Monrovia — THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY under the auspices of the Liberia for Jesus Prayer Crusade over the weekend declared at the climax of a grand march over the weekend declared a State of Emergency. Declaring the State of Emergency, the Pastor of the Providence Baptist Church in Monrovia, the Rev. Olayee Collins cited "the unimaginable suffering" and "the state of hopelessness in which we find ourselves today" as reason for the State of Emergency

ACKNOWLEDGING THE SETTING of the declaration as the birth place of the nation-state, Liberia, Rev. Collins called on all Liberians and friends of Liberia to bury their differences and forge for a peaceful Liberia. "Let every denomination, Baptists and Methodists, Catholics and Episcopalians, Pentecostal and Evangelicals, Assemblies of God, Lutherans, Presbyterians . . . lay aside our differences, come together in one accord and seek God's face; who knows God the Almighty may hear our cries and may deliver us from these trouble," he said. Further, he cautioned that no Liberian should feel too big or too small to join this prayer crusade. He also warned against the refusal of some people to pray, which he said though could hamper the success of this crusade, but added God would hold such people responsible that if that should happen.

ACCORDING TO HIM, the three-day prayer time starting February 22-24 that constitutes the Liberia for Jesus Crusade is not an end in itself, it is instead a symbol of the need for actual safety, saying "the hope of our prayer being answered is not in the parade, neither is it in the banners or the crowd that may congregate at the SKD Sports Complex. Instead, he said it is inherent in our resolve, as a people, like the people of Nineveh, to genuinely repent from our wicked, corrupt ways.

THE STATE OF Emergency, he further acknowledged is intended to deal with prevailing threats and dangers of the suffering and trouble of the people, our 12 long years' victimization of war and brutality, during which we are the symbols of troublemakers and the laughing stalk of other nations, he added. The pastor sees Liberians during the 12 long years as a resented people found on a lonely Island of despair where no friend is willing to heed their cry for help.

CERTAINLY, WE ARE IN agreement with Pastor Collins. Since the outbreak of war, there have been cries of deprivation and degradation, weeping for jobs and economic empowerment with no member of the international community willing to come to their rescue. This is why we feel the pastor was right when he saw Liberians, a resented people, on a lonely Island where no friend was willing to help.

THE PASTOR UNDOUBTEDLY is looking at the Liberian situation from scriptural perspective, where the likelihood of our sinful, corrupt ways might have isolated us from the rest of the world, driving us to the Lonely Island where no one can hear our cries, thus the necessity for Liberia For Jesus Prayer Crusade to deal with the situation spiritually.

BIBLICALLY, HARDHEARTEDNESS BROUGHT disaster to sinful nations which refused to repent. Examples are recorded in Genesis when fire rained from heaven and consumed Sodom and Gomorrah because of the hardheartedness of the people. The situation with Sodom and Gomorrah however defers from that which is reported in Jonah When the People of Nineveh believed God and wore sackcloth and sat in the aches because the wanted forgiveness, from the king to the least man.

ACCORDINGLY, WE AGREE with pastor collins that the February 22-24 event will be a failure if we are not repenting from our zodiac tendency, where we think this country should be divided between the zoes along other forms of religion as well as occultism and Jesus Christ.

THEREFORE, OUR SERIOUSNESS in proclaiming the worthiness of the Liberia For Jesus Crusade vis a vis the State of Emergency lies in eschewing corruption, refraining from homosexuality, fornication, adulterous acts and stealing in high places as well as the killing of innocent people. This is why it is certainly important for everyone, from the presidency to the marketplaces, irrespective of religion, status or tribe, to join in the Liberian For Jesus Crusade so as to make the day a success.

WITH JESUS CHRIST as "the biggest President" of this Country, it is now time for total penitence whereby the key of Liberia, which was given to the zoes, would be reclaimed and given back to Jesus Christ. This would be certainly possible if we scraped ourselves of names and identities that align us with occultism, secret societies and ungodly practices. Lest before God deals with those, who may be responsible for the failure of the crusade, let us skip the emergency by being sincere, putting on the sackcloth and sitting in the aches on February 22-24, who knows the Lord may hear us, forgive our sins and restore this country.