I am wishing all of you a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year (2019) a-head of us in Jesus’ name. It seems good to me by the Holy Spirit to remind and awakens your consciousness to the many tasks of our spiritual life as we continue to paddle the canoe toward celestial shore. The expectation of God concerning personal responsibility of every Christian in view of the glorious and eternal unshakable heavenly kingdom prepared for us is to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear, so that none should fall into the hands of the fearful- dreadful wrath of the terrible and living God – for our God is a consuming fire.                               
The notion that Christ has died for us and we have nothing left to do than to eat, drink, possesses and hoard for tomorrow and future’s use is a vanity tosses to and fro of them that love and seek death. In fact, just as we come to Jesus and called upon the name of the Lord for salvation and are saved, even so should we be drawing nearer daily in fellowship, so that he may draw closer to us: to seek his face continually for the knowledge of his will, that you might redeem the time against evil days, and to escape the bait and snares of the wicked, increasingly growing in awareness and sensitivity and consciousness to our true responsibilities in life to God, and to our neighbours and to yourself. If any man does not provide for his house, he is worse than an infidel. I know you all understands the responsibility of a father to provide for his household; but much more to this, life is more than food, and what is required of us is of greater demands and impact of eternal outcomes and consequences whether or not we fulfilled our responsibilities to God, and to the people in our lives and to all men. Don’t ever think or say that you are not responsible for anything or for any one: in fact, you are responsible to treat others as you want them to treat you – responsible for the poor and needy around you – responsible as a driver behind the steering wheel having many things to do at the same time requires focus, changing gears and controlling acceleration etc. while driving the car- responsible to work out your salvation with fear and trembling – responsible to strive to be made perfect and complete in all the will of God, if you will set the kingdom values and pleasing God as your first priority and by seeking for all his righteousness, and to let the word of God and your brain becomes the official route of communication to your mouth that it does not bring you into any trouble or problem in the coming year with others or before God as you determines to think twice before you speak graciously in humility. Many of our responsibilities as believers are clearly written in the word of God for to follow; even as the Lord has shown us what is good and required of us – to love mercy, and to do justice, and to walk humbly daily and forever before him – to seek righteousness, to seek love, to seek holiness (without which no man shall see him) and to seek peace with them that calls on his name out of a pure heart. Some responsibilities are timely programmed, ready to be made known in due time. Except we seek the Lord’s face for communication and revelation of them, we may never realised their discovery and fulfilment; because by them, we shall gain an abundance entrance to heaven and be rewarded in it: and by neglect of them, or ignorance of them, or of our unwillingness as slothful servants, you might be denied an entrance into the glorious kingdom of Christ, and be beaten with many stripes, and be condemned alongside with the hypocrites and sinners who have wasted their lives on earth to live unto themselves, and not unto God in a place where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth – for the day of the Lord’s judgement is against them that have turned back from him: and those that have not sought the Lord, nor enquired for him.                                     
Now, we are rejoicing presently in the accomplished works of Christ on the cross. We are bold to declare that we are made kings and priests on earth unto God by him, who has washed us by his blood from our sins, but let us not forget that uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. As a king, are you reigning in life through Christ righteousness, having dominion over the flesh, the world and over powers of darkness – or, you continue to live as slaves to sin and as those that are in bondage and prisoner to the flesh, and are yet to come out of the world in separation from its lusts in total devotion to the love of God. As priest, are your lips preserving and uttering knowledge, so that people might seek the law of God from you? It is your duty and responsibility to make all diligent to make your calling and election sure, to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing with all patience and longsuffering in the spirit. Though it is God that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure, there is a role left for individual to play alongside with God to facilitate the fulfilment of his counsel and purpose, and to perfect his works in you. Diligence calls us to labour and engagement- to yield and submit to the Spirit of God, to facilitate his progressive works in us. Whatever you have received of him, it is your responsibility to keep and hold it fast, lest you lose it and fail of the grace of God. His love is everlasting, but if you won’t abide in his love to keep his word, he may love you no more, if your love is in dissimulation, and you abhor not that which is evil to cleave to that which is good, evil may overtake and overcome you, even from the Lord. His faith is precious but if you won’t hold faith in good conscience, looking unto Jesus, the author and finished of your faith, you may shipwreck it. Prayer is the key unlocking the door to walk into our responsibility with joy and readiness to please God through the grace we received of him. God has saved us by his son, but refusal to save ourselves from this untoward world and to endure faithfully to the end in Christ; you won’t be saved by him. If you think you are standing, it is your responsibility to take heed (to continue in the word) lest you fall. It is up to you live actively in the kingdom of righteousness (by practising righteousness) peace (by being anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to make your request known to God for the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding to keep your heart and mind) and joy in the holy ghost by rejoicing in hope – rejoice evermore. Spiritual growth is unattainable if I don’t have hunger and thirstiness after righteousness, but keep feeding on milk and not on strong meat, for they that uses milk are unskilful in the word of righteousness, for they are babes, but strong meat is for the physically and mentally matured people, to nourish their souls for strength and fortify their inner man for growth unto the full measure of Christ. God does not tempt any man with evil, but if we pray and are not walking wisely, if we failed to consider or ponder the paths of our steps, we may fall into temptation – fall into the mouth of the devil, seeking whom to devour. It is your responsibility, not only to flee fornication, but not to put snake under your pillow and thought not to receive serpent’s bite; and to strive against other sin not to reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts therefore, neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield your members as instruments of righteousness as those that are alive from dead. For sin shall not have dominion over you again, for you are not under the law, but under grace. It is your responsibility to decide on the way or route you prefer to get to heaven – the broad way and wide gate leading and directing many unsuspecting travellers to hell and destruction: or the straight gate and the narrow way which is mainly design to conduct the obedient and careful and God’s mindful worshipppers and crucified believers dying daily to the flesh and to the world with all its affections and lusts, perfecting holiness progressively in the fear of God. The blind cannot lead the blind, else, both shall fall into the ditch. It is therefore your responsibility to pray and be led by God to submit yourself to the leadership of a godly, humbled and obedient pastor who has the undilited truth of the word of God in his heart, life and mouth, and speaks it unapologetic, lest you perish with your pastor or bishop.
 
The winds blows where ever it wants and we heard the sounds therefore, but none knows where it is going or coming from so likewise it is with the man who is born and is walking in the Spirit of God. Kingdom’s responsibility is unlimited and it abound to our glory: but the opportunity, privileges and trust to appoint and delegate greater responsibility on us depends on the quality or state of our heart, preparedness, readiness, flexibility, humility, simplicity, purity etcetera of the vessels before God. The vessels unto honour are mindful of their responsibility for personal sanctification, and they are largely, widely, increasingly and exceedingly used by the abounding grace of God upon them, and are preserved for the recompense of reward in heaven: but the vessels unto dishonour are partially and temporary used to be dumped afterward by the Lord- such are they who hold the truth in unrighteousness, walking deceitfully, and are deceitful workers, and of them the way of truth is evil spoken of, though Christ is preached and miracles and mighty works are wrought through them, they are workers of iniquity who are not living up to their responsibility as salt of the earth and light in the world- they failed to live by examples of what is preached and believed on. The grace of God that brings salvation and bring us into the kingdom of God is also the teacher who is teaching us our responsibility to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, calling us to duty to live righteously, soberly and godly in this present world. This grace given is also a pattern or form of a debt, and the measure of it upon you, determines the required outputs of your spiritual productivity and positive influence on earth as a good steward of the manifold gifts of God. Idleness or irresponsibility is not an option in the kingdom. You can’t be indifference, apathy inactive in the kingdom; there should be no branch in the vine without fruit, if it should not be cut down. There must be a particular thing each and everyone stand for to minister and improve upon and to abide in it continually before the Lord. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one member’s one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching; or he that exhort, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as it is in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing thou shall heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:4-21.