Do As It Pleases You But ...

Devotion for Monday November 20, 2017

Topic: Do As It Pleases You But …

Text: Ecclesiastics 11:7 – 10

Youths are usually vigorous, energetic, lively, enthusiastic and adventurous. These make them restive because they love to pursue their heart desires. They do not accept a ‘no’ for anything they have made up their minds on. When they desire something, they are purposeful about it and they will vigorously pursue it till they acquire or attain that height.

It is on this premise that Solomon admonished youths to use their youthful exuberance with the mind that a day of reckoning will come. This should make them have a deep sense of God’s presence, reverencing His authority as that will be a great security against pursuit of sinful desires. Because God will bring youthful activities into judgement, they should let their pursuit of happiness and all their youthful enjoyments be in the fear of God.

This warning is not for the youths only. It is a warning for whosoever will not be found wanting on the day of Judgement. Those who fear God, and make Him their portion, will enjoy all that this world is capable of giving, and be prepared for the higher enjoyments of eternity because they will always apply discretion and fear of God in pursuit of enjoyment and happiness. This should be our guide in our walk with God.

Food for Thought: Aspiration after God is the only aspiration with the assurance that it will never meet with disappointment.

Memory verse: Ecclesiastics 11:9

Prayer: God, grant that I will always be mindful of what I do with the mind that there is Judgement waiting for me. 

BE MERCIFUL

DEVOTION FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2016

Topic: BE MERCIFUL              

Text: Matthew 5:7         

The blessed state for the merciful as Jesus used it here, does not promise outright laughter, pleasure or earthly prosperity rather the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. Romans 9:15 tells us that God shows mercy. Mercy means capacity for holding oneself back from punishing or causing suffering to someone whom one has the right to punish. Just like Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13); forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us, so we should be merciful in others so as to obtain mercy. Do you show mercy to people who have truly offended you, that you may also obtain mercy? Are you of the group that believes in an eye for an eye (Exodus 21:24)? God expects us to be merciful, because He is merciful to us (Exodus 34:6 & 7). If God counts all our shortcomings, who will stand before Him?

If you desire the blessedness of God in this life, joy; the deepest form of happiness and peace of God which passes all understanding, then you must be ready to show mercy to people you meet on regular basis.  You must follow the example of Jesus to the woman caught in the very act (John 8:1–11). Always show mercy and you will also receive it.

Food for Thought: Mercy imitates God, and disappoints Satan - St Chrysostom.

Memory verse: Matthew 5:7

Prayer: God, sow in me the spirit of mercy and grant me the grace not to retaliate when people offend or hurt me.

THE POOR IN SPIRIT

DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY DECEMBER 15, 2016

Topic: THE POOR IN SPIRIT                      

Text: Matthew 5 verse 3                    

Each of the beatitude tells us how God blesses us. Christians should spend time to study the beatitude because some of us have been following the wrong path and when they come to the crossroad (when the blessings they had hoped for didn’t come), they will begin to see the promises of God as not true and subsequently fall out of the faith.

Blessed, means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate and enviable state of believers. It is more of inward and not outward. We shall look at the beatitude for the next 10 days. The poor as used here means the humble, who depend on God in all things, temporal and spiritual, and look to Him for the supply of every want; more especially those who feel their need, as sinners, of spiritual blessings, and look to Jesus Christ to grant them (Isaiah 66:2).

It is proper to understand that being poor as Jesus Christ used it is not those that are poor in estate, or those whom the world has made poor in possession, but those whom the gospel has made poor in spirit, that is, the truly humble and lowly spirits. They have a right and title to the kingdom of heaven. Beloved, what is the effect of the gospel in your life? The gospel should make us do the accepted things in the likeness of Christ. Christ was not keen on material things while on earth but whenever the need arises there is always a provision for that. Though, a King, He live a life of poor spirit. We should emulate Him.      

Food for Thought: True happiness does not consist in external condition, but in the state of the mind.

Memory verse: Matthew 5 verse 3

Prayer: God, grant me the understanding of what being poor in spirit means so I will live to receive the blessings therein in Jesus name.