As Befits the Saints: Devotion for Wednesday October 7, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday October 7, 2020

Topic: As Befits the Saints                              

Text: Ephesians 5:3 – 5                              

There are things that befit Christians and there are things that shouldn’t be associated with Christians and Christianity. In our text for the day, Paul is saying to us that filthy lusts must be rooted out of our lives. These immoral sins mentioned in Ephesians 5:3 – 6 must be dreaded and detested by Christians. Most of us find pleasure in obscene stories and coarse jokes that we begin to take them for granted.

However, Paul cautions that outside immorality Ephesians 5:3, improper language should have no place in the Christian’s conversation because it does not reflect God’s gracious presence in us (Ephesians 5:4). How can we praise God and remind others of His goodness when we are speaking coarsely? These shouldn’t be associated with us who are Christians because by our call, we are made holy unto God and such acts of immorality defiles us.

Our society today is a liberal one. People do what pleases them. Sexual immorality includes any kind of sexual perversion and many people have claimed some bible passages to back up their sexual immoralities. Sexual immorality was tolerated in the pagan Roman society (see Romans 1:24 – 32), but it should not exist in the Christian community especially our own. Neither should there be any impurity amongst us. No matter the name some Christians call sin to cover their evil, true Christians should be different. We must hate sin because God does so.

Food for Thought: Ephesians 4:17 – 19

Memory verse: Ephesians v 3

Prayer: Help me to mortify, O Lord, every immoral desire in my life in Jesus name.

Manifesting In the Flesh: Devotion for Monday June 22, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Monday June 22, 2020

Topic: Manifesting In the Flesh                            

Text: Galatians 5:19 – 21                             

We all have evil desires, and we can’t ignore them. Pretences can’t help. We must deal with them or else they will manifest and distort our relationship with God. In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we must deal with them decisively by crucifying them (Galatians 5:24).

These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and demonic activities. They also include less obvious sins, such as hostility, jealousy, and selfish ambition. Those who ignore such sins or refuse to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life. Are you one of the people that ignore these sins when they manifest in your life?  

Our fallen human nature (called “flesh”) betrays itself in the work which a man does. These demonstrate that such person is not living under the influence of the Holy Spirit. In our text, Paul enumerated seventeen sins, while he listed only nine fruits of the Spirit as we shall see on Tuesday. Neither list is exhaustive, but both are representative.

The Galatian Christians had come out of a pagan background where sensual sins were not only tolerated but encouraged by the pagan priests and rituals. Thus Paul had to deal with this issue in this way so that they will understand the requirements of true Christianity. Beloved, if you are still living in the flesh, it will betray and disgrace you. Therefore, beware! Mortify that flesh now.

Food for Thought: Living in the flesh is a way of betraying your Christian faith.

Memory verse: Galatians 519, 20 

Prayer: Help me my Lord and my God to crucify flesh so that your Spirit will take full control of my life in Jesus name.