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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.

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