Awake From Sleep: Devotion for Friday October 9, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday October 9, 2020

Topic: Awake From Sleep                               

Text: Ephesians 5:12 – 20                         

As Christians, we should stand for the truth; we shouldn’t get caught up in gossip about the shameful actions of sinful people (Ephesians 5:12). We should not promote or dignify sin by even so much as discussing it. What the ungodly people do in secret becomes clear for how evil it is as light shines on them. Nothing can hide from the light piercing through darkness. Believers are the “rays” of that light. By our actions (Ephesians 5:8 – 12), we become instruments of light, exposing the dark acts of sin.

Apostle Paul instructs us to expose these deeds, because our silence may be interpreted as approval. God needs people who will take a stand for what is right. Christians must lovingly speak out for what is true and right. This is not optional.

It is for this reason the Apostle calls on compromising Christians to wake up from sleep (Ephesians 5:14) and begin to live for Christ. What Paul was stressing here is that the Ephesians should wake up and realize the dangerous condition into which some of them had been slipping into. Are such things not seen in our present day Christendom where we pretend and are nonchalant to our call to rebuke evil and sin? Are we not unperturbed and senseless in the darkness, and pollution of sin, and sometimes rename sin so as to cover our unrighteousness?

We should wake from death in sin to a sense of our guilty, lost condition, and look to Him who died for us, and He will make us light. We should redeem the time we have lost while asleep by being active for God. God is waiting for you to act. Start now (Isaiah 60:1)!   

Food for Thought: Romans 13:11 & 12

Memory verse: Ephesians 5 v 14

Prayer: Almighty God, give us grace to cast way the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility so that on the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious majesty: to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through Him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever (Collect for Advent Sunday). 

AWAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER: Devotion for Saturday October 8, 2016

AWAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER: Devotion for Saturday October 8, 2016

Text: Romans 13:11 – 14     Memory verse: Romans 13 v 11

Ability to read time and understand is very important not only in the Christian race but also in all our endeavours in this life. Romans 13:11 states, “And do this, knowing the time ...” There, Paul was speaking about love and in this verse he wants believers to realize their constant need to show love, especially considering the time that Christ’s return is near.

Most passages that teach or warn us about Christ’s return centre on our responsibility to be morally prepared, spiritually alert, and diligently serving God and humanity (1 Pet. 4:11; Jas. 5:8; 1 Jn. 2:18). The warnings found in these passages are essentially necessary for our growth and development as Christians. Believers must be vigilant, alert, and not caught unaware and unprepared when Christ returns. Jesus Christ gave us similar warning when He warned us in these passages; Matthew 24:14, 25:13; Mark 13:33 and Luke 12:40.

The reason for this moral preparation and spiritual alertness giving to us by Paul in our text is because the old sinful nature (Romans 13:13) will still cause problems from time to time, but he (Paul) requires believers to wake up from slumber. Clothing ourselves with Christ means we should put on His character; allowing Him to take control of us in all ramifications (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10), and taking over our thought from where our actions originate. Sinful actions and attitudes all start with a single thought. This is the reason behind the admonition in Proverbs 4:23.

Beloved, are you asleep in negligence, works of darkness, revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, strife and envy? Many things are pointers to the fact that we are sleeping. Some of them are seen in us when we find it hard to pray; when we can’t open our mouths to preach the gospel, when our love and commitments to the things of God has waxed cool, etc. Paul is warning you to wake up and put on the armour of light (Isaiah 60:1; Ephesians 5:14) and to righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:34). Remember the return of Christ is certain and inevitable. It is now closer than when we first believed. Be prepared!

Food for Thought: Are you awake or still sleeping?

Prayer: God, help me to be alert and watchful as I await the return of Jesus.

AWAKE FROM SLEEP: Devotion for Tuesday August 30, 2016

AWAKE FROM SLEEP: Devotion for Tuesday August 30, 2016

Text: Ephesians 5:12 – 20       Memory verse: Ephesians 5:14

Paul teaches us here that as Christians, we should stand for the truth and we shouldn’t get caught up in gossip about the shameful actions of sinful people (Ephesians 5:12). The need for Christians to stand up for the truth cannot be overemphasized. This is so because it is the truth that will set us free. Jesus Christ asserted that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (see John 14:6).  

Paul cautioned us that we should not promote or dignify sin by even so much as discussing it. This is very important aspect of our bible reading today. Discussing sin defiles us how much more committing it. The reason for this is because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Nothing can hide from the light piercing through darkness. The believers’ behaviour and character are the ‘rays’ of that light that shines to reveal the darkness surrounding unbelievers. By our actions (5:8–12), we become instruments of light, exposing the dark acts of sin. Paul instructs us to expose these deeds, because our silence may be interpreted as approval. God needs people who will take a stand for what is right. Christians must lovingly speak out for what is true and right.

It is for this reason the Apostle calls on compromising Christians to wake up from sleep (5:14) and begin to live for Christ. What Paul was stressing here is that the Ephesians should wake up and realize the dangerous condition into which some of them had been slipping into through condoning sin and inability to speak out against it. Are these things not seen in our present day Christendom? Are we not unperturbed and senseless in the darkness, and pollution of sin? We should wake from death in sin to a sense of our guilty, lost condition, and look to Him who died for us, and He will make us light. We should redeem the time we have lost while asleep by being active for God. God is waiting for you to act. Start now (Isaiah 60:1)   

Food for Thought: Romans 13:11 & 12

Prayer: Almighty God, give us grace to cast way the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility so that on the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through Him who is alive and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen. (Collect for Advent Sunday).

TIME IS RUNNING OUT: Devotion for Saturday October 24, 2015

TIME IS RUNNING OUT    Saturday October 24, 2015

Text: Romans 13:11 – 14       Memory verse: v 11

Apostle Paul taught four things here, about the duties of a Christian; when to be awake, how to dress ourselves, how to walk, and what provision to make. He started by saying ‘and do this’. What are we to do? They are in Romans 13:7 – 10. The essence of the admonition is because it is time to wake out of sleep. Sleep here literally means inactivity and insensibility to the doctrines, and duties of religion. Men, by nature, are active in deeds of wickedness but in righteousness are insensible, and the slumbers of night are on their eyes always. That is the nature of man.  

Paul thus made the call that we should wake out of the sleep of sin, out of the sleep of carnal security, sloth and negligence, out of the sleep of spiritual death, and out of the sleep of spiritual deadness. We should be concerned about our souls and our eternal interest; take heed of sin, be ready to, and serious in that which is good. This should rightly make us to live in a constant expectation of the coming of our Lord. Are you actually ready for the return of the Lord? Know that time is running out. Do not be taken unawares.

Food for Thought: How active and sensible are you to the duties of religion?

Prayer: Lord God, wake me up from insensibility and inactivity about eternal things. Keep me in constant expectation of coming of Jesus. 

WE SHOULDN'T SLEEP: Devotion for Saturday August 15, 2015

WE SHOULDN'T SLEEP           Saturday August 15, 2015

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:6 – 10       Memory verse: v 6   

T

he challenge Paul mentioned in 5:1 led to his admonition here that we should not sleep (5:6). What is that challenge? No one knows the day of the Lord. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to conform to God’s light, not the darkness that leads to destruction in the day of the Lord. Since the day of the Lord will result in judgment for the wicked and deliverance for the righteous, self-examination was important. This advice is very important for us Christians too.

Believers are associated with ‘light’ (spiritually enlightened because of the new birth) rather than ‘darkness’ (the realm of sin and spiritual emptiness). The coming of the Lord should motivate believers to be mentally alert and morally vigilant. Paul used an illustration of a Roman soldier on duty (5:8). Beloved are you asleep? Are you compromising or complacent? The actual time we don’t know. Therefore let us be ready like the wise virgins (Matthew 25:1 – 13).

Action: List some characteristics of a Christian who is asleep.

Prayer: Make me spiritually alert O Lord so that I will not be taken unaware when you return in Jesus name.