| We have seen or heard of the death of many people, but have we ever really pondered on where the dead end up? It is commonly said that … he/she has gone to be with the Lord, but can we really prove this? Purposeful living in this world is impossible without due consideration of the issue of the after-life. Some people claim to know where they are going to on earth; they have defined purpose based on their jobs, birth place or circumstances. If they were however honest with themselves, leaving God’s will out of their self-defined purpose still leaves them feeling empty. An accomplished life is only achievable after you have answered the question: Where am I going to when I leave this world?
Many people keep saying things like – “if I return back to this world after I’m dead, I would do this and that”. But Hebrews 9:27 (CEV) says “We die only once, and then we are judged.” So, it’s not about whether you are coming back; it’s about where you are going to. I’m aware some believers are still very uncertain about the answer to this question: “where will you go when you die?” They have the feeling that it could either be here or there. They are not really sure. But one of the blessedness of Christianity is that it dispels the brazenness of uncertainty about what happens to us after death.
So what happens to a born again person after they die? Simply put, his destination is the place of his origination. Just like God told man in Genesis 3:19 that – … for dust thou art; and unto dust shalt thou return, the believer should always be reminded that for God’s thou art and unto Him shalt thou return. Philippians 3:20-21 (CEV) says “But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly waiting for our Savior to come from there. Our Lord Jesus Christ has power over everything, and he will make these poor bodies of ours like his own glorious body. Hallelujah, we have a glorious destination! And to give us proof that He will bring us home to be with Him in heaven on the last day, God gave us the Holy Spirit as proof that He owns us. “Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show that you belong to God. The Spirit also makes us sure that we will be given what God has stored up for his people. Then we will be set free, and God will be honored and praised”. Ephesians 1:13, 14 (CEV).
Our destination is not based on our last deed before death, but on God’s seed at Christ’s death. That was the great change that took place when we got born again. We are not like unbelievers who are plagued with uncertainty about eternity. We know where we came from and we are convinced we will return there. I know many believers have chosen not to believe this truth, and would rather hold on to an inferior thought. But if only we would learn from Apostle John; he said in 1John 3:2 (CEV) “My dear friends, we are already God’s children, though what we will be hasn’t yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is.” We should not be carried away by the reports of men, no matter the title they carry or the hell/ heaven the claim to have visited. We should stick with the report of God – we will die but once, we will then live forever with God in heaven. “This hope makes us keep ourselves holy, just as Christ is holy.” 1John 3:3 (CEV)
– tope aladenusi
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In our last edition, I mentioned that there are basically three theories today about how man came into existence. We have already examined the evolution theory.
Another idea that has become more and more popular in recent years is that man owes his existence to UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects from other planets). The UFOLOGISTS believe that intelligent creatures from another planet had something to do with how human life started on this earth. Some of them say that about 40,000 years ago, super-intelligent creatures from outer space visited our planet. These space men found the apes that were then living on earth, and by genetic engineering they caused mutations in the ape population which led to the production of man.
But some questions the UFOLOGISTS have not been able to answer include: Where did the super-intelligent creatures from outer space come from? Who made them? Did other space creatures help them to evolve?
Although the UFO idea seems silly, they appear to come to terms with the idea that man must be the product of a super intelligence, unlike the evolutionists. However, the only true answer as to where man came from is found in the Bible.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness …” Genesis 1:26
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7
“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth …” Colossians 1:16
Beloved, one of the greatest excitements of being born-again is that beyond reading in the Bible that man was created by God, you can actually have a personal experience with your creator. You can talk to him while he also talks to you; you daily interact with him to the point that hearing a statement like “God doesn’t exist” may sound similar to someone saying the computer doesn’t exist; because you are probably staring at one right now and you make use of it from time to time.
I’m sure that was the experience of the early disciples of Jesus Christ, that was why Apostle John started his epistle by saying: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” 1John 1:1.
Have you had a similar experience with God? Perhaps you don’t believe in God at all or you have not really had a one-on-one experience with him, we can share more insights to assist you. Please write us on info@christlifeline.org . It will not be wise to discover at the end of your journey in life that you had raced on the wrong road during your entire lifetime.
– tope aladenusi
If you ask some people how they came into existence, they would probably say their parents gave birth to them. But how did our parents, grandparents and great grandparents came to be? Christians who shy away from such critical questions about life are susceptible to wavering in their faith. We have to be really convinced of what we believe and why we believe them.
Today, there are basically three ideas about how man began and only one of these ideas is correct. We will consider one of them today:
- Evolutionary theory – One very popular idea we were taught during our early days in school is that man evolved from lower animals (such as ape-like creatures) in a slowly changing process that has taken millions of years. But the evolutionists have not reasonably eliminate the ensuing heaps of questions such as letting us know where the first set of ape-like creatures came from. Would it be logical to propound a theory that a bicycle became a motorcycle after millions of years? If the idea seems irrational despite the similarities of the two equipments, why should we misplace the similarity between apes and humans? Is it possible to have such wonderful creatures without an intelligent creator? How can life come from non-life by mere chance? How come we have not seen people flying by now even though we have been evolving for some years now?
Take some time to think about the computer in front of you. Imagine the built-in intelligence it has. The way the computer operates also reflects the intelligence of its creator – man. How come the computers did not come by chance? How come many of the objects invented in the world did not just evolve after many years? Why is it that we can trace man’s invention and innovation to him and not to evolution? If we can do all these to mere objects, is it okay to imagine that an amazing creature like man came to being without an intelligent creator?
What’s the only true answer about the origin of man? What do you believe? Why do you believe it?
To be continued …
– tope aladenusi
Bible Reading: Matthew 5
“Ye are the light of the world: a city situated on the top of a mountain cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house”. Mat 5:14-15
God has configured you to shine. No matter how hard men try, they can never stop you from shinning. Only you can stop you from shinning. People may facilitate your move from one position to another or one location to another, but they cannot move the illumination in you. Jesus Christ says ‘no man lights a lamp and put it under a bushel’. So why do some think that God has lighted our hearts and it may not be his will that we shine? Why do we think he wants us to shine only at a particular season? Why do we think that he is comfortable with the world seeing us as sinners, paupers and ‘sicklers’. No. Never! ‘You are the light of the world, you cannot be hid”. In order words, you are the light of the world and you should be in limelight. Anywhere you are, your lifestyle and success should command attention. Mediocrity has no place in Christianity.
I now appreciate Matthew 5:16 like never before –
Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works,and glorify your Father who is in the heavens
First, it is your responsibility to let your light shine. No one can shine it on your behalf and no one can stop you from shinning it.
Second, let your light shine before men. Many times I hear Christians say things like “well, I may not look righteous before you, but I know God sees me that way. I may not look like an ambassador of Christ, but God sees my heart. I may be so poor and wretched, but I am rich in the Spirit. I may fall sick every now and then, but I have health on my inside”. My brothers and sisters, come out of that. God already knows your inner state and he acknowledged that several times. But he did not say “let your light so shine before ME, but before MEN. In order words, let others see on the outside what God sees on your inside. Let them look at you and see holiness, success, good health, prosperity, generosity. So that they can glorify your father who is in heaven
Are you only shinning before God? Beloved, His commandment is clear – Shine before men. Hallelujah!
– tope aladenusi
When I spoke on access sometime and I wanted to just quickly remind us that the access you and I have to God does not presuppose that we may at other times not be in union with God.
In simple terms you and I are not accessing God. Rather we have been given access. There is a whole lot of difference between I am entering occasionally into a place and when I have entered or rather I am in a place.
Therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God by whom also we have access by faith into this Grace that we now stand in. Rom 5:1
This brings me also to a very important fact. Do you realize you are a carrier of the presence God? I know God may have been designated to various locations or coordinates and you may have even been taught various means of trying to get to God. But scriptures reveal that the man who is born again is the dwelling place of God.
Consider for a moment 1st Corinthians 2:11 – 12: For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God’s Spirit.
But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.
Sometime ago I rushed to get to church. I couldn’t wait to get inside those four walls and start praying. I was rushing to leave my house and get off to church where I could start praying till it struck me. God does not dwell in temples made by human hands (Acts 7:48, Acts 17:24). I am the carrier of the presence of God.
Till it struck me how could I not have realized that I am the temple of God and God’s spirit indwells me? (1st Cor. 3:16, 1st Cor. 6:19)
Till it struck me … neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. And I am that circumcision that worships God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. (John 4:22 – 24, Phil 3:3)
Till it struck me, it is in God that I live move and have my being. Acts 17:28
Till it struck me, His spirit is not here for a while but is abiding forever in me. John 14:16 – 18
Friends, the man born again who is you and I if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ have been sealed with the Spirit of God (Eph 1:13). God’s spirit indwells us now. We have all been made to drink into this same spirit of God.
When I hear people refer to a national carrier as the plane or ship that is of the official vessel country (Bearing the countries logo, etc). I marvel at the awesome wonder of God in making the Christian a carrier; not of a logo, but of the presence of God.
And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (But He spoke this about the Spirit, which they who believed on Him should receive……) John 7:37 – 39b
Have you believed? You have received this spirit.
Dr bolaji akanni
If you know where you are heading in life, you will find the pathway to get there in the world. Likewise, if you do not know where you are heading, the world will show you many ways to compound the existing confusion.
Jesus Christ came to the world to die for humanity and the Jews helped him to fulfill his goal by crucifying him. Interestingly, the same Jews wanted to make Jesus their king at a time, but he refused the offer because it was not his goal. If Jesus were to act like a believer of our day, he would most likely take the offer and even go to Church to share ‘his testimony’. Many of us today are celebrating distractions because we do not know where we are heading.
Do we take our luggage to the airport and plan to board the next available aircraft to wherever it is heading. No! We always have our destination in mind, which is why we are able to book for flights. If we can do this for the little things of life, how come for many believers, the ‘available’ is most times the ‘desirable’? Why are we not reaching for set goals but settling into small holes, wishing that something somehow will someday bring the right goals to our doors?
Where do you want to be in five years? What about in twenty years? Analyse all the activities going on in your life on a daily basis. Are they directed only towards accomplishing the dreams of other men or they are steps to take you to your goal?
Beloved, you may not know the name of the organ that pumps blood to your brain, but whatever it will take, know where you are heading to.
tope aladenusi