HOPE AND FAITH IN THE MIDST OF CORONA VIRUS

I am glad and grateful to the living, all knowing, all seeing, all powerful and ever present God through His immaculate son, Jesus Christ the preserver and the savior of the world for keeping you and me safe in the midst of the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic.

It is my candid desire to send this encouraging message to you all, knowing truly well that this is a global virus which is currently shaking the entire world, irrespective of the global technological and scientific prowess. The entire world is being intimidated, afflicted, inflicted, affected and devastated by the so-called Covid-19.

Like the time of Habakkuk which was a difficult time, a time of hopelessness, and a moment of lips quivering and trembled body, yet, he determined to rejoice in the Lord and had a very undeterred joy in the God of his salvation; making God his strength, asking God to make his feet like deer’s feet so as to walk on his high hills, (Habakkuk 3: 16-19).

In like manner, I write to encourage you in particular and the entire Christian world in general to develop an unflinching hope and faith in God’s ability to conquer the virus called Corona, without asking why and how long will God allow all these things to happen in the world.

Like the hymn of faith lyrically presented by Habakkuk (3: 17), we can equally with all sense of hope and faith say:

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat; the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (3:17-18).

I want you to know that although there is a sit down at home order from the government, although there is no money, no food, no liberty to go out and find ends meet, although there are deaths in the city, armed robbery rocking the nation’s boat, yet we will continue to trust the able God and continue to rejoice in him.

Remember that from time immemorial, shut down has been in existence, and it is for the safety, benefits and security of God’s people. It is meant for the refuge from contracting the virus; in the day of prophet Isaiah in chapter 26 verse 20, God instructed the prophet to prophesy and he prophesied as directed.

"Come my people enter your chamber (Rooms) and shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, For a little moment, until the indignation is past."

 And the prophet had narrated the specific reason for the indignation, predicament as in (Isaiah 26: 21), 

“For behold, the LORD comes out of HIS place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no, more cover her slain.”

Fellow Christians, this message becomes vital to us so as to examine our lives and amend our ways, turn to God for refuge and salvation.

The world is full of all sorts of wickedness such as bloodletting, ritualism, backstabbing, selfishness, idolatrous practices, moral decadence to mention but this few, so, these warrant God’s wrath on all unrighteousness (Romans 1:18-32). Let’s repent from all unrighteousness and turn to God of righteousness, and be sanctified unto Him. Having done that, we shall be able to stand protected, preserved and covered with the immaculate blood of our saviour Jesus Christ against the contractual scourge of Coronavirus, known as Covid-19.                  

              Remember God’s thoughts concerning you are not that of evil. Just make God your dwelling place, abide under the secret of the most high and His shadow. He remains the almighty and not the virus (Jeremiah 29: 11 and Psalm 91).

         Make sure you observe the precautionary measures that are put in place by the World Health Organization, (WHO), the NCDC and the Nigeria nation, particularly the hand washing, sanitizing and social distancing. Discard the myths and know that Covid-19 is deadly.

Stay at home, and stay safe prayerfully. Although, people are having the feeling that the Church is shutdown, which is wrong. It is rather the building that is shutdown temporarily, and not the Church. The Church is organism and not infrastructures.  

God bless you all.

THIS IS A MESSAGE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, NIGERIA, OJO ALABA INTERNATIONAL AREA, LAGOS,

From the Area Superintendent, Pastor Dr. J.O.D. Ekele, JP, Cert, Dcs, BA.Ed, BA,MA,Dmin.