NO SIN, NO ILLS

“Your iniquities have turned these things away,

                                And your sins have withheld good from you”

                                                JEREMIAH 5:25   

INTRODUCTION

Our topic today says; 'No Sin, No Ills' meaning if there is sin then there is woes. Whether in personal living, or in corporate living. God told the people in Jeremiah's days that their iniquities (not one, but many) have turned these things away. Let us pause a little, and ask: what things? There are many like I said. These include: not pleading the (Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked) cause of the fatherless; and the right of the needy they do not defend. An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: says the Lord. The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power;  And My people love  to have it so.  But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:28-31). The worst of it all is that they have turned away from God (Jeremiah 4:1) “If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “Return to Me;  And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight,  Then you shall not be moved").  

That same verse 25 of Jeremiah, the Lord God said that their sin have withheld good from them. Now, the question is what good? The answer is in the lines below;

But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life (Romans 6:22). Everlasting life is the chief of the gifts of God's good things. Hence, no one will not desire not to live or have this life if God.

PRESENCE OF SIN

The presence of sin enthrones many ills. Such as dead of both body and soul, Unimaginable deserters and God's anger and fury on humans etc. Often time, people are tempted to ask: why will a loving God allow all these things to happen to people? Like the one that happened in Philippines where a child (12-years old Glyzelle Palomar) asked the pope; "Why does God allow these things to happen to us"? Yet no one cared to ask; "what happens to God if we SIN"?

Sin found its origin from Lucifer who wanted to be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:12-15; Job 20:6; 2Thes. 2:4). And man suffered the effect latter after the temptation, in the Garden. One standard about God is that, He abhors sin in all its aspects. The next unit deals on this.

EFFECT OF SIN

From the above analysis, the answer to this unit is not far-fetched. When a nation becomes corrupt and decays, even the innocent can suffer (Wayne Jackson, 2015). In addition, Wayne Jackson in his article titled 'Have You Considered the Consequences of Sin' outlined worthwhile information, and I think is wise to include in parts what he wrote - here; As noted above there was an initial effect of sin that afflicted the newly created earth (e.g., thorns and thistles). It is scarcely realized, however, what a cataclysmic effect the Flood of Noah’s day had upon our planet. Subterranean “fountains” yielded vast and violent explosions of water. Combined therewith was an outpouring deluge from the “windows of heaven” (Genesis 7:11). Megatons of violent upthrusts of water and debris came from the bowels of the earth. Rain descended in unimaginable torrents for forty days and nights. The composition of the ancient earth was radically affected. Global and continental temperature zones were altered, and varying pressure systems created an environment that facilitated hurricanes and tornados. Land mass arrangements became unsettled and earthquakes followed in their wake. The violent features of today’s earth have their ultimate origins in the catastrophic events of Genesis 6-8. There is ample geologic and archaeological evidence of an ancient earth significantly different from today’s planet. Geologists testify to the early uniform climate of the earth as revealed by the fossil record—of both plants and animals. Even skeptics concede that at a point in the ancient past the earth had a “mild and constant climate” and “the elements of that world were in perfect balance” . Archaeological records from ancient Sumer (the oldest known civilization) speak of a land of the ancient past that was “pure,” “clean,” and “bright” — a “land of the living” in which there was “neither sickness nor death”. Though the geophysical catastrophes that frequently ravage our globe today cannot be attributed unequivocally to the direct action of God, they can be traced ultimately to human rebellion, and the permissive will of the Creator (Rehwinkel, 1951, 1-54; Jastrow, 1977, 69; Kramer, 1959, 144 in Jackson, 2015 ). So is the fate of man and earth. May God send to us His help.

CONCLUSION

The presence of sin translate to the predominance of woes, which is why the Bible declared righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34). So dear friends, it is wise to accept the nature of God by turning wholly to Him and abhorring any form(s) of evil (sin). Meditate closely on the word of God. Ask Him always for His help. And He will answer you. Read Romans 10:9-10 in order to give your life to Christ. Shalom!

WHY TODAYS YOUTHS ARE NOT TOMORROW’S TRUE REPRESENTATIVES

INTRODUCTION

The life of a child is like the flow of current, if it is carefully directed, it produces light for all to use. But if it is abused and neglected, it either sparks violently or destroys the things it was meant to power correctly. A man once said; “if other children around your environment are not saved it therefore means your child (ren) is not saved.

The life of a child (youth) is a boomerang for or against the parent(s)  and the society at large – some children have taken the day-light out of their parents and devoured like wolves the lives of others, reason being that they are not decently nurtured (PROVERBS 22:6). Below are more facts on the issue of youth’s violence, keep reading.

TODAY’S YOUTHS ARE PRONE TO VIOLENCE

Majority of what causes and sustains violence in youths is “attitude” attitude is the product (mother) of either positive or negative action(s) in people. According to World Health Organization WHO (2014), “youth violence is a global public health problem. It includes a range of acts from bullying and physical fighting through more severe sexual and physical assaults to homicide”. The body further gave the following facts:

Key facts:

(a) Worldwide some 250 000 homicides occur among youth 10–29 years of age each year, which is  43% of the total number of homicides globally each year. (b) For each young person killed, 20–40 more sustain injuries requiring hospital treatment. (c) In one study, from 3–24% of women report that their first sexual experience was forced. (d) Youth violence has a serious, often lifelong, impact on a person's psychological and social functioning.

Youth violence greatly increases the costs of health, welfare and criminal justice services; reduces productivity; decreases the value of property; and generally undermines the fabric of society.

Risk factors:

Factors that increase the likelihood of youth violence are complex.

Risk factors within the individual;

Hyperactivity, impulsiveness, poor behavioural control, attention problems, history of aggressive behavior, early involvement with alcohol, drugs and tobacco, antisocial beliefs and attitudes, low intelligence and educational achievement, low commitment to school and school failure, coming from a single-parent household, experiencing parental separation or divorce, exposure to violence in the family.

Prevention

Prevention programmes shown to be effective; include: life skills and social development programmes, designed to help children and adolescents manage anger, resolve conflict, and develop the necessary social skills to solve problems; schools-based anti-bullying prevention programmes.

PREVENTION OF YOUTH’S VIOLENCE GOD’S WAY

The problem of man started in GENESIS CHAPTER 3:20 when Man devalued Woman and named her Eve. Hence, the charge in MALACHI 2:16. For the Man who does not love his wife (or Woman) but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard your selves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.

The above injunction is not just a common saying, but a law everyone interested in a violence-free world should go by. It is quit unfortunate that violence has existed on the earth since the second generation of existence; When Cain killed his brother Abel (GENESIS 4:8). The lines below tells us more on prevention of violence God’s way:

Accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour and inviting in sincerity His Spirit in ours as well as living as he leads us – all the way.

If all the families on the earth will stop seeing divorce as option and start loving genuinely their wife and children, then the world will be violence-free the next minute of taking the action (COLOSSIANS 3:19). For God hates the wicked and the one who loves violence PSALMS 11:5.

Has anyone wondered the rate of the world’s population – how come the lack in everything, ranging from water, shelter, food, sustainable health, etc. this may be due to the fact that citizens of the world seriously revolted against God and the one he has sent JESUS CHRIST. Hence, this is a call for all to come to CHRIST JESUS and remain in Him always.

In Ephesians 4:29 God admonishes all to desist from corrupt talk. Such must not come out of our mouths. But that which is good to the hearing of all.

We live in a world where nearly everyone is offended in one another. Fellow road users are offended in each other’s driving. The masses are grossly offended in the government of the day. Individuals are offended in their spouses and so on so forth. Yet the Bible puts it this way; “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (COLOSSIANS 3:21). Discouragement is an essential drive for violence – behaviorists know better. Similarly, Ephesians 6:4 maintained thus: “fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the LORD” all the world deserves is peace – which literally is the absence of violence. Hence, to attain this; a sincere shift in the way we think is essential.

 CONCLUSION

To attain a violence-free world is not an easy task. For the scripture records in MATTHEW 11:12 that the Kingdom of God has been facing violence right from the days of John the Baptist, and it is forcefully advancing.

The solution at this time is not far, since the problem is identified – attitudinal. For our youths to represent well, the parents’ attitude must change for good in Christ Jesus (ROMANS 10:9-10).

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