A communicant member assisting at NKST (Universal Reformed Christian Church), Iortyer in Iortyer-classis, Rev. Pastor Moses Teryima Pinga has enjoined Christians to shun the habit of forgetting the good deeds done to them by God and fellow human beings, stressing that God wants us to give Him glory for all that He does for us.
Rev. Pinga who is also a staff of Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi gave this admonition recently during a Sunday worship service that also marked the end of the programme of activities/Church parade of the Girls Brigade (GB) 60th Benue company, Iortyer and witnessed the year’s renewal of names for Sunday School (MIM) members as well as the thanksgiving of Building Engineers in Makurdi on the theme: “Do not forget the Lord your God”.
Reading from the book of Deuteronomy 8:11-20 where Moses urged the Israelites to remember their dependence upon God and warns them about pride and self-sufficiency when they reach the promised land, the cleric outlined some reasons that often led people to forsake God and spelt out the dangers of forgetting to acknowledge God even as he advised Christians to be loyal to the commandments and instructions of God at all times.
“We are in the seventh week of observing the lent period and I urged you never to forget the work that the Lord did for the salvation of your life. We have a common habit of forgetting to appreciate the kindness shown to us by God and spirited individuals just like the Chief Cupbearer in the book of Genesis 40:9 forgot to mention Joseph to king Pharaoh despite his passionate appeal hence this reminder.
“There are many things behind our failure to acknowledge the good deeds of God on our lives-prosperity or success, poverty, lost of our beloved ones, achievements and progress, taking to politics etc. Our success often have a way of making us proud, forgetting what we were before God elevated us.
“Sometimes poverty and other trying moments of our lives make us to curse God or act foolishly instead of guarding ourselves from anger and temptation like David acted in similar circumstances in Psalms 39.
“We should be mindful that perishing in fire is the punishment for forsaking God as the verse 19 in the passage where we have read in Deuteronomy emphasized. Note that God will equally deal with those who steal His glory the same way He dealt with Belshazzar who takes what belongs to Him and uses it for his own pleasure and Nebuchadnezzar who became arrogant with his achievement. So let us emulate Christ who has always acknowledge the supremacy and glory of the Lord on His life”.
