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. 

An Incomplete Testimony: Devotion for Saturday June 6, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday June 6, 2020

Topic: An Incomplete Testimony                                 

Text: 2 Kings 5:1                                   

Here is a great testimony of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria. He was described as a mighty man of valour, a great man in battle, used by God to wrought victories for Syria but he was a leper. What a testimony of a great man!

However, the ‘but’ has a great question mark on his life. This shows that despite all his exploits in life, the leprosy has restricted him in so many ways because no honours or successes can secure men from trouble.

Matthew Henry puts it this way, “No man's greatness, or honour, can place him out of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life: there is many a sickly, crazy body under rich and gay clothing.” This shows that any man living has some troubles of life to contend with. Naaman took the advice of the young captive girl from Israel and he was healed as we shall read in the days ahead.

In life, many of us have one “but” or another tormenting us which invariably has dented our testimonies. It may be pride, unfaithfulness, lies, anger, malice, little sins, gossip, immorality, stealing, etc. Whatever may be the “but,” it is important you realise that it has dented your testimony and do something about it now. You can’t say you are a Christian but you are still living a life of lies, deceit, anger, etc. That is not a good testimony. It is better to do something now or it will deny you a place in the Kingdom of heaven.

Food for Thought: Every man has one negative ‘but’ or another which blemishes and diminishes him.                         

Memory verse: 2 Kings 5: 1b

Prayer: My God and my Father, remove every negative ‘but’ in my life the way you healed Naaman of his leprosy in Jesus name.

I DIED AT 35 YEARS BUT I AM CELEBRATING MY 53RD YEAR BIRTHDAY

This is an abridged testimony to mark my 53rd Birthday. It shows how the mercies of God has kept me alive after undergoing two kidney transplant surgeries and a heart surgery within 4 years. The full testimony will come in a documentary I am working on and a movie titled Battle for Life. Watch out for the documentary and the movie

Watch the video here

A Man Who Fears God

Devotion for Monday November 27, 2017

Topic: A Man Who Fears God

Text: Acts 10:1 – 2

The fear of God and living a righteous life are substances of true Christianity. Fear of God and works of righteousness are not the cause of a man’s acceptance before God, yet where these are found, whatever is lacking, God who started this act in man will in due time give to the person to actualize His work of grace. This is the truth about the man Cornelius (Acts 10:3 – 6). He was introduced here by his character; a devout man who fears God (Acts 10:1 – 2, 22), prayerful and compassionate (Acts 10:3 – 6), and obedient (Acts 10:7 – 8).

Cornelius was a centurion who commanded around one hundred (a century) soldiers. A regiment was a military unit of six hundred men. Cornelius was not a Jewish proselyte but he accepted the Jewish religion and revered their God (Acts 10:2). He was a devout man who fear God, a philanthropist and prayerful. This is very uncommon among leaders but he was very different. This prompted God to bring him to salvation.

What is your testimony and character? How can people describe you; a devout and sincere person or a fraud, a prostitute, a cheat, a betrayal, etc? What can be said about you in your office, neighbourhood, in your business, etc? Acts of charity, devout life in sincerity will always attract God’s favour and kindness towards us. Be more sincere in your walk with God and He will grant you all the salvation you need.

Food for Thought: How can people describe you?

Memory verse: Acts 10:2

Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to live well and leave a good testimony for posterity in Jesus name.

WHAT IS YOUR TESTIMONY? Devotion for Monday September 12, 2016

WHAT IS YOUR TESTIMONY? Devotion for Monday September 12, 2016

Text: Job 1:1 – 3       Memory verse: v 1

On 2nd October, 2014, the Women Fellowship of Cathedral Church of St. Peter Asaba invited me to speak on the topic, ‘Living above storm.’ The topic was so challenging and inspiring that it opened my eyes to so many things we pass through in life especially if we want to please God and live righteously. When I go home that evening I decided to start writing devotions on the lessons I learnt from the topic I spoke on. That evening and the following day, I wrote the devotion for the next 13 days based on the inspiration for that message. The message was indeed inspiring and challenging. I hope you will learn a lot from our devotion for the next 13 days. Welcome!

In our bible reading today, is the introduction of the person, Job. This is a man with a challenging testimony. A man whose character and commitment to God is a challenge to our present generation where people’s faith and believe is on good and nothing but good. A generation that is ready to praise God only when success comes their way. But here is the testimony about Job which says that he was “Blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” He was also blessed with 10 children and was indeed rich with great possession of livestock (1:2, 3). Job’s habit was to fear God and obey all His commandments. Like Zachariah and Elizabeth, he was "Righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless" (Luke 1:6). What a testimony!

Beloved, what is your testimony? It was not Job that wrote this. It was written by someone else hence the use of the phrase; were born to him and not born to me. What can people say about you? Do you desire to do the will of God and walk in His statues? You should be exact and consistent in all your dealings with men; someone who has no blame in your transaction with men. God demands us to be godly in all we do.

Action: As you go out today, be determined to live an upright life in all your transactions with people.

Prayer: My God and my Father in heaven, help me to live a life that is pleasing to you always and a blameless life in Jesus name.

A BAD TESTIMONY: Devotion for Saturday May 28, 2016

A BAD TESTIMONY: Devotion for Saturday May 28, 2016

Text: 2 Kings 5:1         Memory verse: v 1b

Here is a great testimony of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria. He was described as a mighty man of valour, a great man in battle, used by God to wrought victories for Syria but he was a leper. What a testimony of a great man! However, the ‘but’ has a great question mark on his life. This shows that despite all his exploits in life, the leprosy has restricted him in so many ways because no honour or success can secure men from trouble. Matthew Henry puts it this way, “No man's greatness, or honour, can place him out of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life: there is many a sickly, crazy body under rich and gay clothing.” This shows that any man living has some troubles of life to contend with. Naaman took the advice of the young captive girl from Israel and he was healed.

In life, we all have one ‘but’ or another tormenting us which invariably has dented our testimonies. It may be pride, unfaithfulness, lies, anger, malice, little sins, gossip, immorality, stealing, etc. Whatever may be your own ‘but’, it is important you realise that it has dented your testimony and do something about it now. You can say that you are a Christian but you are still living a life of lies, deceit, anger, etc. That is not a good testimony. It is better to do something now or it will deny you a place in the kingdom of heaven.

Food for Thought: Every man has one negative ‘but’ or another which blemishes and diminishes him.

Prayer: My God and my Father, remove every negative ‘but’ in my life the way you healed Naaman of his leprosy in Jesus name.              

      

A BAD TESTIMONY: Devotion for Monday September 14, 2015

A BAD TESTIMONY      Monday September 14, 2015

Text: Ezekiel 3:1 – 9         Memory verse: v 7

Ezekiel was told that he will receive the truths of God as the food for his soul, and to feed upon them by faith, and he would be strengthened. Gracious souls can receive those truths of God with delight, which speak terror to the wicked. Ezekiel must speak all that, and that only, which God spoke to him. How can we better speak God's mind than with his words? If disappointed as to his people, he must not be offended but warn them out of love.

God gave a testimony about Israel that they will not repent because of their impudent and hard-heartedness. What testimony can God give about you? The people of Nineveh repented after Jonah had preached but Israel was unwilling to do same. Are you like that who will not be moved despite all the preaching you hear? The testimony of God is what matters about us.

Food for Thought: What can God say about you today?

Prayer: God my Father, grant me the heart to believe, fear and honour you