“And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 15:8).
TEXT — 2 Chronicles 15:1-13
Message
Martin Spoelstra narrates part of the inspiring and intriguing story of the courageous missionary to Africa, Mary Slessor (1848-1915). “…Mary saved the lives of hundreds of mothers and their twins. One evening, Mary heard the screams of an Okoyong woman tied to stakes on the ground. A man was preparing to scald her with boiling oil because the woman had given food to a starving slave man while her husband was away. The Okoyong laws demanded that the woman be punished for her offence. Mary ran to the screaming woman and put herself between the woman and the man holding the oil. The man danced around Mary, threatening to pour the oil. Despite the boiling oil and the size of the man, Mary stood her ground. The man back down and the woman was saved! Mary saved countless other lives, worked to end fighting between tribes and spread the message of Christ throughout Africa. By showing the courage to face her fears, Mary brought real and lasting change to African society and spirituality. What a great way to spend one’s life!”
Asa had just ascended the throne of Judah. He came up at a time the whole land appeared to have been sold to corruption. They had forgotten the true God and for a very long time, they had not had any priest or prophet to teach them the word of God. But Asa was encouraged by the words and prophecy of Azariah to stand with God and carry out the necessary reforms because God would surely reward his efforts. Asa took courage, put away all the abominable things in his kingdom and brought the people back to serve the true God.
If our families, churches and societies will be transformed and enjoy the blessings and favour of God, then we must be ready to demonstrate courage like Asa and root out all the sinful and abominable practices we find around us.
Thought for the day
Will you be counted among those who stand for the right?
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
2 comments
This is awesome. An easy way to reach the world with the Gospel. May the good LORD bless the source and those that made this outreach possible.
This is awesome. An easy way to reach the world with the Gospel. May the good LORD bless the source and those that made this outreach possible.
Please no comment?