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In Luke 18:1-7, Jesus narrates the story of an unjust judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected humanity. In that city also was a widow who kept coming to the judge to seek justice against her enemy or adversary. 

At the time, judges travelled around their countries sitting in tents to pass judgments on cases. They were often part of a corrupt system and would usually sit on a case if they were paid a bribe. Moreover, women at the time were the least respected. They did not have the same measure of legal recourse as their male counterparts. They simply were not heard at all in the courtroom, and there was no justice for them. However, we find in Jesus’ narration that, though the judge for a while was adamant about the widow’s request for justice, her persistence broke the way. 

Jesus told this story to illustrate a point about faith and persistence in prayer. His concern was that His followers would learn to be persistent and diligent in prayer, and not give up until the desired result has been achieved. Verses 6 to 8 read: “The Lord said, ‘Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So, don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly….’” 

EXAMPLES OF GOD ANSWERING PRAYERS 

The Bible is replete with examples of God providing answers to the prayer of His people. Some of these are summarised below: 

1. Hannah: Having suffered many years of reproach for her inability to conceive a child, she prayed to God for a son. In response, God gave her Samuel (1 Sam. 1). 
2. Samson: When he humbly and sorrowfully prayed for one more chance to fulfil his God-given purpose of defeating the Philistines, God answered and gave him supernatural strength. He was able to push down the pillars of the building where they were celebrating their false gods (Judges 16:21-30). 
3. Elijah: We are shown the answer to four (4) powerful prayers offered by the prophet. All of them brought great honour to God (1 Kings 17-18, James 5:17-18). 
4. King Hezekiah: He became sick and was told by the prophet Isaiah that he will die. Feeling that his life and work were not complete, Hezekiah prayed that God would extend his years on earth. So, God sent the prophet back to tell him he would be healed and given 15 more years of life (2 Kings 20:1-6, Isaiah 38:1-6). 
5. Daniel: He surely prayed to God in the lion’s den, asking the Lord to keep him safe and set him free. God granted his request and shut the mouths of the lions (Dan. 6:10, 16-22). 
6. The Early Believers: They prayed with passion for the release of Peter from prison, and God sent an angel to set him free (Acts 12:3-11). 

These examples should inspire our faith in God that He certainly answers the prayers of His people. 

WHAT IS PRAYER? 

Prayer may simply be referred to as communication or conversation between people and God. It is talking with God, and not to Him. This implies that as we speak to God, we must wait to also hear Him speak to us. The Bible uses other terms or phrases to describe talking with God. These include: Crying out to the Lord (Psalm 3:4); Calling on God (Psalm 17:6); Lifting one’s soul to the Lord (Psalm 25:1); Seeking the Lord (Isaiah 55:6); and Drawing near to God (Heb. 10:22). 

REASONS FOR PRAYING 

So, why do we have to pray to God before He provides our needs, in view of the fact that He is omniscient, and thus knows what we need even before we ask? After all, Matthew 6:8 says ‘Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.’” I would like to share six (6) of the reasons why we ought to pray as children of God. 

1. God is a relational Being, and He made us in like manner. His original intention for creating the human race was for us to have fellowship with Him. Thus, He has ordained prayer to be the means through which we can communicate with Him so as to enhance and deepen that fellowship. 
2. We pray because God commands that we do so. We find several references to this in the Scriptures, such as 1 Chron. 16:11, Psalm 105:4, Isaiah 55:6, Amos 5:4, 6, Eph. 6:17-18, Col. 4:2, 1 Thess. 5:17, Matt. 26:4, Luke 18:1 and John 16:24. 
3. Going before God in prayer gives the indication that we can do nothing without Him and thus affirms our need of Him. It is a sign of our humility before God and dependence on Him. 
4. God has ordained prayer as one of the means through which we can get to know and understand His will and plans for our lives (Exodus 3:1-15, Jer. 1:4-10). If you want to know the thoughts of a person and understand their ways, the surest way is to interact with them. 
5. God has chosen the prayer of His people as the way of causing the fulfilment of His purposes and promises on earth. There are many things that will not happen on earth if we do not pray as Christians. As John Wesley rightly says, ‘God does nothing on the earth save in answer to believing prayer.’ So, in Matthew 9:38, Jesus asked His disciples to ‘Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’ 
6. Jesus Himself prayed, consistently. For example, He prayed at the beginning of His earthly ministry (Matt. 4:2); in the early mornings (Mark 1:35) and during the nights (Luke 6:12). Nearing the end of His ministry, he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-46), and even on the cross (Matt. 27:46, Luke 23:46). 

HINDRANCES TO ANSWERED PRAYERS 

We all want to see our prayers answered and get the breakthroughs we so dearly desire. Often, we become upset with God when we don’t receive the answers, and begin to think He is not listening. But there are a number of factors that can hinder or block our prayers from producing the desired results. These may include… 

1. Living in sin (Isaiah 59:1-2, Psalm 66:18); 
2. Keeping a heart of unforgiveness (Mark 11:25-26, Matt. 6:14-15; 18:21-35); 
3. Unconfessed or unsettled sin (Matt. 5:23-24, Mark 18:15-17, James 5:16); 
4. Bitterness (Acts 8:20-23, Eph. 4:31, Heb. 12:14-15); 
5. Doubt or a Lack of Faith (Mark 11:12-14, 20-24); 
6. Having wrong motives for the things we request in prayer (James 4:3); and 
7. Praying outside God’s will (1 John 5:14-15, Matt. 26:39); just to mention a few. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE PRAYERS 

Although prayer has got no particular formula of things to say or do, there are still conditions that must be met for our prayer to be effective. They include the following: 

1. Praying in Faith (Mark 9:14-24; 11:22-24, James 1:5-8; 5:13-15) 

We must have true and sincere faith that God hears prayers, that He has the ability to accomplish what is needed or supply our needs and that He will do what He knows is the best in a given situation. 

• Praying in the Name of Jesus (John 14:13-14, Philippians 2:9-11) 

This does not mean just adding ‘in the name of Jesus’ to the end of our prayers in order for God to hear us. In the Bible, to do something in someone’s name meant doing it with their approval and in their authority. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with an awareness of His power, compassion and desire to respond to our needs and requests. Praying with this in mind will build our faith and give us peace that He has all things under His control. As followers of Christ, we must be aware of who He is, the sovereign power He possesses and what He wants us to do. 

• Praying According to God’s Will (1 John 5:14, Matt. 26:42, Matt. 6:9-10) 

The effect of prayer is greatest when we ask for things that are in harmony with God’s perfect will (that is, His desires, intentions, purposes and plans). God will not do anything against His sovereign will. We can know His will through His Word. 

It is worth mentioning here that not only must we pray according to the will of God; but we must also live in His will. We can ask for things that are in harmony with God’s will when we are living in His will (Matt. 6:33, 1 John 3:22). 

• Praying Persistently (Luke 18:1-7, Matt. 7:7-11, 1 Kings 18:41-45) 

Praying persistently means that instead of worrying about a situation, we take it to God whenever it comes to mind, realising that He is in control and will do what is best. We must continue to ask until we get our answers. That does not mean begging God over and over again. 

• Praying Corporately (Matthew 18:19-20, Acts 12:3-11) 

Corporate prayer involves two or more believers coming together in agreement to pray about something. Such prayer has so much potency to produce effect. 

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY? 

1. We must always pray with sincerity of heart. God does not respond to empty words, no matter how spiritual they might sound (Matt 6:7). 
2. We can pray silently (1 Sam. 1:13) or aloud (Neh. 9:4, Ezek. 11:13). 
3. We can pray in our own words or use words or ideas directly from Scripture. 
4. We can pray in human language or in the language of the Spirit, that is, in tongues (1 Cor. 14:14-18). 
5. Another way of praying is singing to the Lord (Psalm 92:1-2, Eph. 5:19-20, Col. 3:16). 
6. Deep and continuous prayers should at times be joined by fasting (Ezra 8:21, Neh. 1:4, Dan. 9:3-4, Luke 2:37, Acts 14:23). 
7. Regarding what posture or physical position is best for effective prayer, the Bible speaks of people praying in many different positions, including standing (1 Kings 8:22, Nehemiah 9:4-5); sitting (1 Chron. 17:16, Luke 10:13); kneeling (Ezra 9:5, Dan. 6:10, Acts 20:36); lying on a bed (Psalm 63:6); bowing down to the ground (Exodus 34:8, Psalm 95:6); lying on the ground (2 Sam. 12:16, Matt. 26:39) and lifting hands to heaven (Psalm 28:2, Isaiah 1:15, 1 Tim. 2:8). 
8. Lastly, we can pray at any time, anywhere, as long as we are not faced with any distractions that would shift our attention from the prayers. 

Written by Pastor Samuel Acheampong (Nsakina New Town District Minister) 

If an enemy can undermine the leadership of any group or a nation, he would eventually be able to undermine its people (followers or dependents), because everything (in this world) rises and falls on leadership as John C. Maxwell, an American leadership expert rightly puts it. Also, the scriptures have said, “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (Zech. 13:7). This is how important leadership is to the survival and success of any group, whether great or small.

The King of Aram (Syria) seems to have appreciated this very fact. Therefore, when he sent his men out to war with Israel, he instructed them, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel” (1 Kings 22:31). They went out and did as their master had commanded. They wounded the King of Israel, and that was the end. All day long the battle raged against the people of Israel because the king, the one who carried the authority of the Lord to execute judgement and justice in Israel, had been eliminated (1 Kings 22:35).

The strategy to “fight the king only” has been the strategy of the devil (or enemy) throughout history. The enemy employed it against Adam when he made him transgress the Law of God by eating of the tree and subsequently brought a wreck on the very first home (marriage) ever created on this earth. The consequences of this have lingered on to date. 

The enemy employed this same strategy against David and made a wreck of one of the most powerful kingdoms in human history when he turned David’s son, Absalom against him. As they conspired against the King at one of their meetings, this is what the enemy planned, “Strike down the king and bring [colonize] all the people… [For] The death of the man [king] you seek will mean the return of all [his followers]” (2 Sam. 17:1-4).

Ultimately, the enemy employed this same strategy against Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour of the world and all the disciples deserted Him and fled (Matt. 26:56). This made many fearful and hopeless. It drove Christianity into darkness and silenced their faith until the King resurrected from the grave! Hallelujah!

The enemy continues to employ this same strategy in contemporary times. This is evident in some marriages and homes where wives fail to recognise the headship of their husbands, and children have become rebellious. 

He is ruining our nations, eliminating respect for leadership in the name of democracy and “politics of insults” which has been enhanced by the sophisticated social media of our day. All one has to do is to put a camera in front of themselves and say whatever they think about dignitaries. Jude says, “Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand… Woe to them! (Jude 1:10-11)

He is making a wreck of the Church of the Living God. He is trying to eliminate her from the schools and the activities of the society as he introduces imposters into the leadership of the Church whose characters are nothing to write home about and making it look like all church leaders are corrupt, causing many to lose trust and interest in the Church and many others to speak ill of the Holy Church of the Living God.

As believers, we must endeavour to understand this battle strategy that the enemy has been subtly employing and continues to employ against leadership (authorities) all through history so that we do not join in his attack like Absalom did but understand that it is God who establishes authority; as such, those in authority are the Lord’s servants for good. They wield God’s authority (Rom. 13:1-6) so that we would submit to them like Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah and Sarah did; petition God in prayers on their behalf as Apostle Paul instructs (1Tim. 2:1-4), and in wisdom and humility draw their attention to the possible flaws in their leadership like Nathan did with David (2Sam. 12:1-13).

Remember that we can address our issues and concerns to people in authority without undermining their authority. We can help our families, churches, organizations and Nations to succeed without buying into the devil’s scheme of “killing and eliminating our kings”. Let us not join in “killing our kings.” After all, who are we to judge another’s servants? To their own master (God, the author of all authority), they stand or fall. (Romans 14:4).

Written By P/Overseer Isaac Kwabena Tagoe (Nanton District, Tamale Area)

The vital signs are important biological, biochemical, physiological and hormonal indicators of a person’s general health status. They are the objective measurements of the body’s most basic operations. Their processes perform essential functions for the living body. They are “vital” because they are urgently needed; absolutely necessary; a manifestation and sign of life. Even in triaging patients i.e., assessing or sorting patients according to importance or urgency of clinical presentation, the first set of clinical examinations is an evaluation of the vital signs of the patient.

Traditionally, vital signs include the body’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. Generally, vital signs provide a snapshot of what is going on in the body, if the values are outside the normal range, they may point to a dysfunction in the body.

BODY TEMPERATURE

The normal internal body temperature ranges from 36.5 to 37.2 degrees Celsius (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate there has been a microbial exposure and the body is fighting an infection. When there is a microbial exposure in the body, the immune system sends signals to the hypothalamus to increase the body’s temperature. This process in turn weakens the invading microorganisms and allows the specific body’s immune cells to respond appropriately, halting the pathogenesis of the microorganism. Upon successful victory by the immune cells, the body temperature will return to normal. However, prolong elevated body temperature needs a medical attention.

BLOOD PRESSURE

The blood pressure is the pressure of the circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Two numbers i.e., a numerator and a denominator are recorded when measuring blood pressure. The numerator (the systolic pressure/higher value) displays the pressure inside the artery when the heart pumps blood to the body. The denominator (the diastolic pressure/lower value) represents artery pressure when the heart is at rest. The blood pressure is considered normal at 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) (Check to verify if you have this value). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate a concern for the health of the heart and brain and it associated blood vessels. E.g., coronary heart disease (heart attack), hypertension or stroke (brain attack).

PULSE RATE

The pulse rate is the number of times the heart beats in a minute. It ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate a concern for the health of the heart and its associated blood vessels.

RESPIRATORY RATE

The respiratory rate is the number of times anyone breathes in a minute. It ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute (bpm). (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate signs of respiratory illness, signs of a respiratory allergic exposure, respiratory poisoning, heart disease, lung infections, signs of a general infection, pain and emotional changes.

OXYGEN SATURATION

Oxygen saturation means the amount of oxygen saturated-hemoglobin relative to the total hemoglobin in the blood. It ranges from 95 to 100%. (Check to verify if you are in this range). Usually, fluctuations in this value indicate the lack of adequate oxygen saturated–hemoglobin reaching the organs of the body. This can compromise organ functions.

Take note however, that, many sources of internal and external variables affect the scores of these vital signs. E.g., age, external temperature, physical activity, pregnancy etc. Nonetheless, vital signs monitoring is the critical first step for a healthy and long life. Be intentional about monitoring your vital signs.

Are you ready to monitor your vital signs but do not have the equipment and skill? Visit us at the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Pentecost University and we will be happy to help.

Thank you.

Written by Mr. Reginald Arthur-Mensah Jnr, David Sablah & Dr. Abigail Kyei (Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Pentecost University)

INTRODUCTION

The Lord’s Supper is one of the ordinances that Jesus Christ instituted during his stay on earth. He instituted it during His last Passover with the disciples. “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take this and eat it, for this is my body.’ And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many’” (Matt. 26:26-28, NLT). This was Jesus’ instructions to the disciples before His crucifixion. It was to be carried on from generation to generation—any time they meet on the Lord’s Day, in remembering him as they did so. “… Do this to remember me” (Lk. 22:19, NLT).

As followers of Christ, we are bound to observe this ordinance to remember the Lord Jesus’ death and to keep announcing His death till he comes. “For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again” (1 Cor. 11:26). Furthermore, this is a congregational act by which we corporately affirm our faith, celebrate the completed work of Christ, focus on our unity, and visibly proclaim to the world that Jesus is the only way of salvation.

The Church of Pentecost (CoP) is a leading Pentecostal church in Ghana. It is established in 136 countries around the globe (CoP Website). The Church stresses the importance of partaking in the Lord’s Supper to her members. As an institution that seeks the holistic growth of her members, CoP places much premium on the Lord’s Supper and other New Testament rituals in the body of Christ. To ensure that her members partake in the Lord’s Supper without any hindrance, the church sets aside a week in every month for members to prepare themselves for the sacred ritual. This set period is to make members become conscious of the fact that they have a glorious feast with the Lord Jesus Christ. This beholds on them, to continually set themselves apart. This achieves the purpose of ensuring maximum participation by members.

However, there are quite a number of members who do not attend the Lord’s Supper, hence, making the church not to achieve the optimum rate of participation. From the recent Extraordinary Council Meetings held from May 4-6, 2022, at Gomoa Fetteh, it was identified that the participation rate of the church populace for Lord’s Supper was not at optimal level. This is a challenge to the clergy and laity! This, coupled with other factors, led to the writing of this paper. Why will individuals who profess to be followers of Christ stay away from dinning with the Lord Jesus Christ who has commanded us to fellowship with him?

This paper looks into the meaning of ordinance and the Lord’s Supper as an ordinance. Factors accounting for some members not participating in the Lord’s Supper will be highlighted. Finally, some suggestions towards reaching an optimal participation rate for Lord’s Supper in the CoP will be outlined.

THE ORDINANCE OF THE CHURCH

The Encarta English Dictionary defines ordinance as “a law or rule made by an authority such as a city government.” This law must be observed by all under the authority of the government. Failure to observe the law calls for punishment to the offender.Also, it “is something regularly done because it is formally prescribed, especially a religious ceremony such as Communion” (Collins Dictionary).

Protestants have historically recognized two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, whereas Roman Catholics have held to seven sacraments: baptism, Lord’s Supper, confirmation, penance, extreme unction, holy orders, and marriage. There exist differences of opinion regarding terminology. Catholics (and some Protestants) prefer the term sacrament, which comes from the Latin sacramentum, meaning “a thing set apart as sacred”.  

The term sacramentum in the Latin Vulgate was also used to translate the Greek word musterion (Eph. 5:32) and “came to be used for anything that had a secret or mysterious significance.” Saint Augustine of Hippo called it “visible form of an invisible grace.” Sacrament was later defined as an “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” It is for this reason that many Protestants (including CoP) have preferred the term ordinance.

An ordinance is usually “not considered a conduit of grace but simply a practice commanded to be performed by the Lord.” It might be defined as “an outward rite prescribed by Christ to be performed by His church.” It is a practice that demonstrates the participants’ faith. Simply put, an ordinance is an act of man in obedience to God.

In the CoP, there are two main ordinances the church upholds and put them into practice. They are the Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper.

THE LORD’S SUPPER AS AN ORDINANCE

Jesus established two ordinances for the church—water baptism (Matt. 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:24, 25). The Lord’s Supper is the continuation of the identity of a believer with the body of Christ which is the church. It is a reminder of God’s commitment to and covenant with his people through Christ.

The name “Lord’s Supper” comes from 1 Corinthians 11:20. Other names for the ceremony include “the Last Supper” (Matt 26:29), “the Lord’s Table” (1 Cor 10:21), “Fellowship” (1 Cor 10:16), “Eucharist” (the Greek word for ‘thanksgiving’ in Matt 26:27; Mk 14:23), “Breaking of Bread” (Acts 2:42, NRSV), “the Mass” and “the Cup of Blessing” (1 Cor 10:16, KJV).

Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper on the eve of his crucifixion during the last supper he shared with the disciples. Jesus was eager to eat the Holy Communion with his disciples during the Passover feast (Lk. 22:7-23, Matt. 26:17-30, Mk. 14:12-26), before his departure from earth. He took bread and, when He had broken it, said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24). In the same way, he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:25). After dinning with them, Jesus commanded his disciples to continue in the practice in remembrance of him.

LORD’S SUPPER IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES

As said earlier, the Lord’s Supper was introduced by Jesus on the eve of His crucifixion. He wanted to leave behind an ordinance for them to remember, and to practice continually until His return (Matt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:14-23). This was a new covenant or testament in contrast with the old Mosaic covenant. To enact the covenant, death was necessary because it provided forgiveness of sins, hence, the symbol of the wine. The Lord’s Supper became a key element in the fellowship of believers (Acts 2:42), and was practiced at their daily meetings (Acts 2:46). It later became a Sunday meal during Sunday gatherings (Acts 20:7) in the Early Church. This was later practiced by the Gentile churches such as Corinthians who kept it as an ordinance (1 Cor. 11:17-34).

EMBLEMS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Unlike the Passover feast which uses lamb with bitter leaves and unleavened bread, Jesus used bread and wine for the Lord’s Supper feast. Why did Jesus use these two items? Below are the reasons why no other objects other than these two were used.

Bread is a universal meal. Although there are different types of bread, every culture has bread. God provided bread for the Israelites when he gave them Manna. This food means “What is this?” They fed on this divine bread for forty (40) years (Exo. 16:15:35, Num. 11:7). The Psalmist call manna ‘corn from heaven’ (Ps. 78: 24). The manna was actually the bread from heaven (Jn. 6:31). Jesus gave them the answer to the long-awaited question that was asked in the wilderness experience by saying “I am the bread which came down from heaven” (Jn. 6:41). Jesus is the living bread (John 6:58). The eating of the manna ensured divine strength and energy for their forty years journey in the wilderness. The miracle bread ensured that there was none sick among the Israelites (Ps. 105: 27-40). The breaking of bread was to show his suffering. Jesus broke the bread himself signifying giving up himself for his death. The soldiers were not able to get hold of Jesus until he gave up himself. “And when he said to them, I am he, they went back, falling to the earth” (Jn. 18:6).

Wine was a symbol of joy (Joel 3:18, Prov. 3:10) and the wine represent the blood of Christ. Passover lamb was shared per house-hold but the blood of Christ was for all humanity. Just as the blood of a Lamb caused Passover over of the angel of death in Egypt, so also the blood of Christ has caused Passover over all believers from death to life.

One may ask whether these are the only emblems. Yes! These are those that Jesus Christ used with His disciples. Notwithstanding believers can use close substitutes. E.g., some churches use wafer or biscuit as bread and red wine or soobolo as wine for the Holy Communion, they are the available.

WHO QUALIFIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER?  

Jesus organised it for all His disciples for they were all believers until the fall of Judas. Paul continued to define those who can partake in the Lord’s Supper by giving yardstick—Self-examination. This, according to him, will keep people from being sick and dying.

In CoP, the Lord’s Supper is opened for anyone who recognises their relationship with God as a right such as a believer (1 Cor. 10:11), one baptised in water (Mt. 28:19), and a self-examined person who is right with his or her Maker (1 Cor. 11:27-29). Such a person must have been extended the right hand of fellowship; a solemn act of partnership signifying acceptance, agreement and trust into the body of Christ. Apostle Paul attests to this: “In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews” (Gal 2:9, NLT).

In contrast, the following are not allowed to partake in the Lord’s Supper: children, unbaptised believers, husband of more than one wife and vice versa, and cohabiting individuals. Others are unbelievers, sinners, indulgence in immoral behaviours, witch or wizard, etc.

REASONS FOR NON-OPTIMAL PARTICIPATION RATE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER

Some Christians do not fall short of dinning with the Lord but give flimsy excuses which keep them away from attending the Lord’s Table. Some of them will be discussed here:

Non-extension of right hand of fellowship. Some Christians do not attend the Lord’s Supper not because of any sin they have committed, but as a result of non-extension of right hand of fellowship. Such people attend church on Lord’s Supper Sundays but are not allowed to dine with the Lord.

Evading paying tithes on the Lord’s Supper Day. The payment of tithes, unlike tax, has been very difficult for some Christians in our generation. As a practice in CoP, tithes are paid on every Sunday, with the first Sunday of every month being the closing period. This is to give monthly workers who receive their salaries at the end of the month the benefit to bring their sacrifice to the Lord. It is said that some Christians intentionally refuse to attend church on the first Sunday of the month, which is the Lord’s Supper Sunday, to evade tithes.

Organising child christening on the Lord’s Supper Day. The situation where children are christened on Lord’s Supper Sundays has been one of the factors for low attendance to the Lord’s Supper. Some churches other than CoP hold such ceremonies which attracts some of our members who are family members and friends to the person in question on the basis of solidarity. Others attend anticipating that they will come and support them also during their turn.

Paying visits to friends in different churches on communion days. In addition to the earlier point discussed, some of our members accompany friends to their church for no reason than to pay them visits. And this happens on the Lord’s Supper Sunday. They therefore exempt themselves from participating in the sacred feast.

Holding of and attending to funeral celebrations. Funerals, as human as we are, is part of us. Nothing can be done about it. Since we live in a community, we must attend funerals. Jesus once said as Christians we are to mourn with those who are mourning. This also affects members participation to the Lord’s Supper in cases where members travel and do not attend church. There can also be instances where members lose close relation(s). Since funerals are normally communal affairs, church members often abandon church services (including Communion services) to attend what they regard as ‘important family affair.

The demand for a special kind of apparel often prevents people from partaking in the Lord’s Supper. Some Christians from their background are used to the wearing of white clothes during Lord’s Supper days. Such practice stem from their backgrounds as idol worshippers. It is known from our forebears that idolaters are fond of putting on white apparels during their ritual services. From this same perception, some Christians have carried it over into Christendom. This has eaten them up to the extent that they find it difficult to attend the Lord’s Table when there is no white dress to put on.

Many Christians abstain from the Lord’s Supper because they had sex with their partners. Having sex in marriage is good. Sex should be enjoyed by married couples even on the eve of attending the Lord’s Supper, when the need arises. This does not make married couples unholy. Remember what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:5, “Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer” (NLT). In other words, couples have to decide together when not to have sex which could either be before or after Lord’s Supper. Where there is no agreement, one should not deprive the other of sexual relations. In this case, it is biblically not wrong to have sex either before or after Lord’s Supper.

Some New Testament believers (women) still see themselves as unholy during their menstrual period. Their belief stems from Leviticus 15:19-28, which regard as unholy women who are in their periods. They believe that such women must not come close to the congregation. They were to stay behind till they were sanctified and rituals performed. A similar one is the emission of semen from men (Lev 15:16-17).

Some Christians stay away from the Lord’s Supper because of what is referred to as “Job’s Syndrome”. They blatantly refuse to partake in the Lord’s Supper with the reason being that perhaps they might have committed evil unknowingly, hence, do not want to encounter the Lord’s wrath at the supper. They take precedence from Job’s prayer on behalf of his children that “…perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts” (Job 1:5, NIV). They fail to recognise God’s provision for all those who confess their sins to Him for forgiveness.

Remaining an unforgiving Christian is also one reason why since members abstain from the Lord’s Supper. Until one forgives, his sins are not forgiven. Jesus said, “…forgive, and ye shall be forgiven…” (Lk. 6:37, NKJV). Some Christians find it difficult to forgive for reasons best known to themselves. This makes them harbour grudges within themselves, making it difficult for them to partake in the Lord’s Supper.

An unbaptised believer cannot partake in the Lord’s Supper which is for believers in the body of Christ. Being accepted into the body of Christ begins from baptism by immersion. Jesus commanded the disciples to baptise everyone who believes in him so that they could be admitted into the body of Christ. Thus, a new convert who is not baptised cannot partake in the Lord’s Supper. This is making it difficult for new converts to dine with the Lord.

The issue of Cohabitation also hinders some members from partaking in the Lord’s Supper. This is because the marriage rites has not been fully performed. As a result, some of them feel shy to come to church so they can partake in the Lord’s Supper. They end up not coming at all. Those who are fortunate to attend also become spectators. This discourages them to attend church service on Communion Sundays; thereby, leading to low attendance to the Lord’s Supper.

TOWARDS REACHING AN OPTIMAL LORD’S SUPPER PARTICIPATION RATE IN THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST

We have known from the foregoing discussions the reasons why most of our members do not partake in the Lord’s Supper. Below are some suggested recommendations that can help members in CoP in particular and Christendom in general whip up interest in the Lord’s Supper.

The Church of Pentecost has to extend the right hand of fellowship to new converts. Immediately one accepts Jesus Christ and is baptised, an extension of right hand of fellowship must be extended to new converts so they could partake in the Lord’s Supper. This is done when there are no other factors which could prevent them from dining with the Lord. In other words, new converts are allowed to dine with the Lord when they have no other issues that could deny them from enjoying the meal. Apostle Paul, at repentance, was extended the right hand of fellowship into the body of Christ. This afforded him the chance to be recognised as part of the believers, for they feared him because of his initial fight against the church.

Members must be taught to understand that tithes belong to the Lord. It is very appropriate for believers to pay their tithes, and must be paid to where their spiritual nourishment come from—thus to the Local Church or Assembly; tithes belong to the Lord. Abraham paid tithes to the high priest who gave him bread and wine. “…Then Abram gave him a tenth of all the goods he had taken” (Gen. 14:20). It must be noted that one cannot live throughout the month without eating or drinking. Once a person eats, he has to pay tithes. But where one sincerely knows that he received nothing throughout the tithing week, no one can stop them from attending the Lord’s Supper. Attending the Lord’s Supper is having a personal relationship with God, and no one should be denied of it. Jesus did not deny Judas from dining with him though he knew his intentions.

Members have to desist from going to naming ceremony on Lord’s Supper days. Christianity is not ‘scratch my back and let me scratch your back’, but it is having a divine encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people see church as a group or fan club. This should not be so. A church is the association of individuals who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal saviour. They have also accepted to live by the principles of God so their very lives can be transformed to be like that of Christ. In the end, they are assured of having an eternal home in heaven. Attending church is not like engaging in nnoboa. People exchange their relationship with God for such things. Once they accompany you to church, the next time they expect you to do same for them—by accompanying them to church. There are some who attend such ceremonies even on a Lord’s Supper Sunday. There are times when they don’t even have a direct relationship with the one having the ceremony. Those having the programme may be friends of loved ones. I visited an Assembly in my District on a Lord’s Supper Day to find out that almost four-fifth of the church had gone for naming ceremony of a sister who is not a member of our church. I am not saying one should not accompany a relative to such functions. The church should not encourage members to indulge in such manner. This practice must be discarded. One should be firm to tell a relative not to fix such programmes on such days. Leaders must teach members to desist from such practices. At least, the CoP member should go for Lord’s Supper and after that can accompany the friend.

Members must be encouraged to stop paying visits to their friends’ churches on communion days. In addition to the earlier point discussed, some members who are communicants should stop visiting friends and loved ones who are in different denominations, especially on Lord’s Supper days. Such practices must be discouraged. This, when done, will increase attendance to Lord’s Supper. It is not to discourage members from visiting their friends and loved ones.

Members must be encouraged to prioritize the Lord’s Supper during funerals. Funerals are organised either on Saturday or any day within the week in Ghana. Funerals are not organised on Sundays. Even those who celebrate on Sundays do so after church services. It is unfortunate to know that some Christians fail to dine with the Lord when funerals are organised a day preceding the Lord’s Supper Sunday. There is nothing wrong with finding time in the heat of funeral to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with believers. It even shows one’s maturity in the Lord. Such a behaviour indicates that they place much premium on the fellowship of God as against that of man. Bereaved members must come for the Lord’s Supper and later visit the funeral grounds. Those who travel for funeral should make it a point to dine with the Lord wherever they find themselves on Sundays and report to their presiding afterwards.

Again, members must be encouraged to embrace the “no white clothes for communion service”. There is no specified attire earmarked for the observation of Lord’s Supper rituals. Even in the New Testament, there is no prescribed dress for Christians. The closest one is for believers to dress modestly (1 Tim. 2:9-10). Christians without white colour uniforms should come to church without any feeling of inferiority. Jesus did not prescribe dressing for us when attending the Lord’s Table. Put on anything you have provided it decent.

Sexual acts before the Lord’s Supper is not unholy. Having sex in marriage is good. Sex can be enjoyed by married couples even on the eve of attending the Lord’s Supper. This does not make married couples unholy. In other words, God does not prohibit such act by married couples. Once they enjoy themselves at home, they can still partake in the Holy Communion. Remember, the body of the man is for the woman and a vice versa. “The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Cor 7:4-5, NLT).

Bodily discharges is not evil.  In the New Testament, all these rituals have been dealt with by the blood of Jesus. The animals that were used for purification symbolizes Christ the coming Saviour. He was to die as an atonement for our sins. Hence, believers are no more in condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1, NKJV). A believer can be in her period and can still dine with the Lord or release bodily fluids and still attend the Lord’s Supper provided it was not a self-induced one such as masturbation.

There is also the need for Christians to have a forgiving heart. Until one forgives, his sins are not forgiven. Jesus said, “…forgive, and ye shall be forgiven…” (Lk. 6:37, NKJV). Jesus expects us to forgive each other. The magnitude of the error should not prevent one from stretching forth the hand of forgiveness.  It is better to forgive so you can partake in the meal in Jesus’ presence than to keep away from it and face eternal punishment. One woman told me; it will be very difficult for her to forgive a fellow Christian who has wronged her. Such a person will find it very difficult to attend the Lord’s Supper. We should forgive.

There is no need for Christians to harbor guilt feelings. In order to partake in the Lord’s Supper and to overcome the Job’s syndrome, members must always pray to God for forgiveness of sin, even when they do not remember committing it. And when confessed, they must believe that they have been forgiven. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 Jn. 1:9, NLT).

Christians must agree to water baptism. Once a believer accepts Christ, they must be sent for water baptism which is followed with the extension of right hand of fellowship. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19, NLT). This must be done to pave way for new individuals take part in the Lord’s Supper after going through the appropriate teachings.

Christians must be involved in Biblically and socially accepted marriages. Some members who have not paid their partners’ bride price to some of them, feel shy to attend church and not partake in the Lord’s Supper. They end up not coming at all. Those who are fortunate to attend also become spectators. This does not encourage them to attend church service on Communion Sundays. The men are being encourage to perform their partners’ bride price to enable them dine with the Lord.

CONCLUSION

Eating and drinking the body and the wine in the presence of the LORD is not just chemistry but a mystery. It is a divine meal that affirms our fellowship with the Lord. It is a must for all Christians.

As Christians we should be obedient and determine to dine with the Lord at all times. We should let nothing take us from dinning in the presence of the Lord; there are many benefits in partaking in the Lord’s Supper.

When these are observed and practised, the church will reach an optimal participation rate for Lord’s Supper in The Church of Pentecost, in particular, and other denominations in general.

May God help us all.

Written by Asamoah Emmanuel Foster

As part of the annual week-long activities for Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM) – the men’s wing of our dear church, the Church of Pentecost, yesterday, I gave overview of a number of sub-topics, as I handled the topic, “The Faithful Man” in one of our local churches in Kenya.

By the grace of God, I gave overview of what it means to be faithful – “faith-full”; the need to accept your background and history and superimpose each domain with what Christ as a way to galvanizing a Christ-centered identity; handling generational curses by the way of Christ (Galatians 3:13-14); ten legacies to a faithful father can leave for his generations; and a concept I refer to as “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living”.

In this short article, I seek to discuss this concept of “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living”.

Sabbath is a divine principle established by the Lord. The essence of the Sabbath is not just the setting aside of a particular day to rest from work (sometimes whiles our minds wander with worries and anxieties).

Most importantly, Sabbath covers the whole idea of periodically pausing – taking a “SELAH” – to reflect on our lives in the light of the Lord, to rest the mind, and to rest the body. The ultimate Sabbath rest is to place faith in Christ and His Word (Jeremiah 6:16; Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:8-12).

We are even called upon to give our animals and farmlands periodic Sabbaths so they can have fallow period to renew and refresh. Even our vehicles need Sabbath – by taking them for servicing, renewing of oil etc. – to avoid breakdown and to optimize their performance.

It is within the spirit of Sabbath and in the background of the “Principle of Effective Learning” that I have coined a principle I refer to as “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living” (SATDL). The application of this principle in my personal life over the years, especially since I entered full-time ministry 12 years ago, has been of great help to me.

According to the “Principle of Effective Learning”, for every input we make, we should take at least same amount of time we used in making the input to generate output. Output in this context is defined as the combination of reflecting on the input as well as implementing and sharing the insights gained from reflecting on the input.

What I have added to this principle to generate “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living” is the aspect of restful meditation as the broader atmosphere for reflection, implementing and sharing of insight in inputs.

The core of “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living” is the need to approach our daily activities in piecemeal – in installment – punctuated with restful reflection and meditation.

In simple terms, for a series of activities or “to dos” one has in a given period of time, he/she should put them into blocks of activities and create transitions between them.

That means, after diligently undertaking a bloc of activity, one should come into transition – a period to rest, meditate, and reflect on the block of activity done so far while taking notes on insights from the reflection for implementation and sharing (say through mentoring of others).

In fact, for the Christian, this is a period to generate prayer topics as we restfully think through our actions. So, for instance, if as a leader of a local church, you return from the field, you need to move into transition for a period before another field work.

It is not a wonder that, even in reading the Psalms, we are brought to periods in our reading called “SELAH” – to pause, reflect, pray, and generate insights.

From health perspective, “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living” has benefit in decreasing stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, etc.), and increasing happiness hormones (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins especially). This readjustment in levels of these hormones resulting from “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living”, translates into great boost in immune system, improvement of concentration & alertness and slowing of the rate of aging.

Let me conclude this article by giving some practical examples of “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living”:

1. It is better to eat small amounts of food at intervals of say 3 hours during the day than to starve and sit by a huge amount of food in the evening or even at lunch time.
2. It is better to give your spouse regular updates of how your day is going especially when the two of you are distance apart than to wait to come home late and force a “date” (chatting or debriefing time) which is a challenge because, often spouses are both tired from work.
3. It is better to give an overview of many topics in a short space of time than to force to treat many topics in details within that time.
4. It is better to give an “elevator pitch” (punchlines) to a seemingly distracted audience than to read a long speech to them.
5. It is better, especially during Sunday church service, to pick a single concept and treat it into details with adequate supporting evidence, illustrations, application and prayer topics than to rush through a tall list of many concepts with superficial approach to explaining them.
6. It is better to meditate on a single passage of scripture a day as part of daily devotional life than to rush through reading three or four chapters in superficial “tick the box” manner.
7. It is better, as a student, to study a particular topic, then to pause and reflect on the topic, jot down your reflections, think through how the topic applies to daily living, illustrate with self-made pictures, diagrams, drawings etc., than to jump from one major topic to the next with a “chew-pour-pass” (rote learning) approach – that leads only to head knowledge without insights.
8. It is better to keep a journal – notes of daily activities (inputs) and outcomes – than to wait for half-year or annual time of reporting to attempt recalling all you have been doing for the reporting period in view.

It is on this note that, I recommend for various institutions to incorporate “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living” into their culture; workers can be given at least 30 minutes of – no talking, no gadgets – quite or siesta time, say an hour after lunch break. Many “8 to 5” workers are effectively productive for only few hours due to exhaustion.

This approach is even more important for students and children in schools; the 7am to 5pm marathon approach to teaching often encounters counter-productivity (diminishing returns) after lunch time and thus, siesta break become handy for restoring alertness and concentration. Alternatively, teachers should give children no home work so they can have adequate time to rest their body and brain over the night.

Let me sign off by restating that, clearly “Sabbatical Approach to Daily Living” is very helpful and makes the life of a person more impactful, excelling, productive and yet relaxed and restful.

Indeed, ‘For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence…’ (Isaiah 30:15). SELAH.

Written by Apostle S. K. Fianko-Larbi (Kenya National Head, The Church of Pentecost)

To ensure human survival and coexistence with nature and the ecosystem, God created humankind to be responsible and embrace hard work. God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). So, even before the fall, “God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:29). The need for humankind to imbibe a positive attitude towards work became even critical after the fall. As a punishment to man, God said, “…Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil, you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you return to the ground…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

It is, therefore, not surprising to witness the suffering and toil humankind, not necessarily men, go through in search of having and living a relatively comfortable lifestyle. Thank God for the caveat in the ruling that established a relationship between the sweat of humankind and its resultant produce of food or profitability. Apostle Paul in In 2 Thessalonians 3:10 only re-echoed that when he said,  “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” On this occasion of Men celebrating their national week in The Church of Pentecost, I salute the National Leadership of PEMEM and all Men in the church for the diverse roles as family heads, husbands and largely the breadwinners in our societal setting.

I would also pay a glowing tribute to all Galant Business moguls and entrepreneurs whose dent of hard work has contributed to the employment of thousands, if not millions of people in the Christian fraternity. Indeed, you are why many households are making earns meet and still having and keeping a stable relationship with their maker. Life would have been unimaginable without some of you and the sacrifices and sleepless nights in standing up to the task of your hard work and entrepreneurship callings. It can only be divine, so God bless and continue to crown your every effort with success. The past three to four decades have indeed witnessed a surge in motivational speakers and celebrated entrepreneurs driving home the topic of imbibing hard work through talk shows, in the academia, business workshops, para-church conferences and even on our pulpits. It is, therefore, not unusual to bump into young men and women poised to start one business venture or the other, no matter how small. Unfortunately, some have consciously or unconsciously crossed certain red lines to what Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 2:15 refers to as “loving the wages of wickedness.” They are, thus, motivated by something that rather appears like greed and not necessarily imbibing the rudiments of hard work. This article aims to outline some posturing, attitudes and business practices motivated by greed but which have nothing to do with hard work. I would also attempt to distinguish between obeying the clarion call of God to hard work and exhibiting the symptoms of greed under the guise of working hard.

Greed is having or showing an intense and selfish desire for wealth or power. Its synonyms are avarice, materialism and money-grabbing. It can also be defined as a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed.

Greed comes from the Old English graedig, or ‘voracious,’ which means ‘always hungry for more,’. The Greek word pleonexia is the word that is most commonly translated as greed or covetousness in the New Testament. Indeed it is greed that gives rise to covetousness. It is always self-centered and never satisfied. I won’t for any moment pretend to be a repository of all knowledge and understanding regarding what constitutes hard work, but I think I have a fair insight of what hard work is not. The source of greed is the Adamic fall or the seed of sin. All humans or living organisms who have been subjected to the consequences of the fall possess traits of greed. However, certain environmental factors make it more visible in some than others.

One can, therefore, be conceived, delivered, and bred within the confines of a chapel by the Priest but still manifest a high concentration of greed in their interactions. Gehazi was always with Elisha, the double portion Prophet of God, yet greed didn’t spare him. Apostle Judas wasn’t limited either, even though he was one of Jesus’ carefully selected 12. Besides the seed of sin, which houses greed, other factors that easily breed and nurture it are but are not limited to;

• One’s upbringing and value system.
• Friends and associations.
• Silent competition of material possessions amongst peers.
• Ill-advised comparison of achievements.
• Misconceptions about what constitutes true wealth and riches in this life.
• Admiration, recognition and special acknowledgement of the wealthy in our society irrespective of the mode of acquiring those resources.
• The lack of law enforcement or punitive measures and sanctioning of those found to be guilty of ill-gotten riches out of greed.

Merriam-Webster defines Hardworking, on the other hand, as constantly, regularly, or habitually engaged in earnest and energetic work. Hardworking people are usually termed industrious and diligent. One, therefore, wonders why such a godly activity would have to bear the brunt of the greedy in our society, thereby mixing or confusing the meaning between them. Proverbs 22:28 reads, “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.” Greedy people, in their quest to get more, usually temper things that do not belong to them to annex them. The love of money, gifts, material possessions, bribery and corruption, which has become a stronghold in our society today, can all be traced back to greed.

In 1 Kings 21, a story is told of a whole King in Israel named Ahab who once wished to acquire a parcel of land from one of his subjects to use as a vegetable garden. Although he usually would have jurisdiction over all the lands within his dominion, it was not out of place to desire another person’s property if acquired through legitimate means. From the narration, the King was attracted to that particular parcel of land belonging to Naboth by its proximity to his palace. Property acquisition is not greediness, but the innate desire to acquire and add to what one already possesses at whatever cost and no matter the means, smacks of something more than just being hardworking. King Ahab told Naboth, “I will pay you whatever it is worth.” (1 Kings 21:2b). Naboth refused to sell the property, so the King went straight to his bedroom, disturbed and refused to eat. Having a vegetable garden, starting one business or the other or helping our men to venture into lucrative businesses is one great vision of the Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM). The response to the first slogan of PEMEM is, however, “The image and glory of God” and not “To acquire and grab by fair or foul means”, failure to which hell must break loose. Lying at one corner on his bed, sullen, angry, sulking and refusing to eat and cooperate with his wife, Jezebel reminded him he was the King and could, therefore, have whatever pleases him in case he had forgotten. (1 Kings 21:7). She schemed with some scoundrels and had Naboth assassinated and afterwards handed over Naboth’s parcel of land to her husband Ahab for his vegetable garden venture. This is what greed is all about. It uses every power and influence available to get whatever one craves irrespective of the cost to self or others.

“Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. Say to him. This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property? Then say to him, This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!” It is quite instructive to learn that although King Ahab had started putting to good use the seized Land of Naboth, God did not acknowledge his “hard work” in that vegetable farm but called him a murderer who had seized someone’s property.  Ahab could have avoided God’s judgment on his entire household should he had played the game of “hard work” within the boundaries of its ethical standards. After Naboth was murdered, King Ahab and his sweetheart Jezebel died with dogs licking their blood as decreed by God. Greed is, therefore, one of the few two-edged swords with the propensity to kill its victims and their culprits.

And to the entire household of King Ahab, God said, “Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who dies in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.” (1 Kings 21:24)). In their quest to acquire and grab more by multiplying their possessions under the guise of hard work, many family heads have accrued needless suffering and pain on their households and generations after them. In 2 Kings 10:8-11, seventy sons of Ahab were slaughtered. Jehu also killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining as spoken by Elijah, the servant of God. Meanwhile, none of his children was in the picture when Jezebel was masterminding the assassination of Naboth.

Of course, there is a relationship between hardworking and increased profitability or wealth. 1 Timothy 6:6-10, however, cautioned all who have a strong affinity for wealth and riches. It reads, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Some view the above scripture as a demotivator of the principles of hard work. They forget that it was the same Apostle Paul who espoused that the one unwilling to work should not eat. Hardworking has nothing to do with piercing oneself with all sorts of grief just because of greed.

The greedy may appear hardworking, but not all hardworking people are greedy. Why not? We all get motivated and inspired by calls and the captivating presentations on modern trends in establishing businesses and imbibing the rudiments of hardworking, but wait a minute! If you are falsifying documents and lying through that new enterprise you intend to set up; it is not hardworking. It is dishonesty. When greed is allowed to take over the heart and mind, one behaves like a hypnotised person, unresponsive to logic and reasoning. If not so, Judas wouldn’t have also asked Jesus at the last supper the betrayer He was talking about when he had already pocketed the 30 shekels of silver to betray Him (Matthew 26:24-25). Greed is, therefore, the underlying health condition of some pathological liars and the cause of some high-profile murder cases which haven’t been resolved for decades. It is greediness If you have to slander and mudsling others to get your business enterprise booming. It can’t be entrepreneurship, so stop throwing dust into our eyes. If your businesses are thriving and being sustained by cheating, taking advantage of others and the weak and vulnerable institutions, then I am afraid it cannot be hardworking. If you are evading the various tax regimes but busily setting up new enterprises to evade more and rake in more, it is called dishonesty and greediness and not hardworking. If you have to eliminate others by rough tactics for your business(s) to thrive, you have become a murderer and not the hard worker you want the world to celebrate. Let us not demonise the word “hardworking” by our actions and evil desires. The spirit of hardworking is what is needed in our time, and being blessed to become one doesn’t make one allergic to honesty and truthfulness.

Then come those who argue vociferously that enough wealth must be left for the children, so they don’t suffer but live comfortably. They, thus, use the family and children they will be living behind as the primary reason for their cravings but not necessarily being motivated by greed. It is, however, worth noting that Father Abraham, with all his great material possessions, could not insulate his covenant child Isaac from the realities and hazards of life’s challenges. Genesis 13:2, “Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.” When Abraham died, God also blessed Isaac in addition to whatever his Dad had bequeathed to him (Genesis 25:11). Amazingly, this wealth was, after all, not enough to bail Isaac from a severe famine that hit the Land of Cannan in those days. So in Genesis 26:2, Isaac contemplated moving to Egypt in search of greener pastures. God intercepted Isaac’s move and promised him to stay and wait for His blessings. Isaac, who had been trained and taught by Abraham to listen and obey God’s voice, obliged and stayed in Gerar (Genesis 26:6). “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him.” (Genesis 26:12). The Lesson to all fathers is the need to spend quality time investing in the spiritual life of the members of our households so they can hear and obey God’s voice anytime He speaks. Men must  lead  the family to imbibe Kingdom values and its righteousness. Even though the riches handed over from Abraham dwindled drastically over a period, no one could take the legacy of his relationship with his maker from him. There can, therefore, never be any sustainable thing, such as working hard to acquire enough properties for all the generations that follow after you. With all the blessings Isaac also handed over to his sons Jacob and Esau, they equally faced severe hunger and drought at one time or the other in their lifetime. Joseph, who became the shining star amongst Jacob’s children and hosted his father and brothers, was also loaded with great blessings from God. Although they settled in Gershon or the best part of the Land of Egypt, the sons of Jacob and their generation would have left Egypt empty-handed after staying and working hard there for 430 years, but for God’s intervention during the night of their departure.

Besides the above Biblical accounts, the incredible impact of Covid-19 and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts have proved that no amount of investments made out of one’s dent of hard work can provide enough buffer from the hazards and uncertainties of this life. Like Job, one can wake up one morning and, within a spate of seconds, lose everything that has been inherited together with one’s acquired possessions.  The parable of the prodigal son also teaches that a child who chooses to pick up wild living can squander everything bequeathed within a short period whiles the Parents are still alive. Men must, therefore, take up the arduous task of raising godly children in the home. It is the reign of Christ in the hearts of the children that becomes the anchor when the storms of life begin to hit hard at their boats. Even when we are dead and gone as Fathers, we can rest assured that they will sail through the storms. If the search for wealth and riches constantly prevents you from spending quality time with God, family and children, then the indication is symptomatic of something much more severe than just being a hardworking Parent. After all, Solomon said in Ecclesiastes  5:10, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This, too, is meaningless.”

Meanwhile, the very children, because we are running helter-skelter in ensuring they live comfortably, haven’t also vowed to be good-for-nothing when they grow. If anything, our hearts must rather be at peace with the scripture, “I was young, and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread.” (Psalm 37:25). Using the children as the sole excuse for the wanton amassing of wealth under the guise of hardworking is, therefore, not tenable.

Today, you can hardly correlate the income levels of some per their professions, appointment letters and remuneration with their acquired assets. It becomes even more problematic when there seems to be no proper compliance and enforcement of the declaration of assets and liabilities before people’s engagement. Many have, thus, been touted as hardworking by society but amassed wealth through bribery and corruption as well as what can be best described as “induced gifts” out of greed. Offering gifts out of a genuine and generous heart is an everyday gesture that even attracts God’s blessings. So, Naaman’s offer of gifts to Prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 5:15 after his miraculous healing was not out of place. Greedy people are fast and appear intelligent and sharp at times because Gehazi hurried after Naaman and, within split seconds, fabricated stories and lies using Elisha’s name to add to his possessions.

Gehazi, the servant of the Prophet, thinking he was smart, pursued Naaman saying, “My Master was too easy on Naaman by not accepting from him what he brought. He continued, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him” (2 Kings 5:20). The tagging of God’s name to our ill-gotten treasures and businesses at times through testimonies is not a new development. It is pure greed under the cloak of religiosity. One sure mark of the greedy is their excessive desire for more. Although Gehazi asked Naaman for a talent of silver when he got to him, when he was offered two, he collected them. (I Kings 5:23). Be hardworking, Sir, but your unrestrained appetite for riches and wealth can only be motivated by greed or covetousness. What greedy people refuse to appreciate is what Elisha told Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:26b, which is, “There’s time to take money or accept gifts”, or it is not every money or gift you must so passionately desire for. The tragic end of Gehazi is enough lessons for all who are working hard but occasionally allowing greed to take the better part of their sense of judgment. Naaman’s leprosy clinched Gehazi and his household forever. Greed is indeed a sword that wounds and kills. So, in Proverbs 15:27, “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.”

Ironically and contrary to logical reasoning, greed is not synonymous with the needy in our society. The rich and wealthy are even more predisposed to that condition than the poor (2 Samuel 12:2-4). In this era in our Christian community, where so much is being propagated about entrepreneurship, investments, and savings, care must be taken to ensure that in our quest to be hardworking, we don’t wear ourselves out. In Luke 12:15b, Jesus confirms that “Man’s life doesn’t depend on the abundance of the things he possesses”. Indeed, He continues to signal that those who lay up treasure for themselves may not even live to enjoy them (verse 21). Greediness and covetousness have never paid its victims any good thing except disappointment, misery, untold hardships and ultimately, death. In (Josh 7:19-26), Achan met his untimely death and never enjoyed what he coveted (i.e. silver, gold etc.,). It is also instructive to learn that Colossians 3:5 equates greediness to idolatry, and in 1 Corinthians 6:10, the greedy will never inherit the Kingdom of God.

As the bride of Christ waiting for our bridegroom, let us imbibe every rudiment of hardworking but be on guard and eschew all forms of greed and covetousness as and when they become the subtle driving force. “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves to sensuality to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth in Jesus.”  (Ephesians 4:19-21). Be hardworking, but greed is alien to the Christian calling and teachings. Stay blessed.

Written by Pastor James Orhin Agyin