YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO KEEP

                                   

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.c

                    YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO KEEP

… “It is appointed for people to die once… after this, judgment, (Hebrews 9:27 HCSB)

INTRODUCTION:                                                                                                                                        Those who have the privilege to book appointments with the highly placed persons in society definitely carry with them, the experience of the rigors that go with preparations for such engagements. For instance, if the president of a nation gives his consent for one to visit his office at a given date, the one so privileged, for sure, would engage in series of preparations for the day. This is because any mistakes to that effect, would result in serious damages. So, no reasonable person plays with such a rare opportunity. But, many people often forget that there is a divine appointment which takes everyone to God’s throne of judgment, where they must give account of their stewardship on earth. In the words of Charlie Chan, “death is the one appointment we all must keep, and for which no time is set”. In fact, the unawareness of the time of death makes it the most crucial appointment in the life of every mortal being, and so, requires thoughtful and constant preparations. Having said this, please be reminded that;

                                               YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH                   Biologically, death is the termination of the life of a person or animal. The Bible refers to this form of death as the separation of the soul from the body, which is the Physical Death,(Ecclesiastes 12:7). Onyeukwu (2006), also, posits that there are other forms of death, the Spiritual and Eternal. The Spiritual Death is the state of living in the pleasures of sin, (1Timothy 5:6), whereas, the Eternal Death is the final separation of a person from God after the last judgment, (Revelation 21:8).

           So, in keeping with Divine Verdict, it is obvious that every living soul must physically die one day. However, those who die (d) in the spiritual decay of sin would have no access to God’s place of peace, as they are or will be drafted to the point of eternal damnation. On this note, one can only escape the dreadfulness of this endless punishment if one now repents of one’s sins, and in turn accepts Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior in readiness for the appointment of death. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God”, (Corinthians 6:9)                     

                     THE APPOINTMENT OF DEATH WILL BRING YOU

                                  TO THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF GOD                                        Without controversy, there is in history what is regarded as spiritual and invisible process of judgment which goes on in all ages of the world. Berkhof (1953:729) confirms that, “the Bible clearly teaches that God, even in the present life visits evil with punishment and rewards the good with blessings, and that these punishment and rewards are in some cases positive, but in other instances appear as the natural providential results of the evil committed or of the good done, Deu.9:5;Ps 9:16,37:28;59:13;Prov.11:5; 14:11; Isa. 32: 16-17; Lam.5:7…. But, it is also manifest in the Scripture that the judgments of God in the present are not final, since evil sometimes continues without punishment, and the good is not always rewarded with the promised blessings in this life. These point to the fact that there is the final judgment of God, which will take care of all the consignment of divine judgments that will, of courses, be total and decisive.At death, one queues up for the final judgment. Berkhof (1953:729), also remarks that the Bible teaches us to look forward to a final judgment as the decisive answer of God to all the apparent discrepancies of the present, Matt. 25:31-46; John5:27-29; Acts 25:24; Romans2:5-11; Heb. 9;27, 2Pt 3:7… These passages do not refer to a process, but to a very definite event at the end of time. Therefore, the simple question remains, where will you be after the event of the final judgment?  “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea(s) gave up the dead that were in them, each person was judged according to what they had done… (And) if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation20:12-15).                            

          In conclusion, be notified also that, it is not possible to escape the judgment of damnation without Jesus Christ, and that what brought about judgment and death is sin, which A.H. Strong in Cole (1968), defines as “any lack of conformity to the law of God, whether in act, disposition or state”, and so, this message is a call to repentance (Act 17:31).

BIBLICAL RECIPE FOR TONGUE MANAGEMENT

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

BIBLICAL RECIPE FOR TONGUE MANAGEMENT

            … “the tongue is a little member and boasts great things… and the tongue is a fire, a word of iniquity and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell… with it we bless God …. And with it we curse men… my brethren, these things ought not to be so… (James3:1-12)

           

INTRODUCTION                                                                                                                               The biblical injunction… “Be quick to listen, but slow to speak…” (James 1:19) is a recipe for tongue management. The tongue is men’s gift for interaction and communication. On a positive note, the tongue is an instrument that builds, sharpens and fosters peaceful co-existence. However, the tongue, if mismanaged, can breed conflicts that lead to wars and broken relationships. Human experience shows that there is hardly any problem (conflict) in the human race where the tongue is free from indictment. This calls for proper management of the tongue. God’s Word depicts a perfect man as one who does not offends in words, and also notes that one who has no control of one’s tongue has no control of one’s life. So,

BE COMMITED TO USING YOUR TONGUE WELL                                                    One’s commitment to use one’s tongue implies a regular task, ensuring one’s proper management of one’s tongue. Such stewardship of tongue ensures a lifestyle devoid of incitement, slander, sycophancy and every form of inflammatory statement.  Definitely, it is on this note that the Bible cautions against the use of one’s tongue for offences, (2 Cor. 6:3), empty boats, (Prov. 27:1-2) and idle words, (Matt 12:36). Furthermore, lack of prudence in the use of one’s tongue is often manifested in gossips, (1Tim. 5:12-13), tale-bearing, (Prov. 26:20), evil-speaking, (James 4:11-12) and lying, (Prov.12:19). All the aforementioned carry the consequences of God’s judgment, and should be avoided, (Matt. 12:36-37)

BEWARE OF DEMONS OF EVIL-SPEAKING                                                                   The understanding of the fact that not every word that comes out of one’s mouth is by one’s volition is vital. This is because one’s consciousness of the negative influence from the pit of hell over one’s tongue would help one reduce un-desirable words, and in turn, would save one from divine judgment. The Bible records that the tongue is unruly evil, a world of iniquity, and capable of setting the course of nature on fire. Pointedly, all the evil activities of the tongue are said to be sponsored by hell and its demons, (James 3:6). This implies that every evil-speaking, (James 4:11-12), tale-bearing, (prov.26:20), and all forms of inflammatory statements are to the glory of Satan and his demons and not to the glory of God. To whom does your tongue give glory?                                                        

BE CONSCIOUS OF GIVING GOD GLORY IN THE USE OF YOUR TONGUE                                                                                                                                             “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of the fools pours forth foolishness”, (Prov. 15:2). By way of definition, knowledge is information and understanding about a subject which one has on one’s mind. The foregoing implies that a wise man is a prudent manager of his tongue. He reflects or ponders over words before he speaks out, but a fool has no such consideration. One who is conscious of God’s glory in the use of one’s tongue speaks God’s righteousness and praise, (Psalm 35:28), blesses and does not curse, (Rom. 12:14) as well as weighs every statement one wishes to make in the light of God’s Word. Does your life reflect a good stewardship of the tongue? “For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech”, (1 Peter 3:10)

            To conclude this gospel discourse, hear this, “a wise man thinks before he speaks, but, a fool speaks before he thinks”. So, learn to consider the implication of every statement you wish to make. BE ADVISED.

“PAINS” AFTER THE RAPTURE

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

P.O, Box 1184, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.

         “PAINS” AFTER THE RAPTURE       “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord”, (1Thess. 4:16-17)

INTRODUCTION:                                                                                                                             In a “guide” published by the Evangelical Tract Distributors of Edmonton, AB, Canada, the writer share the feeling that, many true Christians are deeply concerned about those who will be left to suffer in the “Great Tribulation” after the Lord Jesus Christ had called His own to meet Him in the air, which is referred to as the Rapture”. The message, equally, stresses that, “the opportunity of salvation during the tribulation is merely a continuation of the present opportunity offered to everyone to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour”. It hints further that, “faith in the atonement works of Christ is the only Hope for a lost humanity sold under sin, either before or after the Rapture”                                           According to Ben Onyeukwu (2016), the period in-between the second coming of Christ, phase one which is referred to as “the rapture” or His coming into the air (1 Thess 4:16) and the phase two of His coming, which is the actual return to earth, (Rev,. 1:7) marks a time of the visible activities of the Anti-Christ on earth, which is pictured as the Great Tribulation. Some theologians are of the view that the Great Tribulation will take a period of three and half (3 ½) years, (Rev. 13:5; Dan 7:25), while others are of the opinion that it will take seven (7) years, (Rev. 11:2-3; Dan 12:5-7).  This is because, according to those who hold that the Great Tribulation will take seven years, the first three and half years of the period will witness the prevailing power of the Anti-Christ (Rev.11:2), whereas, in the last three and half years of the tribulation, the power of God’s two witnesses, referred to as the Olive trees” (vs3), which are believed to be Enoch (Gen. 5:24) and Elijah (2kings 2:11), will prevail. To some scholars, the period under review is the actual period of the Great Tribulation, while some simply describe it as the tribulation period. But, this work holds that it is the actual period and that the Great Tribulation will last for seven years, as cited above.

ANTI-CHRIST AND THE UNRAPTURED BELEIVER                                                                            As already cited, the period in-between the two phases of the Christ is the period after the rapture of the saints. During this time, both the civil and religious government of the world would come under the administration of the Anti-Christ, who would exercise excessive power on earth, and the believer who out of carelessness missed the rapture will then, be in real trouble. According to the Bible, such believers can only be saved then, by giving their lives as martyrs (Rev. 13:15); if they would escape the damnation of Hell, (Rev.20:15). In other words, they would pay for their salvation with their own blood, as they would be killed for refusing to worship the Anti-Christ and the image of the beast, (Rev. 13:15)

ANTI-CHRIST AND THE NUMBER 666                                                                                                            At the period of the Great Tribulation, the beast of the Anti-Christ will exercise great authority  that would force the inhabitants of the earth to worship him. According to the Scripture, he will deceive the people with miraculous signs, and all those who would refuse to worship his image will definitely be killed, (Rev. 13:12-15). In furtherance, he would force everyone to receive his mark (666) on their right hand or foreheads or they would not be allowed to buy or sell, (vs. 17-18). This would be a horrible time for all the inhabitants of the earth, including the carless believer who would miss the rapture.

ANTI-CHRST AND THE ONLY WAY OF ESCAPE                                                                                The only way to escape the Anti-Christ now, and during the Great Tribulation, is to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, for the spirit of Anti-Christ is already at work in the world, (1 John 4:2-3. According to the Apostle Paul, the secret power of the lawless one (Anti-Christ) is already at work; but the one who now holds it back (the Holy Spirit), will continue to do so till He is taken out of the way. And then, the lawless one (Anti-Christ) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming. (2 Thess.2:7-8). From the cited epistle, the Apostle, equally indicates that the identity of the Anti-Christ is yet to be known. To this end, some think, he would be a Jew, pretending to be the Messiah and ruling at Jerusalem, while others consider the Pope as the Anti-Christ, as there are other different opinions with regards to where the Anti-Christ would come from, or his actual identity. Please note also that, “the coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceive those who are perishing.  They perish because they refused to love the truth, and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness (vs. 9-12).

 In conclusion, be informed that if one receives the mark of the Beast, which is 666, on one’s right hand or forehead, one becomes condemned forever, (Rev. 13). REPENT NOW AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!