Open Heavens October 21, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Jere 24-26

CAUSES OF PREMATURE DEATH

MEMORIZE: "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Psalms116:15)

READ: Deut. 32:48-52

Long life on earth and eternity in Heaven are part of God’s promises to believers. For instance, in Psalms 91:16, God says, “With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation”. Also, Job 5:26 says, “Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season”. Is anyone or anything threatening to snuff life out of you? There is an appointed date with death: until that day, you shall not die. You shall live up to your full age in Jesus’ Name. Although God has promised us long life, not every believer is living up to their full age. In fact, quite a number of believers die before their appointed time. This makes God unhappy as it would definitely affect His plan for their lives.

There are several reasons believers die before the appointed time. First, it could be as a result of disobedience. Let us take Moses as an example. He started his ministry at the age of 80. From birth, it was evident to his parents that God had a plan for his life. He died at the age of 120. Deuteronomy 34:7 says, “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated”. At the time Moses had to die, his strength, anointing and body could go another distance in years of ministry. God had equipped him to take the Israelites into the promised land; yet he died prematurely because he refused to put God first, and obey Him completely (Deut. 32:48-52). Trivializing God’s commands could cut short your life span!

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints”(Psalm 116:15). God takes the homecoming of His faithful children as a very important event. The exit of a bonafide believer from the earth is a big event that Heaven celebrates. But disobedience, or not making God number one, could erode the glamour of such a triumphant heavenly entry. Eli’s death was a fallout of God’s judgement on him and his children (1 Samuel 3:11-14). He heard a sad news concerning the capture of the ark and fell backwards and broke his neck. He should have lived longer and witnessed a better death, but because he found it difficult to fear God, he brought a shameful death upon himself (1 Sam. 4:12 18). Keeping God’s commandments is in your own interest. If you want to live to your full age, fear God.

ACTIONPOINT: Examine yourself and locate any possible cause of untimely death in your life. Ask God to help you destroy them today. Ask that you shall not die until you complete your God-given assignment.