to their followers<br />
the spirit of Love.<br />
But today most religious<br />
leaders saddled with the<br />
responsibility of propagat-<br />
10:10). What is there to laugh<br />
about in a grief-stricken world?<br />
Therefore, Jesus pronounces<br />
woe on those given to laughter.<br />
He says: “Woe to you who are full,<br />
for you shall hunger. Woe to you<br />
who laugh now, for you shall<br />
mourn <strong>and</strong> weep” (Luke 6:25).<br />
Amos also says: “Woe to those<br />
lounging in luxury at Jerusalem<br />
<strong>and</strong> Samaria.” (Amos 6:1).<br />
James <strong>go</strong>es even further to prescribe<br />
a strange tonic for the soul:<br />
“Lament <strong>and</strong> mourn <strong>and</strong> weep! Let<br />
your laughter be turned to mourning<br />
<strong>and</strong> your joy to gloom.”<br />
(James 4:9).<br />
But we thought Jesus came to<br />
give us beauty for ashes, the oil of<br />
joy for mourning, <strong>and</strong> the garment<br />
of praise for the spirit of heaviness?<br />
(Isaiah 61:3). Yes indeed! But<br />
Jesus’ ministry is only for those<br />
who are sorrowful <strong>and</strong> mournful.<br />
Moreover, the consolations of<br />
Christ come not through the reform<br />
of this world, but by invitation<br />
to another kingdom; a kingdom<br />
not of this world.<br />
Divine prescription<br />
The nature of this un<strong>go</strong>dly world<br />
is such that, according to the wisdom<br />
of God, even in laughter the<br />
heart should sorrow, since the end<br />
of mirth may be grief. (Proverbs<br />
14:13). Solomon says: “Sorrow<br />
is better than laughter, for by a sad<br />
countenance the heart is made better.”<br />
(Ecclesiastes 7:3). By laughter<br />
<strong>and</strong> merriment the heart is<br />
made worse, vainer, more carnal<br />
<strong>and</strong> more sensual. It is made<br />
more in love with the world <strong>and</strong><br />
more estranged from God <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>go</strong>dliness.<br />
If sorrow is indeed better than<br />
laughter, then the man who God<br />
makes sad is more blessed than the<br />
man who is happy. When a man<br />
decides to be <strong>go</strong>od to another man,<br />
he tries to make him happy. He<br />
ministers to his body. He makes<br />
him comfortable. <strong>No</strong>t so the<br />
<strong>go</strong>odness of God. When God is<br />
really <strong>go</strong>od to someone, he is more<br />
likely to make him sad. God’s<br />
<strong>go</strong>odness works more on the heart<br />
than on the flesh: “The <strong>go</strong>odness<br />
of God leads you to repentance.”<br />
(Romans 2:4). Its main objective<br />
is to lead us along the path of life<br />
<strong>and</strong> make us heirs of salvation.<br />
Therefore, God is not <strong>go</strong>od in the<br />
way that is normally considered<br />
to be <strong>go</strong>od. If we don’t underst<strong>and</strong><br />
the peculiarity of God’s <strong>go</strong>odness,<br />
we are likely to be sad when<br />
we should be glad, <strong>and</strong> to be glad<br />
when we should be sad.<br />
In the kingdom of God, the way<br />
up is down.<br />
In order to enter, we must be<br />
born again. (John 3:3-5). In order<br />
to see, we have to be blind.<br />
(John 9:39). In order to be full,<br />
we have to hunger. (Luke 6:21).<br />
In order to gain, we have to lose.<br />
(Matthew. 13:44-46). In order to<br />
be rich, we have to be poor. (1<br />
Samuel 2:7). In order to be<br />
strong, we have to be weak. (Judges<br />
7:2-7). In order to be masters,<br />
we have to be slaves. (Matthew<br />
20:25-28). The elder must serve<br />
the younger. (Genesis 25:23).<br />
In order to laugh, we have to<br />
weep. (Luke 6:21). In order to<br />
enter into glory, we have to endure<br />
suffering. (Luke 24:25-26). In<br />
order to be healed, we have to be<br />
sick. (Luke 5:31). In order to<br />
live, we have to die. (John 12:24).<br />
In order to save our life, we have<br />
to lose it. (Matthew 16:25-26).<br />
In order to be first, we have to be<br />
last. (Matthew 19:30).<br />
Righteousness is for the<br />
<strong>go</strong>od of all<br />
•Daramola<br />
ing these two religions have<br />
failed to practice the<br />
teachings of these two<br />
great leaders.<br />
Imagine, Muslim br<strong>others</strong><br />
killing one another <strong>and</strong><br />
non-Muslims with the belief<br />
that they are doing it<br />
for God. Can you fight for<br />
God? A Muslim friend told<br />
me that Muslims can pray<br />
anywhere they <strong>go</strong> <strong>and</strong> peace<br />
be unto them there.<br />
Then why are some Muslims<br />
maiming, killing people<br />
everywhere, is this righteousness?<br />
It is pertinent that both<br />
the Christians <strong>and</strong> Muslims<br />
preach love <strong>and</strong> peace,<br />
allow peace to reign in this<br />
country <strong>and</strong> in the world<br />
in general. There is no<br />
need to be killing one another<br />
because we came from<br />
the same God.<br />
The world has been transformed<br />
from the primitive<br />
ways of living to a better,<br />
civilized <strong>and</strong> modernized<br />
ways of living. Both Jesus<br />
Christ <strong>and</strong> Prophet Mohammed<br />
rode on donkeys,<br />
lived in caves, excreting in<br />
bushes but now religious<br />
leaders ride posh cars <strong>and</strong><br />
jeeps <strong>and</strong> live in mansions<br />
<strong>and</strong> beautiful houses. Some<br />
religious leaders tell<br />
their members not to commit<br />
adultery but they commit<br />
adultery even with<br />
their female members.<br />
In our country, <strong>go</strong>vernment<br />
officials are not righteous<br />
in discharging their<br />
responsibilities. Imagine<br />
the recent Police pension<br />
scam, a high court judge<br />
discharged <strong>and</strong> acquitted<br />
an ex-<strong>go</strong>vernor of charges<br />
of fraud, embezzlement<br />
<strong>and</strong> later for the ex-<strong>go</strong>vernor<br />
to plead guilty to the<br />
same charges in UK. Is the<br />
judge a righteous person?<br />
A policeman at the checkpoint<br />
takes bribe from commercial<br />
bus driver, if<br />
caught he be reprim<strong>and</strong>ed<br />
but top senior police officers<br />
are involved in mismanagement<br />
of police<br />
fund they're walking freely.<br />
Is this righteousness?<br />
Some Custom officers seize<br />
smuggle <strong>go</strong>ods of ordinary<br />
citizens but some officers<br />
will escort a trailer load of<br />
illegal <strong>go</strong>ods into the country<br />
without being arrested.<br />
*For further enquiries<br />
contact The Omnipotence<br />
Mission of God,<br />
2 Oloruntimilehin St,<br />
Pipeline, Mosan off<br />
Ipaja road, La<strong>go</strong>s or call<br />
0 8 0 2 3 0 2 0 1 0 8 ;<br />
0 8 0 5 8 1 1 0 2 8 8 ;<br />
0 8 0 2 3 0 2 0 1 0 8 ,<br />
0 8 0 5 8 1 1 0 2 8 8 .<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
pastoroloruntimilehin.