Ways to Redirect Your Focus 2: Devotion for Saturday August 29, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday August 29, 2020

Topic: Ways to Redirect Your Focus 2      

Text: Colossians 3:8 – 11                       

There is one striking point to note in the ways to redirect our focus on Christ in our bible reading of yesterday and today. It is the point that you are the one to put them to death/put off and not any other person.

In our bible reading of the day, Paul was emphatic. He said, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these …” These things are part of our old nature which sure raises their heads in us. That is why our text called them our members.

Though these sins mentioned in Colossians 3:8 are of less infamy (minorisinfamia) and reproach before men, yet they are of greater guilt (majorisreatus) in the sight of God. Thus any sincere Christian who desire to please God will not hesitate in putting off these sins so as to have a clear focus on Christ.

The five sins of speech/action here are anger, wrath (rage), malicious behaviour, slander (blasphemy) and dirty language. When these are manifest in our lives, they offend the Spirit of God in us. Paul concluded by calling on us to put on the new man after putting off the five sins mentioned above.

Putting on new man means that our conduct should match our faith. If you are a Christian, you should act like a Christian. To be a Christian means more than just making good resolutions and having good intentions; it means taking the right actions.

Food for thought: Have you put off anger, wrath, malicious behaviour, slander and dirty language from your life.     

Memory verse: Colossians 3 v 8

Prayer: God, help me to put off old nature and to put on the new man that reveals Christ in me.

Ways to Redirect Your Focus 1: Devotion for Friday August 28, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday August 28, 2020

Topic: Ways to Redirect Your Focus 1     

Text: Colossians 3:5 – 7                       

Yesterday, we read Paul’s call on us to redirect our focus from worldly things to heavenly. Today and tomorrow, we shall be considering ways to redirect our focus on things eternal instead of the things worldly.

Paul noted in this epistle that if the Colossian believers were to live as examples of Christ, they had to put to death certain aspects of the sinful earthly things lurking within them, the sinful nature; the old self.

Two sets of sins are listed by Apostle Paul, which he advised that they should put to death or mortify. The first five refer to sexual sin; the second five to sins of speech/action. We’ll discuss sins of speech/action tomorrow. The first five relates to the cultural background of the Colossians and were particularly deadly to the life of the church: Sexual sin, impurity, lust, shameful desires and greed for good things of life which he called idolatry. These five sins mentioned here directly affect our spirituality and they attract God’s anger too. Every true Christian should be cautious so as not to fall prey of these sexual sins.

It is necessary to mortify sins, because if we do not kill them, they will kill us. Although Paul told them in Colossians 3:3, that they were dead to sin, yet here, in Colossians 3:5, he charged them to mortify sin; intimating, that the work of mortification, at the best, is but imperfect, and must be carried on daily and progressively.

How are you mortifying your body so that you could be focused on Christ and heavenly things? Note that mortification is not a thing of once and for all.

Food for Thought: What are the ways you can mortify sin in your life?

Memory verse: Colossians 3 v 5      

Prayer: Grant me the grace O Lord to put to death all sinful desire in me in Jesus name. 

Is Your Faith Known To People?

My Daily Covenant with God Devotional

Devotion for Wednesday January 9, 2019

Topic: Is Your Faith Known To People?

Text: Colossians 1:1 – 8

The action of Paul in our text is a challenge for present day Christians. In this letter he told the Church at Colossae that he has heard about their faith through Epaphras and that he has intensified his prayer for them. He did not doubt their Christianity as some of us would have done. He believed that they were still in faith. We must learn how to uphold people in faith by praying for them not questioning their faith.

From Paul’s statement in our text, the faith of the Church at Colossae was known to people. It was not hidden. They were not compromising and that is what is expected of us. We should let the world know about our faith. Wherever we go; wherever we find ourselves, we should let people know what we believe in. Anything short of this equals denying Jesus Christ.  Jesus said "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” – Matthew 5:14, 15. We shouldn’t hide our ideal identity as Christian. When we hide what we are and what we believe in, then it means that we have some “skeleton in our cupboard.”

We should make our faith known in our offices, schools, neighbourhood, business centres, market, inside the bus and other places we find ourselves daily. Hiding our identity means denying Jesus which has consequences (See Matthew 10:33).

Food for Thought: What is your testimony about your faith among your colleagues and in your neighbourhood? 

Memory verse: Ephesians 1:15

Prayer: God, help me to make my faith known to people wherever I may find myself in Jesus name.

Walk Worthy of Your Call

My Daily Covenant with God Devotional

Devotion for Tuesday Monday January 7, 2018

Topic: Walk Worthy Of Your Call

Text: Colossians 1:9 – 14

The Christian call is fashioned in the likeness of Jesus Christ who is our Lord and Saviour, and that is why our general name is Christian. Paul had constantly prayed that Colossian believers might be filled with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom as the will make them walk worthy of their call. This prayer is for us the present day believers. It is only when we walk worthy of our call that we can please God.

Walk as used in this context means act of living, which is the life we should live. By walking worthy of our call, Paul stated that we should live our lives as those who are now followers of Jesus Christ. He went ahead to state how we can do it in verses 10b following. This exhortation is also for us and we can do it in the following ways. 1) Fully pleasing God. 2) Being fruitful in every good work. 3) Increasing in the knowledge of God. 4) Rely on God for strength and patience as we endure suffering with joy. 5) We should always give thanks to God who has qualified us as partakers of His inheritance. As we follow these suggestions of Paul in our text, we will be walking worthy of our call as Christians. Are there other ways you can add to the ones stated above? We should please God with our thoughts; our actions, our reactions, our relationships, our dealing with others and our words. These are what our call demands from us.

Food for Thought: Have you understood what your call is?

Memory verse: Colossians 1:10

Prayer: Grant me the grace that I need O Lord to walk worthy of my call in Jesus name.

Is Your Faith Known To People?

Devotion for Friday August 10, 2018

Topic: Is Your Faith Known To People?

Text: Colossians 1:1 – 8

The action of Paul in our text is a challenge for present day Christians. In this letter he told the Church at Colossae that he has heard about their faith through Epaphras and that he has intensified his prayer for them. He did not doubt their Christianity as some of us would have done. He believed that they were still in faith. We must learn how to uphold people in faith by praying for them not questioning their faith. From Paul’s statement in our text, the faith of the Church at Colossae was known to people. It was not hidden. They were not compromising and that is what is expected of us. We should let the world know about our faith. Wherever we go; wherever we find ourselves, we should let people know what we believe in. Jesus said "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” – Matthew 5:14, 15. We should make our faith known in our offices, schools, neighbourhood, business centres, market, inside the bus and other places we find ourselves daily. Hiding our identity means denying Jesus which has consequences (See Matthew 10:33).

Food for Thought: What is your testimony about your faith among your colleagues and in your neighbourhood? 

Memory verse: Ephesians 1:15

Prayer: God, help me to make my faith known to people wherever I may find myself in Jesus name.

Be An Observable Model (In Prayers)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday February 5, 2017

Topic: Be An Observable Model (In Prayers)

Text: Colossians 4:2

To those who know the power of God, prayer is indispensable. Prayer is a key; not just ordinary key but master key that can open all doors and anything locked. Prayer is a password you need to access heaven and all the blessings therein. We saw what prayer did in the life of Hannah and many others in the bible.

Where we have just read (Colossians 4:2), Paul admonishes us to devote ourselves to (persist in) prayer and be alert as we pray. Our persistence is an expression of our faith that God answers our prayers. Faith shouldn’t die if the answers come slowly, for the delay may be God’s way of working His will in our lives. This is what God expects from us and such persistence will strengthen and encourage others too, in their prayer life.

Today, many people are tired of praying, while some are too lazy to pray. That is not what God expects from us even as He taught us in Luke 18:1. When you feel tired of praying, know that God is ever present, always listening, always answering—maybe not in ways you had hoped, but in ways that He knows are best. When you are known as a man/woman/boy/girl of prayer and you always persist in it, it will be a source of courage to people around you and you will become a model for others who are weak in prayer.  

Are you sick, pray? Prayer will solve that marriage problem, secure you a job, release you from prison, grants you success, makes your children submissive, guides you, protects you, etc. Will you maximize this opportunity?

Action: Make out time to pray about that problem confronting you today.

Memory verse: Luke 18:1 - And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Prayer: God, teach me to prayer without ceasing and to persist in it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

WAYS TO REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS 2: Devotion for Sunday July 31, 2016

WAYS TO REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS 2: Devotion for Sunday July 31, 2016

Text: Colossians 3:8 – 11                       

Memory verse: Colossians 3:8 - But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

There is one striking point to note in the ways to redirect our focus on Christ in our bible reading of yesterday and today. It is the point that you are the one to put them to death/put off and not any other person. In our bible reading of the day, Apostle Paul was emphatic about this. He said, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these …” These things are part of our old nature which sure raises their heads in us. That is why our text called them our members.

Though these sins mentioned in Colossians 3:8 are of less infamy (minoris infamia) and reproach before men, yet they are of greater guilt (majoris reatus) in the sight of God. Thus any sincere Christian who desire to please God will not hesitate in putting off these sins so as to have a clear focus on Christ. As long as they are part of us, they will keep on pulling us down.  

The five sins of speech/action here are anger, wrath (rage), malicious behaviour, slander (blasphemy) and dirty language. When these are manifest in our lives, they offend the spirit of God in us. Paul concluded by calling on us to put on the new man after putting off the five sins mentioned above. Putting on new man means that our conduct should match our faith. If you are a Christian, you should act like it. To be a Christian means more than just making good resolutions and having good intentions; it means taking the right actions.

Food for Thought: Have you put off anger, wrath, malicious behaviour, slander and dirty language from your life?

Prayer: God, help me to put off old nature and to put on the new man that reveals Christ in me.

LIVE FOR HEAVEN: Devotion for Friday October 2, 2015

LIVE FOR HEAVEN                Friday October 2, 2015

Text: Colossians 3:1 – 4         Memory verse: v 1

In chapter 2, Paul showed what a true Christian shouldn’t follow after (Colossians 2:16ff). Having warned the Colossians against the dangers of false philosophy, and the doctrines of wrong teachers, here, he teaches them what they ought to pursue and to seek. He therefore enjoins various duties in the different relations of life, which they ought to perform in such a way as to show that true religion had a controlling influence over their hearts.

If we must succeed in all our endeavours, we must understand that we cannot do anything meaningful on our own. The wisdom, strength, courage, ability, grace, etc, that we need to achieve our lives’ dream lie with God who is in heaven. This informs the advice on our text. We should focus on Jesus Christ who is our life, our help, our strength, our anchor and source of everything good. Through Him we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). Set your affection on Christ, looking unto Him (Hebrews 12:2) and He will see you through. 

Food for Thought: Proverbs 3:5, 6.

Prayer: Lord, grant that I will live for you in all I do in Jesus name.

WALK IN WISDOM: Devotion for Sunday August 16, 2015

WALK IN WISDOM     Sunday August 16, 2015

Text: Colossians 4:5, 6      Memory verse: v 5

Paul reminds us of our responsibility to be wise in the way they acted toward those who are not Christians. Paul observed that while the Christian fellowship does (and should) make some allowances for the mistakes of its own, the world will not. Christians’ behavior toward unbelievers should be above reproach. The believers were not to hide from the world in a secret organization; instead, they were to live in the world as a light (Matthew 5:14 – 16).

As Christians, we should be wise in our contacts with non-Christians, making the most of our opportunities to preach the Good News of salvation to them. What opportunities do you have? Do you make good use of them? Your meeting with that unbeliever may be his/her last opportunity to hear the word of God. Try and do something today as you go forth into the world.

Food for Thought: Wisdom of God is the panacea for living a godly life in this age of wickedness and evil

Prayer: God, give me the wisdom I need to live a godly life in this generation. 

OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CHRISTIANS

OUR RESPONSIBILITY             Sunday May 17, 2015

Text: Colossians 1:24 – 29         Memory verse: v 28

Jesus left his disciples during His ascension so that they can preach to the world (Acts 1:8). That assignment is for us too; to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Paul sees this commission as our responsibility and duty toward humanity. Proclaiming of Jesus Christ included both warning and teaching. The word warn (also translated “admonishing”) connects with repentance and refers to a person’s conduct and heart attitude. Teach is connected to faith and doctrine and refers to a person’s intellect. The warning and teaching always had one goal in mind: we want to present the believers to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. This reminds us of the song: Must I go empty handed (SS&S 789). What will you present to God on the day of reckoning as your labour of many years in the Church?    

We should not remain like babies in the faith, easily led away by something new (see 1 Corinthians 3:1 – 2). Instead, we are to grow up into spiritual maturity as not to be enticed by false teachings. This is possible through personal relationship with Christ empowered by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who helps believers grow in faith and maturity until the day when Christ returns. Always yield to Him.  

Food for Thought: Any challenge for us in Acts 20:20, 27 and 31?

Prayer: God, help me to live up to my responsibility as a Christian.