NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

Firstly, truth and holiness are attributes or qualities God expects from all believers. For us to be channels of truth and holiness we must adhere to the admonishment given by Moses to the Israelites that “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ (Deuteronomy 4:5-6). In other words, believers must stand out and be channels of truth and holiness in the world by diligently studying and remembering the commandment and statutes of God. We must know our Scripture by devoting time to read it daily and to reflect on the commandments of God. It is for this reason Moses again reminded the Israelites that “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children (Deuteronomy 4:9). 

It is expected that Christian parents will be a channel of truth and holiness as an example to be followed by their children.  If this is effectively done, we shall have a God-fearing generation who will not condone or participate in corruption and other societal vices. One of the ways to nurture our children to become channels of truth and holiness is to ensure we have morning devotions with them and encourage them to read the Scripture for the purpose of Bible study. The greatest weakness of most 21 century Christian families is that Scripture is not at the centre of their family life and faith. Most Christian families hardly pray together and hardly meet for Bible study or go to church together for Bible study programmes. The majority of Christians in our generation are Sunday worshippers.  Most parents expect the Children ministry facilitator or teacher to be responsible for a role parents themselves ought to have been doing daily. 

Secondly, it is one thing knowing the Word of God and it is another thing practising it to become a channel of God’s truth and holiness. Jesus in Mark 7:9-16  exposes the Pharisees who know the commandment but are not channels of truth and holiness. They have misled young men to neglect their parents in the name of religious practices. Again, Jesus stresses the fact that what comes out of us in terms of our thoughts and action is what defile us. It means that if we truly know the Word of God, what will come out of us will not defile us but will be qualities of truth and holiness. “Hear me, all of you, and understand:  There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” (Mark 7:14-15) Food and drinks that go into us are not evil in themselves but “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23).  

My dear friend to be a channel of truth and holiness we must live faithfully according to the Word of God for it is the only way to please God and receive His blessings. Apostle James gives us great encouragement and direction on how to be a channel of truth and holiness when he wrote that “... be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22-25).  Beloved in the Lord we continue to experience evil and ascendency in crime because many Christians are not channels of truth and holiness at their homes, workplaces and in the society in which they reside. We have limited truth and holiness to Sunday worship services but resort to all manner of ungodly and fleshly desires from Monday to Saturday.  Truth and holiness must be seen in the manner we manage anger and relate with others. “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19-21) 

In conclusion, a channel of Truth and Holiness cannot be achieved except we make time to study the Word of God and live according to the teachings and commandments of God. We shall be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a channel of truth and holiness if our hearts and minds are inclined to the Word of God.  When we become a channel of Truth and holiness, we shall become agents of transformation and the world shall bear testimony of God’s power at work in us and our lost brothers and sisters will be willing to hear the Good News preached to them. May His grace continue to abide with us.  Amen.  

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)