The Mercies of God: Devotion for Sunday February 16, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday February 16, 2020

Topic: The Mercies of God   

Text: Psalm 103:8-14

The mercies of God have brought us into this new day. It is of God’s loving kindness and mercies that you and I are alive today. People died yesterday! Are you better than them? Think of the blessings you received in the past? Were they out of hard work? No! They came out of the mercies of God. He is forever gracious (Psalm 103:8). For this reason we should always appreciate this gesture on daily basis.

God has shown us much mercies and love in bring us into this new day because His mercies is from everlasting to everlasting. What will you use to reciprocate God’s mercies upon your life? To him much is given, much is expected! God expects to reap abundant righteousness from us (See Isaiah 5:1 – 7). God expected to reap righteousness from Israel but instead, they gave out oppression and evil. Thus they were punished for that. We should live fruitful life for that is what pleases God (John 14:4, 16).

In what ways are we expected to bear fruits for the Lord as mark of His love, mercies and kindness towards us? Faithfulness and obedience are marks of gratitude for mercies we have received from Him.

Action: Write down in your book 5 ways you can bear fruit for God

Memory verse: Psalm 86:15

Prayer: God help me to reciprocate your mercies towards me by bearing fruits of righteousness for you in Jesus name.

Where Am I Wrong?

Devotion for Saturday November 11, 2017

Topic: Where Am I Wrong?

Text: Jeremiah 2:5

God lamented His efforts to make Israel good and productive (Isaiah 5:1 – 7) which never materialized. Rather He got the opposite which brought His anger on them. He laments again in our text about unfaithfulness of the Israelites. He had called Abram out of Chaldea or a purpose (Genesis 12:1 – 3) as He wanted to make a nation of people who will faithfully and obediently walk with Him. He chased out the people of Canaan from their land because of their idolatry life and gave the land to the Israelites. He had bestowed upon them abundant labour and grace, and had expected from them an abundant harvest of righteousness. Thus He asked to know if they have ever discovered anything cruelty, unjust, oppressiveness, unkind laws or tyrannical in His government. Why then have they become idolaters?

In the same manner, God has bestowed so much grace on us and has done all that is needed for our salvation. We can’t charge God of neglecting us as the reason for our barrenness or sinning. He has done so much for us.

How do you reciprocate God’s love and grace upon you? Do not make God to regret the grace and mercies He shows you on daily basis. When we backslide, it dishonours God as it is a virtual declaration before the world that we have tried His service and found it unreasonable or hard. Are you in this group? God can only endure your faltering between two opinions for now (1 Kings 18:21) for His anger awaits sinner later.

Food for Thought: Isaiah 5:4

Memory verse: Jeremiah 2:5

Prayer: Lord God, grant me the grace never to make you regret the grace and mercies you have shown me in Jesus name. Amen. 

Rejoice With Me

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday May 31, 2017

Topic: Rejoice With Me

Text: Psalm 118:1 – 24

There are days when the last thing we want to do is rejoice. On such days our mood is down, our situation is out of hand, and our sorrow or guilt is overwhelming. On such day, we will wish death to come and take us but not so on a day like this for me and my family.

This psalm is the last of ‘Hallel’ or Praise psalms (Ps 113 – 118). It is caption Praise for Deliverance. There are things God does for us that we cannot keep quiet about. Here, the Psalmist called on us to give thanks to God (118:1) for his mercies (118:1 – 4). He recounted how he called on the Lord and He answered (118:5). This boosted his confidence in God to assert that he will not fear man. This made him to call on us to put our confidence in God and not man. For what God did for him, he called on those who love God, to rejoice with him.

In the same way, I am calling on those who love God to rejoice with me because of what God had done in my life. Today, I am celebrating my 50th Birthday. I never knew I would be alive due to the waters, rivers and fires of life I had passed through. Nobody who saw me in the year 2003 would believe that I would be alive to see this day but my prayer then had been Ps 118:17.

Today, I have every reason to rejoice and I say to God, “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the Lord. I will praise you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation. This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Join me on Saturday 3rd June, 2017 in a Birthday Thanksgiving Service at Cathedral Church of St. Peter Asaba by 10:00am. God bless you.

Food for Thought: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Memory verse: Psalm 118 verse 24

Prayer: Join me to thank God for my life and pray for more mercies and grace upon my life and family on this my birthday.

Mind Your Utterances

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday May 19, 2017

Topic: Mind Your Utterances

Text: Numbers 14:26 – 35

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31). Also see the warning in Matt 21:24. Provoking God is asking for trouble. It is like falling on a stone or the stone falling on someone. When you undermine the powers or mercies of God, He will show you that He is a consuming fire. He did it to Sodom and Gomorrah. He did it also to Goliath. On the contrary, God is full of mercies. He showed it to David and his descendants. May you not fall into the hands of living God rather may you enjoy His mercies in Jesus name.

God hates murmuring and complaining especially from people who have enjoyed His faithfulness. The Israelites tempted God, provoked Him and received rewards for their deeds. They condemned and ridiculed themselves and God honoured their word (Num. 14:28–34). This act of murmuring provoked God. It is a kind of indictment on God that He is not capable of protecting or leading them into the Promised Land. Again, by murmuring they try to shows that God’s words are not true. This was the reason God decided to honour their words of self-condemnation.

Have you enjoyed the mercies of God in form of healing, salvation, deliverance, protection, etc, and you are complaining or murmuring over immediate problem now, repent before the anger of God will come upon you. Beware of the kind of confession you make about your life; your marriage, your children, your job, your relationship, your dream, your spouse, etc. You can’t tell when you will use your negative confession to offend God and attract punishment.

Food for Thought: Beware of the confession you make about yourself.

Memory verse: Numbers 14 verse 29

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, never to murmur or complain against you no matter my present condition.

HE’LL RESTORE YOUR LOST FORTUNE

DEVOTION FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 10, 2016

Topic: HE’LL RESTORE YOUR LOST FORTUNE

Text: Deuteronomy 30:1 – 10

God’s love and mercies are unbelievable and far beyond our understanding. If not so, some of us wouldn’t have been Christians much more being a priest in His service. This love God has for sinners made Paul to assert that he was not worthy to be an Apostle if not for the grace God he received.

In our bible reading for the day, Moses told the Israelites that if they go astray, realizes their wrong and are willing to go back to the Lord, He would welcome them back. Even when they walk out on God deliberately, He will still take them back. God’s kind of mercy is what Jesus proved through the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–24). He deliberately walked out on the Father like the lost sheep. Moses told them about God’s love and mercies for them.  

There are lessons for us to learn from this statement of Moses.

a) God is love and merciful (Exodus 34:6 &7)

b) God is always ready to forgive us (Jeremiah 31:34)

c) He will gather us as His people (Jeremiah 32:37; Ezekiel 34:13)

d) He restores our fortunes (Luke 15:22–24; Jeremiah 29:14)

Have you deliberately walked out on God? Is it that you walked out on God as a result of ignorance and now you are finding it difficult to forgive yourself and come back to Him? Why will you continue to carry about your burden of sins when God is ever willing and ready to forgive you when you come back to Him? The place you are now may be the result of the acts of your own mistake just like the Prodigal Son and you have lost so many things. Turn back to God and He will freely welcome you unconditionally (Luke 15:17 & 18). Arise, He is waiting for you to restore unto you all those years you have lost (Joel 2:25) in ignorance and sin because of His love for you. Don’t hesitate or procrastinate.

Food for Thought: All the promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yes and Amen!

Memory verse: Deuteronomy 30 verse 3

Prayer: God, I repent of all sins I have committed. Please restore my lost fortunes in Jesus name. Amen.