MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Monday June 1, 2020   

Topic: Live Above Taunting         

Text: 1 Samuel 1:9 – 18                                 

Taunting can demoralize us for some time when we take it to heart but it should not deter us from 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 Samuel 1:8). Thereafter, the taunting led her into prayer.

She went into prayers after 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 by praying and casting it upon the Lord. These motivated her into pray and thus she overcame the taunting from Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:10). Is there any lesson for us in the action Hannah took against Peninnah’s taunting? In the bitterness of her soul Hannah prayed and went ahead to back her request with a vow (1 Samuel 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 that should be used for something meaningful in replying our critics and accusers. Rather we should use it 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 cast 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.

In this new month, as your set aside taunting from the enemies and undermine your critics to improve yourself, God will so bless you and surprise them in Jesus name. Have a fruitful and rewarding month!

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.

Memory verse: 1 Samuel 1:10   

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

Don’t Taunt People: Devotion for Sunday May 31, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday May 31, 2020

Topic: Don’t Taunt People                             

Text: 1 Samuel 1:1 – 8                             

“If the devotions of a family prevail not to put an end to its divisions, yet let not the divisions put a stop to the devotions” so says Matthew Henry. Despite the hatred between Hannah and Peninnah in the family of Elkanah, it did not deter him from bringing them to the presence of God in Shiloh every year (1 Samuel 1:3). That goes to justify what Matthew Henry noted above.

Peninnah had children but Hannah had none yet and this gave Peninnah the edge over her which she used in taunting her (1 Samuel 1:6). Though Hannah had no child then, Elkanah still loved her dearly and demonstrated this openly (1 Samuel 1:4, 5). Maybe the love Elkanah had for Hannah made Peninnah to despise and taunt Hannah because of her problem. This is one major problem in polygamy.      

Deuteronomy 7:13, 14 teach that obedience to the terms of the covenant will be rewarded by fertility (in children, flocks, and agricultural produce). Conversely, barrenness to the Israelites was seen an indication of God’s displeasure against them. Under such a system of belief, barren women easily become the object of heart-rending taunts by child-producing second wives, or even neighbours (cf. Genesis 30:1-5; Luke 1:25, 57, 58). Such domestic broils are a natural result of polygamy or bigamy.

Do you taunt people because of their problems; no child, no spouse, no job, physical stature, etc? Remember you are not their God. God rose for Hannah at the end and her name is now a household name. Who hears of Peninnah today? Beware!

Food for Thought: Taunting someone is a mockery against his/her Maker.          

Memory verse: 1 Samuel 1:6

Prayer: Our God in heaven, help me never to taunt someone because of the person’s predicament, trouble or sickness in Jesus name.  

Pray for me as I make my birthday today

It Pays To Wait Upon God

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday May 12, 2017

Topic: It Pays To Wait Upon God

Text: John 5:1 – 9

The Psalmist said in Ps 130:5 that he will wait for the lord and hope in His word. Waiting upon God for salvation, healing and deliverance pays and none who does that, will ever be disappointed. Hannah was a woman that was seriously wounded by the taunting of Peninnah her mate (1 Samuel 1:1–18). Rather than gossip or quarrel with her, Hannah chose to wait on God to vindicate her which paid off with a special child – Samuel, a great prophet and many other children (1 Samuel 2:21).

Here is a pathetic story of a man sick for 38 years. Probably his people had abandoned him at the Pool of Bethsaida because they had given up on him. If he goes home, help is not there. If he stays, there is possibility of getting healed but no one there to assist him. Have people given up on you because of your evil ways, sin, sickness, etc? God will arise for you this season. God will remember you in Jesus name. However, the man preferred to stay, waiting patiently for the opportunity to step into the water even though there was nobody there to help him. Yet he will not go away.

Beloved, what is that problem confronting you now? Is it sickness, marriage, no child, quest for admission, job, etc? Just wait patiently on the Lord and He will answer you, and grant you the best. He did it for Zachariah and Elizabeth and also for many other people even in our world of today. Yours will not be an exception.

Food for Thought: Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet – Rousseau.

Memory verse: John 5 verse 7

Prayer: God, grant me the grace to perseverance and wait on you for my blessings in Jesus name.

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.   

DON’T TAUNT PEOPLE: Devotion for Saturday May 21, 2016

DON’T TAUNT PEOPLE: Devotion for Saturday May 21, 2016

Text: 1 Samuel 1:1 – 8    Memory verse: v 6

“If the devotions of a family prevail not to put an end to its divisions, yet let not the divisions put a stop to the devotions” so says Matthew Henry. Despite the problems in the family of Elkanah, it didn’t deter him from bringing them to the presence of God in Shiloh every year (1:3). Peninnah had children but Hannah had none yet and this gave Peninnah the edge over her which she used in taunting her (1:6). Though Hannah had no child then, Elkanah still loved her dearly and demonstrated this openly (1:4, 5). Maybe the love Elkanah had for Hannah made Peninnah to despise and taunt Hannah because of her problem. This is always a problem in polygamy.       

Deut 7:13, 14 teach us that obedience to the terms of the covenant will be rewarded by fertility (in children, flocks, and agricultural produce). Conversely, barrenness to the Israelites was seen as an indication of God’s displeasure against them. Under such a system of belief, barren women easily become the object of heart-rending taunts by child-producing second wives, or even neighbours (Gen. 30:1-5; Lk. 1:25, 57, 58). Such domestic broils are a natural result of polygamy or bigamy. Do you taunt people because of their problems; no child, no spouse, no job, physical stature, etc? Remember you are not their God. God rose for Hannah at the end and her name is now a household name. Who hears of Peninnah today? Beware!

Food for Thought: Taunting someone is a mockery against his/her Maker.

Prayer: Our God in heaven, help me never to taunt someone because of the person’s predicament, trouble or sickness in Jesus name.