Fruitful Living
Resurrection of life (Final part)
Do you walk in white?
Buried with Him…that…even so we also should walk in newness of life,” – Romans 6:4
No one enters into the experience of entire sanctification without going through a “white funeral” – the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crises of death, sanctification is nothing more than a vision.
There must be a “white funeral,” a death that has only one resurrection – a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can upset such a life, it is one with God for one purpose, to be a witness to Him.
Have you come to your last days really? You have come to them often in sentiment, but you have come to them really? You cannot go your funeral in excitement, or die in excitement.
Death means you stop being. Do you agree with God that you should stop being the striving, earnest kind of Christian you have been?
We skirt the cemetery and all the time refuse to go to death. It is not striving to go to death; it is dying— ”baptized into His death.
Have you had your “white funeral,” or are you sacredly playing the fool with your soul? Is there a place in your life marked as the last day, a place to which the memory goes back with a chastened and extraordinary grateful remembrance – “Yes, it was then, at that ‘white funeral,’ that I made an agreement with God.”
“This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” When you realise what the will of God is, you will enter into sanctification as naturally as can be. Are you willing to go through that “white funeral” now? Do you agree with Him that this is your last day on earth? The moment of agreement depends upon you.
HIS RESURRECTION
“Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?” Luke 24:26
Our Lord’s cross is the gateway into His life; His Resurrection means that He has power now to convey His life to me.
When I am born from above, I receive from the Risen Lord His very life.
Our Lord’s Resurrection destiny is to bring “many sons unto glory.”
The fulfilling of His destiny give Him the right to make us sons and daughters of god.
We are never in the relationship of god that the Son of God is in; but we are brought by the Son into the relation of sonship.
When Our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life, to a life He did not live before He was incarnate. He rose to a life that had never been before; and His Resurrection means for us that we are raised to His risen life, and not to our old life.
One day we shall have a body like unto His glorious body, but we can know now the efficiency of His resurrection and walk of newness of life.
“I would know Him in the Power of His Resurrection.
“As thou has given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou has given Him.” “Holy Spirit” is the experimental name for Eternal Life working in human beings here and now.
The Holy Spirit is the Deity in proceeding power who applies the Atonement to our experience. Thank God it is glorious and majestically true that the Holy Ghost can work in us the very nature of Jesus if we will obey Him.
* All scripture texts are from the King James Version.
TO PONDER:
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. – Proverbs 4:14-17
Stay blessed!
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Website: saltandlightgh.org
By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author
Fruitful Living
Rev. Stephen Arthur launches ‘The Journey From Under the Table
Founder and Head Pastor of Kingdom Family International Church in Accra, Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur, has launched a new book titled: ‘The Journey From Under the Table.’
The launch was held last Sunday at the Potter’s Place Temple of Kingdom Family International Church in Accra.
The 143-page book, according to Rev. Arthur, was about one’s journey from his first breath and the rest of a journey towards a particular destination.
He noted that, “the destination often curated by the paths we choose and the decisions we make along the way. ‘The Journey From Under the Table’ is an incredible material that provides in-depth knowledge and understanding of God’s will for believers in the journey we have to take. Using Lazarus and the rich man as its case study (Luke 16:19-31).”
The book brings to life robust biblical lessons and practical principles that would serve as a repository of hope for the believer through every step of their journey.
Using the story of Lazarus as a backdrop, the author provides a clear transition from under the table to the top of it.
He delivers relevant scriptures, life lessons and juxtapositions that promise to hold the reader’s attention from chapter to chapter, while equipping the reader with essential knowledge and skills necessary to journey from obscurity to greatness.
For decades, Rev. Arthur has dedicated himself to the service of God. He is also a pastor, an accountant by training, a prolific author, a relationship and marriage counsellor, and a seasoned preacher who ministers under the apostolic and prophetic grace.
His ministry and publications over the years have been a tremendous blessing to people.
Some of these include The Fountain of Wisdom, Hope on Trial, The Fundamentals of Deep Worship and Prayer, Strategies and Dynamics for Warfare Prayers, The Unlimited and Unquenchable Anointing.
He has about 27 years of experience and insight in the aviation sector.
Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur is an aviation economist and policy expert, and currently, the acting Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme’
Fruitful Living
Call to Public Institutions in Ghana (Part 3)
Despite these legal protections, Muslim women in Ghana often face challenges when attempting to observe Hijab as modesty and as an act of worship in public institutions such as Universities, Banks, Ministries, public health institutions and government agencies.
This is a violation of their constitutional rights and an infringement on their freedom of worship.
We call upon public institutions in Ghana to:
Respect the constitutional provisions and allow Muslim women to wear the Hijab without fear of discrimination.
Promote inclusivity by ensuring that dress codes accommodate religious attire, including the Hijab.
Educate staff and the public about the importance of religious tolerance and diversity.
As the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor of a non-Arab over an Arab, nor of a white person over a black person, nor of a black person over a white person, except by piety.”
(Musnad Ahmad, 22391).
Rewards of Observing Hijab in Dunya and Akhirah
Observing the Hijab brings immense rewards in both this world and the Hereafter. The Hijab protects women from harm, preserves their dignity, and earns the pleasure of Allah.
In the Hereafter, those who obey Allah’s commands will be rewarded with eternal bliss: “Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment.” (Quran 85:11).
Summary and Conclusion
Servants of Allah, the Hijab is a divine command, a mark of faith, and a human right protected by Ghana’s Constitution and international law. It is a shield of modesty that protects individuals and society from immorality.
The Quran says: “And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect.” (Quran 65:2-3).
Servants of Allah, with these cogent submissions on the hijab, the evidence of its benefits cuts across humanity in general. Remember, the religious injunctions emanate from Allah, your Lord.
Therefore, let us work collectively to ensure that the congenial environment is created for Muslim and non-Muslim women alike to cultivate voluntary love for the hijab as part of modesty and are not denied their right to wear hijab in any public institution such as the universities, banks, ministries, public health institutions and government agencies as well as other public and private institutions.
May Allah guide us to uphold His commands and strengthen our faith. Ameen thuma Ameen.
References
• The Noble Quran
• Sahih Bukhari
• Sahih Muslim
• The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948
• Tafsir Ibn Kathir
• Works by contemporary scholars like Sheikh Ibn Baz and Dr Zakir Naik
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
