Do You Desire Favour?

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Monday June 12, 2017

Topic: Do You Desire Favour?

Text: Proverbs 11:27

Many people don’t know how to court God’s favour. Living Bible translated this verse thus: “If you search for good you find God’s favour; if you search for evil, you find His curse.” Searching for good is one of the ways to court God’s favour. Doing good to people especially the down trodden and less privileged ones are ways to procure God’s favour. Matthew Henry Commentary puts it thus: “Those that are industrious to do good in the world get themselves beloved both with God and man: He that rises early to that which is good, that seeks opportunities of serving his friends and relieving the poor, and lays out himself therein, procures favour.”

This is challenging for us in this era of greed and selfishness; where people are so concerned about self than for anything else. People who do good to others always have God's loving kindness surrounding them. The opposite of these is for men that seek evil. They are preparing ruin for themselves, who specialize in doing evil. It shall come upon them; when they will be paid in their own coin (see Esther 7:9 and 10).

Do you earnestly seek to do evil or good? They are many who do evil indirectly like Balak who called Balaam to assist him. Cain did his own openly by killing Abel and judgment came upon him. Evil hunts even after many years (Gen. 50:15). It pays to be kind and to be good to others.

Food for Thought: Little deeds of kindness, little words of love, help to make earth happy like the heaven above – Carney

Memory verse: Psalm 7:16

Prayer: God, remove evil from my heart and life. Grant me the spirit of kindness and grace to be kind to people in Jesus name, Amen.

SELF EXAMINATION: Devotion for Tuesday August 4, 2015

SELF EXAMINATION    Tuesday August 4, 2015

Text: Lamentation 3:37 – 41     Memory verse: v 40

We should complain to God and not of Him when we are confronted with challenges and problems of life. Usually, we are apt, in times of calamity, to reflect on other people's ways, and blame them; but our duty is to search and try our own ways, that we may turn from evil to God. Instead of feeling that the punishment was more than we could bear, we should accept it as correction from God and then turn to Him for restoration. This is what God wants us to do when he corrects us. See Hebrews 12:5 – 11.    

When we are affliction, it is good to remember that God chastens us less than our iniquities deserve, and that we have occasion, not for complaint, but for adoring gratitude. This view will lead to earnest self-examination and repentance, and thus to the restoration of God's favour (v 41). How often do you examine yourself (2 Corinthians 13:5)?

Food for Thought: Self examination helps us to live within ambit of the law

Prayer: Lord, help me to examine myself always so I will not miss the mark.