Price of Godliness (Sickness)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday April 5, 2017

Topic: Price of Godliness (Sickness)

Text: Job 2:7 – 10

Yesterday we saw how Job lost all his possessions because Satan was not happy that God had blessed him because he was a godly man; blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Today we have the story of how Satan came back to afflict him with a sickness doctors can’t describe. What was his sin for this affliction? He refused to give up his godly life. He refused to curse God.

Some people would have concluded that he was not really a godly man if not why will these serial attacks come upon him. The comment of his friends who came to him proves this. Some people said such about me when within a period of 4 years; I underwent kidney transplant operation two times and a heart operation also. If not that we are reading the story of Job, we wouldn’t have known what transpired between God and Satan before the problem started.

If living a godly life can attract such persecution and trials, do we avoid godliness? No! What we stand to gain far more outweigh the immediate pains (2 Corinthians 4:16 – 18). Our body may wear away but our soul which will return to God is what matters. Job understood this too well when he said that he knows his Redeemer lives and that he shall see God even after his skin has been destroyed (Job 19:25 – 27). What an expression of faith! Job was a man of faith who confessed the resurrection of the dead. If we have such understanding as Job had, we will not fear sickness and death; rather sickness and fear of death will draw us closer to God.

Food for Thought: Job 19:25 – 27

Memory verse: 2 Corinthians 4:17

Prayer: Grant me the grace I need, O Lord, never to deny you in time of sickness in Jesus name.

Price Of Godliness (Loss Of Possessions)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday April 4, 2017

Topic: Price Of Godliness (Loss Of Possessions)

Text: Job 1:13 – 22       

Job 1:1 gives us a description of Job. He was a godly man; blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. For this reason, God made a hedge round him and all he had. This didn’t go down well with Satan who appeared in the presence of God to accuse Him for blessing Job. This conversation between God and Satan teaches us an important fact about God. He is aware of every attempt by Satan to bring suffering and difficulty upon us.

God knew Job and what Job can do. God vouched for him and when Satan was not satisfied, He permitted Satan to tempt Job but not to take his soul. The first series of attack was loss of his possessions including his children simply because God had blessed him and he was godly man; blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

While God may allow us to suffer for a reason beyond our understanding, He is always compassionate with us. Job had lost his possessions and family in this first of Satan’s tests, but he reacted rightly toward God by acknowledging God’s sovereign authority over everything God had given him. Satan lost this first round. Job passed the test and proved that people can love God for who He is, not for what He gives to them.

Have you taken time to analyze that problem you are going through; that loss of job, loss of your benefactor, loss of car, etc? It may be a test of your faith and commitment towards God. It may be that Satan wants to use it to distract you. Never give up. Loss of possessions shouldn’t distract our focus on God.

Food for Thought: Love and passion for possession can make us deny God if they are destroyed as a trial of our faith.

Memory verse: Job 1 verse 21

Prayer: Lord God, may I not love possessions more than you in Jesus name. 

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday March 30, 2017

Topic: Price of Godliness (Imprisonment 1)

Text: Genesis 39:19 – 23

Joseph had a dream that his parents and brothers will come to worship him but for the dream to be fulfilled, he went through several processes; sale into captivity, living as a slave and then in prison. It was not his dream that took him to prison but his desire to please his God and live godly. Portiphar’s wife couldn’t stop lusting after Joseph. When he refused and ran away from her leaving his clothes, she framed him up and that landed him in prison.

If Joseph had succumbed to her pressure and slept with her, he wouldn’t have ended in prison but he would have gone out of favour with God. Just like Moses, Joseph chose to suffer momentarily affliction instead of partaking in the pleasures of sin that would have destroyed him completely.

Are you suffering now because you refused to give in to crimes and they are threatening you with imprisonment? Do not despair. God is on His throne laughing at them and He will soon set them into confusion. Are you already in prison because of a crime you didn’t commit? Let the story of Joseph encourage you. As a prisoner and slave, he could have seen his situation as hopeless but he did his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude didn’t go unnoticed by the warden, who promoted him to prison administrator. Are you facing an apparently hopeless situation? Remember how God turned Joseph’s situation around and do your best always. God will see your efforts and can reverse even overwhelming odds that stand against you.

Food for Thought: 1 Peter 2:19 – 21

Memory verse: Genesis 39 verse 20

Prayer: God, grant me the grace I need to follow the example you have set for us even if it leads to imprisonment in Jesus name.

AVOID FOOLISH QUESTIONS: Devotion for Thursday December 24, 2015

AVOID FOOLISH QUESTIONS    Thursday December 24, 2015

Text: Titus 3:9 – 11         Memory verse: v 9

Paul charges Titus that there are needful questions that should be discussed and cleared, such as make for improvement in useful knowledge and glory of God; but idle and foolish inquiries, tending neither to God's glory nor the edification of men, must be shunned. He urged Titus not to give countenance to those who promote Mosaic rites and ceremonies, but should avoid and oppose them; for they are unprofitable and vain. These He referred to as those foolish questions and genealogies, as well as those striving about the law. They are so far from instructing and building up in godliness

In the opinion of Paul, kind, watchful, and efficient discipline should always be maintained in our churches. Efforts, not by pains and penalties, but by sound argument and kind persuasion, should first be made to reclaim offenders. If all is unavailing, Christians should separate themselves from them. This should also be adopted in our personal relationship with people. We should avoid such people. Arguing with them will only lead us to worldliness.

Food for Thought: Is there any good in arguing what is true?

Prayer: God do not allow me into foolish questions and argument.