Do You Have Idols In Your Heart? Devotion for Thursday March 19, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday March 19, 2020

Topic: Do You Have Idols In Your Heart?                                             

Text: Ezekiel 14:1 – 11 

Most of us undermine the fact that God knows the intents of our hearts in whatever we do. These elderly people who came to Ezekiel have not actually repented of their sins before coming to God. With one hand they held on to sin and were using the other hand to inquire of God. You cannot mock God because He is a Spirit.

The offence of these men that came for inquiry is that they have made idols in their hearts which can never take the place of God. He is a jealous God. He doesn’t share our hearts with idols. Hence He instructed them to repent (v6) so as to avoid the consequences that might follow (v 8 – 11). Idols in the heart according to our bible reading are things that made them to stumble and fall into sin.

Beloved, what are the idols that can occupy our hearts and make us stumble? Can you mention five of those idols in hearts of people? Admittedly, most Christians have set up idols of money/wealth, hatred, anger, pride, lust, etc., which easily lead them into sin. God doesn’t take pleasure in the outward form of worship when it is connected with a wicked heart and life.

Again, He cannot be deceived by those who come to inquire of Him, and He will not allow them to mock Him when they are also serving idols. If they love iniquity and secretly practice it, He will answer them in wrath, and not in mercy. Therefore be warned so that similar thing will not come upon you.

Action: Write down things that can become idols in your heart.

Memory verse: Ezekiel 20:3

Prayer: Deliver me O Lord my God from every idol in my heart so that my worship will be acceptable to you in Jesus name.

Sow What You Wish To Reap

Devotion for Saturday January 6, 2018

Topic: Sow What You Wish To Reap

2 Corinthians 9:6 – 7

An aphorism of Anioma people says that “he who plants unworthy yam in his farm is only deceiving himself.” The secret of reaping abundantly is to sow seeds that are worthy. No wonder Paul wrote: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” Galatians 6:7 and 8. In our text, Paul teaches that alms must be given neither grudgingly, nor with an unwilling mind, or sparingly but cheerfully. Thus he compares generous alms to sowing a seed in the farm which has a plentiful harvest of abundant blessing following it. We should have this in mind as we start our year and as we make plans of how to succeed in life. Our commitment, efforts, investment and input into our career, business and every other thing we lay our hands to do will determine the output we will receive. Don’t think you will have a bountiful harvest this year when you are not willing to sow good seed? Paul says, “Don’t be deceived.” Beloved, what have you planned to sow as seed this year? Where have you planned to sow your seeds? What quality of seed do you want to sow? Do your seeds correspond with what you desire to get as result? Think about these as you begin your year. Sing A&M 335; Abu 200

Food for Thought: He who plants unworthy yam in his farm is only deceiving himself

Memory verse: Galatians 6:7

Prayer: Lord God, may I sow seeds that will bring desired blessings to me this year and beyond in Jesus name. Amen

DON’T BE DECEIVED: Devotion for Wednesday October 19, 2016

DON’T BE DECEIVED: Devotion for Wednesday October 19, 2016

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:9 – 11    Memory verse: 1 Corinthians 6 verse 9

The Christian life starts when we realise that we have been living in sin and decides to change. The person accepts the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on then Cross of Calvary making Him Lord and Saviour. Such experience is being born again. Such person is expected to severe his or her life from sin. The desire and appetite to sin should die in that person. Such deviation from sin distinguishes such as a Christian. If such person continues to romance sin, his or salvation becomes doubtful and if it continues, it becomes certain that such person is not a true believer.

Here in our scriptural reading, Paul describes the characteristics of unbelievers and asserts that people still living in sin cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Christians came out of all kinds of different backgrounds, including those mentioned in Ephesians 6:9 and 10. They may still struggle with evil desires, but they should not continue in these practices doing it willfully. Any Christian who says he is a follower of Jesus Christ but allows every kind of evil to permeate his lives is not a worthy Christian. People in that category will not share in the Kingdom because they persisted in their evil practices with no sign of remorse. Such people, if they think they are believers, need to reevaluate their lives to see if they truly believe in Christ. They shouldn’t be deceived by thinking that they will be saved because they attend church services, programmes and activities.

Our society today is a permissive type where some Pastors and Christians overlook or tolerate some immoral behaviour (greed, drunkenness, etc.) while remaining outraged at others (homosexuality, thievery, etc.). Christians must not participate in sin or condone it in any way; we cannot be selective about the sin we condemn or excuse. God expects His followers in any age to have high moral standards. What is your moral standard? We shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that any unrighteous man shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Don’t flatter yourself by thinking God will compromise His standard. He is a just God.

Food for Thought: Ephesians 5:3–5

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to steer clear of all unrighteousness so I will be an inheritor of your kingdom in Jesus name. 

GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED: Devotion for Wednesday October 21, 2015

GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED       Wednesday October 21, 2015

Text: Galatians 6:1 – 10                            Memory verse: v 7

In Luke 16:19 – 31, is the story of an unnamed rich man and Lazarus who had sores all over his body. Lazarus wanted only crumbs from the rich man’s table but the rich man mocked Lazarus as his dog also came and licked his sores till he died. Both received their rewards. The rich man by his action against Lazarus mocked God his creator (Proverbs 14:31; 17:5). Paul warns us in this epistle that we cannot mock God. Mock is to treat something or somebody with scorn or to mimic somebody. He compares charity and Christian bounty to seed sown, and assures us, that the crop we reap shall be answerable, both in quality and kind, and also in measure and degree, to the seed we sow.

We sow seeds through our words and deeds. In this seed-time, we should be mindful of where we sow our seeds. If you sow in the flesh – beauty, sexual satisfaction, worldly affairs, etc, which are ways of mocking God; we will reap same at the end (Galatians 6:8). Beloved, do not mock God by taking his words lightly. Many who tried it are regretting now. Remember Herod, Goliath, Belshazzar, etc. The worst undoing of your life would be to mock God by compromising his word. Beware

Food for Thought: Job 13:9.

Prayer: God, grant that I may sow in the spirit so I can reap eternal life.'