PREPARATION FOR THE RAPTURE.

Matthew 24:42-44 has this declaration"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if  the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come,.... Therefore be ye also ready:for in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh." It is clear that whosoever that does not get caught up "When Christ returns will be" cut off" to encounter the fury of God and the reign of Satanic antichrist and his demons. What can we do? Since nobody knows the actual time the rapture will take place, it is equally clear that is not everybody will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Hence Christians are cautioned to constantly watch. To watch is to be constantly aware of things happening. And this awareness controls every other thing we do:the way we operate,think,plan,associate and communicate. If there were no peril of being cut off while others are caught up,it will be needless for the Lord to say over and over again WATCH. Sincerely not everybody that carries the Bible calls the name of Christ in prayer or belong to the gospel church will go in the rapture. To be counted worthy for the rapture you need to"take heed to yourself by ensuring that you are sincerely  given your life to Christ, that you permit God to purify your heart and thereby praying daily for grace to conquer the wicked ones. You cannot be successful in life if you don't pay the price. If you must make it in the rapture, there is a price to pay. You have to have a firm conclusion in your mind to serve the Lord to the end. As the devil too mounts up assaults against you,you must continuously be victorious daily not minding the trials and discouragement that you observe around you. You will not admit the pleasures,pursuits, fashions and vanities of this life which are for an appointed time to defile, distract and disqualify you for the catching away. Where will you be when the saints of God are shut in and sinners forever shut out? Think and make necessary amendments before it is too late. If you are not still saved or you were backslidden, do not procrastinate your salvation. Choose life and live. Prepare to be caught up So you will not be forever cut off.

PURPOSE AND POSITIVES OF FAMILY COMMUNION.

Hebrews 13:16 declares,"But to do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Communication in the family will often be a sacrifice since we are required to make use of our time,talent, means and patience to impart, distribute and understand. Family communication is known to  the way verbal and non-verbal message is been passed among family members. Verbal message or information entails spoken conversation and written messages whereas non-verbal information  is the use of body language such as tone or voice, behaviour and facial expressions to convey affection, respect and concern for family members. Communication includes the ability to be attentive to what others are feeling and thinking. Communication is vital! And good,right and effective communication is especially essential if there will be unity in any conversation. Study shows that right family communication is the fundamental characteristics of a strong healthy family. Open and honest communication produces a suitable environment that enables family members to give counsel as well as to express their differences, love and admiration for one another. Through proper interaction, family members are able to settle their problems that come in the families and create a good understanding and relationship with one another. Make proper time to communicate with your family. It encourages family bonds,family bonds enhance the desire for and regular family gatherings and family gatherings offer an equal opportunity for family communication. It moves in a cycle. One leads to,supports, and strengthens one another.

DO NOT STAGGER IN LIFE.

James 1:8 declares, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" To stagger is to walk unsteadily, and a times it leads to a fall that may incapacitate for life. When you stagger, you fall into many things that can damn your soul. A fall into the trap and deceit of the devil will keep you at the mercy of his agents. Doubting the promises of God,His grace to sustain, His mercy and love is simply questioning Him, calling Him a liar or unreliable. For a man to know God,does not mean that He can deny His name. Abraham had every reason to doubt God's promises as a natural man but he submitted to God. He was called out to go to a city he never knew, and was promised a child. Time was fast running out on both he and Sarah,age was not there too,still the promise child did not come. The scripture says,"But against all hope "He was so resolute in faith that even against human understanding, scientific and medical evidence, he believed in Him. Abraham did not abide in his condition or admits impossibilities, neither was his hope came on reasonable expectations. Rather he dwelt on the promises of God. As a believer,to enjoy all the promised blessings, you must have the mind of Christ Jesus. Truely, the devil will try to plague your mind with doubt. You will have a test of faith. You will be victorious if only we are closer to God. Meanwhile, it is not sufficient to make a confession that you believe in Him or you are waiting on God,your conduct, behaviour and attitude to life must reflect that you believe God is capable to do that which He has promised. God's promises cannot fail. Has God given you a promise? Wait patiently for it. Do not stagger at the promises of God through unbelievers!

CHARACTER AND CONDUCT IN THE FAMILY.

1 Peter 3:1-7. Has this declaration to make,"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word,they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear....But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quite spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price...Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord...Likewise,ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto a weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life;that your prayer be not hindered. "You will observe that the center of this passage is the family by knowing fully well that everyone comes from one family or the other. Following the initial statement, the Spirit of God through Apostle Perter,directed and openly  admonishes  the wife. He tells her exactly the pattern and procedure to embark in order to win her husband to herself and to the Lord,if he is still to give his life to Him. He at the same time, approaches the husband by informing him what he must do to win his wife over. The significant of this set of instructions presented to each other is to make them effective at making their union what God desires it to be:representation of the unity that occurs in the Godhead.

THE COMPASSION OF CHRISTLIKE GOSPEL PREACHERS.

Roman 5:7,8 declares "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:... But God commendeth his love upon us,in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." A sincere gospel preacher must have Christ-like compassion for the sinners. It was love and compassion to save humanity from impending judgment that brought Christ into it. The similar love and compassion sent  Him out to the lost wherever they were seen,regardless the danger and risk associated to it. Anywhere He noticed sinners, He was moved with compassion towards them,even weeping over them because they are lost souls. He showed love and compassion towards multitudes of sinners, the weary and heavy-laden,the tempted, the afflicted, the diseased and the needy. His love and compassion did not therefore, end with only feeling and weeping for man;they were changed into actions of moving out to seek them;relating with them so He could preach the Gospel with them;interceding for them;and summarily, dying to pay the price for their sins. The love of Christ for humanity was compassion that could not be measured! It was excellent, active and sacrificial. The gospel preachers were called to demonstrate such love and compassion for sinners. The kind of love and compassion that will win the lost souls must be the kind where you are willing to surrender your life for their salvation. Christ like love and compassion for sinners, backslides win them over to God. There are active and enduring rules that bear spiritual fruit:  The woman at the well and multitudes of publicans responded to the Gospel through this rules. The deep love of Paul the Apostle and care for souls won the Gentile world. Love and compassion are still an instruments today in converting sinners and restoring backslides. See that you exploit them!

THE DANGER OF DISCOURAGEMENT.

Numbers 21:4 declares "And they journeyed to mount Hor by the way of the Red sea,to compass the land of Edom:and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way." Having been aware,those referred in our text are the children of Israel, and "the way" is the wearisome wilderness which they had to move through to the promised Land. If you remember, for many years they had been under the slavery of the Egyptians and they had to wait for many years before their rescue finally arrived. Considering their miraculous escape, their journey to the promise land started. Almighty God fed them everyday with manna from heaven. He led them with pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:21,22.). He offered them His love. He equally offered them His word. And He promised them that if they honoured His commandments and obeyed Him,it will be well with them and their children. But after journeyed for many weeks without being to the much scheduled land of promise, "the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way." Truely, if you have given your life to Christ, you too can share with the experience of this people. What they encountered in the land of their captivity can be compared to your life in sin,when you were under the captivity of Satan. You too have had a situation of what it means to be in bondage to the passion of this world which is pertaining to a symbol of Egypt. At different time, you were serving the devil like the children of Israel were serving Pharaoh in Egypt. The habits and practices of this world enslaved your mind. It seems there was no way for your freedom from the inclination of sin and the agony of Satan. But God who is rich in mercy and grace did not allow you to die in bondage of the devil. He saved you and made you His precious child. He offered you a brand new life, a new hope,new focus and many treasured promises for life and eternity. Even you can confess that the miracle of saving grace is indeed the greatest miracle you have received since you were born.