SECRETS

“A betrayer of secrets forfeits all trust and will never find the kind of friend he wants. Be fond of a friend and keep faith with him, but if you have betrayed his secrets, do not go after him anymore; for, as one destroys a person by killing him, so you have killed your neighbor’s friendship, and as you let a bird slip through your fingers, so you have let your friend go and will not catch him. Do not got after him – he is far away, he has fled like gazelle from the snare. For a wound can be bandaged and abuse forgiven, but for the betrayer of a secret there is no hope” (Sirach27:16-21)

Here the friendship/secrets we are being told about are one that helps us to develop as well as maintain consistent path with the righteousness of GOD, nothing more or less.

VIRTUE:

‘If you pursue virtue, you will attain it and put it on like a festal gown. Birds consort with their kind, truth comes home to those who practice it. The lion lies in wait for its prey, so does sin for those who do wrong. The conversation of the devout is wisdom at all times, but the fool is as changeable as the moon. When visiting stupid people, choose the right moment, but among the thoughtful take your time. The conversation of fools is disgusting, raucous their laughter in their sinful pleasures. The talk of hard-swearing people makes your hair stand on end, their brawling makes you stop your ears. A quarrel between the proud leads to bloodshed and their insults are embarrassing to hear’ (Sirach27:8-15)

ALMSGIVING:

“Nevertheless, be patient with those who are badly off, do not keep them waiting on your generosity. In obedience to the commandment, help the poor; do not turn the poor away empty-handed in their need. Spend your money on your brother or your friend; do not leave it under a stone to rust away. Use your wealth as the Most High has decreed; you will find that more profitable than gold. Stock your store-rooms with almsgiving; this will save you from all misfortune. Better than sturdy shield or weighty spear, this will fight for you against the enemy” [Sirach29:8-13]

BRINGING UP CHILDREN:

If you have anyone under your care either as parents, guardian or senior/head in any group as well as future parents and guardian; your responsibility will be made simpler, unique and worthwhile if you meditate with this passage before and after every day’s encounter/event:

‘Whoever loves his son will beat him frequently so that in after years the son may be his comfort. Whoever is strict with his son will reap the benefit and be able to boast of him to his acquaintances. Whoever educates his son will be the envy of his enemy and will be proud of him among his friends. Even when the father dies, he might well not be dead, since he leaves his likeness behind him. In life he has had the joy of his company, dying, he has no anxieties. He leaves an avenger against his enemies and a rewarder of favors for his friends. Whoever coddles his son will bandage his wounds; his heart will turn over at every cry. A badly broken-in horse turns out stubborn; a son left to himself turns out headstrong. Pamper your child and he will terrorize you, play along with him and he will bring you sorrow. Do not laugh with him or one day you will weep with him and end up gnashing your teeth. While he is young, do not allow his freedom and do not wink at his mistakes. Bend his neck in youth, bruise his ribs while he is a child, or else he will grow stubborn and disobedient and hurt you very deeply. Be strict with your son and persevere with him or you will rue his insolence’ (Sirach30:1-13)

CHASTE CELIBACY:

“…like an eunuch embracing a pretty girl – how he sighs” (Sirach30:20)

What is a man under the vow of chaste celibacy doing in the warmth embrace of a woman/lady?

What is a woman under the vow of chaste celibacy doing in the warmth embrace of a man/boy?

HEALTH:

“Better be poor if healthy and fit than rich if tormented in body. Health and strength are better than any gold, a robust body than untold wealth. No riches can outweigh bodily health, no enjoyment surpass a cheerful heart. Better death than a wretched life and everlasting rest than chronic illness. Good things lavished on a closed mouth are like food offerings put on a grave. What use is an offering to an idol which can neither eat nor smell? How describe someone pursued by the Lord’s displeasure? He looks and sighs like an eunuch embracing a pretty girl – how he sighs!” {Sirach 30:14-20}

COMMITMENT WITH GOD:

 Getting committed with God is a great and awesome avenue every child of God (‘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) should follow without delay lest the seed of God’s glory planted in us will be made weak and inactive by laziness, bad-company and fear {“Everyone, no matter how firmly he thinks he is standing must be careful he does not fall” 1 Cor.10:12}. This entails the following

Praying consistently [1 Thess.5:17] by way of speech, behavior, actions, thoughts e.t.c that portray righteousness and also getting involved in mental prayers continuously

Digging deep into the word of God (“How I love your Law! I ponder it all day long. You make me wiser than my enemies by your commandment which is mine forever. I am wiser than all my teachers because I ponder your instructions. I have more understanding than the aged because I keep your precepts” Ps.119:97-100)

Choosing, accepting and maintaining honest Christian friends just the way Christ chose you [‘you did not choose me, no I chose you…’ Jn.15:16] since “…Bad company corrupts good ways” {1 Cor.15:33} but ‘a loyal friend is a powerful defense: whoever finds one has indeed found a treasure…whoever fears the Lord makes true friends, for as a person is, so is his friend too’ (Sirach 6:14-17)

Getting rid of all junk; junk in the life of a Christian are those things that distracts us from righteousness like pornographic pictures, videos, songs, novels, books, websites, clothes, lustful discussions and teachings, co-habiting with opposite sex e.t.c. One should also flee depraved and bad groups like cultism, partying-spirit, fashion-maniac, money-mongers e.t.c  [‘turn away from the passions of youth, concentrate on uprightness, faith, love and peace, in union with all those who call on the Lord with a pure heart’ 2Tim.2:22]

Maintaining your loyal position with the sound and profound teachings of the One, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic Church instituted by Christ {Mtt.16:18} thus “keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, look after that precious thing given in trust” [2Tim.1:13-14] and so with you as you are eager to have spiritual powers, aim to be rich in those which build up the Church’ (1Cor.14:12).

Always maintain fellowship [“do not absent yourself from your own assemblies, as some do, but encourage each other; the more so as you see the day drawing near” Heb.10:25] with the Church of Christ because it is the pillar of truth {‘…in the Church of the living God, pillar and support of the truth’ 1Tim.3:15} and there you will always be given the sound doctrine “You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true; remember who your teachers were and how ever since you were a child, you have known the holy scriptures – from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and useful for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be upright. This is how someone who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work” [2 Tim.3:14-17].

DEPRESSING THINGS:

“There are two things which grieve my heart and a third arouses my anger: a warrior wasting away through poverty, the intelligent treated with contempt, someone turning back from virtue to sin—the Lord marks out such a person for a violent death” [Sirach26:28]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE TO NIGERIA:

Please Offer this unique prayer for Nigeria with attention, dignity and devotion since it is our PIN {Personal Identity Number} with the Heavens as a Nation.    Arise O Compatriots…

For Our President;

Lord give an undivided heart to Jonathan our president to keep your commandments, your decrees and your statutes, to put them all into effect and to build our country into a palace for which You have made provision {1 Chr.29:19} Amen.

For Other leaders;

Father of Heaven grant them the wisdom that sits by your throne and do not reject from amongst your servants that supported by your grace and mercy they may help the president and the citizens to actualize a just and Christian society where injustice, greed and pride may give way for peace, love, charity and fear of God to reign. Amen.

For Citizens;

Eternal God open the eyes of our mind that we may allow righteousness that dwells within us to bear fruits of genuine and sincere love for one another as we co-operate with the righteous injunctions of the state as well as rejecting the ungodly ideas and principles of this world. Amen.

For a new month;

Thanks to you, Almighty God for the gift of a new month which you have given in the first place, we implore your mercies for the past months as we seek your face in order that we may remain steadfast in bearing honest witness to you this month and the remaining months of our Life. Amen.

REFLECTIONS:

“This is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people” {Jer.31:33}

‘I will make an everlasting covenant with them; I will not cease in my efforts for their good and I will put respect for me into their hearts, so that they turn from me no more’ (Jer.32:40)

“You, my sheep, are the flock of men I shall pasture and I am your God – it is the Lord God who speaks” [Ezek.34:31]

As a child of God are you still walking in line with the new covenant of Christ on the cross of Calvary with a ransom beyond sordid currency; the blood of Christ, never a lamb so spotless and pure as our victim {1 Pet.1:19}?

Always have these at your sub-conscious and conscious mind ‘but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved’ (Mtt.24:13) and “nothing unclean may come into it: no one who does what is loathsome or false, but only those who are listed in the Lamb’s book of life” [Rev.21:27]

The word of God is deeply engraved in our hearts waiting for that decision which unlocks the latch of our hearts from within (“look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person’s side” Rev.3:20)

The covenant is everlasting hence God will not cease in His efforts to draw us to himself until our biological death [‘the dead cannot praise the Lord, those who sink into silence’ Ps.115:17] but if we honestly, sincerely and eagerly accept his call rarely will he allow us to fall back to our old sinful nature {“…My Grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness…2 Cor.12:9} unless we begin to deny dependence on Him and count equality with God (‘the fool has said in his heart, there is no God. their deeds are corrupt and vile not one of them does right’ Ps.14:1)