A notable Nigerian clergyman, Rev. Dr. Akpen Leva, has urged Christians to serve God according to His rules and patterns as described by the scriptures, stressing that there are punishments for those who deviate from His standards and rewards for those who are loyal to His guidelines, the biggest reward being everlasting life.
Rev. Leva, Synod Executive Committee Member 1 and Presiding Pastor of NKST (Universal Reformed Christian Church), Iortyer, made this call on Sunday at the Church Auditorium during a Tiv worship service marking the end of the holy communion and sacrament service for December, which began on Friday. The service, themed “You Shall Be Known by Your Fruits,” included the baptism of infants and the inauguration of some elders and deacons, among other activities.
Reading from Judges 16:21, where the Lord had left Samson, highlighting the latter’s violation of His plain commands, the preacher emphasized why it is crucial for Christians to always do the work of God according to His prescriptions.
“What I wish to amplify in the passage is the disgrace and shame Samson encountered due to his deviation and wrong choices. Samson was easily captured. The Philistines put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza; they mocked him mercilessly, and he was left with no integrity. That is exactly how God has removed the eyes of many Christians today in the spirit, and they are living without integrity.
“If you deviate from the Lord’s ways, you will be shamed and punished. But thank God, Samson repented, and God remembered him. Our God is a merciful God, always willing to embrace anyone who calls upon Him. He remembered the condemned criminal on the cross and the barren Hannah, who conceived and gave birth to a son. So, whatever your challenge today, pray earnestly to God, so He will equally remember you. A righteous man should not remain where he has fallen forever.”
He acknowledged that doing God’s work faithfully brings challenges and opposition but encouraged Christians never to let anything stand in their way of serving God.
“There are many distractions to our devotion to God, some from our own spouses, businesses, hardships, among others but let us be inspired by Paul’s life (2 Corinthians 11:23-33), who vowed to serve God amidst trials and tribulations.
“If you pay attention to distractions, you won’t serve God religiously and will miss His kingdom. Jesus was distracted and humiliated, but He didn’t allow any of it to hold Him. Satan has always been the biggest distractor of Christians. So, despite setbacks, let us persevere in our commitment to serving God to qualify for His kingdom, where there will be no pain and endless joy, as written in Matthew 25:31-34 and Revelation 21:5-7.
