Ebola and the Communion. Where is your faith? Week 35, 2014

The call came in the early hours of the morning. It was some minutes before 5a.m. when my telephone rang. It was a friend inquiring about the efficacy of a salt-water bath in preventing Ebola fever. I assured her it had no basis. Then my wife got a call on the same issue. It turned out instructions to take a saline bath and drink salt water (no concentration or volume prescribed) had gone viral in the country. Several people from literate to unschooled, government officials and lowly placed, health workers and even church workers succumbed to the strange instructions and applied salty water on their bodies and drank brine. The result was predictable: many became sick and some died.

The order of Holy Communion in many a Christian denomination involves a greeting of peace during which a handshake (or an embrace) is offered. In some there is one cup shared among all communicants. So as to avoid Ebola transmission it was recommended by some that during the sign of peace no handshakes or embracing be done. I also heard there was talk of abolishing (even if temporarily) the shared cup. And this recommendation was not for an Ebola isolation ward, but for symptomless people. Now I am no apologetic of techniques in the Holy Communion, and am quite at home (having participated worship-fully) with differing denominational communion orders. However I ask, “Why do people readily succumb to an unlicensed practice coming from unknown sources but are ready to drop elements of the Holy Communion?” “Lack of faith” was the answer a lady gave me. I agree. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? Mk 4:40(KJV) 

Do we really believe the communion is a means of grace, a spiritual feast where the Lord Himself is present? When the minister says, “Draw near with faith: receive the body and blood of the Lord...” is it mere talk? Is there power in the blood of Jesus Christ or is this mere ritual? They who risk getting sick after taking the Holy Communion are those who take it unworthily. If you eat and drink without paying attention to those who are the Lord's body, your eating and drinking will cause you to be judged guilty. That is why many in your group are sick and weak, and many have died1Cor 11:29, 30(ERV). All who come to the communion trusting in the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice should expect grace. I have personally been healed of an arthritic condition after the communion for over ten years now. And I am not alone. Was it the technique of the communion? By no means. It is his name—that is, by faith in his name—that has healed this man whom you see and know. Yes, the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you Act 3:16(ISV). The communion is not for those who lack faith in the shed blood of Jesus. We expose them to grave danger when they come in unrepentant sin (not Ebola threats). Let all who come to the Lord’s Table trust He will meet them with grace and in power. Let all who see the cup of the Lord as a health risk repent.

Wash your hands Week 34, 2014

Are your hands clean? If you look at them now they may appear so, especially if you have had your bath. They may look clean but there are unseen germs which cling to the hands. Everyone has them no matter your profession, gender, educational background or wealth. It is estimated the average individual has 1, 500 germs on an area the size of a sugar cube in the palm of the hand. More germs on the surface of your body than people in the United States of America! Wash your hands.

Diseases often spread from contact with hands and hand washing has been identified as the single most important practice in breaking the cycle of disease transmission in health-care facilities. Clean hands however require not only water but soap as well to truly get rid of germs. A thorough lathering of all the hands with soap and rinse with running water are recommended by the WHO for a standard wash. In the wake of infectious diseases hand washing is being strongly promoted.

Scripture also talks about cleaning our hands. Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded Jas 4:8(ISV). This however refers to something deeper than the hands you see, but our inward beings which are defiled.  Just as our physical hands have germs, everyone has sinned. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God Rom 3:23(KJV). Everyone has no matter your profession, gender, educational background or wealth. It is irrespective of the faith you were born into. This germ of sin is worse than Ebola virus; it leads to eternal damnation. But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death Rev 21:8 (ISV). Since you have been careful (and rightly so) to observe precautions not to contract diseases have taken time to deal with the more lethal germ of sin? Is your heart clean?

Proper hand washing requires soap and water. God promised a proper heart washing for all who come to Him. The word of God is referred to as water [That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Eph 5:26(KJV)] and the blood of Jesus is what cleanses the heart from sin. But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death Heb 9:14(CEV). You have done well in promoting hand washing: you need this heart washing too, but only much more.

It is a foolish thing to ignore health warnings and live as though disease transmission is not real: wash your hands. It is deadly to ignore the Bible’s warning – wash your heart. Do it by acknowledging you have impurity within you cannot remove before God, and then call upon Jesus to wash your heart in His blood. You will be clean from the inside out, a candidate of God’s heavenly kingdom.

A pilgrim’s prayer Week 33, 2014

My hands are on the plough O Lord, I cannot look back. Whatever holiness can’t give me, may I never receive. What love, self control and humility keep out of my grasp, may I never obtain in Jesus’ name. Thou hast said “Love each other in a way that makes you feel close like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honor than you give yourself.” Rom 12:10(ERV).  I will do so   my Lord. If that means elective positions and the prime places of honour elude me I welcome it. The life of a man does not consist in the abundance of his possessions or positions. You are my life and my portion forever: Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words Ps 119:57(KJV).

When my money, property and other rights are trapped, and truth with patience and godly sincerity fail to release them, may I forever let them go rather than employ a little compromise; proven though it may be to unlock them for others.

Grant me boldness to speak for the truth with godly wisdom; may I never be silent in hope of receiving favours from any who spurns your precious name. May I stand with Moses: He thought it was better to suffer for the Messiah than to have all the treasures of Egypt. He was waiting for the reward that God would give him Heb 11:26(ERV). Help me to stand alone with you uncompromising with the world’s standards, and yet always realize I am never, and can never be alone in walking with you. I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not worshiped the false god Baal Rom 11:4 (GNB). As long as the earth stands there shall never fail to be witnesses unto the Lord who fear His holy name.

May I desire nothing; love not anything, as a close walk with you. All I yearn for is that in the Day you bring forth your treasures I shall be one of them. "They'll be mine," says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "in the day when I prepare my treasured possession. I'll spare them, just as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Mal 3:17(ISV).  Yes Lord, for did You not so promise all your obedient ones? And now if you carefully obey me and keep my covenant, you are to be my special possession out of all the peoples. For the whole earth belongs to me Ex 19:5(ISV).

My idea of being head and not tail is standing always with you the head. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Col 2:10(KJV)  After all what makes the throne is where the king is seated; not the size or material of the chair.  It is not a promotion to be in any office un compromising righteousness cannot give; no sacrifice to give up what holiness cannot hold. And Lord, if ever I begin to believe I know it all, trusting in my little wisdom or experience, quickly grant me to see again that “If anyone thinks he really knows something, he has not yet learned it as he ought to know it”.1Cor 8:2(ISV)  in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Christian fundraising Week 32, 2014

Whatever happened to walking by faith in ministry? Is something wrong with the models of faith ministry in Christian history such as George Muller who raised an orphanage by faith without soliciting funds yet they never lacked? Are those methods outdated, impracticable in 21^st century Christianity with an explosion of ministries crying out for funds, or have we lost faith in God and baptised our lack of faith “aggressive fundraising”? Does God still direct ministers to Zarephath women He has spoken to before time to cater for welfare? Then this message came to him from the LORD: "Get up, move to Zarephath in Sidon, and stay there. Look! I've commanded a widow to sustain you there." 1Kg 17:8, 9(ISV).  Or does God expect you to scatter your needs on several soils praying they land on good soil and grow? I thought it is supposed to be seed i.e. the word of God: The seed is God's word Lk 8:11(ISV). Perhaps you will remind me that God spoke to Moses to ask an offering from His people for the tabernacle. The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to make an offering to me. Receive whatever offerings anyone wishes to give Ex 25:1, 2(GNB).Is that what we do? How can we explain ten to twelve offerings in a single service?

From a congregation (name withheld) comes this story as told by the former caretaker: “I was there when the minister in charge, curate and guest speaker were agreeing that the goal of this meeting was to raise money. The word of God came alright, but the meeting had a shadow cast on her by the bid to raise money. At the start of the fundraising the speaker requested all those who would sow N100, 000 to stand. Thereafter he asked for fifty thousand, and then twenty thousand. He then said he would stop at ten. Only he didn’t stop. On then until one thousand; and then whoever had not given was urged to go ahead and bring something. Thereafter the names of people who pledged were taken. Money was raised. The way we raise money has given cause for offense. In fact one day during a fundraising a woman cried out “Stop deceiving us!” Ministers sometimes go to give Holy Communion to wealthy men at home (and go back with money in their pockets) whilst sick people who need communion are left out.

But I also know another speaker in the same church who did not do like that. At the end of his message he asked people to decide what they would give, and restrained those who wanted to write down their names. He said that was what God laid on his heart in the hotel room. I testify we raised more money this way.”

Even where less money is raised the second way, which of them better represents the gospel standards? Or can we no longer say with Paul “I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my cause for boasting”? (1Cor9:15)

We do not put an obstacle in anyone's way. Otherwise, fault may be found with our ministry. Instead, in every way we demonstrate that we are God's servants by tremendous endurance in the midst of difficulties, hardships, and calamities; 2Cor 6:3, 4(ISV)