Author: icbc

Introduction

Jesus did not rule out the fact that humans need bread to survive. But He emphasized that man shall not live by it alone. There are a number of needs that humans depend on for their survival. In this edition of our Newsletter, the need for security or human safety is discussed.

Security

Security, in this thesis, refers to the protection, effectual defense and safety from any kind of danger. It is the freedom from fear or apprehension as described by Webster. The Lord God assures His people of bread and security. It is not enough to fill one’s stomach with food and leave him or her in the perils of wild beasts or irresponsible and violent creatures. People must, therefore, be protected, defended and sheltered from every form of evil.

God promises us with two basic needs of food and safety. He informs us that:

“Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety” (Lev 25:18-19).

God promises the poor and the needy with safety from those who threaten them (Psa 12:5). David, knowing well of the security that God provides His people, writes that God will both lay him down in peace, and he would sleep because the LORD makes him dwell in safety (Psa 4:8).

Humans should not sleep fearing that they would be attached by unscrupulous and violent peoples or beasts. The safety that God provides is comprehensive because it traverses the physical as well as the spiritual. Believers have been provided with very powerful and effective spiritual weapons to defend and protect themselves, as well as to offend their adversaries (read Eph 6:10-18).

Notwithstanding the above assurances from God, it behooves parents to ensure the safety of their children. Political leaders also ought to provide good leadership by enacting all relevant laws and policies to ensure that the citizens live in safety. In this same manner, governments must task all employers to provide safe working environments for their employees to work in. Individuals must also endeavor to ensure their own safety as they interact with each other and their ambiance.

Conclusion

God does not only supply His people with bread but also with safety because it is needless to eat to your fill and continue to live in fear and panic. The safety of everyone is the responsibility of all citizens, viz: parents, governments, groups, and individuals.

Prayer: May the good Lord protect you and cause you to live in safety, now and evermore. AMEN!

 

Introduction

After the Apostles of Christ were released from prison by the Angel of God, they were told to go and declare “all the words of this life” to the world. This edition of our Newsletter discusses what is meant by “the words of this life” as told in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.

“All the Words of this life”

“But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:19-20).

The redeemed people of God are to publicly speak all the words of the Kingdom of Christ. Here, the key to entering the kingdom is by the grace of God grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a free gift of God, so it is not earned (Eph 2:8). If one confesses with his/her mouth the Lord Jesus and believes in his/her heart that Christ was raised from the dead, s/he shall be saved. A person believes with the heart unto righteousness and confesses with his/her mouth unto salvation (Rom 10:9-10). The sinner, after having been justified by faith, then has peace with God through Christ Jesus (Rom 5:1).

Again, it is to be preached that believers should not conform to this world but they are to be transformed by the renewing of their minds in order to prove that which is good, acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom 12:2).

Complete Freedom in Christ

Every human being wants freedom but they are ignorant of the fact that there is only one source of freedom, and that is Christ Jesus. Jesus affirms that “If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (Joh 8:36). He completely sets people free from addiction, sins, fear, and others so that they could have life and have it in abundance (Joh 10:10).

People are set free to pursue good works. It must be known to all, that the Lord knows those who are His, so, everyone that calls on the name of the Lord should depart from evil (2Ti 2:19). Food should neither divide us nor lead us to hell because the Kingdom of God is not all about meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). This kind of peace and joy help us to rejoice even in tribulation (Rom 5:3).

People must also be encouraged to do away with fear because “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2Ti 1:7). The message of the Gospel is genuine love: Love for God (Mat 22:37-38) and love for each other (Mat 22:39, Rom 13:9, Gal 5:14, Jas 2:8). This message of love must not exclude His second coming and His final judgment (2Pet 3:7-15).

Conclusion

The Words of the life in Christ that must be preached in the world and believed on, is the Gospel of Christ Jesus. This encapsulates the salvation and freedom that comes by faith in Christ Jesus, righteous living, and loving God and one another, as well as the second coming of the Son of the Living God.

Prayer: Dear God, may we go about your business with the message that you have entrusted into our hands. In the name of Christ Jesus, our LORD. AMEN!