God Will Heal Nigeria

Devotion for Tuesday May 29, 2018 (Democracy Day)

Topic: God Will Heal Nigeria

Text: Jeremiah 33:6 – 9

Any person or nation that God has blessed and that person or nation is still suffering lack, it means that God’s judgement is upon that country or person. I can imagine how countries that are not endowed with such human and natural resources could be living in abundance while a country like Nigeria richly blessed is living in want and abject poverty. The only reason for this is not far from judgement of God. When God places his judgement on a people, some of the following happen. They have eyes but cannot see. They have things in abundance but they are still in want. They have bad leaders that plunder their common wealth, corrupt and abuse of the rule of law which form the order of the day. These things are prevalent in our nation today. However, there is still hope for us as a people because there is no situation that God cannot change. In our text, God assures that He will not abate his present judgements upon Jerusalem (Nigeria), but He gives the gracious assurance of a future restoration. What this implies is that, we should learn our lessons and repent of our sins now. God’s word in 2 Chronicle 7:14 should be uppermost in our hearts. The example of what Nineveh did in time of Jonah should be considered as the way out of our present socio-economic and political quagmire we have found ourselves in. God will heal our land.

Sing A&M 262; Abu 83  

Food for Thought: Proverbs 11:11

Memory verse: Proverbs 14:34

Prayer: God let righteousness reign in our nation and let it start through me in Jesus name.

In Times like This, Look Up to God

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday February 1, 2017          

Topic: In Times like This, Look Up to God           

Text: Psalm 121 (Living Bible)  

Our world of today especially the Nigerian case has so many challenges like high cost of living, irregular payment of salaries, poor power supply, fuel scarcity (as at the time I was writing), threat against Christianity, etc. These have placed so many people in a strait especially those who want to live righteously. 

Here the Psalmist started with a question: Shall I go to the mountain gods for help? In order words, do I go to where I ought not to go or do what is not right to get help? He also gave the answer as ‘No!’ He said so because he knew God and what He can do. He also knew that the righteous can never beg for food (Psalm 37:25). God holds the affairs of this universe. He has the best plan for our tomorrow. His thought far supercedes ours. His plan is to give us an expected end. Hunger, hardship, persecution, lack, etc. cannot stop God’s plan for us. 

In this new month, I urge you to look up to God to sustain you and your family. The month of January may have been a month of stress and strait. Never mind, God has already planned for you. Look up to Him. He called you and will perfect all that concerns you. We wish you a lovely month of February 2017. 

Food for Thought: Looking up to God for help is a mark which distinguishes the true believer from all other men.

Memory verse: Psalm 121 verse 2

Prayer: God, may I rely on you in every situation and not on man.       

REPROACH TO NATIONS: Devotion for Saturday October 1, 2016

REPROACH TO NATIONS: Devotion for Saturday October 1, 2016

Text: Ezekiel 22:1 – 16      Memory verse: Ezekiel 22 verse 4   

Happy independent celebrations to Nigeria and Nigerians! Today is the 56th Independence Anniversary of Nigerian nation. We congratulate Nigerians as they celebrate this day.

Here in our text for the day, Jerusalem is called a bloody city because of her crimes. This chapter of Ezekiel explains why Jerusalem’s judgment would come (Ezekiel 22:2–16), how it would come (Ezekiel 22:17–22), and who would be affected by it (Ezekiel 22:23–31). The sins which Jerusalem stands charged with are exceedingly sinful – murder, idolatry, disobedience to parents, oppression and extortion, profanation of the Sabbath and holy things, seventh commandment sins, lewdness and adultery.

What would have led a nation adopted by a holy, righteous and pure God into this level of sin, crime and evil? Not being mindful of God led them into this wickedness. They took the mercies and grace of God for granted and thus due to their complacency and lukewarmness, they started compromising which took them into these evil they were charged of here.    

Sinners provoke God by forgetting Him. When they do not take His ordinances to heart, they can do anything they like. When they also see the worship of God as ceremonies without spiritual attachment to it, their worship will not have any impact on them. Jerusalem has filled the measure of her sins. Family Bible Notes says about Ezekiel 22:4 that, “When we see a community giving itself up to the practice of iniquity of every kind without restraint, we may be certain, from the sure testimony of God, that its days of punishment are near.” The position of Family Bible Notes here can well be said of our present generation where all manner of evil are seen on daily basis.  

The sins charged against Jerusalem, are similar to what we see in Nigeria today – murder, oppression and extortion, adultery, etc. The spate of Fulani herdsmen and marauders, killings, abduction and kidnapping, Boko Haram, budget padding, corruption, etc are all pointers to the assertion that our present day Nigeria is similar to what Ezekiel saw in Jerusalem at the time he was prophesying. Just like Jerusalem became a reproach to nations around her so our country, Nigeria has become a reproach to nations around her.

As Family Bible Notes posited above, we are expecting God’s judgment upon this country for we have turned against God in so many ways. In fact we have started reaping the fruit of our evil, greed, corruption, hatred, in ability to forgive ourselves, etc with the current economic recession and poor leadership we have experienced in Nigeria since independence.

Think of the number of churches in our country. What are the effects of these churches in our nation? Are the perpetrators of these crimes not found in our churches? We should be prepared for the day of the Lord. How prepared are you for God’s judgment because it will certainly come? Don’t think you can escape it unless you repent. Nigeria needs a Solemn Assembly which should be led by our leader. Until we sincerely and truly repent, we cannot escape the wrath of God that will be revealed to avenge the blood of innocent souls spilled in this country.

Food for Thought: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people - Proverbs 14:34.  

Prayer: Lord God, heal our country and her people that we will no longer be reproach unto nations in Jesus name.   

      

WHO HAS BLESSED US: Devotion for Thursday October 1, 2015

WHO HAS BLESSED US       Thursday October 1, 2015

Text: Ephesians 1:3 – 6          Memory verse: v 3

We wish Nigerians at home and in Diaspora a Happy Independence Celebrations. Indeed we are a blessed people even before the nation Nigeria came into being just as our bible reading says. Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was the design of God for us as Paul tells the Ephesians before the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. This was the condition for their continuous blessings from God.

Unfortunately it is not so with us. Thus our conditions are worse than that of the wicked because we have sold ourselves to the devil. We now suffer amidst plenty and the blessings of God have been hijacked by very few sons of Ishmael. That we are blessed is not in doubt. We should therefore return to God is true repentance as that is the only way to retrieve the blessings that have been hijacked. Remember that we should be the praise of God’s glory in this Land (1:11, 12). Let us rise again and make Nigeria great.

Food for Thought: Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34).

Prayer: Heal our land, O Lord and make us great again in Jesus name.

LOVE WILL WAX COOL: Devotion for Thursday August 6, 2015

LOVE WILL WAX COOL      Thursday August 6, 2015

Text: Matthew 24:9 – 13           Memory verse: v 12

The word iniquity here seems to include the cruelty of the Jews and Romans in their persecutions; the betraying of Christians by those who professed to be such; and the pernicious errors of false prophets and others. False prophets claimed to receive messages from God, but they said what the people wanted to hear, even when the nation was not following God.

There are many false prophets today, popular leaders who tell people what they want to hear—such as “God wants you to be rich” even when that person has no job doing. “Do whatever your desires tell you,” or “There is no such thing as sin or hell.” A General Overseer of a big Ministry in Nigeria once said that “Sin will not take someone to hell because Jesus has paid the price for our sins. What will take someone to hell is not accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour.” This is a teaching that encourages people to continue in sin as against Romans 6:1. Jesus said false teachers would come, and he warned his disciples, as he warns us, not to listen to their dangerous words.

False teaching and loose morals bring a particularly destructive disease—the loss of true love for God and others. Love grows cold when sin turns our focus on ourselves and our desires. The effect of all this would be, that the ardour of feeling of many Christians would be lessened. The fear of death, and the misled influence of false teachers, would lessen the zeal of many timid and weak Christians even those who are real but feeble.

Most of us are not facing persecution but there are laxities in our love and commitment towards God. Devil has so much made us complacent that we have left our first love for God like the Laodicea Church (Revelation 3:15, 16). Sin cools your love for God and others by turning your focus on yourself. You cannot truly love if you think only of yourself.

Food for Thought: What is the level of your love for God?

Prayer: God, rekindle my love and commitment to you in Jesus name.

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU        Wednesday June 3, 2015

Text: Genesis 28:10 – 15        Memory verse: v 15     

What a great assurance we have in our text today. Our lives will be miserable if God withdraws His mercies, compassion and love from us. The assurance that wherever we are, we are safe; if we have God's favourable presence with us is heartwarming. Jacob didn’t know what will befall him as he was escaping from the fierce anger of his brother Esau, but God foresaw what hardships he would meet under his uncle's service, and therefore promised to preserve him in all places.

Usually, there are doubts and fears when we want to undertake any journey or go into any project. There are skepticisms on what the outcome might be. However, any child of God who discusses his or her plans and proposal, and gets go ahead will not fear or doubt His presence going with him or her. All the fellow can do is to rest on God’s assurances. Do you doubt God’s presence as you want to travel, start up the house project, etc? God has promised not to leave or forsake you. Nigerian parlance says ‘Carry go, no shaking’. God is with you and you will complete that project or have safe journey.

Food for Thought: God knows our future and He leads us on the right part, granting us success in every endeavour we undertake.

Prayer: God, fulfill this promise in my life and family as we travel or undertake any project in Jesus name.

WHERE IS YOUR LOYALTY?

WHERE IS YOUR LOYALTY?          Friday May 1, 2015

Text: Matthew 6:19 – 24             Memory verse: v 24               

Today is May/Workers’ Day in Nigeria. We rejoice with the entire workers on this their special day. As we rejoice and celebrate, it is proper to re-assess our commitment to our call and duties as civil/public servant or whatever we do which is our call. Speaking on not having a divided loyalty, Jesus said that no one can serve two masters equally and effectively. We face the inescapable choice about whom we will serve either ourselves by pursuing money and selfish pleasures or God. We can only be loyal to one master at a time.

We live in a materialistic society where we serve money whether politicians, military, judiciary, civil and public servants, business men and women, pastors, etc. They spend all their lives collecting and storing it, and will die and leave it behind. Their desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God. People’s concern these days is money. Hardly could people render the service they were employed to do without asking for kick back, lobbying for 10% of contracts, etc. We have so many ghost workers. Their names found their way into the government payroll through the efforts of some of these greedy men and women.

Where is your loyalty: the service you were employed to render or your own private business which has taken precedence over the government work? As a doctor a nurse, a teacher, civil or public servants, business man or woman, etc, where lies your loyalty?

Food for Thought: Total loyalty in our call is seen in our commitment to serving God and humanity without reservations. 

Prayer: God, make me to be loyal in the service where you have called me.