So He Did As Instructed

Devotion for Sunday November 19, 2017

Topic: So He Did As Instructed

Text: Genesis 6:22

Noah was a man of faith who obeyed God. His faith and obedience singled him out in his generation as a righteous man. What God demands from us is obedience. God revealed to Noah His plans to end the world through deluge because he was very obedient. He gave him the instruction to build the ark. He did what God instructed him to do with care and diligence which could be attributed to his faith in the word of God. He believed God’s word about drowning the world and he prepared the ark according to specification.

We should not doubt God’s word about impending wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. People doubted Noah but at last God’s word came to pass and so shall the reality of hell fire come to pass too. Noah did as God instructed him. His obedience was ready and resolute. Having begun to build, he did not leave off till he had finished. Such dedication to our call is required of us.

Just as Noah was warned, so we have a more solemn warning for us, to flee from the wrath to come. How prepared are you? Are you doing as God instructed you so as to flee the second death in hell fire? Noah did as God said and we must do as God said if only we hope to escape the wrath of God on the Last Day.

Food for Thought: Are you living your Christian life according to God’s instructions?

Memory verse: Genesis 6:22

Prayer: Lord God, I need your grace to live according to your instructions so that I can avoid the wrath that is to come upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in Jesus name. Amen.

Place of Choristers in Worship

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday February 22, 2017

Topic: Place of Choristers in Worship

Text: 1 Chronicles 16:4 – 7

David brought the Ark of Covenant into Jerusalem because he knew what the presence of God can do. God’s presence assures us of victory, protection and guidance. He used the occasion to show how much he cares about God by making sacrifices as we saw yesterday and by appointing choristers to sing before the Ark.

As soon as the Ark was deposited in its tent, the Levites, who were to officiate in the choir before it, entered into their duties. A select number of the musicians were chosen for the service from the list (15:19-21) of those who had taken a prominent part in the recent procession. The same arrangement was to be observed in their duties, now that the Ark again was stationary.

Two lessons are here for us – the importance of praise in our relationship with God and importance of choristers in our worship. Praise and thanksgiving should be a regular part of our routine, not reserved only for celebrations. We should praise God for His love, mercies, and provision for us, his grace and faithfulness daily.

Again, our text reveals the place of Choristers in worship. They have a place in the position where the Ark of Covenant is. Thus they should always consecrate themselves as they come into the presence of God. They shouldn’t come into the presence of God defiled. The best way to express our gratitude to God’s love and faithfulness is to thank and praise Him always. Learn to do it always.

Food for Thought: The only occupation in heaven is praising God and you can only learn it here on earth.

Memory verse: 1 Chronicles 16 verse 4

Prayer: Teach me to praise you, O Lord my God, as a way of appreciating your love and faithfulness upon my life. 

Leadership and Generosity

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday February 21, 2017     

Topic: Leadership and Generosity

Text: 1 Chronicles 16:1 – 3

David had a great regard and love for God, no wonder he was termed a man after God’s heart. He brought the Ark of God into Jerusalem and wanted to build a house for it but God restrained him from doing it. Some of our leaders today are not perturbed by dilapidated church building in their environment. Unfortunately, it is not so with the Muslims. They always want to build place of worship. Christians who are leaders should always use their position to build places of worship of God Almighty.

When David brought the Ark into the city, he praised God and made offering to the Lord. David was very pleased that the Ark was now in Jerusalem after the previous attempt failed. In his joy he offered burnt and peace offerings to the Lord. He blessed his people and gave them gifts as a mark of his generosity. David’s act of generosity is commendable and should be emulated by all in leadership positions.

As God was generous to David and he demonstrated same, those of us He has been generous to, should do the same to the less privileged and the poor people under us. When Herod was happy, he didn’t remember God. Rather he called for friends to a party and at the peak of his merriment; he made a promise which resulted to the death of John the Baptist.

Those of us in leadership positions should give special considerations to people we lead. They should make laws that will be favourable to their subjects and avoid owing their workers’ wages because the bible condemns it (See Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15). As at the time of writing today’s devotion, some states in Nigeria owed their workers up to 8 months’ salary arrears. Unfortunately, some of these Governors are Christians who never stopped their own salaries and allowances. Christian leaders should be generous to their subjects as David was.

Food for Thought: Deuteronomy 24:14 – 15

Memory verse: 1 Chronicles 16 verse 3 - And distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Prayer: Almighty God, grant to all those in leadership positions especially in our country, a benevolent heart for their subjects in Jesus name. Amen. 

WHY GOD BLESSED THEM

DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY DECEMBER 1, 2016

Topic: WHY GOD BLESSED THEM         

Text: 1 Chronicles 13 verse 14   

There is nothing we do for God wholeheartedly that doesn’t have a reward. When David honoured God by killing Goliath who defiled His name and army, God honoured him by establishing him as a king. When Joseph honoured God in a foreign land, God blessed him and made him a leader. If you want the blessings of God to rest upon you, serve Him wholeheartedly. Give yourself to His service and see what will be the result.    

From our scriptural reading for the day, one would have expected Obed-Edom to refuse housing the Ark of Covenant after the unfortunate incident that took the life of Uzza but he couldn’t disobey the King’s order. Moreover, he was a Levite (1 Chron. 15:18). The order from a king is always obeyed whether it is convenient or not. He accepted it in good faith. His action was like the submission of Mary to God's message through Angel Gabriel (Lk. 1:38). Obed-Edom may also have warned his family to steer clear of the Ark of Covenant, which made the entire family to enjoy God's blessings and peace within the period that Ark was there. It is the duty of husbands and fathers to teach their families obedience and reverence to God and all that belongs to Him. The reverence Obed-Edom and his family had on the Ark of Covenant brought blessings to them. God blessed him and all he had because of the Ark which stayed there for just 3 months. 

What would have happened in the family of Obed-Edom if the Ark had stayed longer than 3 months? The fear of what might happen didn’t affect the way his family treated the Ark. Sometimes in our actions, we focus only on the blessings God gives us, while forgetting that when we sin, God punishes us (Heb 10:31). At other times, however, we concentrate so much on judgment that we miss His blessings. Don’t fall into a one-sided view of God. Along with God’s blessings comes the responsibility to live up to His demands for fairness, honesty, and justice which we must adhere to, if we desire His blessings. Let this be your watchword this day, this month and always in Jesus name. Happy new month!

Food for Thought: Do you reverence Holy Things of God?

Memory verse: 1 Chronicles 13 verse 14

Prayer: Grant me the wisdom to do things that will bring blessings to me. 

REGARD YOUR MAKER: Devotion for Saturday October 15, 2016

REGARD YOUR MAKER: Devotion for Saturday October 15, 2016

Text: 1 Chronicle 17:1 – 14     Memory verse: 1 Chronicle 17 verse 1 

Any true Christian will not be contented with being blessed rather he will also want to do all he can for the honour of God and the good of mankind. What is statement means is that the person who is blessed will not be selfish with his blessing and will always acknowledge God as the source of his blessings. Such person will not want to rest until he uses his blessings to serve God and humanity. One reason God blesses us is to be a channel of blessing to others too.

David being at rest in his palace, considered how he might best employ his leisure and prosperity in the service of God. He formed a design to build a temple for the Ark of the Covenant. When he presented the idea to Nathan the prophet, initially he didn’t speak as a prophet who had received words from God, but as a godly man, encouraging David in his proposition to build a temple until God spoke otherwise (1 Chronicle 17:3–15).

What Nathan did was not wrong. Such encouragement is needed when we meet with people who have ideas on how best to promote God’s work. As Christians, we ought to do all we can to encourage and promote the good purposes and designs of others, and, as we have opportunity, to forward a good work. This is what promotes unity, love, peace and development in a society.

Have you been blessed by God and you feel unconcerned about the situation of your church? Are you blessed and you don’t consider doing anything for God, His Church, His servants, the needy and the less privileged in the society? God is saying to you today through Haggai; consider your ways (Haggai 1:7). A true Christian cannot be comfortable when God’s house is in ruins; when the church needs money for evangelism and mission.

Do you regard God who gave you the wealth you are enjoying now? Then do something to glorify Him. Do you think the peace you are enjoying is because you deserve it? They are all gift from God. Do something as a regard for God who has blessed you. I have seen individuals build churches. You can do similar thing too. You can support this production of this daily devotional. You will never lose your reward.  

Food for Thought: Regard for God’s blessing is an appreciation for His grace upon us.

Prayer: Lord, help me not to be selfish with your blessings upon my life.

WARNING NOT HEEDED: Devotion for Sunday April 17, 2016

WARNING NOT HEEDED: Devotion for Sunday April 17, 2016            

Text: Genesis 6:13 – 22      Memory verse: 22

There are many ways God warns us. It could be through spoken word, through dreams, through natural events or through signs and wonders. The essence is to quicken us in order to avoid an impending danger. Each week we hear or read about numerous alarms from environmental and nutritional activists or religious and political zealots. Of recent is the alarm on impending flood on riverine. Most people don’t care to listen to the warnings of these ‘extremists,’ as they are labeled. That was probably how people responded to Noah. Our text tells the story of how Noah and his family built an ark in obedience to God, in response to His warning that the earth would be destroyed. Noah was the only righteous person living. The Bible doesn’t state that people mocked Noah, but it certainly shows that no one listened to him or to God.

Noah got right to work as God commanded (Gen 6:22). It seems that other people had been warned about the coming disaster (1 Pet 3:20) but, apparently, did not expect it to happen. This is how people today often react to warnings, even warnings from God. Daily, thousands are told of God’s inevitable judgment, yet most don’t really believe it will occur. We shouldn’t expect people to welcome or accept our message of God’s coming judgment on sin. Those who don’t believe in God will scoff at His judgment and try to get you to deny God as well. Let us not neglect the warning about the second coming of Christ as Noah’s generation did.

Food for Thought: How do you take God’s commandment?

Prayer: Grant me, O Lord, an obedient heart to do as you command me.

GOD SHUT THE DOOR

HE SHUT THE DOOR                Tuesday April 14, 2015

Text: Genesis 7:13 – 16             Memory verse: v 16

God has special way of taking care of those who trust and obey him. We have so many examples of men and women, God took special care of because they obeyed His words. One of them was Noah. God "shutting him in," intimates that Noah had become the special object of divine care and protection, and that to those outside the Ark, the season of grace was over. God has done this to make sure the Ark was properly sealed as to establish His covenant with Noah. God shut the door because he decided to take special protection of Noah for his obedience and faith, and thus He shut him in, to shut others out. God had waited one hundred and twenty years upon that generation; they did not repent; they filled up the measure of their iniquities, and then wrath came upon them to the uttermost. 

God’s works of grace are both sovereign and particular. In shutting the door, God also distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked. See also Matthew 25:10 – 13. Are you ready to enter into God’s Ark of Salvation today? Remember that those who believe God's declarations and obey His commands will receive His effectual protection and care. Don’t allow God to shut the door against you.

Food for Thought: “Wicked men obey from fear, good men, from love” –Aristotle. Where do you belong?

Prayer: Lord, grant me obedient heart to your declarations and commandments so that I will not be shut out with the ungodly in Jesus name.