Extraordinary Love: Devotion for Tuesday August 25, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday August 25, 2020

Topic: Extraordinary Love               

Text: Luke 15:11 – 32                    

The parable of the prodigal son shows what is expected of us in repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to Him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel of grace – the extraordinary love of God.

This young man took a decision to go back to the father and acted on it. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” – Luke 15:20b.

The father immediately restored this destitute and humbled young man as his son. “This represents the readiness with which God receives returning sinners. To be saved, men must not only resolve, but they must return to God; taking all the blame and shame of their departure to themselves, and ascribing righteousness to Him, they must surrender all their interests for time and eternity to his care, guidance, and disposal” as Family Bible Note opined. 

The sheep was lost because it may have foolishly wandered away (Luke 15:4); the coin was lost through no fault of its own (Luke 15:8); and the son left out of selfishness (Luke 15:12). God’s great love reaches out and finds sinners no matter why or how they got lost.

Beloved, have you ever wondered why God has showed so much love to you despite your weaknesses? What steps do you take or should you take to reciprocate this extraordinary love of God for you? It will be great injustice if we neglect and fail to appreciate the love of God for us.

Food for Thought: Job 7:17 and Psalm 8:4

Memory verse: Luke 15 v 24

Prayer: God, may I never fail to reciprocate your love for me. Help me to serve you out of love and gratitude for loving me despite my sins.  

Don’t Be Held Back: Devotion for Saturday May 16, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday May 16, 2020

Topic: Don’t Be Held Back                                            

Text: Luke 15:17 – 21

One problem common among many people today is fear of trying something new and failing. Because of this, most people are unable to reach the summit of their career or achieve their life’s dream. There are many too whose past has glued them to a place or certain level of achievement that they find it difficult to progress further.

In 2 Kings 7 is a story of 4 lepers who dared what healthy men were afraid to do. They entered the enemy’s territory in search of food. God honoured their faith and they were successful but unselfish about what God did for them. Their leprous condition would have deterred them. But no! They went ahead. What are those things you see as hindrance in your life? What are the things holding you back from venturing? God is telling you today that you can and should go ahead. Don’t limit yourself.

In our text is the well-known story of the Prodigal Son. He did not allow his sin against his father to hold him back from returning home to him. He knew that going back to the father is the best opportunity left for him. Though he considered his sins, he decided to move ahead. At last he got a surprise of his life. He was forgiven and a party was organised in his honour to welcome him back.

Beloved, have you been held back by fear, sin or intimidation of the devil? Have you given up repentance because you feel that your sins are too many? Why then did Jesus come to the world? Is it not to save sinners? Don’t be held back by your past. Forge ahead. I urge you to lose every chain that has hitherto held you back. Step out and surely you will step into your miracles of salvation, healing, deliverance and success.

Food for Thought: What are the things holding you back from moving ahead?

Memory verse: Luke 15:18

Prayer: Lord God, open my eyes to whatsoever is holding me back deliver me from them in Jesus name.

Move On, Don’t Procrastinate

Devotion for Sunday March 11, 2018

Topic: Move On, Don’t Procrastinate  

Text: Luke 15:17 – 21

It was Theodore Roosevelt who said that “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in a grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” This is one major problem of many people today. They fear to attempt or give a trial. For this reason, most people are unable to reach the summit of their career or achieve their life’s dream because they have chosen to glue them to a place or certain level of achievement that they find it difficult to progress further. What are the things holding you back from venturing? God is telling you today that you can and should go ahead. Don’t limit yourself. In our text is a well-known story of the Prodigal Son. He did not allow his sin against his father to hold him back from returning to him. He knew that going back to the father is the best opportunity left for him. Though he considered his sins, he decided to move ahead. At last he got a surprise of his life. Beloved, have you been held back by fear, sin or intimidation of the devil? Have you given up repentance because you feel that your sins are too much? Jesus came into this world because of sinners. Don’t be held back by your past. Forge ahead. I urge you to lose every chain that has hitherto held you back. Step out and surely you will step into your miracles of salvation, healing, deliverance and success.

Sing SS&S 804; Abu 238

Food for Thought: What are the things holding you back from moving ahead?

Memory verse: Luke 15:18

Prayer: Lord God, deliver me from anything that is holding me back from making progress in Jesus name. Amen

EXTRAORDINARY LOVE: Devotion for Wednesday July 27, 2016

EXTRAORDINARY LOVE: Devotion for Wednesday July 27, 2016

Text: Luke 15:11 – 32                     

Memory verse: Luke 15:24 - For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

The parable of the prodigal son shows what is expected of us in repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to Him. It fully sets forth the riches of gospel of grace – the extra ordinary love of God. This young man took a decision to go back to the father and acted on it. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” – Luke 15:20b. The father immediately restored this destitute and humbled young man as his son. “This represents the readiness with which God receives returning sinners. To be saved, men must not only resolve, but they must return to God; taking all the blame and shame of their departure to themselves, and ascribing righteousness to Him, they must surrender all their interests for time and eternity to His care, guidance, and disposal” as Family Bible Note opined.  

The sheep was lost because it may have foolishly wandered away (15:4); the coin was lost through no fault of its own (15:8); and the son left out of selfishness (15:12). God’s great love reaches out and finds sinners no matter why or how they got lost. His concern is to bring them back into the sheep fold. Beloved, have you ever wondered why God has showed so much love on you despite your weaknesses? Does it make any sense to you that God’s love for you is unconditional? What steps can you take to reciprocate this extra ordinary love of God for you? Reciprocating God’s love can be done in so many ways; through more commitment to God’s work, selfless service, through love for humanity, etc. It will be great injustice if we neglect and fail to appreciate the love of God for us. This starts when we accept His work on the Calvary, repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

Food for Thought: Job 7:17 and Psalm 8:4

Prayer: God, may I never fail to reciprocate your love for me. Help me to serve you out of love and gratitude for loving me despite my sins. 

WHEN THEY REMEMBERED GOD: Devotion for Monday June 6, 2016

WHEN THEY REMEMBERED GOD: Devotion for Monday June 6, 2016

Text: Judges 6:7 – 10                    Memory verse: v 7

The best thing to do in time of distress or when we are suffering due to our sins is to remember that God is ever willing to welcome us back to Himself and to forgive us like the Prodigal Son. They remembered God, cried to Him for a deliverer, and He sent them a prophet to teach them. This shows the importance of the word of God in our salvation, deliverance and healing. When God furnishes a land with faithful ministers, it is a token that He has mercy in store for it. He charges them with rebellion against the Lord; he intends to bring them to repentance. Repentance is real when we lament our disobedience and sin. The only hope of deliverance from sin and its consequences is in the Lord; and when people have this understanding, and cry unto Him, He sends help for Christ's sake.

Beloved, are you suffering at this moment? Are you sick, in prison, indebted, etc? Whether it is as a result of your sin or not, the best option you have now is to remember God and go to Him. You can’t heal yourself or deliver yourself from bondage. God is the only one that can help us. Some people query God for abandoning them at the mercies of the devil but are they sure they were not the ones that abandoned God? We should know that God is ever willing to help us but most times it is our sins that forms barrier against God whose righteousness forbids sin (Isa. 59:1 – 2).

Food for Thought: Psalm 60:1 – 3 (The Living Bible)

Prayer: Cause me never to forget you, O Lord, so I will not suffer the consequences of forsaking you in Jesus name.

DON’T BE HELD BACK: Devotion for Friday April 1, 2016

DON’T BE HELD BACK: Devotion for Friday April 1, 2016

Text: Luke 15:17 – 21              Memory verse: v18

One major problem of many people today is fear of making a trial. This has resulted in most people unable to reach the summit of their career or achieve their life’s dream. There are many too, whose pass has glued them to a place or certain level of achievement that they find it difficult to progress further. In 2 Kings 7 is a story of 4 lepers who dared what healthy men were afraid to do. They entered the enemy’s territory in search of food. God honoured their faith and they were not only successful but unselfish about what God did for them. Their leprous condition would have deterred them. But no! They went ahead. What are those things you see as hindrance in your life? What are the things holding you back from venturing? God is telling you today that you can and should go ahead. Don’t limit yourself.

In our text is the well known story of the Prodigal Son. He did not allow his sin against his father to hold him back from returning to him. He knew that going back to the father is the best opportunity left for him. Though he considered his sins, he decided to move ahead. At last he got a surprise of his life. Beloved, have you been held back by fear, sin or intimidation of the devil? Have you given up repentance because you feel that your sins are too much? Why then did Jesus come to the world? Is it not to save sinners? Don’t be held back by your past. Forge ahead. As we enter this new month, I urge you to lose every chain that has hitherto held you back. Step out and surely you will step into your miracles of salvation, healing, deliverance and success.

We wish you a happy new month!

Food for Thought: What are the things holding you back from moving ahead?

Prayer: Lord God, open my eyes to whatsoever is holding me back deliver me from them in Jesus name.                  

THE REASON HE CAME: Devotion for Friday November 13, 2015

THE REASON HE CAME       Friday November 13, 2015

Text: Luke 15:1 – 10    Memory verse: v 2

In this Luke 15, Jesus gave 3 parables to illustrate why He came into this world and to make us understand that salvation was available to even them, the Pharisees (15:7, 10, 32). It may seem foolish for the shepherd to leave 99 sheep to go search for just one. But the shepherd knew that the 99 would be safe in the sheepfold, whereas the lost sheep was in danger. Because each sheep was of high value, the shepherd knew that it was worthwhile to search carefully for the lost one.

God who tenderly searches for sinners and then joyfully forgives them must possess an extraordinary love! This is the kind of love that prompted Jesus to come to earth to search for lost people and save them. Each individual is precious to God. He grieves over every loss and rejoices whenever one of His children is found and brought into the Kingdom. Perhaps we would have more joy in our churches if we shared Jesus’ love and concern for the lost.  Jesus came to save us. Are you among the saved?

Food for Thought: John 10:10

Prayer: God make me an instrument to save souls, which was the reason you came into this world.

WHY SIT HERE UNTIL WE DIE?

WHY SIT HERE UNTIL WE DIE?    Saturday July 11, 2015

Text: 2 Kings 7:3 – 11          Memory verse: v 3 

God can, when He pleases, make the stoutest heart to tremble; and as for those who will not fear Him, He can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf. This was the case here (7:6, 7). God ordered it, that the lepers came as soon as the Syrians had fled. They made the statement in our topic which led to their decision to take step of faith that resulted to their miracle. Their consciences told them that mischief would befall them, if they took care of themselves only. 

Matthew Henry says, “Natural humanity and fear of punishment are powerful checks on the selfishness of the ungodly. These feelings tend to preserve order and kindness in the world; but they who have found the unsearchable riches of Christ, will not long delay to report the good tidings to others.” A true Christian will share his earthly good things with others without reservations (Acts 2:44, 45).

Most people are stagnant and will never want to make a move to change their situation. If these men had not moved, they would have died of hunger. The story here is similar to that of Prodigal Son. Beloved will you remain in your present state, waiting in vain? Jesus is the only help we have. Embrace Him.

Food for Thought: Is your position today, the best you can attain?

Prayer: Lift me up O Lord from dungeon of hopelessness in Jesus name.

FATHER, I HAVE SINNED

FATHER, I HAVE SINNED         Thursday June 11, 2015

Text: Luke 15:11 – 24                    Memory verse: v 18

Here is a story of a Prodigal Son who was the father’s favourite and nothing was actually denied him but he wanted freedom and independence. He wanted to belong to the high class in the society and persuasively made his father give him his own share of the wealth. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as he thought (15:13 – 15). 

Paul says there is none righteous (Romans 3:10 – 12), but there is hope as God had made provision for the remission of our sins. He wants us, like the Prodigal Son to come back and He will forgive us, cleanse us and will not remember our sins any more (1 John 1:9). The determination of the Prodigal Son to go to the father is the act of the will after he came to himself and sees his real condition. We must come to ourselves and understand our conditions before we can take a decision to repent.

One good thing about the Prodigal Son is that he remembered he has a father and he summoned courage to go back to his father. No matter how grave your sin may be, God is waiting for your repentance. Let’s emulate the repentance of the Prodigal Son and come back to God forsaking our sins. Have the assurance in Isaiah 1:18. God is awesome, His love unstoppable, He makes provision for a repentant sinner. 

Food for thought: Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Prayer Point: Oh My God, as I come back to you today just like a prodigal son, I pray you will accept me.

HAVE MERCY ON ME

HAVE MERCY ON ME                                  Saturday April 11, 2015

Text: Psalm 51:1 – 6                                         Memory verse: v 1

All the hope of the true penitent is in the free mercy and rich grace of God. David, being convinced of his sin, poured out his soul to God in prayer for mercy and grace because God alone is the one that heals our backsliding (see Jeremiah 3:12, 14, 22). The best thing we can do for ourselves in this our Christian race is to acknowledge our frailty and inability to help ourselves. This means that we have surrendered to God and then He will help us just like the Prodigal Son did (Luke 15:17 – 24).

There are many ways we sin and need the mercies of God. Many of us abuse the grace of God in diverse ways. We should like David learn to humble ourselves to confess our sins and to say, “Have mercy on me.” What a blessed ministry of true Christian speech! May God forgive us for the abuse or misuse of the glorious gift! If our words have ever hurt a tender spirit or tarnished a white soul, or turned any away from the right path, O God, have mercy on us. We should not only ask for forgiveness but also the grace to undo the wrong (restitutions). This is the only way we can grow as Christians.

Food for Thought: Without mercies of God, we are totally ruined.

Prayer: O Lord, my God help me to always acknowledge my sins and never to undermine your mercies in Jesus name.