Fruitful Living

Living the transformed life (Part 1)

• The Bible reveals God’s truth

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. – Titus 2:11-14.

INTRODUCTION

Beloved in Christ I am writing to you today as the carrier of a message that is fundamental to our place as Christians in our society. I sincerely pray that after hearing this message, we will all be challenged to do more for God, for country, and for ourselves.

Living the transformed life as a Christian has everything to do with national development. I’ll tell you why.

The transformed life is a life shaped anew by God, to serve and fulfill God’s purpose for mankind. Living the transformed life is a process, a journey that we each embark on when we personally accept and invite Jesus Christ to become Saviour and Lord of our lives. Our lifestyles must reflect the God we profess and embrace.

Where do we start from? By examining and practising some principles that have been clearly spelt out for us in the Bible.

Let’s Live an exemplary life no matter where you are: Philippians 2:15 advises us to ‘…become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world’.

This Bible verse is clearly telling us to do what is right whether other people are doing it or not. It is telling us to live differently, to strive to live above reproach, so that just as light drowns out darkness, our conduct shall be an example that others will be provoked to respect and to live by.

Let’s Eschew self-centredness by looking out for the interests of each other: Philippians 2:4 tells us ‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.’

This is an indirect way of telling us to be selfless in all our pursuits. As humans, we are naturally prone to selfishness. It is this selfishness that makes us take decisions and carry out certain actions that only favour us even if they are detrimental to our fellow humans.

Let’s not wait for the government to do everything: James 2:14-16 – “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deed? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”

There are some things we can do as individuals in our own small way. This, I believe, is intended to make Christians understand that using our resources to assist less privileged people in society is an opportunity for us to exercise our faith and to honour God.

Stewardship requires faithfulness: Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful – 1 Corinthians 4:2.

Everything we have has been entrusted to us by God and as stewards, He expects us to be faithful in handling/managing what has been given to us. The first thing God entrusted to us from day one of creation was the earth.

Let’s respect authority and national laws: 1 Peter 2:13- ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor. Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.’

This scriptureencourages us to respect authority not just at face value but out of respect for God and hierarchies created to establish order in society. Respect for authority keeps us in check and forces us to exercise discipline in fulfilling our obligations (e.g. payment of taxes, pension contributions, etc.) towards the development of the nation.

Let’s be content: Hebrews 13:5 tells us ‘Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have’ and 1 Timothy 6:6 says ‘Now godliness with contentment is great gain’. I may be wrong but I believe that contentment is the antidote to greed and covetousness which breed corruption in various forms and at various levels in our society. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious but there is a difference between being ambitious and being covetous. Most of the woes of our nation today could/would be avoided if Christians in diverse positions of authority, influence, and power remember this Scripture and pause in their excessive pursuit of material things. Let’s examine our hearts and our motives in our pursuit of money and material things. Are we seeking to acquire something or more of something because we truly need it or because we want to out-compete someone else? Are we living within our means or beyond it? Only we can truthfully answer these questions.

Let’s eschew idleness: The Bible is clear on this. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 explicitly puts it this way ‘…if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.’ We all know from our basic economic lessons that employment drives productivity at all levels within the economy. If no one works, nothing gets done, nothing gets produced and revenue generation channels simply cease to exist. Working does not always require us to be employed by others. The fact that God has called us to live a transformed life is no excuse for us to spend 24 hours in church when we should be at our workplace offering our services and/or generating income/revenue. There is time for everything. Jesus Christ Himself gave us this counsel in Mark 12:17‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s’.

Let’s pursue justice and fairness in all our dealings: God expects us to be fair, honest, and truthful in all our dealings.

Colossians 4:1 says “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven”.

To be continued!!

Stay blessed!

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By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author

Fruitful Living

Qur’an: A Book of Guidance beyond Ramadan

Introduction

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Prophet Muhammad is His final messenger.

May peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his noble companions, and all those who follow his righteous path until the Day of Judgment.

The Qur’an is a divine revelation from Allah and serves as a timeless guide for humanity. It is not just a book for recitation but a comprehensive manual that provides wisdom, moral values, and laws that shape human life in all aspects.

The Qur’an answers fundamental existential questions: Who created us? Why are we here? How should we live our lives? What happens after death?

Allah affirms in the Qur’an:

“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah” (Qur’an 2:2).

Many Muslims increase their engagement with the Qur’an during the month of Ramadan, a month in which the Qur’an was revealed. However, the Qur’an’s message extends far beyond Ramadan; it should be the guiding light in our daily lives, influencing our thoughts, actions, and decisions.

The Meaning and Names of the Qur’an

The word Qur’an comes from the Arabic root “Qara’a”, which means “to read” or “to recite”. The Qur’an is called this because it is meant to be continuously recited, reflected upon, and acted upon. It is not just a book for passive reading but for active learning, understanding, and implementation in all facets of life.

The Qur’an is known by several names in the Islamic tradition, each revealing an essential characteristic of the book:

• Al-Qur’an: Meaning “The Recitation”, emphasizing that it is a book to be recited regularly, in prayer and outside of it.

• Al-Furqan: Meaning “The Criterion”, which distinguishes between truth and falsehood. It provides moral clarity and guidance on what is right and wrong.

• Adh-Dhikr: Meaning “The Reminder”, because it constantly reminds human beings of their purpose in life and their accountability before Allah.

• An-Nur: Meaning “The Light”, as it illuminates the path of righteousness and removes the darkness of ignorance.

• Al-Kitab: Meaning “The Book”, signifying that it is a complete and preserved scripture meant for all time.

• Ash-Shifa: Meaning “The Healing”, as it provides spiritual, psychological, and even physical healing to those who turn to it with sincerity.

These names indicate that the Qur’an is more than just a collection of verses; it is a divine guide, a moral compass, a source of healing, and a light that dispels darkness.

The Revelation of the Qur’an: A Divine Message for Humanity

The Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years through Angel Jibreel. The revelation took place in two distinct phases:

• The Makkan Phase (13 years): The chapters revealed in this period focused on faith in Allah, monotheism, the resurrection, and moral values. Since the early Muslim community was small and persecuted, these revelations gave them spiritual strength and perseverance.

• The Madinan Phase (10 years): The revelations during this period were more detailed and addressed laws, governance, social justice, and community life. The Muslim community had grown in Madinah, and legal rulings on marriage, inheritance, and commerce were introduced to regulate societal affairs.

* The writer is the Metropolitan Chief Imam of Kpone Katamanso

To be continued…

By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai – 1 BN Michel Camp, Tema

Fruitful Living

Bearing the fruit of love

But the fruit of the Spirit is love ………… – Galatians 5:22 (NIV)

Imagine if all the trees in the world were fruit trees? And they all bore fruits of love? And those who see these fruits of love could eat of it, and give to everyone else until it became the staple meal for everybody? Were this to be the case, maybe the so-far elusive utopia that we think is impossible will become a reality. Maybe we would have less sickness and pain in the world. And just maybe it would be alright for this world to last forever.

What is certain though is that this kind of world we envision is attainable, if not on this earth, in heaven. And that heaven begins here, where you and I are. Jesus said: “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” – Luke 17:21. The kingdom of God “is within” us when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness – when we surrender to the lordship of Christ and do His will. When we do so, we will be able to bear the fruits of love and enjoy heaven here on earth. That is the clearest evidence we can give that we are citizens of heaven though we live on earth.

Love is both a gift and a fruit. The two come from the same source, the Triune God—the Three Co-Eternal Godhead—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These Three work together as one to ensure that we get the full benefit of love, first as a gift that we receive, then as a fruit that we are expected to bear.

As a gift, the God of love gave Himself to us in the Person of His only begotten Son -John 3:16. When our Lord Jesus Christ departed, He sent His representative— the Holy Spirit—to come and dwell in as many as receive Him and want Him to stay in them – John 16: 7, 13.

As a fruit, God the Father is the Gardener who prunes and tends the plant. God the Son is the Vine to which the branches are connected. God the Holy Spirit, the sap that connects us (the branches) to the Vine, vitalises the branches and allows us to blossom and bear fruits. Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” – John 15:1,4.

Why Love?

Bearing the fruit of love is more than a feel-good experience. It is a divine command that is aimed at making us more like God. It involves sacrifice, tears, and often heartache. It can be hard but it is attainable.

Not loving others empties us of the essence of our humanity, and reduces our potentials to grow more into God’s likeness. It rips the thread that runs through the fabric of our common humanity and leaves holes and gaps that destroy the texture and beauty of what was once beautiful. The more afraid we are to love, the less human we become, and the more demonic we grow to be.

History reveals very clearly the impact of the absence and presence of love. On the one hand, where there’s no love we have hate and the wars and genocides that stem from it. There’s also poverty, hunger and homelessness, including the sad testimonials of neglect and abuse. The absence of love results in gossip, slander, jealousies and pettiness continue to inflict pain and alienate people from communities where they might thrive.

On the other hand, with love comes forgiveness and kindness—two vital ingredients of love that have prefaced healing, renewal and restoration. Love has revived hope and prolonged life, rebuilt bridges of friendship and transformed minds and hearts of individuals and groups.

God loves us too much to let us suffer and die without achieving our optimum. That is why He told us to love. Strictly for our own good, by the One who made us and knows us best. It’s a command that won’t expire because He Himself is love – 1 John 4:8. It’s an instruction that won’t fade away, for as Paul observed, “three things will remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13.

To be continued…