Bible Reading: Jeremiah 6,7, 8; 1 Timothy 5
“Thus saith the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein” Jeremiah 6:16(KJV)
There are many ways that a man may follow in life to reach a destination. There are fork junctions and major intersections in our life journey. When we travel to a place we have not been before we ask questions when we appear at an intersection. Our scripture of today forms a picture of a person who appears at a fork junction and need to be properly guided to the address of his destination. Having knowledge of where you are going is one thing but navigating your way to the place is another. Many Christians have the knowledge of the ultimate destination of a believer, which is heaven. Jesus made us to understand that he was going to prepare us a place (John 14:1-2). A place with great and beautiful mansions. A place of bliss and tranquillity, where there is no sun for our God is the light (Isaiah 60:19). As great and enticing as this destination seem not all believers know the way to follow to get there. The good way is in the old paths, the path of righteousness, the path of love, the path of holiness, the path of truth, the path of consecration, the path of humility, etc. This is the path that our fathers followed that preserved the gospel to reach our generation. This is the path of old that the founders of the Protestant church, the founders of Pentecostalism, the faithful servants that fought the selling of indulgence in the church, initiators of great revivals like T.L Moody, Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Coleman etc., etc .followed. Jesus said in John 14:6 (KJV), “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.” That is the way of truth, the way of life. This is the way that you will walk in and find rest for your soul. It is the way that leads to a peaceable habitation. A place of peace sublime.
This way is not very popular among men. Any other way other than this way leads to destruction and is very broad. The way of righteousness and holiness does not attract the people of the world, instead they prefer the way of merriment and boisterousness. This extravagant and exuberant way has crept into the church while the old path that leads to the old rugged cross is losing steam and gradually been abandoned. Worldly music and dance is engulfing the church, as the church dances to worldly gallery. The new age is setting aside the old paths that symbolises truth and righteousness, which is regarded as the old school. In those old days you will know from afar children from a Christian home by their attitude and disposition. My heart yearns for the old time religion where ladies wear beyond the knee dresses, not the shameful mini tight that is being worn to church today even among pastors wives. We have become very engrossed in the worldly fashion and we are losing the virtue in Christ in pursuit of worldly pleasure. Our attitude and behaviour no longer separate us from unbelievers. The gathering of believers and that of the world is gradually losing differences. We need today above all things that Christ be established in our hearts having our hearts circumcised with the knife of divine fire. “And he shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto LORD an offering in righteousness” Malachi 3:3(KJV).
Prayer: O LORD, send us Your fire to refine and purify us from burning strange fire on your altar.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo