Is your present job/hobby/career/time-table/schedule/event/activity/vocation e.t.c for each day that with which you can draw/muster courage to say “consumatum est” {it is finished; Jn.19:30} to God should death meet you at that point or ‘as for me, my life is already being poured away as a libation and the time has come for me to depart. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come for me now is the crown of uprightness which the Lord, the upright judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing’ [2 Tim.4:6-8] since our Lord’s sixth word on the cross at the Calvary confirmed the fear most men are unwilling to admit {‘since human beings die only once, after which comes judgment’ Heb.9:27} that we can die any second of the day whether rich/poor/married/single/barren/potent/righteous/unrighteous e.t.c [‘your pride has been flung down to Sheol with the music of your lyres; under you a mattress of maggots, over you a blanket of worms’ Isaiah 14:11]which will be followed by a detailed account of how we utilized or misused the Grace, Talent, Span, Intelligence, Honor, Immortality, Power e.t.c poured on us at creation (“the Lord God shaped man from the soil of the ground and blew the breath of life into his nostrils and man became a living being” Gen.2:7) and baptism {‘I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me, no I chose you; and commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name’ Jn.15:15-16} as Christ did [“I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do” Jn.17:4] which gave him the boldness to commend His Soul (‘…Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. With these words he breathed his last’ Lk.23:46) as his last word on the cross to the One who alone could save him and He was heard for His righteousness {“During his life on earth, he offered up prayer and entreaty, with loud cries and with tears, to the one who had the power to save him from death and winning a hearing by his reverence, he learnt obedience, Son though he was, through his sufferings; when he had been perfected, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation and was acclaimed by God with the title of high priest of the order of Melchizedek” Heb.5:7-10}
BEFORE EACH DAY RUNS OUT TRY TO CROSS ANY OR SOME OF THESE HURDLE:
Abstinence from Food and Drinks supplemented with mental prayers and selfless encounter with other human being; Esther did with Mordecai and few Jew which saved them from the devious plan of Haman thus “whereupon Esther sent this reply to Mordecai, Go and assemble all the Jews now in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink day or night for three days. For my part, I and my waiting-women shall keep the same fast, after which I shall go to the king in spite of the law and if I perish, I perish. Mordecai went away and carried out Esther’s instructions…He looked up afire with majesty and blazing with anger, saw her. The queen sank to the floor…but God changed the king’s heart, inducing a milder spirit. He sprang from his throne in alarm and took her in his arms until she recovered comforting her with soothing words. What is the matter, Esther? He said. I am your brother. Take heart, you are not going to die; our order applies only to ordinary people. Come to me” {Esther 4:15-5:1}
Give alms to the poor and let your love for others exude from your inner-heart for it washes away multitude of sin (‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8) when performed with good intention [“almsgiving is a most effective offering for all those who do it in the presence of the Most High” Tobit 4:11]
Let your actions, dressing, speech, intentions, silence, diligence, commitment e.t.c relay the message of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit {Rom.14:17-19} to your soul and others bearing in mind the imminence of death, judgment, hell and Heaven (Col.3:16-17)
Why you should start practicing these and many more other virtues consistently and continuously:
“You love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with oil of gladness as none of your rivals” {Ps.45:7}
‘Be sure of it, the wicked will not go unpunished, but the race of the upright will come to no harm’ [Prov.11:21]
“Uprightness makes a nation great by sin whole race are disgraced” (Prov.14:34)
‘It is hard for the upright to be saved, what will happen to the wicked and to sinners? {1 Pet.4:18}
“Uprightness will be the belt around his waist and constancy the belt about his hips” (Isaiah 11:5)
‘He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin’ {Sirach 15:20}
“But anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” [Mtt.24:13]
‘love virtue, you who are judges on earth, let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord, seek him in simplicity of heart; since he is to be found by those who do not put him to the test he shows himself to those who do not distrust him’ (Wisd.1:1-2)
PRAYER:
Lord, in answer to our prayer give us patience in suffering hardships after the example of your Only-begotten Son, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
BEFORE EACH DAY RUNS OUT TRY TO CROSS ANY OR SOME OF THESE HURDLE:
Abstinence from Food and Drinks supplemented with mental prayers and selfless encounter with other human being; Esther did with Mordecai and few Jew which saved them from the devious plan of Haman thus “whereupon Esther sent this reply to Mordecai, Go and assemble all the Jews now in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink day or night for three days. For my part, I and my waiting-women shall keep the same fast, after which I shall go to the king in spite of the law and if I perish, I perish. Mordecai went away and carried out Esther’s instructions…He looked up afire with majesty and blazing with anger, saw her. The queen sank to the floor…but God changed the king’s heart, inducing a milder spirit. He sprang from his throne in alarm and took her in his arms until she recovered comforting her with soothing words. What is the matter, Esther? He said. I am your brother. Take heart, you are not going to die; our order applies only to ordinary people. Come to me” {Esther 4:15-5:1}
Give alms to the poor and let your love for others exude from your inner-heart for it washes away multitude of sin (‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8) when performed with good intention [“almsgiving is a most effective offering for all those who do it in the presence of the Most High” Tobit 4:11]
Let your actions, dressing, speech, intentions, silence, diligence, commitment e.t.c relay the message of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit {Rom.14:17-19} to your soul and others bearing in mind the imminence of death, judgment, hell and Heaven (Col.3:16-17)
Why you should start practicing these and many more other virtues consistently and continuously:
“You love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with oil of gladness as none of your rivals” {Ps.45:7}
‘Be sure of it, the wicked will not go unpunished, but the race of the upright will come to no harm’ [Prov.11:21]
“Uprightness makes a nation great by sin whole race are disgraced” (Prov.14:34)
‘It is hard for the upright to be saved, what will happen to the wicked and to sinners? {1 Pet.4:18}
“Uprightness will be the belt around his waist and constancy the belt about his hips” (Isaiah 11:5)
‘He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin’ {Sirach 15:20}
“But anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” [Mtt.24:13]
‘love virtue, you who are judges on earth, let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord, seek him in simplicity of heart; since he is to be found by those who do not put him to the test he shows himself to those who do not distrust him’ (Wisd.1:1-2)
PRAYER:
Lord, in answer to our prayer give us patience in suffering hardships after the example of your Only-begotten Son, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
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