The Glory To Be Revealed

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday May 16, 2017

Topic: The Glory To Be Revealed

Text: Romans 8:17 – 25

The rigorous training and exercise sports men and women go through to enable them perform well at their best/peak, and if possible to win the ultimate price is similar to what is expected of us in Christian race. This was the idea Paul expressed in 1 Cor. 9:24–27. He summed it up by saying: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” He had a goal and a vision, and was focused. Thus he developed self-discipline, self-control and willpower to succeed. This trio was his guide in life and his drive in heavenly race. But there is something more glorious that God has kept for us that run this heavenly race to the end and according to specifications (1 Cor. 2:9 & Isa. 64:4). Do you desire to be part of God’s glorious kingdom? Yes of course you do! However, do you know there are things that can make you lose focus? Can you mention about five of them? How can you overcome them to make heaven at last? There are sacrifices which we must make and also trials which we are called to endure in this Christian life. All these things are light and momentary, compared with the blessings which God will bestow upon us when we get to heaven. What are the sacrifices you are making now because you want to please God? What are the temptations you are enduring now? You may be enduring some trials of your faith now. Never mind all these, your reward will be more glorious at the end. Your faith will not disappoint you. Just keep trusting Him.

Food for Thought: How prepared are you for these things God has kept for us?

Memory verse: Romans 8 verse 18

Prayer: Lord God, prepare me for heaven and grant that I will not lose out from the future glory reserved for your people.

MAINTAIN YOUR INTEGRITY: Devotion for Saturday September 24, 2016

MAINTAIN YOUR INTEGRITY: Devotion for Saturday September 24, 2016
Text: Job 27:1 – 6                  Memory verse: v 5
It was David that said in the book of Psalm that he knows his sins and his sins are ever before him. If we say that we don’t know whether we are righteous or not we are only trying to deceive ourselves. You can’t be a sinner without knowing that you are a sinner. We can only pretend that we are not but deep down in our hearts we know what we are. However, in the case of righteousness, we can claim based on what we know of ourselves but it is God who has the final say about us. His verdict is what counts at the end.
Job's friends who came to see him provoked him to speak, and he proceeded in a grave and useful manner to defend his integrity. That was as much as he knows himself. He was specific here about his integrity. By not putting away his integrity, Job means that, as he was conscious of having led an upright life, and of being still determined to do so despite the affliction he was going through which the friends claimed came from God as a punishment for his sins. Plainly, Job asserted that he will never acknowledge the justice of the accusations which his friends brought against him. The consciousness of our integrity will give us confidence in God and support us under any kind of trial. This was the basis of strength and peace Job enjoyed during the trial period.
In the midst of all the accusations, Job was able to declare that his conscience was clear. Only God’s forgiveness and the determination to live right before God can bring a clear conscience. Have you received that forgiveness from God which brings clear conscience? Job had to bring his record to bear as he was being accused of having sinned against God. Just like Job did, we can’t claim sinless lives, but we can claim forgiven lives. When we confess our sins to God, He forgives us. Then we can live with clear consciences (1 Jn. 1:9). Maintaining your integrity as a Christian in time of trials shows that you bear the fruit of the Spirit – Self control (Galatians 5:23). Do you maintain your integrity in times of trials; no food, when you are alone, when you are engaged and not wedded, when you don’t have money in your house and you come across money somewhere? Job is a challenge for us.
Food for Thought: “Subtlety may deceive you; integrity never will” – Oliver Cromwell.
Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to develop the virtue of integrity in me.

THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST: Devotion for Tuesday June 14, 2016

     

Text: Galatians 5:24 – 26             Memory verse: v 24

The fruit of the Holy Spirit exemplifies us as Christians. Any professing Christian who doesn’t possess these virtues is mere compromiser and should not be taken seriously. How can a Christian lack love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? If any of these is lacking in your life, then you have either backslidden or you have been compromising. Those who have these are those who actually and really belong to Christ (5:24). Those who are Christ’s have crucified their flesh when they became Christians (Rom 6:3, 4), and it is done continuously (Rom 6:6) so that the Holy Spirit will be able to produce in them the fruits just listed (5:22, 23). It is by faith in Christ that a man becomes dead to a sinful life and rises to a new life of fellowship with Christ (Col. 3:3).

Brethren, if our inner life be in the Spirit; that is, received from the Spirit, sustained by Him, and conformed to Him in character then we should also walk in that Spirit (5:25). Our outward life also should be in the Spirit; in other words, let it be conformed to Christ in character, so that our inward principles and outward conduct shall be in harmony with each other. This, in Paul’s opinion is what it means to belong to Christ. Is your inward and outward life in harmony with that of Christ? Think about it.

Food for Thought: Do you truly belong to Christ in your character?

Prayer: Lord, help me to conform to the image of Christ in my inward and outward character in Jesus name.