The General Overseer, All Christian Fellowship Mission, Rev. William Okoye, has admonished Christian faithful to use the occasion of Christmas to live right and touch the lives of the needy in the society.
Okoye gave the advice on Thursday, in Abuja in his Christmas message to Nigerians in interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that the call to be generous was necessary in order to reach out to the less privileged to enable them share in the joy of the season.
He explained that the current economic challenges in the country had made it difficult for many citizens to fend for themselves so, Nigerians should lend out to their neighbours just as God sent Jesus to mankind.
“The birth of Jesus Christ was and is critical because without Jesus coming into the world our salvation will not be possible.
“In God’s scale of values ,salvation of humanity is his number one priority that is why he said what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
“So our relationship with God if we understand the true meaning of life, must be our number one priority because the Bible says all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
“God in his love and mercy decided that instead of us dying that is eternal separation from God ,he will come down in the person of his son Jesus to take our place and die in order to bring us salvation .’’
According to Okoye, the good news about the Christmas season is that God came down to identify with humanity and the reason why he came down is his love as expressed in Hebrews chapter 4:14 to 16.
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
“Let us therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’’
Okoye said that it was necessary for Jesus to be like us his brothers so that he could be our merciful and faithful high priest before God.
He said that Jesus had to go through everything humans were going through so that he would understand their pains and difficulties because He is wonderfully able to help them.
He said that in view of all the difficulties Nigerians were going through right now ,the good news is that God is available to them.
“He has made himself available to us as humans through Christ .
“As many as will repent of their sins and receive him as their Lord and saviour in the midst of their suffering, they will have a saviour who understands what their problems are and he is wonderfully able to help.’’
Okoye encouraged Christians to celebrate Christmas moderately and not go overboard because the significance of the season was more spiritual than physical.
He advised Christians not to travel aimlessly unless there was a cogent reason to do so because of the security situation in the country.
He prayed for Nigerians that God would keep them safe and urged them to draw close to God to help them because they were living in a very difficult time.
“Put your hands as it were in the hands of God and allow him to lead you every step of the way into the New Year because he is the only one who has passed that way before.
“He knows the present, past and the future, so if we make loving God, serving Him, and pleasing Him our top priority, this season,the new year and the rest of our lives will be better for it.’’(NAN)
