Christian Living

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ONLY ONE LIFE



He could have become a Christian, but he became a criminal. He could have lived a missionary, he decided to be a millionaire. Early in life, you would have thought of John was in making, but he ended up being Judas. We thought he would be another Paul, but he became another Pilate. If he had given his life to Christ on that day of decision, the world would have rejoiced of another Wesley, a proclaimer of holiness, but years after his day of opportunity, he became an aimless vagabond carrying on his face the regret of indecision


Only one life, but with various possibilities for fruitfulness or worthlessness.

“ IT IS APPOINTED upon men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). We must face that fact. We must think soberly on this - “ IT IS APPOINTED.” How solemn! so unspeakably solemn! But if we die, is there not a chance to come back and live again? Can we not live a vicious life now and then come back to earth to live a virtuous life? Is there a single-life-only-to live? There is only one life. What a terrifying realisation; “ IT IS APPOINTED”! “ ONCE TO DIE” “ AFTER THIS, THE JUDGMENT”! Is death certain? Is there a day of reckoning, a day of judgment? Is there reward, a recompense for a life of sinful career, without a second chance to life? God, angels and men, heaven and hell all give the same answer; “ IT IS APPOINTED” ONCE TO DIE”, “ AFTER THIS, THE JUDGMENT.”

What account will you give? “ Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward”! ( Luke 16:2). What account? When you come to the end - of the road, when you get to the shores of eternity, when the last bells ring? When the pleasures of life cease to be pleasures, when beautiful buildings and equipage are no more seen or delightful? When you are on the brink of eternity, what account would you give? What will your answer be? What a day that will be! No doubt, friends, you would tell of church membership, of baptism and confirmation, of monthly contribution or tithe-paying, of trips to holy lands and of self-righteousness! But your answer would be void of Christ as your life on earth had been void of Christ. And your hope would be shattered! The hope of heaven would be replaced with the reality of hell. What is your hope? It would depend on what your decision is now - wise or otherwise

Only one life! And only one TRUTH that matters for time and eternity! “ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” ( John 3:16). “Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for He shall save His people from their sins” ( Mattew 1:21). “God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Only one TRUTH! Believe and act on this truth. Tell the Lord your sinful conditions, sinful actions, sinful state. Ask for His forgiveness and ask the Lord to come into your life and heart, to become your Saviour. If your do that with sincere, hearty repentance, Christ will come into your heart. His peace and joy unspeakable will flood your soul. And you will have the ONLY ONE EXPERIENCE that will put purpose into your living. “ Only one life TRUTH”; “ Only one experience. “ Think and act on these things.



Only one life! And there is only one hindrance that can stop the flow of God’s love into that life! Only one hindrance sin. Be it the sin of fornication or wickedness, or covetousness or maliciousness or envy or murder or rebellion or deceit or lying or hypocrisy or malignity or whispering or backbiting or gossiping or hatred or God and man, or pride and boasting or disobedience to parents or nay unrighteousness, sin is sin. It is the one hindrance, the one barrier between you and God. “ What then shall I do?”. You ask, Forsake the sin, accept the Lord! Ask for the cleansing flood of His blood to cleanse you on the inside. Go on your knees, pray, be clean and renewed. Only one life! Only one truth! Only one hindrance! What a sobering thought. Believe and act on these things. “Come NOW, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” ( Isaiah 1:18-19).



Only one life, and its length or span is so brief and uncertain. How old are you? What is your age? Take that away form seventy! If you sleep for 8 hours a day, you are asleep one-third of that is 8), you have been asleep for 8 long years! If you sleep for only 6 hours, that means one-quarter of your life in sleep! How thoughtful we should be! If you waste 2 hours in idle chatter-talking, rattling, always having words to sow into the wind to reap a whirlwind later: spend about 3 hours on cooking, eating and caring for the body; spend 2 hours on the road traveling to places of work or other places you have to go; add also hours spent on idle visitation! How about hours given to secular work- 7 hours? 8 plus 2 plus 3 plus 7 = 22. Twenty- two hour for the body, leaving two short hours of God, Christ and your soul! You must rethink and plan anew! Why this waste? To what purpose is this waste? Forget the old, make a new start for a fruitful, meaningful life. Two hours is only one-twelfth ( If regular every day!) to prepare for eternity! “My brethren, this thing ought not so to be”! Only one life-and it’s so brief! Think on these things. Only one life - one brief life. So brief like the sleep of a single night. Many pass through life quickly like “ the weaver’s shuttle”. Others pass through life like a bird passing through the air, without leaving a mark behind for good on nay life! Only one brief life!



Perhaps the past 20, 25, or 30 years of your life have been wasted or worse than wasted. They have been spent to no purpose or worse still, to bad purpose. A waste! How much has your life been worth? Put a price-tag on it! What has been the value of your life? A soul winner or only a breadwinner for a small family? How unspeakable solemn! Only one life- and that wasted and squandered! How disturbing that will be on the DAY of reckoning. It will never leave the memory: the thought, the words, will be like the “ worm that dieth not,” “ in the fire that is not quenched.” What regret, what sorrow, what sorrow, what loss! What misery and agony to regret, saying “ I could have lived in Christ, but I lived in chaos; I could have been a Christian, but it was eternity; a regret for eternity!



But life with Christ is life indeed. He is the answer to every question of the human mind, the answer to every longing of the heart and the answer to every need of man. He is the fountain-had of all true pleasure. Is he yours? He should be. He knocks at your heart’s door and seeks admission. Is He yours? He will be - the moment you make Him your all in all. “ Now is the accepted time: now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2)



Only one life. Only one TRUTH, only one hindrance. Only one experience. Only one decision - will yours be wise or otherwise?



Prayer or forgiveness: O God, be merciful to me a sinner! Forgive all my sins and blot out my transgressions. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and make me clean by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. I forsake sin and consecrate my life to your services and to the good of others and walk in the light of your Word as I learnt it. I believe that you do forgive me according to your word. In Jesus name I ask it. Amen.

Aduwo Olufemi Samson

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