With God, No Favouritism

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday July 16, 2017

Topic: With God, No Favouritism

Text: Romans 11:16 – 21

God is no respecter of man. You may be His favourite today but if tomorrow you sin, He punishes you without looking at your face or blinking an eye. David’s case with Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah was a clear demonstration that God punishes even His favourite. Paul tells us that the reason why the Jews were broken off (Romans 11:20) was their unbelief. Again the only reason we (the Gentile) are still in place is because of our trust in God of the Jews. He thus warns us not to go the ways of the Jews God rejected or else He will not spare us. If God did not refrain from rejecting the Jews who became unbelievers assuredly He will not refrain from rejecting us in the same circumstance. Therefore, Paul advises us not to take God’s goodness and severity for granted (Romans 11:22 compare John 15:2; 1 Corinthians 15:2 and Hebrews 3:6, 14).

Beloved, with God there is no favouritism. God’s standard is the same whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, male or female, of black race or white, etc. As children of God, we should not be partial too. As Personnel Manager in your office, do you consider tribe, religion or relationship in offering employment to people? In the church, do you give your people certain position because they are your people? If we are called children of God, we must behave like God in all ramifications. God looks at the heart, no wonder He chose David instead of Eliab. Lastly, we should not think that as Christians today, we have made it to heaven. We should be mindful of what we do because any little slip or compromise can cause us our salvation. We must continue to take heed lest we fall off. God, help us to remain steadfast in Jesus name.

Food for Thought: It was possible that God could break off the Jews on the account of their unbelief. Certainly, He will not spare us if we follow suit.

Memory verse: Romans 11: 21

Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to remain steadfast in faith and not to be partial in my dealing with people.

Rend Your Hearts

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday May 3, 2017

Topic: Rend Your Hearts

Text: Joel 2:12 – 17 

God hates mere outward religious observance that does not reflect in the spirit. What God desire so much from us is not our outward show (sacrifices) as much as broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:14–19, see Isa. 1:11, 13 & Jer. 6:20). It is only when we have truly repented that our sacrifices will be accepted (Ps. 51:19). Remember what Samuel told Saul in 1 Sam. 15:22. Joel spoke to the Israelites about the need to mortify their affections and serve God with pureness of heart, and not with ceremonies. His focus was that they should not merely rend their garments, but let their hearts be truly contrite.

Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet them with heavier punishment. Let there be the inward sorrow of heart, and not the mere outward manifestation of it by "rending the garment" (Josh. 7:6) because our God is gracious; good and benevolent in His own nature. He is also merciful; pitying and forgiving us when we repent. He is slow to anger. However, when He gets angry, it is fearful to fall into His hands (Heb. 10:31). God desire our true and genuine repentance, and not showing off with our presence, prayers, offering, tithes, etc, when our hearts are actually far from Him. Let there be genuine rending of our hearts.

Food for Thought: A pretender can deceive people as much as he wants but can never deceive God.

Memory verse: Joel 2 verse 13

Prayer: God, make to repent truly and never to be a pretender in your presence.

WHEN WE SHOW TRUE REPENTANCE: Devotion for Saturday November 26, 2016

WHEN WE SHOW TRUE REPENTANCE: Devotion for Saturday November 26, 2016

Text: 2 Kings 22:14 – 20               Memory verse: v19

When we read the word of God and it pricks our heart, we should repent and ask God what we should do. This was the case when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37). If there is any place to weep, it should be in the presence of God for He alone is the one that can help us and not Man. Man may sympathize but can never give you the needed help because he doesn’t have right over his affairs. Have you wept before man and failed to receive what you asked for? Never mind, with Jesus, it is a different case. He knows the necessities of our hearts, when we cry to Him; He saves us (Ps. 34:18). Josiah heard the word of God and it grieved his heart (compare Judges 10:15, 16). Godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). How do you react when you hear the word of God? Does it prick your heart (Acts 2:37 & 7:54)?

Unfortunately, we are in a time where the word of God doesn’t touch the heart of many. The preachers are no longer preaching the raw and undiluted word of God. They preach what the congregation wants to hear. This is the reason we see people clapping hands when the word of God is coming forth instead of mourning for their sins. Most of us in this generation have hearts and consciences that have are dead.    

As a leader in the home, office, church, company, etc, how do you react to advice or correction? Does the action of Josiah challenge you? No matter how hardened our hearts may be, it must prick us when we hear the undiluted word of God (Heb 4:12). As you go to God with broken and contrite heart, He will hear and avert that evil He intended (Ps. 51:7). Josiah’s repentance saved him from dying in the war. Though he was wounded in war according to the warnings of the book but he didn’t die there. It would have been worse if not that he repented. 

Food for Thought: Mourning and weeping makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.

Prayer: Lord, grant me true repentance as I hear your voice so I will not die in this battle for eternal life in Jesus name.