MESSAGE FROM THE ALTAR DEVOTIONAL. SERVICE 30/05/2021ON DEATH ROW

ROMANS 3:21-2421. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.22. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There’s no difference,23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24. and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (NIV).HEBREWS 9: 27-2827. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that judgement,28. so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.(NIV). The Death row or Condemned row is where prisoners who have been convicted of capital crimes and are awaiting execution are housed in prison. Unless, through appeals, the judgment is overturned, the prisoner on the Death row must eventually be killed as punishment for the crime committed or deemed to have been committed. The world is under siege. Terrorists are on killing sprees. Natural and man made activities are sending people to early graves. In some situations, pogroms and wanton destruction of means of livelihood are unabatedly and unabashedly executed. Perpetrators of the grievous crimes are never apprehended or brought to justice even when apprehended. We live in a state of perpetual fear, of despondency. There is no hiding place as the merchants of misery and death advertise the effectiveness of their wares. We live in abattoirs awaiting the slaughterers. We wail and lament woefully whenever the executioners snuffed out the lives of their victims. We shudder pitifully as we ponder on who’s turn it is to die. There is chaos in the land; there’s devastation of the land; and the people intoxicated by agony stare into nothingness, in resignation as they await the hangman’s noose. There’s no appeasement as hordes of murderous villains boisterously trample on the dignity of the innocent . There’s lamentation everywhere as people die, most unprepared for God’s day of reckoning: it’s appointed unto man to die once, then judgement. Only those who are counted as disciples of Jesus Christ; those that accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour; those that do the will of God through the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit; and those that profess Jesus Christ as the Son of God Almighty have hopes of eternal life for their names are in the Book of Life. There’s no other way of escaping eternal damnation except clinging faithfully to the promises of Jesus Christ. There’s no other prophet that can lead humanity to eternal rest. There’s neither any other religion nor creed that can win God’s favour on the day of judgment. Only Jesus Christ is the Divinely accepted Door to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is the glorious Light that illumine the way to God’s eternal city of peace. Every other religion or creed and adherents have already missed the Way and unless there’s repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour must suffer the indignity of the tortuous regime of satan in the kingdom of everlasting darkness and regret. The pertinent questions that we must answer now as people on Death row are : If death comes today, who takes possession of your soul — angels or demons ?If the Book of Life is opened today, will your name be found therein ? Like prisoners on Death row, are you ready for the executioner ? Will the “Celebration of Life” announcing your transition translate to “Welcome home, faithful servant” in the hereafter ? That you’re reading this piece shows that you still have the opportunity to make the right choice. The right choice is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour; and faithfully cling to His promises of hope and of deliverance from eternal damnation. May our names be found in the Book of Life, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.