Those Who Belong to Christ: Devotion for Wednesday June 24, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday June 24, 2020

Topic: Those Who Belong To Christ                      

Text: Galatians 5:24 – 26                          

There are things that exemplify a Christian and make such fellow peculiar or distinct. They are the fruit of the Holy Spirit we read about yesterday. Any professing Christian who doesn’t possess these virtues is mere compromising and should not be taken seriously.

How can a Christian lack love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? If any of these is lacking in your life, then you have either backslidden or you have been compromising. Those who have these are those who actually and really belong to Christ according to Paul in Galatians 5:24.

Those who are Christ’s have crucified their flesh when they became Christians (Romans 6:3, 4), and it is done continuously (Romans 6:6) so that the Holy Spirit will be able to produce in them the fruits just listed (Galatians 5:22, 23). It is by faith in Christ that a man becomes dead to a sinful life and rises to a new life of fellowship with Christ (Colossians 3:3).

Brethren, if our inner life be in the Spirit; that is, received from the Spirit, sustained by him, and conformed to him in character then we should also walk in that Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

Our outward life also should be in the Spirit; in other words, let it be conformed to Christ in character, so that our inward principles and outward conduct shall be in harmony with each other. This, in Paul’s opinion is what it means to belong to Christ. Is your inward and outward life in harmony with that of Christ? Think about it.

Food for Thought: Do you truly belong to Christ in your character?                                             

Memory verse: Galatians 5:24                                                                             

Prayer: Lord, help me to conform to the image of Christ in my inward and outward character in Jesus name.  

Fruit of the Holy Spirit: Devotion for Tuesday June 23, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday June 23, 2020

Topic: Fruit of the Holy Spirit        

Text: Galatians 5:22 – 23                              

The fruit of the Spirit is that which the Holy Spirit produces in those who follow His guidance. It is the natural growth and result of the Spirit working in the life of Christian who allows the Holy Spirit to control him or her. The Spirit produces the virtues or character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s controlled life; we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without His help.

In our scriptural reading for the day, Paul spoke of the works of the flesh as many; but the fruit of the Spirit (9 of them) is spoken of as one, many works, but one fruit. There is such a connection and link of graces, “That although they are distinct in their natures, yet are they inseparable in their subject, pull one link of a chain, and you pull all; so he that has any one spiritual grace in reality, or at least in eminency, cannot be utterly destitute of any other; for where the Holy Spirit is, there cannot be a total defect of any holy grace” so says William Burkitt. Is this so in your life as a Christian?

If we want the fruit of the Spirit to manifest and be seen in us, we must join our life to His (see John 15:4-5). We must know Him, love Him, remember Him, and imitate Him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law, to love God and our neighbours.

Do you have these virtues and qualities in you? If your fruit is not total as we have in our text then there is a problem in your spiritual life. All you need to do is to ask God to help you to bear the fruit of Holy Spirit as expected. Note that the fruit has no plural therefore it must be whole and entire in manifestation in our lives.   

Food for Thought: A society where all people act out these 9 virtues would not need any law again.

Memory verse: Galatians 5:22, 23

Prayer: My Lord and my Father in heaven, help me to bear these fruit of the Holy Spirit in Jesus name.

Please Be The Judge: Devotion for Thursday May 21, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday May 21, 2020

Topic: Please Be The Judge

Text: Isaiah 5: 1 – 7                                      

Our bible passage for today is an imagery God used to teach the nation of Israel and by extension we the readers of today about our unfaithfulness despite the enormous grace and mercies we have received from Him.

God used the imagery of a vineyard at a very good place, fertile enough to produce good fruits (Isaiah 5:1, 2). All that was needed to make the vineyard were provided (Isaiah 5:2). Unfortunately and regrettably too, the vineyard produce the opposite of what God expected. Instead of good grapes, it produced wild grapes that were not useful.  

The lesson of the song of the vineyard shows that God’s chosen nation was to bear fruit—to carry out his work, to uphold justice. It did bear the fruit, but the fruit was bad. This passage uses plays on words: the Hebrew words for justice and bloodshed sound very much alike, as do those for righteousness and oppression. The hurt friend (God) now directs rhetorical questions to the people of Judah, asking them to judge whether He is guilty of neglecting them.

God often condemns sinners “out of their own mouth” (Deuteronomy 32:6; 2 Samuel 12:1-6; Job 15:6; Luke 19:22; Romans 3:4). Jesus gave us insight on how to identify someone by his or her fruit in Matthew 7:20. Have you examined your own “fruit” lately? Is it good or bad, useful or wild? If what you found is the opposite of what is expected, take action today. Amend your ways and begin to live righteously. God bless you!

Food for Thought: Are the fruit mention in Galatians 5:22 and 23 the kind you bear as a Christian.

Memory verse: Isaiah 5:3

Prayer: Almighty God, as you have invested so much on me, help me to make return equal to what you have invested in me in Jesus name.

The Mercies of God: Devotion for Sunday February 16, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday February 16, 2020

Topic: The Mercies of God   

Text: Psalm 103:8-14

The mercies of God have brought us into this new day. It is of God’s loving kindness and mercies that you and I are alive today. People died yesterday! Are you better than them? Think of the blessings you received in the past? Were they out of hard work? No! They came out of the mercies of God. He is forever gracious (Psalm 103:8). For this reason we should always appreciate this gesture on daily basis.

God has shown us much mercies and love in bring us into this new day because His mercies is from everlasting to everlasting. What will you use to reciprocate God’s mercies upon your life? To him much is given, much is expected! God expects to reap abundant righteousness from us (See Isaiah 5:1 – 7). God expected to reap righteousness from Israel but instead, they gave out oppression and evil. Thus they were punished for that. We should live fruitful life for that is what pleases God (John 14:4, 16).

In what ways are we expected to bear fruits for the Lord as mark of His love, mercies and kindness towards us? Faithfulness and obedience are marks of gratitude for mercies we have received from Him.

Action: Write down in your book 5 ways you can bear fruit for God

Memory verse: Psalm 86:15

Prayer: God help me to reciprocate your mercies towards me by bearing fruits of righteousness for you in Jesus name.

Bear Much Fruit For God

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday January 3

Topic: Bear Much Fruit For God

Text: John 15:1 – 8

Nothing gladdens the heart of any farmer than seeing his efforts bearing fruits as expected. It makes him so happy and he will want to do more. In the same way, nothing pleases God more than seeing his children doing His will and bearing fruits for His kingdom. In fact God expects us to bear fruits as He charged Adam in Genesis 1:28. He has just brought us into a new year and he has bestowed much grace and mercies upon us. God loves those that obey and glorify Him. This is the secret Jesus revealed in this our text, that those that obey God and do His will are glorifying Him.

The best way to glorify God for the mercies and graces we have received is to bear fruits. This is what is expected of us as Paul charged the Corinthians and we by extension that we should abound in good works (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Spirit of God stimulates good works in us as we have in John 15:5 and being fruitful is an evidence or demonstration of true discipleship.

What fruit are you bearing or do you intend to bear in this New Year? We have the fruits of the flesh (Galatians 5:19 – 21) and also the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 – 23). In your office, do your words and actions show that you are a Christian, and do you bear fruit for Him there or you compromise your faith? As a driver, do you connive with the Motor Mechanic to defraud your boss? Do you make unnecessary claims for the money of the work you didn’t do?

Our fruits should glorify God and edify man.  Jesus Christ said that we are the light of the world and He also charged us to let our light shine. Are you among those whose lights appear dim or those whose lights are shinning for others to see? Therefore, live as Jesus Christ charged us in Matthew 5:16

Food for Thought: Whatever that is worth doing at all is worth doing well – Lord Chesterfield

Memory verse: Matthew 5:16

Prayer: Help me O Lord to bear fruits that will glorify you through my words and deeds in Jesus name.

Judge Between Me And My Vineyard

Devotion for Saturday May 26, 2018

Topic: Judge Between Me And My Vineyard

Text: Isaiah 5: 1 – 7

Our bible passage for today is an imagery used by God to teach the nation of Israel and by extension we the present readers about our unfaithfulness, despite the enormous grace and mercies we have received from Him. He used the imagery of a vineyard at a very good place, fertile enough to produce good fruits (Isaiah 5:1, 2). All that was needed to make the vineyard were provided (Isaiah 5:2). Unfortunately and regrettably too, the vineyard produce the opposite of what God expected. Instead of good grapes, it produced wild grapes that are not useful. The lesson of the song of the vineyard shows that God’s chosen nation was expected to bear fruit—to carry out His work and to uphold justice. It did bear fruit, but the fruit was bad. The hurt friend (God) now directs rhetorical questions to the people of Judah, asking them to judge whether He is guilty of neglecting them or not. God often condemns sinners “out of their own mouth” (Deuteronomy 32:6; 2 Samuel 12:1-6; Job 15:6; Luke 19:22; Romans 3:4). Jesus gave us insight on how to identify someone by his or her fruit in Matthew 7:20. Have you examined your own “fruits” lately? Is it good or bad, useful or wild? This examination is appropriate and should be on regular basis because being vulnerable; we can fall off at any given time. We should take heed.

Sing A&M 94, Abu 171

Food for Thought: What kind of fruit(s) do you bear? Compare your fruits with Galatians 5:22 and 23.

Memory verse: Isaiah 5:3

Prayer: Almighty God, as you have invested so much on me, help me to make return equal to what you have invested in me in Jesus name.

Bear Much Fruit

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Monday July 10, 2017

Topic: Bear Much Fruit

Text: John 15:1 – 8

Nothing gladdens the heart of any farmer that we he sees his efforts bearing fruits as expected. It makes him so happy and He will want to do more. In the same way, nothing pleases God more than when his children are doing His will and bearing fruits for His kingdom. In fact God expects us to bear fruits as He charged Adam in Genesis 1:28. God loves those that obey and glorify Him. This is the secret Jesus revealed in this our text, that those that obey God and do His will are glorifying Him.

The best way to glorify God is to bear fruits. This is what is expected of us as Paul charged that we should abound in good works (1 Corinthians 15:58). The Spirit of God stimulates good works in us as we have in John 15:5 and being fruitful is an evidence or demonstration of true discipleship.

What fruit are you bearing? We have the fruits of the flesh (Galatians 5:19 – 21) and also the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 – 23). In your office, do your words and actions show that you are a Christian, and do you bear fruit for Him there? As a driver, do you connive with the Motor Mechanic to defraud your boss? Do you make unnecessary claims for the money of the work you didn’t do?

Our fruits should glorify God and edify man.  Jesus Christ said that we are the light of the world and He also charged us to let our light shine. Are you among those whose lights appear dim or those whose lights are shinning for others to see? Therefore, live as Jesus Christ charged us in Matthew 5:16

Food for Thought: Whatever that is worth doing at all is worth doing well – Lord Chesterfield

Memory verse: Matthew 5:16

Prayer: Help me O Lord to bear fruits that will glorify you through my words and deeds in Jesus name.