Understanding the present time

Beloved, the core reason for the word of God is to educate mankind on what is required of them in order to attract God’s blessing and escape the danger of the world. Understanding this Truth is what God expected from everyone at this period of Christmas and New Year.

Many people think the end of every year is time to acquire wealth or engage in sharp practices. Some perceive it as a time of accepting chieftaincy titles, going after their own pleasure, doing business, getting married, building or commissioning houses, among others, while some will occupy themselves planning the end of year’s party, club’s get-together and by encumbering themselves with worldly things that they will forget what God expected from them at this particularly period.

What bothers them, as the year comes to an end, are things of the world, those carnal things they couldn’t do vis-a-vis worldly enjoyment. They regret not bribing their way to gain promotion, not stealing from their bosses, cheating their friends, co-workers, not joining the bandwagon of prostitutes, dupes, cults, assassins and smokers, among others. Instead of a sober reflection of their relationship with God this year, by examining themselves to find where they have gone amiss and amend their ways, their regret will be those evil cum wicked things they couldn’t do during the year.

At this period, many people are preoccupied with the arrangement of buying a new car/house, burial, bazaar, dancing competition, carnivals of different kinds, village meetings, while some are just happy because they are about to enter a New Year, while others are busy declaring what the New Year will bring to them. But little do they know that this period is God’s offer of opportunity to repent, amend their ways and prepare for rapture or death.

Romans 13:12- 14 says, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Beloved, this period of Yuletide should remind us that our salvation, redemption, the day of rapture, the day we are departing this world is closer than we expected. Therefore, our preparation for this year’s crossover night should be a preparation to crossover from old evil life to new life in Christ. And our plan to celebrate new house or car should be a plan to rejoice for a new life in Christ- a life filled with Holy Spirit. Instead of looking forward to be intoxicated by strong drink, you should look forward to be intoxicated by the Spirit of the Living God. We should concern ourselves with how we should live our life in agreement with God’s Word, how we could put off the work of darkness and every form of unrighteousness instead of whatever we are giving ourselves to now. We should know that every year, we add to our years. So, as our age is increasing, we are also getting closer to our graves. And if that is the case, every time we are crossing over to a New Year should be a time of self-appraisal. We should not give ourselves to the things of this world that pass away.

1Cor. 7: 29-31 says, “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away”

We should not indulge in the things of the world or make it look like the purpose of our living, for the things of this world pass away. It is unreal and illusive. We should consider that the time of this life is short and passing; and shortly, there would be no more time to make a choice and it would no longer matter whether we have wives/husbands or not, children or not. It is, therefore, wise that we should be very moderate in the enjoyment of the things of this world, and not to be too affected when we have them, or too much afflicted when we want them. Take note that the duration of any man’s life is so short, that it is nothing if there is no hope of eternal life.

Beloved, I crave your indulgence to remind you that life hastens to a close, and that what our grand business should be is to prepare for death. It matters little in what condition or rank of life we are, because when we are called to depart, none of those things that we engaged in or that make us to puff up will accompany us to the next realm of life.

Thus, we should live above the world and not be unduly attached to those things that are inimical to our salvation, so that we would not only be ready to part with them, but also not allow our passion for them to interfere with any duty we owe God. We should know that we are in a world of trial and exposed to persecution, but as Christians, we are bound to live entirely for God. Therefore, we should not allow attachment to earthly friends to alienate our affections for God, or to interfere with our Christian duty. In one word, we ought to be just as faithful to God, and just as pious, in every respect, and be as if we have no wife or earthly friend. Remember many a times, our earthly attachments and cares draw away our affections of God, but it need not to be so. Instead of being an occasion of alienating our affections for God, it should be the means of binding us more firmly and entirely to Him and His cause.

Luke 17:26-27 says, “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

In the days of Noah, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; that is, wholly given to sensuality and debauchery and did not know, when the flood was coming, until it swept them away. The same situation is prevailing now. It is good to understand what God demands from you this very time, which is to amend your ways before you crossover.

The true reason men are drawn to physical things is because they do not believe the certainty, or consider the proximity and nearness of an approaching end in relation to rapture or death. They do not consider preparing for it. And to such that are unprepared for death or rapture, let them know those events are always sudden, and there is no regret after death. So, understand that what God requires from you this period is to prepare yourself for the end. God bless you as you do.