Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain – Part 2

Dan. 5: 27, “TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

Zech 1: 3 says, “Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.”

The Reasons And Warning For The Heavenly-minded
Everyone, particularly believers, ought to know that the next agenda on God’s programme is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is referred to as the rapture of the Saints. No believer should feign ignorance of this great event, because nobody that is a true child of God should have any reason not to be prepared. This is the importance of this message, and that is why the Scripture deliberately makes it clear that we should not be ignorant of it.

1Thes. 4:13, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

The Scripture admonishes us not to mourn the dead like people who have no hope of resurrection. This is because we’re going to meet again with these people that died in the Lord in the air at the time of the rapture. Our consolation could be found in what the Scripture says in verses 14 and 15, which say, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this, we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

The Scripture is clear on what becomes of those that died in the Lord. It says they will rise first before the living. So, we should not bother much about when a believer departed, for we shall meet again in the air and together be with the Lord forever. We should know about this so that we don’t go about crying over a believer, as if we are not going to meet again. If anybody sleeps in the Lord, God’s Word has assured that he/she will be resurrected on the day of the rapture.

Many believers, who are still influenced by the pleasure of this world, have become preys to the devil’s antics because they are ignorant of the fact that there is a resurrection for the dead in Christ. And that is why this message is necessary to warn them to be mindful of their relationship with the Lord so that they shouldn’t miss the rapture. We all should understand that we are not of the world and thus, shouldn’t be attracted by the things of the world.

1Jn 2: 15-17 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

We’re advised not to give ourselves to the pleasures, glory, pride and attraction of the world. Rather, we should keep far away from them because we’re not of them. The word of God says, “He that does the will of God abides forever.” If you want to live with Him and the saints in eternity, you must endeavour to live your life for Him.

James 4:4 says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

You can deduce from the above context that the Scripture called all those who are claiming to be believers but love the world adulterers and adulteresses. Why are they called such names? Because we’re married to Jesus, and as long as we are married to Him, we should live for Him, not having anything to do with the world. Any believer, who is attracted to the world to the extent that he does not do what is expected of him, is assumed by the Lord as being unfaithful to that marriage. If you are not faithful to your marriage, you’re an adulterer or adulteress. God wants you to understand that your friendship with the world is enmity with Him. We need to examine ourselves to know if there’s any way we have been entangled in the pleasure of the world so that we can return to the Lord and avoid missing the rapture.

Many believers have forsaken their first love in which they pledged to make heaven at last. They no longer love the Lord as they ought to, and even that love which made them consecrate themselves to the Lord, in the beginning, is now lacking. Many of them have abandoned God because of the things of this world, thereby eating what they have vomited. That’s why we must return to the first love, which made us proclaimed forward ever and backwards never. And ready to perish rather than compromise our faith. And because many have left the first love, God, therefore, decided to bring this message, so that those who felt they are among the people mentioned above will do something before it’s too late. If your love for God, zeal for His work has faded, you need to have a rethink and return to the Lord.

Rev.2: 1-5 says, “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

Brethren, the Lord wants you to return to your first love that made you to separate from ungodliness, righteousness or that makes you compromise. 

Many people have gone into compromise, living in the sin of anger, lies, murmuring, backbiting, love of money, covetousness, hatred, immoral thought, watching home video and football matches like people of the world. Are you like that? You’re a Heavenly Candidate, who loves not the world because you are not in the world.

Testimony
Little Boy Kidnapped, Sold But Recovered By God
MY name is Bro Matthias Utam and I reside at Ilasa-maja, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. I am a staunch member of The Lord’s Chosen and fellowship with Ilasa 1 branch. I want to express my gratitude to God for rescuing my grandson from the hands of kidnappers.

It happened on a fateful day when my daughter residing in Akwa-Ibom State called and told me that her son (my grandson) had been kidnapped. She said they have searched for the boy to no avail and came back home dejected. I was devastated, when I heard it. Nevertheless, I know the God I serve and I was sure He would never leave nor forsake me because I am a Chosen. So, we took the case to God in prayer. During one of the services on the Chosen telecast, our General Pastor, while praying, prophetically mentioned the case and decreed that the boy would come back and we claimed it. The boy was kidnapped and sold for three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N350, 000).

In the course of the search, an eyewitness testified she saw and could recognise the woman that lured the boy away with Lucozade Boost. When the woman was accosted by the police, she initially denied the allegation, but when she was tortured by the police, she confessed to the crime and informed that the boy had been taken to Port Harcourt. Immediately, the police rushed to Port Harcourt, but could not find the boy. There, they arrested the accomplice, who told them that the child had been transferred to Abia State. Consequently, the police mobilised and moved to Abia State in search of the boy.

Meanwhile, as this was happening, I was seriously calling upon God of Chosen to intervene and at the same time assuring my daughter that her son would be found, because I anchored my faith on our Pastor’s prayer. In Abia State, the woman that bought the boy was invited by the police, though they did not tell her anything about kidnapping. The woman eventually showed up, and upon interrogation, she confessed that the boy was alive and that people had been coming to buy him, but because of God’s grace upon the boy, she decided not to sell him. Instead, she adopted him as her son. She further told them that they had moved the boy to Lagos and had changed his name from Bright to Favour and registered him in a school.

At that point, she took the police to Lagos and my grandson was recovered. Meanwhile, about seven women involved in the child’s trafficking have been arrested. I want you to join me in thanking this great God for His faithfulness.