What is your Excuse? Devotion for Tuesday March 31, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday March 31, 2020

Topic: What is your Excuse?                             

Text: Exodus 3:7 – 15

Excuses in this context mean that somebody is trying to avoid responsibility, some job or task that rightly belongs to that person but which he or she considers too inconvenient to do. On the surface the excuse may look right, but closer examination can reveal major flaws in the argument just as we have in the case of Moses in today’s bible reading.

Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate for the job that God asked him to do (Exodus 3:10ff). It was natural for him to feel that way, because he was inadequate all by himself. But God wasn’t asking Moses to work alone. He offered other resources to help (God himself, Aaron, and the ability to do miracles).

God often calls us to perform tasks that seem too difficult, but He doesn’t ask us to do them alone. He offers us His resources, just as He did for Moses – the Holy Spirit. We should not hide behind our inadequacies, as Moses did, but look beyond ourselves to God’s great available resources. Then we can allow him to empower our unique contributions.

What has God asked you to do? What excuses are you using to avoid this responsibility and work? Excuses don’t bring result rather they avoid responsibilities and blessings in any given task.

The day I wrote this devotion, I shared a picture of a man with disabilities preaching on Facebook. If he can do that with his disabilities, why can’t you do so with all your abilities?

Beloved, I urge you today to obey God’s call to perform that task by stepping out in faith. He will give you the resources to do His work.

Food for Thought: Do you hide behind our inadequacies to give excuses on why you shouldn’t do what God is asking you to do?

Memory verse: v 11

Prayer: My God, make my inadequacies adequate for your services in Jesus name.

Excuses Don’t Move God

Devotion for Thursday March 15, 2018

Topic: Excuses Don’t Move God

Text: Exodus 3:7 – 15                                 

Don’t you just hate it when people make excuses? Most of us do. Excuses mean that somebody is trying to avoid responsibility, some job or task that rightly belongs to that person but which he or she considers too inconvenient to do. On the surface the excuse may look right, but closer examination can reveal major flaws in the argument just as we have in the case of Moses in today’s bible reading.

Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate for the job that God asked him to do (Exodus 3:10ff). It was natural for him to feel that way, because he was inadequate all by himself. But God wasn’t asking Moses to work alone. He offered other resources to help (God himself, Aaron, and the ability to do miracles). God often calls us to perform tasks that seem too difficult, but He doesn’t ask us to do them alone. God offers us His resources, just as He did to Moses.

We should not hide behind our inadequacies, as Moses did, but look beyond ourselves to God’s great available resources. Then we can allow him to empower our unique contributions. What has God asked you to do? What excuses are you using to avoid this responsibility and work? Obey God by stepping out in faith. He will give you the resources to do His work.

Sing SS&S 601

Food for Thought: Do you hide behind your inadequacies to give excuses on why you shouldn’t do what God is asking you to do?

Memory verse: Exodus 3:11

Prayer: My God, make my inadequacies adequate for your services in Jesus name. Amen.

No Excuse (VII)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday March 18, 2017

Topic: No Excuse 7  

Text: Revelation 3:14 – 22

Laodicea was a commercial city and the wealthiest of the seven cities. It was known for its banking industry, manufacture of wool, and a medical school that produced eye ointment. The church there had become lukewarm and thus unpleasant and disgusting. They didn’t take a stand for anything; indifference led them to idleness and complacency. By neglecting to do anything for Christ, the church became hardened and self-satisfied, which led to its spiritual ruin.

Nothing disgusts more than a half-hearted, nominal and self-sufficient Christian. Such people will never seek counsel or make time to fast and pray. God uses things familiar to us in teaching us moral lessons. Laodicea had always had problem with water supply and the water that flows into the city from an aqueduct get there not hot nor refreshingly cool but lukewarm. This was a perfect description of this church.

Today, some of us believe that many material possessions are signs of God’s spiritual blessing. Laodicea was a wealthy city, and the church was also wealthy. But what they could see and buy had become more valuable to them than what is unseen and eternal. Wealth, luxury, and ease can make people feel confident, satisfied, and complacent. But no matter how much you possess or money you make, you have nothing if you don’t have a vital relationship with Christ. How does your current level of wealth affect your spiritual desire? Instead of centring your life primarily on comfort and luxury, find your true riches in Christ. Your wealth should not be an excuse.

Food for Thought: Revelation 3:18

Memory verse: Revelation 3 verse 19

Prayer: God, heal me of complacency and being lukewarm to your service in Jesus name. Amen.

No Excuse (VI)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday March 17, 2017

Topic: No Excuse (VI)

 Text: Revelation 3:7 – 13           

Philadelphia was a small church in a difficult area with no prestige and no wealth, discouraged because it hadn’t grown. But Jesus Christ had no words of rebuke for this small, seemingly insignificant church. From our bible reading, it was obvious that there was significant conflict between the Christians and the Jews in Philadelphia.

As in the letter to the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:9), Jesus Christ referred to those who called themselves Jews as liars and those who belong to Satan. Though this church may have been small (you have little strength) and may have had little impact upon the city, but it had obeyed and had not denied God. They had been faithful in a difficult area. What a challenge to big churches of today who compromise their standard in order to accommodate some ‘rich’ people who are not ready to repent.

What are the challenges you face in your church? Is the small nature? Note that God didn’t commend any of these churches for building cathedrals and having the largest congregations. These are not what God judges. He is always after our spiritual lives. That your congregation is small should not be the basis of losing faith. God’s emphasis is not on multitude. You should not be discouraged by the small nature of your church or inability to build a big church. Sustain your faithfulness and righteousness and God will open doors of opportunities for you as He assured the church at Philadelphia. Do not be weakened by your little strength for God will not accept that as an excuse.    

Food for Thought: Revelation 3:8

Memory verse: Revelation 3 verse 10

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to hold fast what I have, that no one will take away my crown from me in Jesus name. Amen.

No Excuse (V)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday March 16, 2017

Topic: No Excuse (V)

Text: Revelation 3:1 – 6  

The problem in the church at Sardis was spiritual death. In spite of its reputation for being active, the church was filled with sin. Its deeds were evil, which soiled their clothes. There was no word of commendation for it that looked so good on the outside but was so corrupt on the inside. God urged them to obey the truth they had heard when they first believed in Christ and to get back to the basics of the faith.

The reason for this admonition is because He did not find their works perfect before Him. He charged them to be watchful and to strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die (3:2, 3). Where iniquity abounds grace also abounds. God noted that there were few names that did not defiled their garments. This was personal commendation for some members of this church and not general commendation. Is there any lesson for us in this personal commendation? Though it is important to grow in our knowledge of Christ, to deepen our understanding through careful study, we must never abandon the basic truths of our faith.

On facial observation, this church looked good but not so with God. They were only doing ‘maintenance service.’ There were no innovations or improvement on what they had. This gave room for redundancy, complacency and spiritual death. Is such condition obtainable in your church that you have now become spiritually dead? That is no excuse before God. Few people in Sardis still maintained their salvation. Why can’t you remain focused in the faith? Why will you allow the spiritual death of others to affect you? God can’t accept that excuse (Romans 2:1). Repent now and return to God.    

Food for Thought: Do you have the reputation of being alive but you are dead?

Memory verse: Revelation 3 verse 2

Prayer: Lord God, help me to strengthen what is alive in me and to repent of my sins in Jesus name. 

No Excuse (IV)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday March 15, 2017

Topic: No Excuse IV

Text: Revelation 2:18 – 29

Thyatira was a town where many people work for a living. Many trade and artisans were there with specialties in cloth making, dyeing, and pottery. Lydia, Paul’s first convert in Philippi, was a merchant from Thyatira (Acts 16:14). The city was mostly secular, with no particular religion known with them.

In this letter, God acknowledged their works (charity), love, service, faith, and patience. Despite all these, He had few things against them. He accused them of allowing that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce His servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. In the church in Thyatira, a woman taught that immorality was not a sin for believers. Her name may be Jezebel or maybe, John used that name Jezebel to symbolize the kind of evil she was promoting. God pronounced judgement on that woman (Revelation 2:22, 23) after He had given her the grace to repent but she did not (Revelation 2:21). God charged those who were not influenced by this woman’s teaching to hold fast what you have till He comes (Revelation 2:25).  

Beloved in Christ, immorality is a great sin before man and God. Some pastors teach that these things doesn’t matter, insisting that what matter before God is confession of Christ as Lord and Saviour. Sadly, many people believe such teaching because their pastor has said so. Here is an eye opener. God doesn’t compromise and we shouldn’t do so. There is no excuse if we accept teachings of what the bible condemns as sin. Beware because you don’t have excuse before God (Romans 2:1).

Food for Thought: Acts 15:20, 29

Memory verse: Revelation 2 verse 20 - But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Prayer: God, deliver me from contamination with things offered to idol and the teachings of Jezebel in Jesus name. Amen.

No Excuse II

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Monday March 13, 2017

Topic: No Excuse II

Text: Revelation 2:8 – 11

Pain is part of life, be you a Christian or unbeliever. It is never easy to suffer, no matter the cause. Persecution is of Satan, not of God. He causes believers to be denied of their rights, thrown out of their homes, offices, and schools, thrown into prison and even are killed. Believers under persecution need not fear death, because they will be rewarded with the crown of life. Again, Satan may terminate our earthly lives, but not our spiritual lives.

In our scriptural reading for the day, God commended the church at Smyrna for the tribulation they endured, the poverty they have suffered and the blasphemy from some of the Jews there. God called them “Synagogue of Satan” because they were serving Satan’s purposes, not God’s, when they gathered to worship. He concluded by charging them not to fear what they will suffer even unto death but they should remain faithful to the end in order to be rewarded with crown of life. This is the only church out of the seven that was not rebuked by God. What they suffered during the writing of this letter and thereafter were enough for them to have given up their faith. They had enough reasons to do so but they didn’t do that. They were steadfast.

What is your reason to compromise and backslide from faith? If it is persecution, can you compare it with what the members of the church in Smyrna suffered? If you have been blasphemed, what of these people in Smyrna? Beware because you do not have any excuse (Romans 2:1) for compromising your faith.

Food for Thought: Revelation 3:9

Memory verse: Revelation 2 verse 9 - I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Prayer: God, as I come across blasphemers and persecutors grant me the grace never to compromise my faith in Jesus name.

No Excuse (I)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Sunday March 12, 2017

Topic: No Excuse (I)

Text: Revelation 2:1 – 7             

Today and in the next six days, we shall be looking at letters to the seven churches in Asia as we have in the book Revelation. This church at Ephesus had steadfastly refused to tolerate sin among its members. This was not easy in a city noted for immoral sexual practices associated with the worship of Artemis. God noted their patience, not bearing those who were evil and how they tested those who say they were apostles but were not. They were liars (Revelation 2:2).

He acknowledged them for their perseverance and not being wearied in their labours for Him (Revelation 2:3). Yet, He had something against them: They had left their first love for Him (Revelation 2:4). This was a church Paul once praised for their love for God and others (Ephesians 1:15). After the death of foundering members, the next-generation believers lost their zeal for God. They became a busy church to benefit themselves and the community, acting out of the wrong motives. The work for God motivated by love, last long.

We are also living in times of prevalent sin and sexual immorality. In our time, some people are open-minded to sin and calling them personal choices or alternative life-styles. Such societal influence should not be an excuse to join them. However, when the church begins to tolerate sin, it is lowering and compromising the standards set by Christ. Today, we have become too busy to attend church programmes and activities. This is evidence, that we, like the Ephesians, have lost our first love. The moral decadence in our society should not be an excuse to turn against God. That everybody is doing it doesn’t mean you should. Romans 2 verse 1 warns us.

Food for Thought: Have you lost your first love for God as a result of societal influence?

Memory verse: Revelation 2 verse 4

Prayer: Restore me to my first love for you, O God, and help me to reorder my motives in your service in Jesus name. Amen

AN EXCUSE TO ATTACK: Devotion for Wednesday September 21, 2016

AN EXCUSE TO ATTACK: Devotion for Wednesday September 21, 2016

Text: Job 2:1 – 6                Memory verse: Job 2 verse 4

Despite the calamities that befell Job in Job chapter one, he still persevered in yielding unreserved and faithful obedience to God. That is what sincere Christianity is all about. A true is never disheartened and discouraged by trials and temptations. Rather he uses the opportunity to draw closer to God and to draw from Him more grace and mercies.

True Christianity has been proved a thousand times to be genuine among so many Christians, yet Satan and his agents still insist that it is all hypocrisy and selfishness. This was how they also accused us in my village of playing hypocrisy and falsehood in our Evangelical Fellowship in Anglican Communion (EFAC). They claimed that we wanted to secede and to build a church for ourselves.

To show and prove that these are all but falsehood, God sometimes allows Satan to attack us with calamities, while He sustains us with His grace. The essence of this is to silence the objections of Satan and foolish men who take joy in ridiculing Christianity and our faith. Have you been challenged once? How did God confront them to silence them? Share your testimony if you are studying as a group.  

Here, Satan here renews his accusation of selfishness against Job. He submitted that health was of greater importance to man than wealth and thus when Job’s health is at stake, he will deny God. .  It is true he has lost his property and his children, but his person yet remains unharmed. For this reason, Satan came again insisting that should God touch his skin and health, he will renounce his allegiance to God, and blaspheme his name. Unfortunately he was also proven wrong.

Satan has one excuse/accusation or another why he attacks a child of God. These excuses are purely God’s blessings and talents in us. It may be your money/wealth, knowledge, beauty, position in office, your children, your health, etc. We should understand that when the blessings of God are upon us, it will always attract temptations and trials from Satan and his agents. We should not be deterred by the temptations of the devil to the extent that we curse God and deny Him. These trials and temptations are for some time. They will soon end. We should be resolute in our Christianity and faith when trials come our ways (James 1:12).

Food for Thought: Matthew 10:22

Prayer: God, as Satan and men envy your blessings upon my life and thus plan evil against me, may I not yield to their trials to turn against you.