Have you consented week 39, 2013

They stood by helplessly watching her die from a completely curable condition. And she was among trained health workers ready and willing to help her live, but they could not help her. Her relatives cried out “Doctor do something! If it is money I will pay. Don’t stand and watch her die.” The doctor replied “It is not a matter of money for the service is free. This treatment has already been paid for...” “Then give it to her. Let her live!” “I cannot,” said the doctor sadly “She has not given her consent. No matter how vital the treatment, no matter how sure of success we are, until and unless the patient consents it must not be given.”

If you think this woman unwise or say she has a death wish, are you not like her? “How can?” You may say. “I am not about to die, and even if I were I would never refuse free life saving treatment.” But there is a sickness you had from birth that kills. It is called sin. I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful Psa 51:5(GNB) .  Before you think this scripture does not apply to you know: Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins Ecc 7:20(ESV). I want you to know this death is permanent, and is filled with everlasting torment. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Rev 21:8 

You may feel normal and not realise you are sin sick; dying from iniquity. Remember there are deadly illnesses that have no symptoms; the patient does not feel ill but the health team know death is near. God has seen and declares The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jer 17:9, 10(ESV)  Jesus is that Great Physician able to cure sin. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jn 1:29.  He the Son of God offers complete washing from sin so deadly by his blood. He cannot wash you, cannot give you this treatment until you consent to it. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him Rev 3:20 (ESV).

Until from your heart you welcome him as Lord and savior having renounced sin this free treatment is not yours. Just as government provision of free health care cannot ensure health when anyone refuses it. Polio vaccine works very well, it is free because some people paid for it; but because many rejected it cases of wild polio have still been recorded. Give him your consent now.

Busy but idle week 38, 2013

“How can you refer to me as an idle man? In fact I am a very busy man! 24 hours is no longer enough for me.” I am sorry if I misjudged you. What keeps you busy? “My work; working hours extend beyond 8 hours just to get deadlines met, files and people attended to. Occasionally, no, quite frequently I am called out without notice to arrange for people coming from Abuja, settle their stay logistics and tidy up matters.” Is it not the same Abuja arrangements you used to complain about that their demands are ungodly, and they appear more interested in money than the actual work they claim to do? What has changed? What of telling people about Jesus, spending time in prayer and intercession? First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people 1Tim 2:1(ESV).  What of your bible study life?

“Are you suggesting I stop secular work and become ordained? Is it not you folks that besiege people like me with requests for employment; to help people get admission to learn? If all of us are pastors where would the opportunity be to influence things for you? The kingdom of heaven is beyond preaching the gospel. It includes day to day administration of service in righteousness.” My brother! God is as interested in your church life as He is in the office. I completely agree with you serving God is not only by preaching and praying. You know that you will be rewarded for any good things you do Eph 6:8(CEV).  Remember there is nothing secular. Daniel was very busy and efficient yet was recognisably uncompromising in his faith, he was not idle. They sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.  Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God." Dan 6:4,5(ESV)  God commands we witness.  Did you speak a word about Jesus to those you are so busy with? Did you like Matthew arrange a dinner for them to eat and hear the gospel? Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having a meal in Matthew's house, many tax collectors and other outcasts came and joined Jesus and his disciples at the table Mat 9:9, 10(GNB).  “Well I often don’t remember, and when I do I can’t seem to find the right words. Besides not all of us will be preachers. I’m sure they hear the word somehow.” My friend who should tell them if not you? You are idle because none of your work, nothing in your busy schedule has been offered as an opportunity to pass the message of Jesus. A man is idle no matter how busy he appears to be until he presents himself for God’s service.

Pharaoh's strategy week 37, 2013

James way back in school no one could think this about you... “How can you judge me by those who only know raw scriptures? I am aware of my responsibilities.” I know you are, but this is completely unlike the brother I knew. “Have I really failed in my promise, delay is not denial. I will give the money I said I would, I just forgot.” Forgot? A pledge you voluntarily made for a real need in the house, and were duly reminded of close to the time. Backsliding comes gradually. “Well I am off to work I can’t stand around to talk.”

You just returned from work, how could you be going to work again. “I have a place I cover in the afternoon...” And you cover night shift where you live! What is really happening to you? We don’t see you in evangelism or prayer meetings, now you are drawing back on your word. What is going on? I hope you haven’t fallen for Pharaoh’s strategy. “I don’t know about any Pharaoh’s strategy, but I have a target for my life. I expect some level of comfort and facilities, and it would take forever at one salary to get it.” You have indeed fallen for Pharaoh’s strategy. You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves.  But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.' Ex 5:7-8(ESV).  When a man would worship God Satan’s strategy sometimes is to choke out the worship with more work. Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words Ex 5:9(ESV). This weakens the strong saint as vital time to nourish his soul and spirit is diverted to meeting up with targets God did not set for you. Challenges, temptations he would have easily fended off now overcome him and a fall follows. In school how could your word of promise fail? Would you not have borrowed rather than default? Cares and desire for riches attack the life in the spirit; the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful Mk 4: 19(ESV)   

“Are you suggesting I should set no goals in life? How else do we enjoy what the world refuses us by paying peanuts for hard work? I must by hard work get good things God has promised. I won’t cheat; you know me.” Brother who set those age specific goals for you? Besides when God is set to bless you He does not look at your pay slip and give according to your salary, but according to His riches in glory: give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap  Lk 6:38(ESV). Don’t sign up for work sure to damage your worship and fellowship with the Lord.

Delivered from death

The picture is amazing, that there are some people it has already been sealed and stamped they will die; but God looks down, hears the groaning of such a one and decides they will not die. This is the story of my eldest brother. He is 78 years. He became ill in Kaduna and the doctor there did his best. In fact I rushed to Kaduna to see him and we agreed to bring him to Nnewi where I work as a cardiologist.  My sister advised however that the journey might be too great for him and we  stopped at Lagos and a pacemaker was inserted. He stabilised and came over to Nnewi for some months and again deteriorated. We moved him back to Lagos and got consultant cardiologists attending to him at the teaching hospital. They said the pacemaker was fine but that he had other problems.

Not satisfied with the outcome in the teaching hospital I inquired of any private cardiology unit in Lagos and was referred to a foremost private facility on the island, and later another specialist facility run by very experienced cardiologists with overseas collaboration. It was very expensive; in one of the facilities we spent at least a million naira a week!  Collaboration with overseas cardiologists confirmed he needed another pacemaker – a specialised one that could detect the need for defibrillation and automatically shock the heart to working again. It was ordered from South Africa. He deteriorated while we waited and was taken to theatre to urgently insert an available pacemaker. It turned out the current pacemaker was working against him and needed to be removed but of course he could not lie flat and the surgery was aborted. The ineffective pacemaker had to be inactivated as removal was now too risky. Finally I was told even when the new pacemaker arrived it could not be inserted. My brother had deteriorated to the point he was on continuous Dobutamine infusion. Attempts to stop it led to his renal perfusion and blood pressure crashing down. We had been to tertiary institutions, consulted with the finest cardiologists in Nigeria, collaborated with foreign ones, and they had done their utmost. Now he was being cut loose. That’s when God started. In all this I dreamt my brother went out to play with teenagers. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds; then he makes his secrets clear to men… Job 33:15, 16 (BBE) .

There was no choice but to wean him off the dobutamine. He hung on for an hour then for 12 then a whole day. Within a week he could lie down flat and we were discharged. He went back to Nnewi, living among his own with the bulge of the pacemaker a reminder of God’s power. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death Ps 102:19, 20(KJV). I called on the phone for him the other day and could not get him; he had gone out on a walk.

Prince Ele is a professor of internal medicine at NAUTH  

The oil for sale week 35, 2013

What was the oil? It was to be purchased, not given out as a gift. Salvation is not paid for by you and I: it is a gift. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God Eph 2:8(ESV). So it strengthens the supposition all the people described in the parable of 10 virgins had been born again before. In the scripture what do Christians buy?  Jesus told a church, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see” Rev 3:18(KJV).

You have received salvation as a gift beloved. Are you now working out your salvation with fear and trembling as you present your body a living sacrifice, present yourself and all your resources, giftings and opportunities as instruments of righteousness as you labour in God’s harvest field? The foundation has already been laid; will you purchase the gold to build on it? Lk 14:28-30(ESV)  "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. He will first sit down and estimate the cost to see whether he has enough money to finish it, won't he? Otherwise, if he lays a foundation and can't finish the building, everyone who watches will begin to ridicule him and say, 'This person started a building but couldn't finish it.' vs:33  In the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions." The wise virgins paid for their oil; we must pay the price also.

Do you sometimes think that your intercessor’s readiness will be accounted for you? That though you refuse to pay the price as he prays for you it will compensate for your waywardness? Be warned. Each virgin must purchase her own oil. Every one of us must pay the price to be ready! So deny yourself and daily take up the cross.

 Did I say there is a main point? Yet many were raised.  The issues of believing unto the end, delay, endurance, counting the cost and paying the price of daily self denial and cross bearing, the individual nature of the race all are highlighted. So is there a main point? Well Jesus told 2 parables after His statements in Matt24:4-44; the first warns against a change in attitude when the master delays; this second one against deferring the readiness until the announcement of His arrival. Procrastination. This is the point we must take home. In all the parables about His return all those who refused to get ready from the outset had regrets.

How should we interpret “while they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed”. Matt 25:10(ISV)? Some people contend that those believers who are not ready at His coming will not go to hell; that they simply will be saved as by fire. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire 1Cor 3:15(ESV). You know my advice? Do not wait to find out. Be wise.