Lord Speak To Me That I May Speak

Devotion for Friday July 27, 2018

Sing SS&S 786 (Abu 129) – Lord Speak To Me That I May Speak

Topic: Be Doers Of The Word

Text: James 1:22 – 25

I remember when I was living in a school hostel and seemed very fanatical about the bible. Each time I made a mistake or by any of my group (fellowship members), a particular student would use the statement to scold us. And when she does that, I would feel pain as if I was whipped. It is not just enough to go to church daily, bible study and hold night vigil through the week yet your life speaks the opposite of what you profess. Non-Christians expect us to live like Christ. We know from the bible that Christ our Lord is good; His works are good, His life speaks well and utterances radiate good and there is no wickedness found in Him. The early disciple radiated same charisma and that was why they were called Christians in Antioch.

To be a Christian means to live like Christ so that when you present the Word to unbelievers they will not reject it. We should note that James wrote this to Christians who attend church and hears the word of God regularly not pagans who don’t go to church nor hear the word of God. His intent was to caution those in the church who hears the word of God regularly for them to know that to hearing without doing what they heard is self-deception while the hearers and doers of the word of God are blessed.

How do we take the word we hear? Do you see the word preached as the right message for you or just meant for Mary or John? A woman who has been an old member of a church shook hands with a pastor after service one Sunday morning and said “that was a wonderful sermon, just wonderful! Everything you said applies to someone I know.” James doesn’t want us to apply the word to someone else but to apply it to ourselves. If you want blessing in your life then apply the word of God you hear or read daily into your life.

Food for Thought: Mere hearers of the word of God are self-deceivers; and self-deceit will be found to be the worst deceit at last.

Memory verse: James 1:22

Prayer Point: Help me oh Lord, to do all I hear and to learn from you total obedience to your word in Jesus name.

Price of Godliness (Persecution)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday March 29, 2017

Topic: Price of Godliness (Persecution)

 Text: 2 Timothy 3:10 – 12                    

Godliness has so many price tags which we shall be looking at from now till next week.  In this letter, Paul charges Timothy that if he wanted to live godly in Christ; he must make up his mind to encounter persecution. He asserts that total obedience to God and a life lived for Christ will be persecuted. What Paul meant here is that instead of Timothy thinking of persecution as a stumbling block, he should consider it the portion of the godly which is meant to prepare them for the heavenly glory. He urged Timothy to follow after his way of life, noting how he suffered persecution (2 Timothy 3:10, 11). Paul’s statement in 2 Timothy 3:12 was to intimate Timothy that persecution is a process all those who choose godliness will certainly pass through.

Beloved, if you desire to live godly life you should not be surprised when people misunderstand, criticize, and even try to hurt you because of what you believed and how you live your Christian life. They can go extra mile to stop you from serving God or silence you by sending you into the prison. Don’t give up even when they set you up. Continue to live as you know you should. God is the only one you need to please. This should be your aim; to please God always. Remember that there is a reward for you if you will remain steadfast and immovable in your faith and walk with God.

Food for Thought: It is better to incur the world's hatred by speaking against its wickedness than gain its goodwill by going down the stream with it – Henry (PowerBible CD).

Memory verse: 2 Timothy 3 verse 12   

Prayer: Lord, grant me the courage to stand for the truth even in the face of persecution in Jesus name.

A BLESSING OR CURSE FOR YOU?

DEVOTION FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2016

Topic: A BLESSING OR CURSE FOR YOU?            

Text: Proverbs 3:31 – 35                   

The terms and conditions of our covenant with God were well spelt out even before we of the present day generation were born. For everything we do with people or organizations, there are terms and conditions attached to them. For example, the GSM network providers will always warn that terms and conditions will apply when they make promos. In the same way, God has terms and conditions for our relationship with Him. There are things He expects us to do and things we shouldn’t do.    

God’s intention is never to curse any man. These blessings and curses were laid out before our birth. He has placed before us blessings and curses to choose from (Deuteronomy 11:26) in a bid to instill fear (Exodus 20:20) in us and make us obey His words. However, many have chosen curse instead of blessings with the way they live their lives. This they do by disobeying God’s instructions and commandments. When we deliberately disobey God, we have indirectly place ourselves under the curse of disobeying Him.

Likewise, we have a choice to make on the issue of heaven and hell. If by tomorrow, you find yourself in hell, it is not God that sent you there; you sent yourself. The wicked by his acts calls for a curse upon himself (Zechariah 5:3, 4). Anyone who behaves wickedly is deliberately inviting a curse. The question we should ponder on is what leads people into wickedness? List some of them so that you can avoid them.

How you want your house to be is a matter of your choice. When you engage in wickedness, do you think of what will befall your posterity? You may have been doing it at will and going scot-free but note that a day of reckoning is coming when God will reward every deed. Remember, whatsoever you sow, you shall reap (Galatians 6:7 compare Romans 2:6, Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12). As Joshua asked the Israelites to choose whom they will serve, so I am asking you today, to choose what your house will be: A CURSE OR A BLESSING.

Food for Thought: Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.

Memory verse: Proverbs 3 verse 33

Prayer: Help me to live righteously, O Lord, so that you will bless my home.

BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: Devotion for Thursday October 20, 2016

BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: Devotion for Thursday October 20, 2016

Text: 1 Corinthians 6: 12 – 20    Memory verse: 1 Corinthians 6 verse 20

Yesterday, we read how Paul asserted that people who say they are Christians but are still living in sin will not be part in the Kingdom of God. We summed up by saying that Christians must not willfully commit sin or condone it in any way. His stand according to yesterday’s devotion is that we cannot be selective about the sin we condemn or excuse. God expects His followers in any age to have high moral standards.  

In our bible reading for the day, the Apostle continues his admonition by stressing the importance of living a life of purity and righteousness. He gave instances of how we can defile ourselves especially through immorality. The reason he was so particular about immorality is in 1 Corinthians 6:18 and 19. Christians should take this admonition is very seriously because as they are no longer the owners of their bodies.

Now, our bodies belong to God and should be honoured and exclusively be used to glorify Him. We can do this by absolute obedience to God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Paul stressed this because we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). The price with which Jesus Christ bought us is stated in Matt 20:28; Galatians 3:13 and 1 Peter 18, 19. The precious blood of Jesus Christ is not what we should take for granted and abuse it. We should consider the sacrifice Jesus Christ made and take our call and faith seriously.

Beloved, since our bodies belong to God, it is our duty to glorify God with them. The fact that we are His, purchased and now belong to His spiritual temple makes our obligation to consecrate our spirit and body to His service imperative. Unfortunately, some Christians today who belong to the permissive group don’t see anything wrong in this. They hold the view that we can live in the world and do whatever we like in the name of freedom. It ought not to be so. We need the grace of God to fulfill our obligation of consecrating our lives to God and we can only succeed if we apply the counsel of Paul in Romans 12:1–2. To present the body to God as a living sacrifice is to consecrate it, with the living soul that inhibits it, to God's service.       

Food for Thought: Act 20:28

Prayer: God, grant me the understanding that I have been bought with a precious price so that I will live my life to conform to the standard expected of me in Jesus name. Amen.  

LIVE OUT THE WORD YOU HEAR: Devotion for Sunday September 25, 2016

LIVE OUT THE WORD YOU HEAR: Devotion for Sunday September 25, 2016

Text: James 1:19 – 25        Memory verse: James 1 verse 22

For every trials and problems of life we pass through, there are lessons for us to learn. This is what we should understand. Nothing happens for nothing. When we are under trials, instead of blaming God, we should open our ears and hearts to hear and learn what He teaches by them. This is very important because when we don’t learn from our trials, mistakes, etc, we will eventually fall into them in future. That is why it is important to learn from our past and use them for our future.

Any Christian who could govern his or her tongue could also govern his or her passions. In James’ opinion according to our scriptural reading for the day, mere reading or even studying, God’s word can’t profit us if we don’t obey what it says or teaches us. Our purpose for reading and listening to God’s word should not just be to know it, but also to do it - applying them into our daily living. It will amount to mere foolishness and our undoing when we pride ourselves in the knowledge of Scripture if that’s all there is to it.

The ability to quote bible verse off hand and recite them at will without the words manifesting in our lives; in the way we talk, react, act, etc, we are still far from what God expects of us. “Worthwhile knowledge is a prelude to action; God’s word can only grow in the soil of obedience” so says Life Application Commentary. It is important to hear God’s word, but it is much more important to obey it. We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes. Do we put into action what we have studied?

We hear and read the word of God regularly during corporate services, and personal quiet times. It is not how often you hear or read it that matters with God but how much we live out the word. Christians are unbelievers’ Bible. No wonder Christ said we are the salt of the earth and light of the world. We should therefore, give them good message daily and not what will make them question our Christian faith. Christianity should be lived out and not only professed.

Food for Thought: Romans 2:13

Prayer: Lord, help me to become a doer of your word and not hearer alone.

LIVE ABOVE TAUNTING: Devotion for Sunday May 22, 2016

LIVE ABOVE TAUNTING: Devotion for Sunday May 22, 2016

Text: 1 Samuel 1:9 – 18      Memory verse: v 10

Taunting can demoralize us but it should not deter us in living our lives and becoming what we dream of in life. The taunting from Peninnah made Hannah sad that she lost appetite but her husband consoled her and encouraged her to eat (1:8). Thereafter, the taunting led her into prayer. She would have considered the taunting by asking, why should I be angry? Why will I fret over what Peninnah said? Does being angry bring any good to me? Instead of binding the burden upon myself, I had better easy off and cast it upon the Lord in prayer. These motivated her into praying and thus she overcame the taunting from Peninnah (1:10). In the bitterness of her soul Hannah prayed and went ahead to back her request with a vow (1:11). This may have challenged God to answer her speedily.

From the way Hannah treated the challenge and taunting from her mate there are lessons for us. (1) We shouldn’t waste all our time in replying our critics and accusers. Rather we should use it meaningfully to improve ourselves and thus put them to shame. (2) The taunting and critics from our enemies should inspire us to draw closer to God the more. What Peninnah did made Hannah a prayer warrior. She had no time to reply her but she casted the problem to God because He is the one that solves all problem. (3) We should occasionally make vows to back up our request as Hannah did. (4) We should believe God for an answer after praying.

Food for Thought: We are the ones that can make taunting relevant when we let it deny us living our lives as we ought to.    

Prayer: Lord, let not the taunting against my life deny me from becoming what you want me to be in Jesus name.