Kanayo Ikeh

I really love traveling by air. There’s just something about it that makes me come alive. I love being in airports—the atmosphere, the movement, the endless possibilities of where people are headed. I even love being on the plane itself. Believe it or not, I enjoy the plane food too. The whole experience stirs up a kind of joy in me that’s hard to explain.

But what I love most is watching people. Airports feel like windows into so many untold stories. I see the mother cradling her baby, the child fussing in line, the businessman gripping his briefcase, the young guy with headphones, what’s he listening to, I wonder? And behind every face, I imagine a whole world of emotions.

Maybe someone just got the best news of their life and is practically floating. Maybe another is grieving deeply, holding back tears. One person might be celebrating a big promotion, while another just lost their job. Someone may have bought this ticket with excitement, while another used their very last savings just to get here.

Airports remind me that we’re all carrying something invisible. More than luggage, we carry our hopes, our struggles, our private joys, and our hidden heartbreaks. And for a moment, in that busy space, all those stories are traveling side by side.

The word is sonder. It is a beautiful, newly coined term that describes the sudden realization that everyone around you is living a life as rich and complicated as your own. Each person carries their own mix of dreams, fears, routines, and struggles, even as they pass by unnoticed in the rush of daily life.

Then the plane begins to climb. Hundreds of feet become thousands, and soon tens of thousands. Faces blur into dots, cars shrink into toys, neighborhoods fade into faint clusters of lights. From up here, the worries and stories of the people below seem invisible. Their lives, so urgent and pressing on the ground, appear almost insignificant from this height.

The best flights catch either sunrise or sunset, when the horizon glows with colors no artist could capture. And there, hanging above it all, is the Sun, a blazing sphere of fire, unimaginably massive, and I am glad it is sitting 150 million kilometers away. I marvel at how something so vast and powerful shares the same universe with us fragile humans with our fleeting desires, our worries, our small but deeply felt needs. From the window of an airplane, it all feels both humbling and holy: the smallness of our lives against the backdrop of such immensity, and yet the undeniable beauty in both.

But then I find my thoughts turning to the one thing we all share: an appointment with death. In that busy space, every single person, without exception, has that same appointment waiting. White and die, black and die, rich and die, poor and die, old and die, young and die, sorrowful and die, joyful and die. Death is the great equalizer.

And I wonder, as those countless faces pass by, have they ever truly contemplated their mortality? Do they understand the weight of that appointment?

Hebrews 9:27 comes to mind: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Do they know that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved—only Jesus? Looking down at the lights of those neighborhoods, I find myself pondering: is there a community there that knows this truth, that cares enough to guide others toward the only way of escape? Then my eyes lift to the sun, blazing in its glory, and I offer a silent prayer of gratitude. Grateful that I am no longer in enmity with the God who opens his mouth and stuff like that comes flying out. Grateful that I am held, not by fear, but by grace, under the gaze of a Creator so vast and yet intimately near.

I’ve been reflecting for a while now on what it really means to steal. When we think of a thief, we often picture someone breaking into a house, robbing a bank, or holding someone at gunpoint. Truthfully, I don’t know anyone personally who fits that description—no armed robbers, no internet scammers, no shoplifters or pickpockets in my close circle. (Maybe a few loose cannons here and there, but nothing too wild.)

And yet, the more I think about it, the more I realize—I’ve stolen before. Not (always) in the headline-making kind of way, but in the quiet, socially acceptable ways we often overlook. The truth is, theft wears many masks. Some are violent. Others are quiet, respectable, even rewarded. But in the end, the heart behind them might not be so different. I’ll speak in general terms, not (just) to protect myself legally, but to point out something bigger: many of us have stolen time, energy, or trust.

We may not rob our bosses at gunpoint, but we steal in subtler ways—arriving late to work, leaving early, stretching lunch breaks, scrolling on our phones while on the clock, or finding ways to avoid responsibility while still drawing a paycheck. It’s easier to justify because no one gets physically hurt and there’s no dramatic confrontation. But is it any less dishonest?

Most people—hopefully—would never dream of scamming innocent victims online. They’d never run a “Yahoo Yahoo” scheme or defraud someone out of their life savings. But many of those same people, without a second thought, will log into a friend’s Netflix account to binge a show, even though it’s against the provider’s terms. We don’t see it as stealing—but morally, is it really that different from breaking into Netflix HQ and walking out with ₦8,500 each month?

The same goes for pirated movies—downloading from cracked sites, or streaming from sketchy corners of the internet. It might not look like theft, but it’s the same as sneaking into a filmmaker’s home, raiding their pantry, and walking out with their groceries—over and over again. Copying pages from a copyrighted book without permission? That’s theft in a single dose. Selling that material for profit? That’s theft on steroids.

And then there’s borrowing money and never paying it back—not because you can’t, but because the lender hasn’t followed up, or you assume it doesn’t matter to them. Even if it won’t land you in jail, you’re not off the moral hook. How about with time? If something is fixed for a certain time and people leave jobs that could have paid by the hour to be present, and you start late, isn’t that same as robbing them of the money they could have made if they had not showed up for you.

So many other examples.

Please, don’t be mad at me. I am just trying to establish that we are thieves in need of repentance, while I tell you the major reason I am writing this.

The Tale of Two Thieves

Given that lengthy introduction, I bring you this true story from the Bible in the Gospel Book of Luke 23.

³² And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. ³³ And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left……³⁹ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. ⁴⁰ But the other answering rebuked him, saying Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. ⁴² And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. ⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To Day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

In Matthew 27:44, these malefactors are described as ‘thieves’. Both were thieves. Both were receiving just punishment for their crimes. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…”. Both were inches away from the Savior. One thief refused to believe and put his hope by faith in Christ alone and died to eternally receive the full wage for his sin. The other with his dying breathes put his confidence in Christ alone, and went on to the experience the rest of Romans 6:23 “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Now that we have established that you are probably a thief, somehow (no offense), I wonder which kind of thief you will be.

Numbers 21: 5-9. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. ⁶And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people; and much people of Israel died. ⁷Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. ⁹And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Hello friends,

I recently came across a passage in the Bible that really struck me, and I felt compelled to share a few thoughts with you.

One of the most common responses Christians hear when sharing the gospel is: “I’m good.” What that usually means is, “I’m not perfect, but I’m not that bad. I’m better than most.” We tend to compare ourselves with the likes of Hitler, Stalin, murderers—the worst of the worst—and feel justified by comparison.

But Scripture challenges that logic in a profound way.

In Numbers 21, we see God sending fiery serpents among the Israelites—not because they committed heinous crimes, but because they grumbled.

Yes, grumbling.

That everyday complaining we all do without thinking—probably something you and I have already done today. It’s one of the “smaller sins” we rarely take seriously. But in God’s eyes, even grumbling was worthy of death.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”- Romans 3:23. “The wages of sin is death”- Romans 6:23.

Sin isn’t about being worse than someone else. It’s about falling short of God’s righteousness. And when held up to that standard, we all fall woefully short.

“All our righteousness are as filthy rags;” Isaiah 64:6.

But God, in His mercy, provided a way to be saved. He told Moses to lift a bronze serpent on a pole. And the instruction was simple:

“Everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”

That’s it. Just look. Not strive. Not sacrifice. Not argue or philosophize about better ways.

But imagine someone refusing:

• “Why a serpent? Couldn’t it be something else?”
• “I’d rather dunk myself in the river of Baptism—it feels more spiritual.”
• “What if my good deeds outweigh my bad ones?”
• “Maybe I could get a saint, a prophet, to show me another way”

But none of that would save them. Only looking would.

Just like that serpent was lifted in the wilderness, Jesus Christ—the sinless, spotless Lamb of God—was lifted up on a cross.

He bore your sin and my sin. He took the full punishment that we deserve, so we could receive His righteousness and live.

“Behold the man upon the cross!”

There is no other way. No plan B. No name under heaven that saves except Jesus Christ.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31.

It took you a few minutes to read this. That’s a few minutes closer to the end of your life. Eternity isn’t something we can afford to ignore. You really do need to think about what comes next.

The judgment is coming.
But so is mercy—offered freely to all who look to Jesus.

So I urge you today:

Look and live!

Behold the Man upon that cross

A hallmark of spiritual maturity is found in the profound sense of underservedness that characterizes a mature Christian. They navigate life with the assurance of the sacrificial act of Christ on the Cross, fully aware that, were it not for grace, they would embody the essence of evil. They are as evil, maybe more so, as those people that make the 9pm news. While they stand firm in the certainty of salvation and eternity, they acknowledge that, if by some divine declaration God were to say, “I am not saving you anymore. You be damned!”, they would receive the just retribution they deserve.

Their Christian journey is not an endeavor to earn a place on the honor roll of heaven, to ‘make heaven’, because even what people may count as righteous, is just a very filthy rag. The term ‘Redeemed’, spoken with trembling lips, both uplifts and humbles the heart. They are captivated by the profound transaction that unfolded on that sacrificial Cross, constantly pondering the questions of “what happened? Why and how did it happen? Who is He? What is my life to be now?” These inquiries propel their spiritual pursuit.

Interestingly, as their knowledge of the Savior deepens, so does their understanding of themselves. The more they grasp the reasons for their Savior’s worthiness of worship, the more they recognize their own inherent worthlessness. No longer questioning why ‘bad things’ happen to them, they wonder why any good things occur at all. Their sole objective becomes clear: “He must increase, I must decrease.” Their value is no longer tied to societal status, but being continuously stripped of pride, their worth is only dependent on the extent to which they are of service to the Saviour.

They refrain from trivializing their sins as mistakes; instead, they confront them with a stark acknowledgment of their true nature, and the weight of this realization breaks their heart. Engaged in an unceasing battle against sin, they grapple with its challenges daily. Immersed in the transformative power of the Word, it serves as the lens through which they perceive the world. Every facet of their lives undergo scrutiny through the Biblical microscope. Everything!

Upon transitioning to eternity, they find themselves adorned in a cloak of righteousness that is completely alien, recognizing the stark contrast with what he truly deserves. Their gaze turns to the Lamb that was sacrificed on their behalf, and s/he joyfully adds their voice to the ongoing rhapsody. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. For thou hast redeemed me to God by thy blood.”

A disciple of Christ follows Him in these 9 ways:

1. Personally: This profound relationship is neither inherited nor contagious; It is not transmitted by utterances such as ‘God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’ or God of ***insert G.O name***. Rather, this relationship is nurtured through deliberate effort. “I aspire to know you in your purest essence -not an interpretation of you, not a borrowed perception, and certainly not through verses of songs. I yearn to understand your core identity. What defines you? What brings you joy? What stirs your displeasure? Can you lay bare your heart before me? Scrutinize my heart. Guide me onto the right path. Can we share moments in communion? My desire is to intimately know you and be known by you.
2. Permanently: This commitment is final and unwavering. No matter the hurdles that lie ahead, regardless of the sacrifices required, we are resolute in seeing this journey through.
3. Repentantly: A true disciple’s hallmark isn’t just repentance, but an ongoing journey of repentance. Such a disciple doesn’t dwell in the realm of persistent sin. Instead, there is a continual turning away from sinful ways. Repentance ushers in a profound shift in perspective, compelling the disciple to turn 180 degrees and embrace a diametrically opposite course.
4. Obediently: A follower of Christ is one who operates under the unequivocal authority of the Word. Engaging in prayer over matters explicitly laid out in the Bible is redundant for such a disciple. Like a dutiful soldier, they derive their directives from the Word and diligently execute them, irrespective of personal sentiments.
5. Immediately: There is no space for extended farewells or one last dance with sin. The call to discipleship isn’t linked to a particular age or status. It’s immediate, without delay.
6. Comprehensively: A disciple’s existence is singular; they lead an undivided life devoted to Christ. Whether spending time with their spouse, engaging with their children, fulfilling secular responsibilities or responsibilities in the Church, they remain steadfast in their discipleship.
7. Unconditionally: A disciple doesn’t stipulate conditions for their allegiance. There are no ‘if you do this, I will serve you’ clauses. The disciple embodies the resolve of Job, declaring, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” The disciple’s devotion isn’t contingent on wealth, success, protection, or providence. It is an unflinching commitment to follow Christ, come what may.
8. Openly: The disciple bears no shame in their allegiance to their Master. Amidst the prevailing trend of self-identifications, they proudly identify as Christian.
9. Exclusively: A disciple of Christ acknowledges a sole Master – Christ and none other. Not Christ alongside an altar, other religions, philosophers, or even pastors. Christ stands alone. This doesn’t negate the disciple’s submission to pastoral leadership or their involvement in the Church; in fact, such interactions exemplify the interdependence of fellow soldiers accountable to each other, with Christ as the ultimate Shepherd and Captain.

So what will it cost to embrace the path of Christ? The answer is unequivocal: Everything! It will cost everything!

Matthew 16: 24-26. Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever loses his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Prov. 6: 16-19. These six things doth the LORD hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren.

Sometimes, words I type jump out of the screen and scream at me ‘Hypocrite!’ This will, undoubtedly, be one of those times, and I pray for a repentant heart. As a rule of thumb, if the Bible says God hates or loves something, it is good to read that again with your glasses on. Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look… I can look at pride in 2 ways, though they are related. The first is one way the Bible describes ‘Pride’ that somehow most Christians seem oblivious of, so I will start with this one. It involves pride with respect to God.

A good way to understand ‘pride’ is to understand its opposite: humility. And it goes to say, that if God hates pride, he loves humility. Peter said something interesting in 1 Peter 5:5-7. …and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Did you notice the language? The path of humility is in casting all your care upon him. I can paraphrase this passage as: The proud person doesn’t consider God as his Source and Sustenance, and God resists him; the humble is completely dependent on God and falls on God, and God lifts him up. Psalm 10:4 says “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” Do you see it? A lack of a time of study of the Word is a proud look. A lack of prayer time is a proud look. A lack of fellowship is a proud look. Making plans in life without consulting God through the Scripture is a proud look! Paint this picture in your mind’s eye of a man thumping his nose, raising a clenched fist to the heavens and saying “I can do it myself God! I don’t need you! I am in charge of my life! This is my show. Don’t interfere. I am my own god now. Keep far from me and we can meet only on Sundays.” That is what happens when we leave God out of our lives whether you say those words or not. And God says “…I hate a proud look…I will resist you”. Romans 8:31 says “if God be for us, who can be against us?” Hmmm…. If God be against you, who can be for you you?

However, the humble person’s blueprint to life is in Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

The second way to consider pride is in relation to others. Apostle Paul admonishes the Church in Phillipi in this way: “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Phil. 2:3b-4. Have you ever met someone like this? I have recently, a man named Dave Roy. No job is beneath them, no body is below them. Humanity needs to protect them at all cost because they are an endangered specie. It is just a rare sight in this age. It is completely counterculture. This is the age of the ‘self-esteem’ movement. “I must look out for me”. “Me first! Then, maybe, you later.” “I can’t pour from an empty cup.” Have you noticed a boom in the market for self-help? Worse is the false reality of self that is being sold to us, that makes us struggle to acquire possessions and power. It permeates everything. That is why we can use language like “Do you know who I am?” and “I don’t blame you, you don see me finish”. We place immense boastful pride in our jobs, professions, titles, bank accounts, principles, relationships and connections. Have you ever come to terms with your own mortality? Truly. You sit down in contemplation and deeply realize that you are not immortal and someday you are going to die?

1 Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever.

It is all going to burn someday. The humble doesn’t boast in any of these or puts his trust in them. Psalm 34:2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. The humble knows that, but for the Cross, they have no other hope. True humility flows out of intimacy with God. The more intimate a person is with God, the more humble they’ll be! The more you gaze at him, the more you study and learn about him, the more you see how filthy you are, the deeper you realize how immeasurably small you are. In his book, Isaiah in chapter 6: 1-4 saw a vision of the Lord sitting upon a throne. His response in verse 5 is this: Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Sometimes, even just seeing an Angel makes people in the Bible fall down on their face, that the Angel will have to caution them not to do that. The clearer the vision of God you have, the clearer the vision of yourself. That’s when you begin to realize how worthless you are apart from him. The humble may be wealthy, or in positions of power, but the verses of the old hymn is their lifestyle:

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Dear Christian, this is a ‘BE CAREFUL!’ kind of blog entry. It seems to be much more prevalent now, those things people say that make their listeners lean back, nod their heads in contemplation, chin in hand and say ‘Rhema’…’Preach’. I am reminded of Paul’s charge to Timothy:

2 Timothy 4: 1-5. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word! Be ready in season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.

It is no wonder we have this uptake of fancy preachers and churches pulling crowds of people. The first challenge is to preachers, those that ‘labor’ over the Word in any capacity: are you a false teacher? Whether out of malicious intent or ignorance, a false teacher is a false teacher. Do you preach the Word? Do you know the Word? Do you twist words, mince words, to soothe the emotions of your followers? It is becoming increasingly prevalent that the least likely place to hear the Word of God is the church. But you will be sure to learn about business and the likes, and you will certainly be entertained. Yeah there are comedians on the pulpits now. Not funny preachers, literal comedians.

This one has been with us a while with regards to the interpretation of Scriptures: “This is what it means to me”. Paul warned Timothy that people will turn to fables instead of Scripture. Listen to what Peter has to say as well. It is a long read, but worth it.

2 Peter 1: 16-21. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Phew. Powerful message there. Peter reminded believers that what they taught were not fables. They were there. They saw! They heard! Who better to confirm an event than an eyewitness? The first thing to know is that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. The Bible does not conform to us, we conform to the Bible. Don’t add to it. Don’t embellish it. With all due respect, what you feel about the Words therein or what they mean to you personally as far as interpretation is concerned, is of little importance. How the Word and interpretation as Biblically intended affects your life and behavior is what is important. To say this another way in an example, Romans 6:23 talks about the wages of sin being death, but the gift of God is eternal life. It simply means just that. How you to choose to act on that interpretation is on you and can vary from person to person, but it means just that. Any form of ‘Did God really say…?’ ‘You shall not surely die’ and the likes that try to change the interpretation is the language of the ancient serpent. You will often find yourself having to use Scripture to interpret Scripture. That is good! If you desire to teach the Word, you must be a student of the Bible. Take it like a doctorate degree that you won’t graduate from.

To the listeners. This passage should suffice:

Galatians 1: 6-9. I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Not all pastors are Christians o. As you dey carry eye enter market, carry sense enter Church too! The Bible is sufficient. You just need to read it for yourself. Confirm what you hear carefully and develop your convictions. Be a student of the Bible. It doesn’t matter what title the preacher has in front of his name. But then again, do you go to Church to be entertained? How often do you play that ‘judge not’ card? Even once is one time too many. The Bible was used to show you that you are in sin and you need to repent and your response is ‘judge not’. That’s a major symptom of itchy ears. Some people don’t have a regular local Church, but go to Church every Sunday, from one fancy place to the next. another symptom. When our doctrine comes from song lyrics, that may be another symptom of itchy ears. Worship leaders, no be to sing song, is it doctrinally correct? Doesn’t matter that it is Hillsong or Maverick or another group that sang it; it doesn’t matter if when you heard the song, you broke down in tears, is it doctrinally correct? And also, how is it pointing you to the Cross, or are you using it to call attention to yourself while the service is going on? Taking pictures and recordings for the Gram of you lifting holy hands. Itchy ears. When it is Bible study, fellowship is empty; when it is games, you can’t keep people away. We need to wake up from this entertainment-driven worship to worship that is in spirit and truth.

Remember, there is more than one spirit out there. But there is only one Holy Spirit. The true Author of the Text is the Holy Spirit. So if someone says ‘The Holy Spirit just told me…” “God told me to tell you”…as though there is some mysticism attached to it, pull up a Bible, crack it open, and ask him/her to show you were! The Bible is sufficient for life (2 Tim. 3: 14-17). If it is not in the Bible, or a twist/modification of teachings in the Bible, a spirit may have told him/her that, but it certainly was not the Holy Spirit! Doesn’t matter how many days they stayed on the ‘mountain’.

Bottom line is that we have to be watchful. First examine yourself to be sure that you are in the faith. Then get to know Him and be known by Him. Everything is contained in the Bible. Get to know Him for yourself. We all have that potential for your itchy ears. Draw your ear every morning and tell it “You MUST endure sound doctrine!”

A Poem By Matilda C. Edwards, 1936

The Church and the World walked far apart
On the changing shores of time,
The World was singing a giddy song,
And the Church a hymn sublime.

“Come, give me your hand,” said the merry World,
“And walk with me this way!”
But the faithful Church hid her gentle hands
And solemnly answered “Nay!

I will not give you my hand at all,
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way that leads to death;
Your words are all untrue.”

“Nay, walk with me but a little space,”
Said the World with a kindly air;
“The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun shines always there.

Your path is thorny and rough and rude,
But mine is broad and plain;
My way is paved with flowers and dews,
And yours with tears and pain.

The sky above me is always blue,
No want, no toil I know;
The sky above you is always dark,
Your lot is a lot of woe.

My path, you see, is a broad, fair one
And my gate is high and wide;
There’s room enough for you and me
To travel side by side.”

Half shyly the Church approached the World
And gave him her hand of snow;
And the old World quick grasped it and walked along,
Saying, in accents low:

“Your dress is too simple to please my taste;
I will give you pearls to wear,
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form,
And diamonds to deck your hair.”

The Church looked down at her plain white robes,
And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip
With a smile contemptuous curled.

“I will change my dress for a costlier one,”
Said the Church, with a smile of grace;
Then her pure white garments drifted away,
And the World gave, in their place,

Beautiful satins and shining silks,
Roses and gems and costly pearls;
While over her forehead her bright hair fell
Crisped in a thousand curls.

“Your house is too plain,” said the proud old World,
“I’ll build you one like mine;
With walls of marble and towers of gold,
And furniture ever so fine.”

So he built her a costly and beautiful house;
Most splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her beautiful daughters dwelt there
Gleaming in purple and gold.

Rich fairs and shows in the halls were held,
And the World and his children were there.
Laughter and music and feasts were heard
In the Place that was meant for Prayer.

There-were cushioned seats for the rich and the gay,
To sit in their pomp and pride;
While the poor folk, who were clad in shabby array,
Sat meekly down outside.

The Angel of Mercy flew over the Church,
And whispered, “I know thy sin”:
Then the Church looked back with a sigh and longed
To gather her children in;

But some were off at the midnight ball,
And some were off at the play,
And some were drinking in gay saloons,
So she quietly went her way.

Then the sly World gallantly said to her:
“Your children mean no harm,
Merely indulging in innocent sports”;
So she leaned on his proffered arm

And smiled and chatted and gathered flowers
As she walked along with the World;
While millions and millions of sorrowing souls
To eternal death were hurled.

“Your preachers are all too old and plain,”
Said the World to the Church with a sneer.
“They frighten my children with dreadful tales,
Which I like not for them to hear.

They talk of brimstone and fire and pain
And the night of an endless death;
They talk of a place which may only be
Mentioned with bated breath.

I will send you some of the better stamp
Brilliant and gay and fast
Who will tell them that people may live as they choose
And go to heaven at last.

The Father is merciful, great, and good,
Tender and true and kind;
Do you think He would take one child to heaven,
And leave the other behind?”

So he filled her house with gay divines
Gifted and great and learned
And the plain old men that preached the cross
Were out of her pulpits turned.

“You give too much to the poor,” said the World.
“Far more than you ought to do;
If the poor are in need of shelter and food,
Why need it trouble you?

Go, take your money and buy rich robes,
Buy horses and carriages fine;
Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food,
Buy the rarest and costliest wine.

My children, they dote on all these things,
And if you their love would win
You must do as they do, and walk in the ways
That they are walking in.”

Then the Church held tightly the strings of her purse
And gracefully lowered her head,
And whispered, “I’ve given too much away;
I’ll do, sir, as you have said.”

So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she heard not the orphan’s cry;
But she drew her beautiful robes aside,
As the widows went weeping by.

Then the sons of the World and the Sons of the Church
Walked closely hand and heart,
And only the Master, who knoweth all,
Could tell the two apart.

Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said,
“I am rich and my goods increase;
I have need of nothing, or aught to do,
But to laugh, and dance, and feast.”

And the sly World heard her, and laughed up his sleeve,
And mockingly said, aside:
“The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church;
And her shame is her boast and her pride.”

The angel drew near to the mercy seat,
And whispered in sighs her name;
And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed,
And covered their heads in shame.

Then a Voice came down through the hush of heaven
From Him who sat on the throne:
“I know thy works, and how thou hast said,
‘I am rich,’ and hast not known

That thou art naked, poor and blind,
And wretched before my face;’
Therefore from my presence cast I thee out,
And blot thy name from its place.”

2.382 billion! That is the number of people that profess Christianity, 2.383 billion! Christians are called to battle, not against flesh and blood, not with carnal weapons – it is more serious than that (Ephesians 6:10-18). Matthew 16:24-26 “Then Jesus said unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life will lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” O professing Christian, where are your scars? Where are the scars that show you are engaged in active battle? What have you given up for the course of Christ? Are your scars visible in your relationship with your spouse? Your children? Other believers? In the secular environment? How can you be a Christian and not bear scars? How can you be a Christian and have a ‘worldlier’ worldview than the world? How can you look like the world, think like the world, speak like the world, seek after everything but the Word of God, like the world, and claim to be a Christian?

Where are your scars? If you claim to be a Believer, is there an ongoing battle between flesh and the Spirit as in Galatians 5: 16-26? Putting the one-liner status updates aside, the online and offline presence, eloquent speeches and Bible teachings, putting aside the titles – Bishop, Pastor, Priest, Worship-leader, Apostle – what do you do in secret? Is your secret life a reflection of your testimony? Do you battle with your flesh?! If you claim to be a son, a daughter, do you bear the scars of Father’s discipline? As a local Church, how close are you to the example of the early Church in Acts? Are unbiblical traditions the order of the day? Has the Word of God been placed on the back burner as our Churches flirt consistently with the world, that there is hardly any genuine difference anymore, just a sprinkling of Christianity over worldly services? As a local Church, do you bear scars from missions and fellowship?

How can you be a Christian and not bear scars?!

1 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified.

1. The Nature of God: It all begins here, with Him. Who is He? What is He like?

Psalm 11:7. For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.

1 Sam. 2:2. “No one is holy like the LORD, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.

Psalm 33: 5. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

2. Creation/Purpose of Man: Why am I here? What is the model of my being?

Gen. 1:27. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Isa. 43:7. Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.

3. The Fall and the Nature of Man: I look nothing like the image of God. What is wrong with me?

Gen. 3:6-7. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked.

Rom. 5:12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned

Rom. 3:10-18. “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. …

Jer. 17:9. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”

Mark 7:21-23. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile a man.

Gen. 6:5. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

4. Justice/Punishment of Sin: Guilty! What should a Just God and Judge do with me?

1 John 1:8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Rom. 6: 22a. For the wages of sin is death…

Isa. 13:11. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity.

II Thess. 1:9. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD and from the glory of His power…

II Pet. 3:7. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

5. Hope ONLY in Jesus Christ: The price tag on sin is heavy! Is there any escape from the surely coming DANGER?

John 3: 16-18. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

How did Christ do this? How does this take care of my sin problem?

Isa. 53: 5,6,10. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his way. And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all………Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him. He has put Him to grief. He shall see the lab out of His soul and be satisfied. By His knowledge my righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.

II Cor. 5:21. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

I Pet. 3:18. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God…

I Pet. 2:22-24… “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth“, who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree

6. Response: How do I get on the lifeboat?!

John 3:3. Jesus said to Him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Eph. 2:8-9. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

John 10:9. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved

1 Jn 1:9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Rom. 10:9. …that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that Hod raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Acts 2:28. The Peter said to them, “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

7. The Spirit of Sanctification: Hallelujah! I am saved! What do I do with the Holy Spirit? What happens to my sinful, flesh desires? What is the focus of my life now on?

Rom. 8:12-13. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if we live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Gal. 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Rom. 12: 1-2. … present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Col. 1:18. And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE.

Time is running out. Time is running out.