STAINS FROM COAL MINE ACTIVITIES

STAINS FROM COAL MINE ACTIVITIES

"Some of you may say: ‘We are free. We can do anything that we want to do!’ But not everything is good for us to do. You may say: ‘We are free to do anything!’ But not everything helps to make us stronger". - 1 Corinthians 10:23 (EASY)

Years ago, a woman dressed in daintily white gown went on excursion to a coal mine. Before stepping down into the mine, the woman asked an old miner whether she can wear her white dress into the mine. The old miner responded "Yes, madam, you may wear your white gown down there, but there is no assurance that you will return the same way you went in" 

The above story reinforces the need for Christians to avoid crossing questionable boundaries that are capable of defiling them in their sojourn on earth. There are many coal mine activities around us today that can easily defile our Christian testimony and stain our garment of purity. These coal mine activities may even pass popular opinion poll but still attract grave consequences in the light of eternity.

The Bible records many instances of people who got their white garments defiled by the coal mine activities in their generations. While exercising their freedom, these people stepped into the coal mine but they never returned the same way they went in. For example, Dinah wore her gorgeous white gown to fraternise with strange ladies and she returned polluted and defiled (Genesis 34:1-2). Samson got his white apparel of power and glory stained while sampling the laps of strange women in town. He went down into the valley of Sorek heavily anointed but returned drained and deformed (Judges 16:1-31). The prodigal son left his father's house dazzling but returned deflated and dejected (Luke 15:11-19). It is obvious that the repercussions for patronising questionable places and partaking in coal mine activities on earth has not changed. According to Revelation 3:5 & 21:27, the punishment for defiling ones garment is eternal separation from God.  

“But you have a few people in your group there in Sardis who have kept themselves clean. They will walk with me. They will wear white clothes, because they are worthy. Everyone who wins the victory will be dressed in white clothes like them. I will not remove their names from the book of life. I will say that they belong to me before my Father and before his angels"- Revelation 3:4-5 (ERV) 

Beloved, in this polluted world, there are still few believers in the church who have not defiled their white garments with the stains from the coal mine activities of this world. Friends, are you one of those few believers in this generation? Or have you soiled your white garment? Have you being patronising the valley of Sorek like Samson? Have you been defiling your soul with stains from those questionable coal mines you love to visit? What are those coal mine activities that you indulge in? Is it betting, drugs, alcohol, pornography, mastubation or fornication/adultery? Please repent now and be washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. And the power in the purifying flood will keep you spotless till you reach the golden shore.

One old time Christian hymn that encourages believers to live daily with the consciousness of reaching the golden shore with undefiled garments is titled " Let Your Garments Be Always White". Please let the Holy Spirit speak to you through the lyrics of this wonderful hymn below as we look forward to Christ second coming.   

LET YOUR GARMENTS BE ALWAYS WHITE  by Emma F. Fisk

Are your garments always spotless?
Are they washed in Jesus' blood?
Do they always keep the cleansing
Of the purifying flood?
Do they never show the soiling
Of your sins upon their white?
Will they always bear the searching
Of the Holy Spirit's light?

Chorus:
         Let your garment be spotless,
         Always pure and bright;
        Thro' the precious blood of Jesus
         Keep them ever clean and white.

Let no anger soil their beauty,
Let no bitterness remain;
O be sure no trace of envy
Leaves upon your robes a stain.
Let no love of worldly pleasure
Cast unholy shadows there,
Fully cleanse them from the mildews
Of anxiety and care.

Let all pride of love and glory,
Gold and fame be washed away;
Trembling heart, your fears and doubtings
'Neath the pool of cleansing lay.
Never after try to find them,
They are lost beneath the tide;
Christ would have you all your shrinking
In this precious fountain hide.

O then ever keep your garments
Whiter than the driven snow,
Wear the royal robes of heaven
While you tarry here below;
That through yonder pearly portals
Joyful entrance you may win,
Clothes in raiment cleaned forever
From the fingerprints of sin.

My prayer for you and my humble self is that God will help us to abstain from all coal mines activities that can defile our white garments. As the Lord lives, we shall be among those few overcomers that will wear the royal robe in the City of Gold in Jesus name. Amen

Good morning and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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