Request Sinners Often Make: Devotion for Sunday August, 25, 2019

Devotion for Sunday August, 25, 2019

Topic: Request Sinners Often Make

Text: Exodus 8:25 – 32

Unbelievers use these words often and again, “Pray for me.” Most times, they say it casually but it shows two basic truths. First and foremost, it shows that they know that the life they are living is not according to the will of God and needed mercy. Again, it shows that they have acknowledged that you are a child of God who can intercede on their behalf.

King Jeroboam’s hand withered when he ordered the arrest of a man of God. Thereafter he said, “Please entreat the favour of the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand maybe restored to me” – 1 Kings 13:6b. The man of God did as requested and his hand was restored (1 Kings 13:6c). So of us present ministers will not even want that hand to be restored. However, we should realize that God is the person that fights our battle and vengeance belongs to Him alone.

Pharaoh hardened his heart by refusing to allow the Israelites to go and God dealt with him and his people. When he saw the outstretched arm of God, he asked Moses to intercede for him. This was similar to the case of Simon Magus, who, like Pharaoh, fearing the divine Judgement, begged for Peter’s prayers (Acts 8:24).

Take a look at this

Why will people deliberately sin and thereafter ask for prayers? If they actually know that what they are doing is evil, why do it? Can you give some reasons why people act that way? Write down your answers in your devotional notebook.

Do you deliberately commit fornication, steal tell lies, etc., and thereafter you begin to ask for prayers or begin to pray? Repent now because the judgement of God is at hand. Don’t think that the grace of God is eternity. Remember how Pharaoh eventually died with his men inside the Red Sea because of obstinacy. Therefore be warned!

Food for Thought: The knowledge of Divine Judgement coming upon all unrighteousness should make us live in awe of God.

Memory verse: Exodus 8:28

Prayer: God, grant me the grace to l need so that I will not deliberately sin against you.

Prove Your Patriotism

Devotion for Sunday January 21, 2018

Topic: Prove Your Patriotism        

Text: Nehemiah 1:5 – 11              

Nehemiah’s prayer was nationalistic in nature which is a clear evidence of his patriotism. He started his prayer by recalling the attributes and promises of God (see Exodus 20:6). He was specific about the deplorable condition of Jerusalem which he attributed to sin of the Israelites (Nehemiah 1: 6 & 7 see Deuteronomy 28:15). He didn’t exonerate himself and his family. He remembered the promise of God concerning repentance and restoration (Nehemiah 1:8 – 10 see Leviticus 26:33, 39; Deuteronomy 4:25-27, 29; 28:64). He prayed for favour in the eyes of the king he serves. We should note that the best way to obtain favour from men is to plead with God in whose hand lie the hearts of men. His approach to national problem of Israel is a challenge for us Christians of this generation. 

We are the major contributors to the problem of corruption, insecurity, political violence and all manner of social vices that are affecting us today by our inability to pray and to do what is expected of us. How often do we even care to know what is happening in our nation? Nehemiah asked and that prompted him into prayer. When we hear of national issues, does it prompt us to pray or do we begin to analyze it, blaming people at leadership position and exonerating ourselves? It is our duty to pray for our nation. Let this be uppermost in our hearts. Sing SS&S 1138; Abu 240

Food for Thought: How often do you pray for your nation and the challenges confronting her?

Memory verse: Nehemiah 1:7

Prayer: Lord, lay a great burden in my heart and hearts of other Christians in this nation to pray for her always in Jesus name. Amen

Holy Spirit Reorders Our Prayers

Devotion for Thursday October 26, 2017

Topic: Holy Spirit Reorders Our Prayers

Text: Romans 8:26 – 28

Holy Spirit is indispensable in the Christian life we live. A Christian life demand living in Spirit and it is obvious that man in the flesh cannot live well and please God if the spirit does not take over such life. Here in our text, Apostle Paul explains some of the things the Holy Spirit does for us in bearing our weaknesses.

1) By giving us strength to bear them

2) By exciting us to make efforts to overcome them

3) By ministering to us consolations, and truths, and views out our Christian privileges that enable us to endure our trials.

The reasons we do not know what to pray for may be for the following reasons:

1) That we do know what would really be the best for us.

2) We do not know want God will grant to us according to His will

3) We are, to a great extent ignorant of the character of God, the reason of His dealings with us and our real wants.

4) We are often in real, deep perplexity. We are encompassed with trials, exposed to temptations, feeble to diseases, and subject to calamities. These, put us in despair and changes our focus.

Do you have the Holy Spirit in your life? When we allow Holy Spirit to have full control over our lives, then we can pray well and get what we need. Allow Him into your life so He can reorder your priorities and needs.

Food for Thought: James 4:3

Memory verse: Romans 8:26

Prayer: Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit so He can do the impossible in my life and reorder my request always so I can gain your approval in Jesus name.

The Harvest Truly Is Great

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday April 26, 2017

Topic: The Harvest Truly Is Great

Text: Luke 10:2

There is no unemployment in the Christian service as every Christian has a gift and a call to perform. God has enough work for everyone. Don’t just sit back and watch others work; look for ways to help with the harvest. Jesus asserts that the harvest is great and decided to send 35 teams of 2 evangelists each. He urged them to pray to the Lord of harvest to send labourers into His vineyard.

This Luke 10:2 has some lessons for us.

1) The first step towards evangelism is to start praying about it. Jesus teaches us here the imperative of prayer in evangelism. You cannot win a soul you don’t love and have not prayed for. This demands that if you want to win any particular person for Christ, you should start by praying for the person before you go to preach to him or her.

2) It reveals the magnitude of unbelievers around us. Beloved, take a look into your street, your school, the market where you go for shopping, etc, and how many of them are really born again? What of the church where you worship? How many members of the church where you worship live as true Christians outside the church on weekdays? You will find out they are negligible few. This shows that we have enormous work on evangelism facing us.

3) This story reveals that we have few people who are willing to go out on evangelism. In your church, how many people come out for evangelism? Do you go on evangelism as an individual or as a group in your church? God is looking for people who will go out there where sinners are and not people who will wait for sinner to come them. Are you determined to do something for God? Start now.

Action: Today, pray for the unsaved people and pray also that God will raise other concerned disciples to join in reaching out to the unbelievers. Share the gospel message as you go out.

Memory verse: Luke 10 verse 2a

Prayer: Lord God, raise men and women with the burden of evangelism in my church and locality in Jesus name. Amen.

Be An Observable Model (In Prayers)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday February 5, 2017

Topic: Be An Observable Model (In Prayers)

Text: Colossians 4:2

To those who know the power of God, prayer is indispensable. Prayer is a key; not just ordinary key but master key that can open all doors and anything locked. Prayer is a password you need to access heaven and all the blessings therein. We saw what prayer did in the life of Hannah and many others in the bible.

Where we have just read (Colossians 4:2), Paul admonishes us to devote ourselves to (persist in) prayer and be alert as we pray. Our persistence is an expression of our faith that God answers our prayers. Faith shouldn’t die if the answers come slowly, for the delay may be God’s way of working His will in our lives. This is what God expects from us and such persistence will strengthen and encourage others too, in their prayer life.

Today, many people are tired of praying, while some are too lazy to pray. That is not what God expects from us even as He taught us in Luke 18:1. When you feel tired of praying, know that God is ever present, always listening, always answering—maybe not in ways you had hoped, but in ways that He knows are best. When you are known as a man/woman/boy/girl of prayer and you always persist in it, it will be a source of courage to people around you and you will become a model for others who are weak in prayer.  

Are you sick, pray? Prayer will solve that marriage problem, secure you a job, release you from prison, grants you success, makes your children submissive, guides you, protects you, etc. Will you maximize this opportunity?

Action: Make out time to pray about that problem confronting you today.

Memory verse: Luke 18:1 - And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Prayer: God, teach me to prayer without ceasing and to persist in it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

PRAY ALWAYS: Devotion for Wednesday December 23, 2015

PRAY ALWAYS         Wednesday December 23, 2015

Text: Luke 18:1 – 8     Memory verse: v 1

In this parable of the persistent widow, the judge had the responsibility of settling disputes and avenging wrongs, but he cared little for those who made appeals before him (Luke 18:2). Here, Jesus taught earnest steadiness in prayer for spiritual mercies. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God.

The term ‘speedily’ (18:8) does not necessarily mean ‘immediately,’ but ‘in due time,’ according to God’s economy and timing. Notice the question in 18:8. The Son of Man will come looking for faith and wonders whether or not He will find any. He will judge the faithless (17:37) and reward the faithful. Beloved, prayers don’t die easily and there is no overdose in prayer. They outlive people who utter them. Speak your own to the world and the heavens. It will germinate, grow and bear fruit at the right time.

Food for Thought: Pray and pray until something happens (PUSH)

Prayer: Lord, teach me to pray always and how to do it well in Jesus name.

RISE AND PRAY: Devotion for Saturday December 12, 2015

RISE AND PRAY        Saturday December 12, 2015

Text: Luke 22:39 – 46    Memory verse: v 46

Jesus needed privacy where He entered into His mission on earth which was making of His soul an offering for sin, and thus, He went to Mount Olive.  There He afflicted His own soul with grief for the sin of mankind to satisfy the requirements of God. He exhorted His disciples to pray that, though the approaching trial could not be avoided, yet they might not in it enter into temptation to sin. He withdrew from them, and prayed himself. When He rose from prayer, He found them sleeping. Very unfortunate! They couldn’t even tarry with their Master.

They slept off because their flesh was weak. There are many times God urges us to pray but we usually ‘sleep off’ by going to our own businesses; by sleeping instead of praying, by not watching, by procrastinating and being nonchalant about the urge to pray. Jesus told His disciples to pray so they will not enter into temptation and not because He wants their prayer to save Him. Prayers are for our own good. We should always rise to pray whether we are in the home, work place, office, school, etc, so we won’t enter into temptation.

Food for Thought: Prayer is for your good. How often do you pray?

Prayer: God, may I always pray at your prompting in Jesus.