The Gospel Mandate

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday April 29, 2017

Topic: The Gospel Mandate

Text: Luke 10:8 – 11

Evangelism has its mandate. Jesus who commissioned the Apostles, disciples and we the present day Christians gave us a mandate on what we should do. We are not just to go out for sake of going out. The first instruction was that we should value our welcome to any home by staying there and accepting whatever is offered to us. In the mandate Jesus stated that we should preach, healing the sick and telling them that the kingdom of God is at hand. We should shake off the dust on our feet against places where we are not welcomed.

The healing of the sick, casting out demons, etc are signs that the kingdom of God is near (see Luke 10:11; 21:31). This nearness of the kingdom has two interpretations; already here and soon to come. The kingdom Jesus established was not aimed at overthrowing any government. Rather, it was a kingdom that began in people’s hearts and was as near as people’s heart who are willing to make Jesus king over their lives.

In Matt. 24:14, Jesus asserted that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the world as a witness to nations before the end will come. How are you carrying out this mandate to preach the gospel? Are you among those who are calling on Jesus to come back for the saint militants when you are not willing to preach the gospel to souls dying without Christ? It is time to wake up to our call and mandate to preach the gospel because God will obviously demand their souls in our hands.

Action: As you go out today, ensure you exercise your mandate today.

Memory verse: Luke 10 verses 8 and 9

Prayer: Lord God, grant me utterance I go out to preach the gospel.

Requirements For Evangelism

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday April 28, 2017

Topic: Requirements For Evangelism

Text: Luke 10:3 – 7     

The instructions given to these seventy disciples are basically the same as those given to the twelve in Lk. 9:3 - 4. The reason was the same. He expected them to travel light, spend no time preparing for the trip, and depend upon Him and those to whom they ministered to, to meet their basic need which is food and probably shelter. Their mission is an urgent one which will not permit them to stop and spend time is exchanging pleasantries with people on their way. By this, Jesus didn’t mean that they should be impolite to people whom they passed on the road, but rather that they were not to waste their precious time by the wayside.

They had to remain focused on their task and mission. Jesus was sending his disciples out “as lambs among wolves.” This demands extra precautions because they will surely meet with opposition. This should cause them to depend on God for wisdom on how best to tackle oppositions. We the present day Christians are also like lambs among wolves. When we go on evangelism, we are usually attacked verbally and physically. I was once injured by a stone thrown at us on a mission. Therefore we should be alert, and remember to face your enemies, not with aggression but with love and gentleness. A dangerous mission requires sincere commitment. This advice in terms of requirements should arm us on what we should do or expect when we go on evangelism.

Food for Thought: How do you respond to oppositions when you go out to preach the gospel?

Memory verse: Luke 10 verse 4

Prayer: God, help me to be alert and cautious as I preach the gospel to others in Jesus name.

The Labourers Are Few

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday April 27, 2017

Topic: The Labourers Are Few

Text: Luke 10:2

Jesus compared the work of evangelism and winning souls for the kingdom of heaven to a harvest—the gathering of new believers into His kingdom (see Jn. 4:35). Before someone can think of harvesting, one must have worked on the field or the farm. Lord Jesus had done all the things necessary for the salvation of humanity. He paid the ultimate price by shedding His blood and dying on the Cross of Calvary. No other work or sacrifice is needed to save man. The only task before us is to share the gospel message. Unfortunately, there are so few workers willing to gather those who desire to hear the gospel in.

God has work enough for everyone but who is actually interested to do the works He has designated for us? We shouldn’t fold our hand and watch other Christians do the work of evangelism and other works in the vineyard of God especially in the areas we are gifted or talented because the harvest is great. Beloved, are you one of the labourers in the vineyard of God? The labourers are few.

I have personally observed that majority in the church who claim they are Christians are never interested in evangelism. The reasons are not far-fetched. They are in the church but have not experienced the touch of God. You can’t experience the touch of God and keep quiet. The case of woman of Samaria (Jn. chapter 4) is a clear example. Again, some who have experienced the touch has lost their first love for God. In simple terms they have backslidden. They are the set of people described in Rev. 2:4 and 3:1. Are you among these people? There are counsels for you in Rev. 2:5 and 3:3.

Food for Thought: Ezekiel 22: 30

Memory verse: Matthew 9:38

Prayer: Lord, I surrender my life to serve as one of the labourers in Jesus name.

The Harvest Truly Is Great

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday April 26, 2017

Topic: The Harvest Truly Is Great

Text: Luke 10:2

There is no unemployment in the Christian service as every Christian has a gift and a call to perform. God has enough work for everyone. Don’t just sit back and watch others work; look for ways to help with the harvest. Jesus asserts that the harvest is great and decided to send 35 teams of 2 evangelists each. He urged them to pray to the Lord of harvest to send labourers into His vineyard.

This Luke 10:2 has some lessons for us.

1) The first step towards evangelism is to start praying about it. Jesus teaches us here the imperative of prayer in evangelism. You cannot win a soul you don’t love and have not prayed for. This demands that if you want to win any particular person for Christ, you should start by praying for the person before you go to preach to him or her.

2) It reveals the magnitude of unbelievers around us. Beloved, take a look into your street, your school, the market where you go for shopping, etc, and how many of them are really born again? What of the church where you worship? How many members of the church where you worship live as true Christians outside the church on weekdays? You will find out they are negligible few. This shows that we have enormous work on evangelism facing us.

3) This story reveals that we have few people who are willing to go out on evangelism. In your church, how many people come out for evangelism? Do you go on evangelism as an individual or as a group in your church? God is looking for people who will go out there where sinners are and not people who will wait for sinner to come them. Are you determined to do something for God? Start now.

Action: Today, pray for the unsaved people and pray also that God will raise other concerned disciples to join in reaching out to the unbelievers. Share the gospel message as you go out.

Memory verse: Luke 10 verse 2a

Prayer: Lord God, raise men and women with the burden of evangelism in my church and locality in Jesus name. Amen.

Two By Two Evangelism

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday April 25, 2017

Topic: Two By Two Evangelism

Text: Luke 10:1

As Jesus was concluding His earthly ministry, He had the burden to reach more places. As He couldn’t reach all the places He wanted to visit within the stipulated time, He opted to send some of His disciples on mission to places He intended to visit.  Perhaps that will help to get the gospel to so many places. Of all the synoptic gospels only Luke recorded the fact that Jesus sent seventy disciples on this mission in addition to the one he sent twelve apostles. Their mission was evidently temporary in nature, unlike that of the Twelve.

These disciples sent on this mission were not unique in their qualifications. They were not better educated; not more capable, or of higher status than other followers of Jesus. The only thing that qualified them for this mission was that they had been equipped with Jesus’ power and their vision to reach all the people. Having followed Jesus for over a year, there had been tremendous influence on their lives by the ministry of Jesus. Thus they were easily chosen.

Many of us have been with Jesus for over 3 years which was the lifespan of His earthly ministry. We have received calls so many times to go on evangelism. How many of us have yielded to those calls. Jesus had set an example for us. Churches should emulate two by two evangelism. Having been with Jesus for some time now, you should be winning souls by now.  It is important to dedicate our skills to God’s Kingdom, but we must also be equipped with His power and have a clear vision of what He wants us to do.

Action: As you go out today, ensure you share the gospel with someone.

Memory verse: Luke 10 verse 1

Prayer: God grant me the spirit to always evangelize

in Jesus name.

HOW TO REAP IN JOY

HOW TO REAP IN JOY                                   Sunday April 19, 2015

Psalm 126:5 – 6                                                  Memory verse: v 5

For anyone to reap with joy, that person must sow in tears. What then does it mean to sow in tears?  See 2 Samuel 24:24. Any offering that doesn’t cost us anything will not be valued by God. One wise saying of my people has it that, “Whatever you will not miss when you give it out will not be valued by whosoever you give it to.” Our tears can be seeds that will grow into a harvest of joy because God is able to bring good out of tragedy. When burdened by sorrow, know that your times of grief will end and that you will again find joy. We must be patient as we wait. God’s great harvest of joy is coming! According to Family Bible Notes, “The most successful undertakings have often been commenced in the midst of great difficulties and with much weeping. The spiritual seed that is abundantly watered with godly tears will bring forth a rich harvest of golden sheaves.” 

What is that you want to reap? Is it spouse, admission, employment, breakthrough in business, peace, stable marriage, etc? All these have prices tagged on them. It may be fasting, mid night prayers, works of charity, supporting work of evangelism, sponsoring a revival service or crusade in your village church, giving out your landed property/car to the church, supporting publication of this devotional so it can reach others. As you sow in tears by denying yourself some pleasures, you will certainly reap in joy.

Food for Thought: How best can you sow in tears so as to reap in joy?

Prayer: Lord, as I continually go forth sowing in tears, grant that I will finally reap in joy now and unto eternal life in Jesus name.