Sow Your Seed And Reap: Devotion for Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Devotion for Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Topic: Sow Your Seed And Reap               
Text: Genesis 26:12 – 14                         
The instruction God gave Isaac in 26:2, 3 was "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.”
Isaac obeyed and stayed in Gerar (26:6).
He didn’t just stay, waiting for fulfillment of God’s promise.
He sowed in the land where he was a stranger and God blessed him 100 times more than what he sowed.
The blessing attracted envy of his landlords the Philistines (26:7). They made Isaac go out of their country.
Wisdom teaches us to give up our right, and to draw back from contentions. If we are wrongfully driven from one place, the Lord will make room for us in another.
So it was in the case of Isaac.
One thing we should understand in this text is that Isaac didn’t wait for God’s blessings as promised to start manifesting.
He went ahead to do something for himself. It was what he was doing that God blessed and he prospered therein.
God has promised to bless us. But we still have a part to play in bringing the promises to fulfillment. We have to sow our seed. That seed maybe money, training, studies, investment and many other numerous ways.
When God provided manna, He kept them outside and not inside their tent. He could have sent them into their tents but not so because He wanted to teach them that they have a part to play in their blessings.
Again it was to test their obedience. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in Gerar when God blessed him and he prospered.
How obedient are you to God’s instructions?
Food for Thought: Obedience is the very key that opens the door of miracles, blessings and favour
Memory verse: Genesis 26:12
Prayer: Lord help me to obey your instructions and to sow my seed so you will use it to bless me.

He Who Scatters Seed …

Devotion for Sunday January 7, 2018

Topic: He Who Scatters Seed …

Proverbs 11:24 – 25 

Today’s topic is similar to that of yesterday.  Proverbs 11:24 speaks about the liberal man and a miser. A liberal or bountiful man will always give to the poor and will never turn away his face from any one in distress. It is on that premise that the Lord blesses his property, and the bread is multiplied in his hand. Scatter as used here means giving alms (charity) or sowing seeds. The reward for the liberal man is also found in Proverbs 11:25. This shows us how wonderful our God is! He gives the property, gives the heart to use it aright, and recompenses the man for doing it as He wants. True Christian liberality is the one broad road to prosperity. It secures God's blessing upon our gain, and makes it profitable to ourselves and to others. With this in mind, we ought to plan to scatter our seeds (talents, wisdom and wealth) this year. How best can you do this? Think about it and write them down in your journal to enable you act on them. Remember that true liberality is a broad way to prosperity. Therefore, choose to be liberal and not miser; choose to be prosperous and not a pauper, choose to live a self-sufficient life and not a beggarly life. The choice is all yours. The decision you make now will affect the life you will live throughout the year and beyond. Sing A&M 483; SS&S 1053; Abu 319

Food for Thought: Psalm 112 verse 9

Memory verse: Proverbs 11: 24   

Prayer: Lord God, teach me the true Christian liberality in Jesus name. Amen.

Sow What You Wish To Reap

Devotion for Saturday January 6, 2018

Topic: Sow What You Wish To Reap

2 Corinthians 9:6 – 7

An aphorism of Anioma people says that “he who plants unworthy yam in his farm is only deceiving himself.” The secret of reaping abundantly is to sow seeds that are worthy. No wonder Paul wrote: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” Galatians 6:7 and 8. In our text, Paul teaches that alms must be given neither grudgingly, nor with an unwilling mind, or sparingly but cheerfully. Thus he compares generous alms to sowing a seed in the farm which has a plentiful harvest of abundant blessing following it. We should have this in mind as we start our year and as we make plans of how to succeed in life. Our commitment, efforts, investment and input into our career, business and every other thing we lay our hands to do will determine the output we will receive. Don’t think you will have a bountiful harvest this year when you are not willing to sow good seed? Paul says, “Don’t be deceived.” Beloved, what have you planned to sow as seed this year? Where have you planned to sow your seeds? What quality of seed do you want to sow? Do your seeds correspond with what you desire to get as result? Think about these as you begin your year. Sing A&M 335; Abu 200

Food for Thought: He who plants unworthy yam in his farm is only deceiving himself

Memory verse: Galatians 6:7

Prayer: Lord God, may I sow seeds that will bring desired blessings to me this year and beyond in Jesus name. Amen

Bear Worthy Fruits

Devotion for Tuesday January 2, 2018

Topic: Bear worthy fruits

Text: Luke 3:7 – 9

John the Baptist in his preaching called the people to repentance and also admonished them to bear fruit worthy of repentance. John stated that the time has come when Abraham's seed shall no longer be reckoned by outward descent, but by character. Therefore, they should change their character and ways of living to conform to what they profess that implies having the character and doing the works of Abraham. What John the Baptist meant is that there should be a change of character that should led to a change of situation. Many people have kept doing same thing over and again expecting different results that can never be. You cannot hold on to one methodology of doing something and expect to get good results. 

What are the ways you have been serving God, doing your business or relating with people that has not yielded the desired fruit? You need to change your method. On the other hand, we should show the reality of our repentance by forsaking our sins and obeying the commands of God. In order that repentance may be shown to be sincere, it must produce good works. This is one way we can get God’s approval and blessings. Don’t hope to get God’s approval when you are still living in sin. Sing A&M 325

Food for Thought: The change of life is the proof of the change of heart.

Memory verse: Matthew 3:8  

Prayer: Almighty God, grant me a change of heart and life that will reflect the confession I make as a Christian in Jesus name. Amen.

Increase Our Faith

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday February 8, 2017

Topic: Increase Our Faith     

Text: Luke 17:5 – 10   

Yesterday, we read about Stephen, a man of faith. In today’s bible reading, the disciples requested that Jesus should increase their faith. Their request was genuine; they wanted the faith necessary for such radical forgiveness. But Jesus didn’t directly answer their question because the amount of faith is not as important as its genuineness. What is faith in religious term? It is complete trust and loyalty to God that results in a willingness to do His will. 

Adam Clarke says that “Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.” Faith is not something we use to put on a show for others. It is complete and humble obedience to God’s will, readiness to do whatever He calls us to do. Jesus didn’t answer them directly but his answer was to correct an impression that the amount of faith isn’t as important as the right kind of faith—faith in our All-powerful God. He used a mustard seed as an example to show the size of faith that can work if it is faith centred on God. 

A mustard seed is small, but it is alive and growing. Like a tiny seed, a small amount of genuine faith in God will take root and grow. The Apostles didn’t need more faith; a tiny seed of faith would be enough, if it were alive and growing in them. What kind of faith do you have? Are you asking God to increase your faith? Remember our food for thought yesterday that “Faith is kept alive in us, and gathers strength, more from practice than from speculations” according to Addison in Power Bible CD. This is what will make your faith active and working.

Food for Thought: Mark 9:23

Memory verse: Luke 17 verse 5

Prayer: Lord God, strengthen me to develop a genuine faith that will be alive and working in me in Jesus name.