Why Some People Don’t Help The Needy: Devotion for Sunday May 3, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday May 3, 2020

Topic: Why Some People Don’t Help The Needy       

Text: Acts 9:10 – 18                                     

There are so many people who are suffering today just because their appointed helpers have refused to help. They will always have one reason or another why they won’t help people who come to them for help or they come across. One of the reason people don’t help is poor understanding of how their wealth came about (see yesterday’s devotion).

They will question; where were you when they were making their money? This is sheer arrogance. Another reason is in our memory verse – our past or history. Some will recount what happened in the days of your forefathers and because of that they will not help anyone from your family.

In our text, Ananias initially refused to help Saul because of his past. He told God what he knew and heard about Saul. However, God insisted that he was the one chosen for the task. It was that insistence from God that made Ananias to help Saul. May God, in His mercies insists that your helpers will come your way in Jesus name. The excuse of Ananias is contrary to the bible teaching concerning our relationship with our enemies – “Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you” (see Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35; Romans 12:14, 20; 1 Peter 2:23; 3:9).

As Christians, we should not fail to help people by recounting what happened in the past or any reason at all. We should behave like our Father in heaven as we have in Matthew 5:45.

Action: As you go out today, ensure you do good to someone who actually needs help without counting the cost.

Memory verse: Act 9:13

Prayer: God, help me to love my enemies and to do good to them because it is the best way to sow your love in their hearts.

Hate Evil

Devotion for Friday August 4, 2017

Topic: Hate Evil

Text: Amos 5:12 – 15

Paul gave an admonition that all Christians should take to heart in his letter to the Romans which says, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). This is similar to the admonition Amos gave to the Israelites in our bible reading for the day. There are people who love to do evil and they are never at peace till they have done one. They abuse privileges and rights of not only themselves but of others around them. We know the story of Ahab and the wife Jezebel (1 Kings 16:30 -33). They did all manner of evil just because they were in leadership position. Do you behave like them? Repent today!

Amos charged the Israelites to hate evil and an evidence to prove their repentance. By that Amos said they should avoid what ruins them, and cleave to what helps them. As a proof they had taken the advice of Amos, he encouraged them to purity the seats of justice; and then expect God to be gracious to them. This was the crux of Prophet Amos’ message here. This message is very important to our present generation where people have Bible on one hand and gun to kill, steal and kidnap on the other hand. What are the evidences of your repentance? Do you have the name that you are alive but in reality you are dead? Christians should hate sin and not to take pleasure in it. Read Micah 3:11; 7:2 – 4 and Isaiah 1:23. Do you belong to any of these groups mentioned in these passages? It is time to repent and return to the Lord before it will be too late.

Food for Thought: Psalm 97:10

Memory verse: Amos 5:3

Prayer: God make me hate evil with all my heart and help me to cling to righteousness in everything I do in Jesus name.