Do As I Have Done To You

Devotion for Maundy Thursday March 29, 2018

Topic: Do As I Have Done To You  

Text: John 13:1 – 17  

Feet were usually washed before the meal but Jesus waited until during the supper (John 13:2) to make the act of feet washing stand out and to be noted. He took the role of a servant without losing anything (John 13:3). The purpose of this action was to fix in their minds the nature of true greatness. This could be traced to the event in Luke 22:24 – 30 when the disciples were in dispute over who was going to be the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus had taught them that greatness in the kingdom comes through serving others (Matthew 20:26-27), but they had not learned the lesson. Thus, He gave them this unforgettable illustration. According to Brunner, “When a man turns to God desiring to serve Him, God directs his attention to the world and its need.” Have you realised this truth? At first Peter refused to allow Jesus wash his feet (John 13:6 - 11), which pointed toward Jesus’ cleansing work on the cross. But when Peter saw that this foot washing was symbolic of cleansing from sin, he requested to be washed from head to foot. He misunderstood Jesus the Messiah’s servant role and therefore his own role as disciple. In John 13:10 Jesus came back to the literal point. The spiritual point had already been understood. They were already clean. Jesus was also showing His disciples what it meant to serve and what it meant to be great in the kingdom of God. His challenge in John 13:15 is for us today. Are you serving God in others? Sing A&M 108; Abu 31

Food for Thought: “When a man turns to God desiring to serve Him, God directs his attention to the world and its need” – Brunner.

Memory verse: John 13:15

Prayer: God teach me humility and service for humanity in Jesus name.

Knowing God’s Will

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday February 26, 2017

Topic: Knowing God’s Will

Text: Psalm 51:1 – 6

The author of this psalm is King David as generally accepted. Commentators and analysts say he wrote it after Nathan the prophet had come to rebuke him for his crime and evil against the family of Uriah (2 Samuel 12:1ff). This assertion that David wrote it after Nathan had visited him has the backing from the fact that the psalm is a prayer of repentance and with David as the author; it must be the case involving Bathsheba and Uriah.     

One of the things that endeared David to God is his honesty and love for God. What God demands from us is not merely outward virtue, but inward purity. What this implies is that God demands reality, sincerity, true holiness and heart fidelity. He doesn’t care for our pretence of purity; he looks to the mind, heart, and soul (1 Chronicles 28:9).

What David posited here is that it takes a repentant heart to know the will of God. He was of the opinion that our dealing with God should be more of the heart, mind and soul. It should not be that of physical alone but more of spiritual as God is a spirit (John 4:24). To him, it is only when our minds are pure and sincere that God can come in to instruct and grant us the wisdom needed to live well. Have you actually repented? If not, you can never know the will and your actions will always be contrary to what pleases God. 

It takes God’s act to cleanse our hearts to make them pure (see Ezek. 11:19; 36:26). Sin is contrary to God’s will but when our hearts are clean and pure, we will begin to live according to the will of God. How pure is your heart? Do you desire to know God’s will for you? Then allow God to remove the impure and corrupt heart and to give you the heart of flesh. You should also learn how to guard your heart diligently to ward off impure thoughts. Your ability to moderate your thought will help you to live well for God. 

Food for Thought: Ezekiel 36:25 – 27

Memory verse: Psalm 51 verse 6 – Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden parts you will make me know wisdom (NKJV).

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me in Jesus name. Amen.  

BLESSINGS IN PURITY OF HEART

DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2016

Topic: BLESSINGS IN PURITY OF HEART    

Text: Matthew 5:8                      Memory verse: Matthew 5:8

Purity is very essential in our Christian walk. God is pure and it is expected that we should be pure too. People characterized as pure in heart are people who are honest and sincere, people who do not accommodate evil thoughts in their hearts. The pure in heart are free from the dominion and pollution of sin. They are people of integrity and they demonstrate single-minded commitment to God. They are also free from evil desires and purposes, pride, evil thoughts, corruption, and lust.

In Psalm 51:10, David prayed that God should create in him a clean heart. This implies that for our heart to be pure, we need the washing of the heart with the blood of Jesus Christ which God alone can do. This is the promise of God in Ezekiel 36:25–28. What it involves is that we should always ask God for cleansing of our hearts because it can be polluted in a matter of seconds if we don’t guard what we take to heart.

Our hearts becomes impure when we allow filth to enter through what we read, hear, see or think. This is the reason for the admonition in Proverbs 4:23. We have a duty here to guide our hearts against pollution so that we will receive this reward. Because of the sincere devotion of a pure heart to Christ, such will see God here and now through the eyes of faith (Hebrews 11:27), and finally face-to-face (1 John 3:2). How pure is your heart? Are you one of those who will see God face to face? It has been my prayer that I will see God. Is that your desire too?

Food for Thought: Psalm 24:3 & 4

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to maintain a pure heart always so I will be qualified to see your face.