No Special Favour with God: Devotion for Wednesday July 31, 2019

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday July 31, 2019

Topic: No Special Favour with God

Text: Romans 11:16 – 21

God is no respecter of man. You may be His favourite today but if tomorrow you sin, He punishes you without looking at your face or blinking an eye. David’s case with Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah was a clear demonstration that God punishes even His favourite.

Paul tells us that the reason why the Jews were broken off (Romans 11:20) was their unbelief. Again the only reason we (the Gentile) are still in place is because of our trust in God of the Jews.

He thus warns us not to go the ways of the Jews God rejected or else He will not spare us. If God did not refrain from rejecting the Jews who became unbelievers assuredly He will not refrain from rejecting us in the same circumstance.

Therefore, Paul advises us not to take God’s goodness and severity for granted (Romans 11:22 compare John 15:2; 1 Corinthians 15:2 and Hebrews 3:6, 14).

Beloved, with God there is no favouritism. God’s standard is the same whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, male or female, of black race or white, etc.

As children of God, we should not be partial too. As Personnel Manager in your office, do you consider tribe, religion or relationship in offering employment to people?

In the church, do you give your people certain position because they are your people? If we are called children of God, we must behave like God in all ramifications.

God looks at the heart, no wonder He chose David instead of Eliab.

Lastly, we should not think that as Christians today, we have made it to heaven. We should be mindful of what we do because any little slip or compromise can cost us our salvation. We must continue to take heed lest we fall off.

Almighty God, please help us to remain steadfast in Jesus name. Amen

Food for Thought: It was possible that God could break off the Jews on the account of their unbelief. Certainly, He will not spare us if we follow suit.

Memory verse: Romans 11: 21

Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to remain steadfast in faith and not to be partial in my dealing with people.

Let Your Light Shine

Devotion for Friday June 8, 2018

Sing SS&S 1138; Abu 240

Topic: Let Your Light Shine

Text: Isaiah 60:1 – 8

A true Christian is a light to the world. In the Book of Common Prayer (2007:167), we have in the liturgy for baptism, where the person being baptized will be given a candle light with the following admonition. (One of the sponsors says): Receive the light of Christ to show that you have passed from darkness to light. (The congregation will respond): Shine as light in the world to the glory of God the Father, Amen. This clearly shows what the life of a Christian should be. In Matthew 5:14 – 16, Jesus made it clear that we are the light of the world. What does it imply? It means that we are to show the world things as they are, and give to men right views of them. We are to enlighten, direct, and quicken others. How much are you doing this? In our text, the prophet calls on the nation of Israel to arise and shine because their light has come. God's covenant with Israel is that His word and Spirit shall dwell with her forever. These are mightier than the powers of darkness (v2a); so that in all her conflicts with them it is certain that she will, in the end, prevail (2b). As the light (Christ – see John 8:12; 9:5) is revealed, He will draw Gentiles to it (Epiphany – Matt 2:2). For us Christians of today, as far as we have the knowledge of God in us, and the favour of God towards us, our light has come. It behooves on us to shine the light for others who are still in darkness to see our light and come to it.

Food for Thought: How can you shine your light for others to see?

Memory verse: Isaiah 60:1

Prayer: Father in heaven, let my light so shine before men, that they may see my good works and glorify you in Jesus name. Amen 

The Imperative Of Inward Beauty

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday May 17, 2017 

Topic: The Imperative Of  Inward Beauty

Text: 1 Peter 3:4

God created us in His image. The beauty we portray shows how awesome our God is. He made us beautiful and handsome for His glory but these days, I wonder if being beautiful is a crime. The way most people use their beauty in wrong ways is a cause for concern. Most people spend time and enormous resources trying to beautiful themselves. All these are good only if they are targeted at glorifying God (1 Peter 3:4b).

Here, Peter challenged us especially women whose concern is always what to wear, style to sow, style of hair do, etc, to ensure that we are also “beautiful inside in our hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is precious to God” – Living Bible. John Wesley Notes gives insight into why this is precious in the sight of God when he said that “A meek spirit gives no trouble willingly to any: a quiet spirit bears all wrongs without being troubled.” Meekness is one virtue that is expected of us as Christian.

Do you attach the kind of importance, time and resources you give to your outward beauty to inward beauty? Beautifying our heart is through constant meditation on the word of God. This helps us overcome temptations and trial (Psalm 119:11), and also accommodate the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 3:16). How beautiful is your heart? Have you corrupted yours with malice, anger, bitterness, evil thoughts etc? If so, repent today. Let the beauty of your heart matter most to you than your outward beauty. 

Food for Thought: The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express. –Bacon

Memory verse: 1 Peter 3 verse 4

Prayer: God, make me beautiful within and help me to maintain inner beauty than my outward beauty in Jesus name.

PULL DOWN WALLS: Devotion for Thursday July 7, 2016

PULL DOWN WALLS: Devotion for Thursday July 7, 2016

Text: Ephesians 2:14 – 22       

Memory verse: v 14 – For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. 

Jesus Christ made peace by the sacrifice of Himself; in every sense Christ was the Peace of the Gentiles, the author, centre, and substance of their being at peace with God and of their union with the Jewish believers in one church. It was never so before His coming into the world. Jews hate Gentiles including their close neighbours and ‘relations,’ Samaritans. Christ also has destroyed the barriers people built between themselves. Because these walls have been removed, we can have real unity with people who are not like us. This is true reconciliation.

Because of Christ’s death, we are now all one (Ephesians 2:14); our hostility against each other has been put to death (Ephesians 2:16); we can all have access to the Father by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18); we are no longer strangers or foreigners to God (Ephesians 2:19); and we are all being built into a holy temple with Christ as our Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20, 21).

The middle wall of separation alludes to the wall in the Jewish temple that separated the court of the Gentiles from the holy place occupied by the Jews. A Gentile who was caught going beyond this wall was killed (see Acts 21:28, 29). Today most of us Christians are still building walls that Christ pulled down through segregation, despising others, not reaching the unreached with the gospel of Christ, placing does and don’t which has resulted in people neglecting one another in the church, etc. Can you mention some other ways we still build walls? Instead of building bridges to link one another, we are building wall and barriers. With walls the gospel cannot reach the unreached. We should be like Christ in reconciling people to God (2 Corinthians 5:18) instead of sending them away with our quirk character.   

Food for Thought: In what ways are people building walls against fellow Christians and unbelievers?

Prayer: Lord God, I repent of my actions which are barriers to people who want to repent and come to you.

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