The danger in denial Week 30, 2014

“There is no specific entity called the AIDS virus” so claimed a South African leader. “The symptoms you see can well be produced by a combination of malnutrition and chronic disease.” This claim was held despite the large body of evidence on the disease process. Sadly HIV/AIDS ravaged South Africa whilst the denial went on. At a point she had one of the fastest rates of acquisition of the very problem she denied. Denial is the refusal to acknowledge and accept an unpleasant reality. It shows up in diverse ways. It would be too painful to come to terms with reality, and so the world of pretense is entered into. “Let us pretend it never happened” is a common way of denial in some circles. A spouses’ alcoholism, a battering tendency, or a child’s substance abuse is passed off as “an occasional indiscretion” and so institutional help is not sought until it is too late. Problems denied never go away: they flourish.

Are you in denial? When we see the ordered universe, the complexity of the smallest living cell, and the exquisite beauty of nature and say “It all came by chance. There is no God.” We are in denial. Only a fool would say, "There is no God!" People like that are worthless; they are heartless and cruel and never do right Ps 14:1(CEV).

Some people are declared dead, no brain activity is found and yet after they revive they have memories of things that happened when they had no brain activity. Yet you argue “There is no life hereafter. Death ends it all” you say. You are definitely in denial. Even medical science now acknowledges there is a consciousness beyond brain activity. Your body came from the earth. And when you die, it will return to the earth. But your spirit came from God, and when you die, it will return to him Eccl 12:7(ERV).

Do you pretend all is well with you when actually you are searching for meaning in life? The recurrent wrong choices you make, the sins you commit, do you decide they are just human failings or worthy of judgment? If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts.  But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away 1Jn 1:8-9(CEV). 

Jesus gave Judas a chance to be cleansed from sin after he decided to betray the master. What was the response? A denial. Then Judas, who was going to betray him, asked, "Rabbi, I'm not the one, am I?" Jesus told him, "You have said so." Mat 26:25(ISV).  Are you also in denial?

Every disease ignored ravages the host. You may choose to ignore this warning, and claim it is for people worse off, or you may come to Jesus in humble submission. Then Jesus said, "I have come into this world to judge it, so that those who are blind may see and so that those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees … asked him, "We aren't blind, too, are we?" Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist, 'We see,' your sin still exists." Jn 9:39-41(ISV).  

Accreditation Day Week 29, 2014

 We are expecting a team of inspectors for our facility. They are coming from the regulating body for professionals to ascertain our capacity to perform. We know who will be coming; their names were given ahead of time, and the date of the visit is quite close. God has a Day set aside to inspect and pass judgement on us as individuals and as nations too. He has set a day when he will judge the world's people with fairness. And he has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from death Act 17:31(CEV). His date is also near, but no one knows the day or hour: it promises to come upon the people of the world like a thief in the night. I don't need to write you about the time or date when all this will happen.  You surely know that the Lord's return will be as a thief coming at night 1Thess 5:1-2(CEV). There is a list of accreditation requirements given to us in a rule book. Those requirements include staffing and equipment, scope and frequency of procedures. All aspects will be inspected including our library facilities and adequacy of support staff. God’s inspection will be much more thorough than that: He’ll inspect not only everything I have done but why I have done them. For my conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who examines me. Therefore, stop judging prematurely, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts. Then each person will receive his praise from God1Cor 4:4-5(ISV). His yardstick is Jesus Christ.

We have gone so far as having our own accreditation drills. The result of the first was amazing to many: the institution we felt was up to standard really wasn’t and we’ve had to buckle up. All hands on deck as it were. If we lose the accreditation our rights to train professionals shall be withdrawn (fully or in part) and our ranking lowered. That would be a huge blow. The trainees would then be forced to go elsewhere recognised to complete their training. Failing God’s test is of far graver consequence than it: everlasting punishment! Happily we can each do our mock accreditation by sincere self examination. Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don't you, that Jesus the Messiah lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test? 2Cor 13:5(ISV).  We measure by comparison to none but Jesus. So much activity has been lined up for it. A committee was set up to look into the requirements and bring up what was needed. As a result plenty of equipment and a few new structures have come in or are planned. The institution is restructuring just to make it. No expense is being spared. We are careful not to hire materials for the day but actually acquire our own. A man caught doing such has lost his own accreditation. Beloved since men are so concerned about human accreditation what are we doing about the divine? The critical step to passing is making the examiner- Jesus Christ - the head and principal instructor of my (your) life.

Passing the buck Week 28, 2014

Putting the blame for my failure, my sin, or wrongdoing on another; that’s what passing the buck means. I wonder if anything keeps people from repentance as powerfully as it. "How blessed are those who mourn, because it is they who will be comforted! Mt 5:4(ISV).  But rather than mourn we point an accusing finger, we rope in another. Consider a man who beats his wife. “My wife kept taunting me and challenging my masculinity.” What of adultery? “She was denying me; and there was this lovely one who understands and appreciates me. What could I do?” The mistress who has abused her maid offers a similar excuse, “Yes I know I dealt hardly with her but it is her fault. I warned her several times not to take my children’s clothes.” The refusal to accept that I am responsible for my own actions and deserve the punishment is as ancient as the Garden of Eden saga. “I will behave well if so and so will also behave well.” That is Satan’s deceit. No relationship with God gets right until we accept we are responsible, we have sinned, and the fault is ours. I will go … and say to …, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your ... Treat me like one of your workers.' Lk 15:18, 19(CEV).

Ever heard it said, “Yes I did wrong but so-and-so precipitated it.”?You know, you can’t precipitate what is not in solution. “It was the economic situation that caused it. The police who insist on bribe that caused it. My daughter must get employment, get into higher institution and those wicked people demanded it. It’s not really entirely my fault!” If wickedness is not in you, nothing will precipitate it. Until we accept responsibility for our actions reconciliation with parents, spouses, friends, and most of all God waits, and we slowly but surely pine away in our errors. 'I've sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve. He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.' Job 33:27-28(ISV).  I have sinned. I brought this on myself. When will you say this to yourself and those you wronged? How many a marriage is hurting because each partner points at the other for the fault? Stop passing the buck. The son didn’t blame the economic situation of the present famine. He did not blame his employer who paid him so low pigs were better off. But we blame unequal distribution of wealth for theft, forgetting that the greatest thieves in all countries are the rich. We blame unemployment for crime forgetting the collaborators of crime with secure, well paid jobs. These are no exceptions to the rule: it is so in every continent and among all races. Black, white whatever. Accept the blame, but turn now to God.  Have mercy, God... Wash me from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgression; my sin remains continually before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what was evil in your sight. As a result, you are just in your pronouncement and clear in your judgment. Ps 51:1-4(ISV) 

The blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from every sin.

Ordeal from kidnappers Week 27, 2014

We were in church on Tuesday 17^th June about 1pm when they came in armed with guns. Having surrounded us they stripped us of handsets and demanded money. “There is no money in the church” was the response. “What is money compared to your lives?” they demanded. Workers were in the church that day, involved in the ceiling completion. So not believing the response they asked for the money with which they were to be paid. There was actually no bulk cash to pay the workers that day so no cash was given.

“Where is the pastor?” I was brought out, manhandled and taken to my car. They demanded the tracker code which I gave them. The car could be inactivated remotely with it. When they saw it was correct they were pleased and commended me. My ATM card was stolen and the password collected. I was bound hand and foot with ropes, and my singlet torn out and used as a blindfold over my face. Placing me at the floor of the Toyota Highlander face down at the back, my body was used as a foot-mat and they sped off.

Brethren were alerted and prayers began to ascend unto heaven. On the way I was aware when we passed a police check point. My captors passed through without my being detected, and after driving for some time I was brought out and placed under guard in the bush. A fellow priest passing by the check point at that time saw my vehicle, and that the police passed the car on. He didn’t realize at first I had been kidnapped. After the vehicle passed he got the text message informing him of it. He was confused. “Was it not Ikenna that just passed?” he wondered. A ransom of five million naira was demanded for my release. My guard was very hard on me, brutalizing my head with the butt of his gun. Even when I did not move he would say he saw me move and hit me. I was not afraid to die; I know where I am going and let him know that.

It was now a while I had not heard any sound from my captor. A stick in the bush close to my face enabled me push off the blindfold. I was in a gulley like place. No one could see me from the road. I could also not see any of them around. Getting unto my belly I worked the binds on my legs loose. I then rolled out of the place under cover and worked on the wrist binders. It was not easy as I was tied behind my back, but eventually I was free! Still no captor in sight, I took to running off in the bush. I emerged at UNTH at Ituku. I had been kidnapped in Enugu. A covered tricycle (keke NAPEP) came by and I flagged him down. He was uneasy at seeing me (I was shirtless) but when he learned I had been kidnapped he took me away from there. I had thought to drop at 4 corners’ junction but he advised the kidnappers may come there looking for me, expecting that I go there for a drop. So we moved further ahead.

When I came to the police check point the kidnappers had passed I reproached the officers there. The police being alerted mobilized to intercept the thieves. From the information by the tracker they were on their way to Port Harcourt where they were apprehended trying to change the screen of the vehicle. No money was lost to them; my wife had alerted the bank and my ATM card had been immediately inactivated. I have since appeared on TV with the culprits in custody. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. Is 54:17(KJV).

Rev Canon Ikenna Nwachukwu is the priest –in- charge, church of Pentecost Igbariam, Enugu