God will provide rest for His faithful followers who are troubled, those who are being persecuted, and for us also when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and His glorious power. When Jesus comes on that day, He will receive glory from His holy people, and praise from all who believe. This fellowship includes everyone who must have given their life to Jesus, for they have believed what the scriptures and the prophets of God have told them about Jesus, the Saviour of all mankind.
This is why SCOAN, led by its Bishop, Prophet TB Joshua, keep on praying for you, asking God to enable you to live a life worthy of Jesus' calling. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honoured because of the way you live, and you will be honoured along with Him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 1:7-12).
Specifically, our love and prayers continually go to those who unfortunately lost their lives on September 14, 2014, within SCOAN guest house premises. The Almighty and all-knowing Sovereign God, from whom nothing is hidden, shall reveal the truth at His time. Meanwhile, we warn every Christian to expect some persecution, especially these perilous times. Such persecution may take different forms such as discrimination, religious bias, killing, and every other systematic mistreatment either on basis of an individual or a group of individuals, because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Every follower of Jesus ought to remain focused on our ordination and calling that we should go and bring forth fruit and that our fruit should remain. In accomplishing this glorious commission Jesus commands that we should also love one another, working for Him in one accord. Peradventure the world hates us in the process that we need to remember that it hated Jesus also and nailed Him on the cross. Secondly, if we were of the world, the world would love his own. Since we are not of the world, but followers of Jesus, therefore the world hates every true Christian. Jesus said, "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also", (John 15:16-20).
Therefore as we continue to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on that fateful day, Christians who had clung to their faith to their deaths. Our condolences go to their families, their loved ones, SCOAN families, Emmanuel partners and Prophet TB Joshua. Unfortunately, there is a growing Christian martyr now. Stephen was the first Christian martyr in the New Testament. The blood of these martyrs, (witnesses for Jesus), and all those who continue to give their lives for Christ, represent a powerful and attractive witness for Christianity and a curse for the adversary Satan. We pray that their souls rest in perfect peace. Finally, brethren, we should always remember the word of Jesus to His disciples when He said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God and believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”, (John 1:1-3). Emmanuel!
Professor. R. A. Ipinyomi
No comments:
Post a Comment