The answer that settles the question

By Pastor (Dr.) Elisha Olusheye

Dear Reader,
This week we shall examine “The vital answer that settles the question facing everybody on earth.” In the book of Acts chapter 16 verse 30, the Philippians’ city prison keeper anxiously asked the servants of God, Apostle Paul and Silas an important question saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The jailer had heard that these two men were preachers of a way of salvation. Now with the earthquake and his own near death, he wanted to know about the way of salvation.

This is a very good question everyone should ask himself or herself. The Bible talks of only two roads: the road to heaven and the road to hell. Swiftly and confidently the vital answer came in Acts 16:31 thus: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” This is a great Biblical truth; hence our Lord Jesus Christ Himself dwelt a great deal on how genuine enquirers can find the true way of eternal salvation. For instance, in John 3:3, the Lord Jesus answered Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, and said “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a person is born again, he cannot see (or enter) the Kingdom of God.” There are many different religions today professing various different religious beliefs and rituals to bring salvation and succour to their adherents. Therefore, let us examine further this divinely proffered sure way of salvation, as enunciated by our Lord Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be born again? It means to be given a new heart that likes to do what God says. (Ezek. 36:24-27). It means to leave all our evil actions and words, as well as our evil thoughts and let Jesus show us what we must do to please Him. It means letting Jesus wash all our sins away, and make our heart clean so that no sin will separate us from God (Acts 3:19). It means changing us into a new person who wants to do only what is right in God’s eyes just like Moses who chose to follow God, and like Mary who liked to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His words (Heb. 11:25; Luke 10:42).

Who must have this new birth? Every man and every woman, every boy and every girl who is old enough to know what is right and what is wrong needs to have this new birth. Everyone who has done anything that is not right needs this new birth. Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way, …” (Isa. 53:6). Everyone has done some evil things that are not pleasing to God, and those evil things have covered our face so that we cannot see God. (Isaiah 59:2). Now we must be made into a new person, through a spiritual birth as Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3:3-8.

Jesus is telling us today, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30). Sin will be like a heavy load on a person, when he thinks about facing the judgment with wrong doings, after death. Jesus is asking us to bring every sin that we have in our life to Him, and He is asking us to lay them all down at His feet.

Jesus wants us to ‘receive the atonement’ (Rom. 5:11), and be free from our heavy load. Jesus suffered on the cross for our sins, and He has shed His blood, and died on the cross as a sacrifice “for our sins; and not ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2). We must be willing to see that we have sins, and we must believe that we are guilty. Then we must believe that Jesus has suffered and died for our sins and has paid the price for our sins. In Proverbs 28:13 we read, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”

The Bible tells us that everyone, men and women, boys and girls, have become sinners, have lost the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23). But God does not leave us without hope, for God commands everyone in every place to repent (Acts 17:30). The Bible also says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9). If we have annoyed, or wronged someone, or if we have stolen something, or lied, or cheated, or done anything else that is not right, we must talk to that one, and to God, and tell them about it. If we have taken something that is not our own, we must return it, or pay for it, or make it right with the one from whom we have stolen it some other way. Luke tells us the story of Zacchaeus who was ready to return four times as much as he had taken from anyone falsely. (Luke 19:1-10).

We must be sorry for our sins, and be willing to correct the evil things, just as Zacchaeus was. Then we must talk to those to whom we did the evil things. This is all a part of coming to the Lord Jesus with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.

We must believe in our hearts that God has raised Jesus from the dead, and that Jesus is alive today. When we believe this then we must also confess that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. If we will confess all our sins, and will believe on Jesus Christ with all our heart and strength, and will confess Him with our mouth, then we shall be saved (Rom. 10:9).

Therefore, repent today and receive Christ into your life today before it is too late. And it shall be well with you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Concluded)

Pastor S.S. Jemigbon,
Tel: 01-7741673,
01-4966033,
01-4965264.
E-Mail: taclawna@hyperia.com

Allowing God to reign in your home (3)

By Pastor S.S.Jemigbon

You should uphold the new spirit in your family and the way you handle circumstances, having strong confidence that the Lord God is on His throne, which is greater than the kingdom of the devil. As such, sing the songs of triumph in your circumstance: Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. (Rev. 19:6).

It is a song for those who know that the Lord has overpowered and brought down the kingdoms of oppression, suppression, and retrogression that threatened them in their relationship. “Sing and rejoice O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord” (Zech 2: 10).Because the Lord reigneth, your marriage shall live, it shall not collapse. And all the filthy garments with which Satan has clothed you (husband or wife) are taken away by the mighty power of the reigning King of kings and Lord of lords.

We are saying that you are challenged to let the song of victory fill your mouth. Tell Satan he is a liar concerning your family, for the Lord God reigns over you. When you have the sovereignty of God upon your life and family, the works of the devil would be destroyed. It is hoped that you will allow God to truly have His way because as He has assured His Saints, this is a peculiar year of reward for good works and recompense for the wicked. It is therefore important that you begin to assess yourself to know your standing before God. How have you contributed to the trouble in your family? Have you been running the family in the manner God wants? Do you play your role well as help meet in the family? Do you show love to your spouse as it ought to be? Are you faithful to your spouse?

Have a focus for your family. Put away the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God (Joshua 24:23) Joshua told the Israelites of old, ”as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord God;” because that is the divine will why God had chosen you.

Let your family consecrate itself unto the Lord this year. It shall be well with you. Alleluyah.

(Concluded)

Pastor S.S. Jemigbon,
Tel: 01-7741673,
01-4966033,
01-4965264.
E-Mail: taclawna@hyperia.com