Obedience Brings Testimonies: Devotion for Friday June 12, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday June 12, 2020

Topic: Obedience Brings Testimonies            

Text: 2 Kings 5:13 – 19                                     

Now Naaman calmed down after his attendant had persuaded him to try the method Elisha offered. He did as Elisha instructed and he was cured. In some cases, servants are sometimes wiser and better advisers to their masters, and they give better advice, which when followed will be well for them.

What Elisha commanded was not cumbersome. It was a simply command that seem foolish in Naaman’s eyes (see 1 Corinthians 2:14; 3:19). Things of God and his commands are always too simple that most people do not take it serious. Mere words from Angel Gabriel was all Zachariah needed to have a child. He doubted God and was punished because God had determined to do it. If not, he would have missed that opportunity. In Genesis 26:1 – 6, 12 – 14 we have the story of how Isaac obeyed God and he became an envy of the Philistines.

The level of your obedience determines the level of your blessings and miracles. When Naaman obeyed and washed, he had a testimony: I was once a leper.

Click on me

Today many of us miss out from God’s package of blessings for us due to the ways they undermine God’s instructions in the scriptures. Some of us take it lightly and certainly we will pay dearly for it. Lot’s wife did it and we know her story. God cannot be mocked. Follow His instruction carefully and you will certainly benefit from it at the end.            

Food for Thought: It takes a humble heart to obey God’s command.

Memory verse: 2 Kings 5:14

Prayer: O Lord, as I obey your commandments, answer my prayers and bless me. 

Servants of Sin:Devotion for Wednesday January 29, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday January 29, 2020

Topic: Servants of Sin

Text: Romans 6:1 – 6

Paul expresses the necessity of holiness in life of Christians. He shows that justification and holiness are inseparable. He asked series of questions here (Romans 6:1–3) stressing that Christians should abhor the thought of continuing in sin. In view of the foregoing truths (Romans 5) and especially the fact that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, shall we continue to live in sin, that grace may the more abound?

In Romans 6:4, Paul exhorted Christians who have received the sacrament of baptism, should walk in newness of life so as to be united with Christ in His resurrection (Romans 6:5). Baptism teaches the necessity of dying to sin, and being buried from all ungodly and unholy pursuits, and of rising to walk with God in newness of life.

Christians should know that our old man (old nature of sin) has been crucified and what is crucified is dead. The reason for crucifying the old nature is to deliver us from being servants of sin. It is one thing to sin, and another thing to serve sin: To serve sin, is to yield willing obedience, to indulge ourselves in any presumptuous act or course of sin. It is prevalent of sin that destroys the sinner. Being in the flesh makes us to continue in sin and that displeases God.

Are you still living in sin and serving it? The whole body of sin, whatever is not according to the holy law of God, must be done away with, so that we may no more be the slave of sin, but live to God, and find happiness in His service.

Food for Thought: Continuing in sin makes our baptism irrelevant.

Memory verse: Galatians 5:24

Prayer: Lord, help me to live a crucified life so I will no longer be a servant of sin.

What Is Your Servant? Devotion for Saturday January 25, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday January 25, 2020

Topic: What Is Your Servant?                        

Text: 2 Samuel 9:8

Family Bible Notes posited that “A conviction of unworthiness, and true gratitude for favours, tend greatly to increase the liberality and usefulness of the giver, and also the happiness and benefit of the receiver.” This statement was true in the case of Mephibosheth. The way David treated him surprised him which led to the topic of the day. His treatment of Mephibosheth shows David’s integrity as a leader who accepted his obligation to show love and mercy. His generous provision for Jonathan’s son goes beyond any political benefit he might have received and that humbled Mephibosheth.

It is good to have a humble heart under undeserved Providences. This is applicable to our salvation too. We deserved death by virtue of our sins but God in His love and mercies came and died for us. This should make us humble in whatever position we find ourselves. This led to the statements Paul made in 1 Corinthians 15:9 and Ephesians 3:8. Mephibosheth use the phrase, a servant and dead dog not because he was crippled but because he saw himself as a despised person who was not worthy of such honour. Do you have a humbled heart? How do you feel about the gifts God has bestowed on you? A thankful heart is the greatest virtue. 

Food for Thought: The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.

Memory verse: 2 Samuel 9:8

Prayer: Lord God, grant me a thankful heart to always appreciate my salvation and works of mercies you do in my life. 

   

Be A Faithful Steward

Devotion for Monday July 30, 2018

Sing A&M 304; Abu 233 – Fight the good fight with all thy might

Topic: Be A Faithful Steward

Text: 1 Corinthians 4:1 – 6

Our bible reading for the day as Paul presented it was prompted by evaluation of humans by the Corinthians. Although the term ‘servants’ (1 Corinthians 4:1) denotes subordination, “stewards” (1 Corinthians 4:2) emphasizes privilege and responsibility. The call to leadership is a call to a pure and trustworthy character (1 Corinthians 4:2).

The Corinthians acted as if they were the judges at the last day, but they had judged much too early (1 Corinthians 4:5 - “before the Lord returns”). Their judgments of Christians were not for edification, but to put a final tag of good or bad, in or out, on the ones they judged. It was a non-ministry judgment that had its source in pride. This is very common even among present day Christians.

According to Family Bible Notes, “Fidelity to God and to the souls of men, in rightly dispensing the truths of the gospel, and in enforcing them by a uniformly holy and consistent example, is required of all ministers of Christ.” This is the emphasis of Paul in verse 2. “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare, poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well’” so says Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr.

It is appropriate to evaluate our calls as servants of whatever category we may be. How faithful are you in your job? Do you do it well as Martin Luther Jnr. suggested? We should remember that our call is to be faithful first to God and then to our employer. May God, grant us that grace in Jesus name. Sing A&M 304; Abu 233

Food for Thought: The supreme quality required in a steward is fidelity to his trust.

Memory verse: 1 Corinthians 4:2 - Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Prayer: Lord God, help me never to betray the trust you have reposed on me.

Be A True Servant

Devotion for Friday March 9, 2018                 

Topic: Be A True Servant

Text: 1 Peter 2:18 – 25                          

Servants in the period Peter wrote this epistle were generally slaves, and had heathen masters, who often used them cruelly; yet he directs them to be subject to the masters placed over them by Providence, with a fear to dishonour or offend God; not only to those pleased with reasonable service, but to those that were severe, and those angry without cause. This may seem a hard teaching but that is what God requires of us. It is said that two wrongs cannot make a right. The sinful misconduct of someone in a relationship, does not justify sinful behaviour of the other person. For this reason, a servant is bound to his duty, though the master may be sinfully froward and perverse. Virtually all Christians are servants to God and in some other places, servants to men. We owe it a duty to serve God diligently whether it is convenient for us or not. Again, we have masters where we work. They may be froward (difficult to deal with) and at times make life miserable for us. However, no matter how difficult they may be to us we owe it a duty to serve well because our service is not only to our earthly masters but also to our God in heaven. Paul also gave similar advice in Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 6:1; Titus 2:9. How faithfully and effectively are you serving as a civil servant, public servants, apprentice, a maid, nanny or house help and shopkeeper or in your profession? God demands absolute obedience and nothing less.

Sing A&M 308; Abu 226

Food for Thought: Loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment singles us out as true Christians.

Memory verse: 1 Peter 2:18 

Prayer: Lord God, make me a faithful and obedient servant in the place I work in Jesus name.

What Is Your Servant?

Devotion for Sunday February 25, 2018

Topic: What Is Your Servant? 

Text: 2 Samuel 9:8                                  

Yesterday, we read how David sought for Mephibosheth and brought him to dine at his table just for the sake of Jonathan’s love for him. It was the conviction of unworthiness, and true gratitude for favours received led Mephibosheth to ask “what is your servant?” The way David treated him surprised him so much. David’s treatment of Mephibosheth shows his integrity as a leader who accepted his obligation to show love and mercy. His generous provision for Jonathan’s son goes beyond any political benefit he might have received. This should be a lesson for those in authority. What David did, humbled Mephibosheth. It is good to have a humble heart under undeserved Providences. This is applicable to our salvation too. We deserved death by virtue of our sins but God in His love and mercies came and died for us. This should make us humble in whatever position we find ourselves. This led to the statements Paul made in 1 Corinthians 15:9 and Ephesians 3:8. Mephibosheth used the phrase, a servant and dead dog not because he was crippled but because he saw himself as a despised person who is not worthy of such honour. Do you have a humbled heart? How do you feel about the gifts God has bestowed on you? A thankful heart is the greatest virtue. Develop yours.  Sing SS&S 1138; Abu 240

Food for Thought: The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.

Memory verse: 2 Samuel 9:8

Prayer: Lord God, grant me a thankful heart to always appreciate my salvation and works of mercies you do in my life. 

Why Pick On Me: Devotion for Monday July 11, 2016

WHY PICK ON ME: Devotion for Monday July 11, 2016

Text: Numbers 11:11 – 15       

Memory verse: Numbers 11: 11 – So Moses said to the Lord, "Why have you afflicted your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you have laid the burden of all these people on me?

The cry of the people provoked Moses. That made him to undervalue the honour God had put upon him. He magnified his own performances, while he had the divine wisdom to direct him, and Almighty power to dispense rewards and punishments. He speaks distrustfully of the divine grace. The Israelites complained, and then Moses complained to God. But God responded positively to Moses and negatively to the rest of the people. Why? The people complained to one another, and there was no result. Moses took his complaint to God, who could solve any problem.

Many of us are good at complaining to each other even when we know that those people we complain to; can’t help us. Many of us usually say why me. That was the case of Moses here. This is a grave way of discrediting and dishonouring God. We need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do something about them instead of complaining and saying why me. The action of the people led Moses to complain too. Those of us in leadership position should always say this prayer; Lord, lead us not into temptation. Do you have a burden that you feel you can share with people? Why not go to God in prayer. He will hear and answer you.

Food for Thought: Why pick on me is a way of saying that God made mistake in calling you into His service.

Prayer: God, you don’t give someone assignment without the corresponding power to do it. Help me to always focus on you when the task seems too hard for me. Grant me the grace never to complain about the assignment you have given to me no matter the obstacles, opposition and confrontations on my way to carrying out those instructions.   

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