Why Suffer If God Is With Us: Devotion for Tuesday June 16, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday June 16, 2020

Topic: Why Suffer If God Is With Us

Text: Judges 6:11 – 18                                      

Most Christians believe that they can’t suffer if God is with them. But this is not the true case. God was with Joseph even in the prison (Genesis 39:23). He was there in the prison with Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25ff). The presence of these men in prison turned out to glorify God and grant them favour as in the case of Joseph. God was in the Lion’s Den with Daniel and we have so many other examples.

This is what we should understand that suffering, temptation and trials are never signs that God has forgotten us or is no more with us. When we have this understanding, it will help us to weather all storms of life in faith and optimism that our God will bring us out of them at last.

Gideon queried the Angel of the Lord when the angel greeted him saying, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour (Judges 6:12b)!" The reaction of Gideon to this greeting did not come from distrust, but from weakness of faith. No man in this life can have a perfect faith because we falter most times: yet the children of God have a true faith, by which they are justified.

The way Gideon reacted is the way most of us react when we hear some preaching about God’s faithfulness while we are suffering from lack, sickness, bondage of Satan, etc. We easily rebuff the message that God cannot be with us and the devil is dealing mercilessly with us.

Beloved, remember that God is not unmindful of what we suffer (compare Psalm 111:5). Keep trusting Him for at the appropriate time, He will send help/deliverance or salvation.  

Food for Thought: Why do you complain? Did God promise us life free from suffering?                          

Memory verse: Judges 6:13                   

Prayer: Lord, grant me proper understanding of your will for me so that I will not complain over things I pass through in life.

Why Trials Come Our Way: Devotion for Wednesday April 22, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday April 22, 2020

Topic: Why Trials Come Our Way                                               

Text: James 1:12

In our bible reading for today, James shows the reasons for trials and reward of passing through it faithfully. As athletes persevere in training in order to improve their abilities and endurance for competition, so Christians persevere in spiritual training as they patiently endure testing that will bring out maturity and completeness in them. Most times, today’s trials are training that prepares us to tomorrow’s challenges.

The way to get into God’s winner’s circle is to love Him and stay faithful even under pressure. James noted that there is always an ample reward for us. The reward is crown of life. James asserts that a Christian, who is patient and endures trials and afflictions in this life, shall certainly be rewarded with a crown of life.

It is pertinent to note that it is not every man who suffers receives blessing but he who patiently endures all difficulties that comes his way without disobeying God. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it does not come as a result of our fault. A tried Christian shall be a crowned one if he endures. Every soul that truly loves God shall have its trials in this world fully recompensed in the world to come, where love is made perfect.

Beloved, what are you currently suffering because of your faith? Are you in prison now because of the crime you didn’t commit? God will certainly vindicate and reward you. Note that “God has one Son without sin, but he never had a son without trial” according to Charles Spurgeon.

Food for Thought: “A trial is an experiment or search made upon a man, by some affliction, to prove the value and strength of his faith” – Henry in Power Bible Online 

Memory verse: Proverbs 3:12

Prayer: Almighty God, strengthen me never to lose my faith in time of trials for there is always a blessing when one endures trials.

Look Ahead And Be Optimistic

Devotion for Friday December 1, 2017

Topic: Look Ahead And Be Optimistic 

Text: Hebrew 6:11 – 15

People who lived godly lives faced temptations, persecutions and trials of different types and degrees. From Noah to the Apostles and disciples, all had terrible experiences. This is the reason for the exhortation in Hebrews 10:36. When we begin to consider the trials and temptations of this life, we cannot make progress in our endeavours. This led the author of Hebrews to challenge us in Hebrews 6:12. He cautioned us not to be sluggish or faint-hearted or timid or negligent. Rather, he advised that we should strongly and constantly imitate them in their manner of life; their faith and patience. The challenges for us in our text are;

1) Heaven is not ours by purchase but by promise

2) Heaven is a promised inheritance which saints by faith and patience, have possessed and will possess.

3) Being followers of imitators of their faith and patience, we may also joint them to inherit the promises.

Heaven is what lies ahead of us as Christians. Whatever we do here on earth is transitory. A day will come when we shall leave everything here on earth and go to either heaven as true Christians or hell as deceivers. Where you will go is determined here on earth. People have endured all manner of trials, confrontations and temptations for the sake of heaven. You can still endure and overcome (Philippians 4:13). Cheer up my beloved in Christ because better days and better things await us in heaven. That want, need, sickness, temptation, trial and persecution are temporal. You will leave them here on earth. Therefore do not let it determine your final destination after live on earth. Look ahead and be optimistic even as we enter into the new month.

Remember that he who endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13). With this in mind, I welcome you to the last month of the year 2018. Have a glorious month of December 2018.

Food for Thought: What lies ahead matters most more than the ones we have left behind us.

Memory Verse: Hebrew 6:12 – “That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Prayer: God, rekindle your spirit in me and remove any spirit of sluggishness or faint-heart from me as I live for you in Jesus name.

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.

Price of Godliness (Sickness)

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Wednesday April 5, 2017

Topic: Price of Godliness (Sickness)

Text: Job 2:7 – 10

Yesterday we saw how Job lost all his possessions because Satan was not happy that God had blessed him because he was a godly man; blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. Today we have the story of how Satan came back to afflict him with a sickness doctors can’t describe. What was his sin for this affliction? He refused to give up his godly life. He refused to curse God.

Some people would have concluded that he was not really a godly man if not why will these serial attacks come upon him. The comment of his friends who came to him proves this. Some people said such about me when within a period of 4 years; I underwent kidney transplant operation two times and a heart operation also. If not that we are reading the story of Job, we wouldn’t have known what transpired between God and Satan before the problem started.

If living a godly life can attract such persecution and trials, do we avoid godliness? No! What we stand to gain far more outweigh the immediate pains (2 Corinthians 4:16 – 18). Our body may wear away but our soul which will return to God is what matters. Job understood this too well when he said that he knows his Redeemer lives and that he shall see God even after his skin has been destroyed (Job 19:25 – 27). What an expression of faith! Job was a man of faith who confessed the resurrection of the dead. If we have such understanding as Job had, we will not fear sickness and death; rather sickness and fear of death will draw us closer to God.

Food for Thought: Job 19:25 – 27

Memory verse: 2 Corinthians 4:17

Prayer: Grant me the grace I need, O Lord, never to deny you in time of sickness in Jesus name.

They Will Fail

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday February 28, 2017 

Topic: They Will Fail

Text: Jeremiah 1:14 – 19

When God calls us, He gives us details about the intricacies and all that is involved in the call. He tells us what we will benefit and what we will suffer in the process. When God called me into the fulltime ministry, He used Isaiah 43:1 – 10. It has manifested in my life. So He tells us beforehand what we will face in this ministry before they even start manifesting.

This chapter is on the call of Jeremiah with assurance in 1:8. He clearly told him that they will surely fight against him but can’t prevail because God was determined to defend and support him against all his enemies. We know all that Jeremiah suffered; how he was jailed, thrown into a pit and many other things that he suffered. However, in all those trials, persecutions and attack, God saw him through.

Every Christian has a call; a call to live righteously, resist the devil, overcome the world so as to receive a reward at the end. Jesus made it abundantly clear in the bible that in this world we will suffer for His sake. Nevertheless, we should be of good cheers because he has secured our victory (Jn. 16:33). As long as we are in this world, tribulations, trials, temptations will come. They will fight against you but they will not prevail. God will defend you. Are you afraid and has become discouraged? Look up unto God and be focused. God is by your side to fight for you. Just hold your peace.      

Food for Thought: Jeremiah 20:10

Memory verse: Jeremiah 1:8

Prayer: God, thank you for your word. Increase my faith and remove any atom of fear in me. Always defend me according to your promises in Jesus name. Amen.

Reasons Behind Trials

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday January 29, 2017

Topic: Reasons Behind Trials

Text: Deuteronomy 8:1 – 3  

There are reasons God allows us to pass through tests and trials. We don’t go through them without a purpose. In the book of Job, we saw that all the problems, losses and sickness that came upon Job were to test his fidelity unto God because He had boasted to Satan that Job was ever faithful to Him. When Job was going through them, he never knew that what came upon him were tests. He endured them to the shame of Satan, thereby proving God faithful. Thereafter, God restored all that he lost.

The trial of Job is an eye opener for us never to become unfaithful to God when we are in problem. We should remain focused because God may have allowed that problem; death of a benefactor, sickness, gang up against you in the office, etc, as a way of trying our faith.

In our text, Moses told the Israelites that they should remain faithful and obedient to God because when He took them through the wilderness, it was aimed at humbling them so as to know what was in their hearts, whether they would keep His commandments or not. In the process of humbling them, He allowed them to go hungry, and fed them with manna which they didn’t know nor did their fathers know. This issue of manna was to make them know that man shall not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Remember the case of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12: 7 – 9. That problem made Paul not to exalt himself above measure. All we pass through in life are for lessons and experiences; go through them faithful and God will certainly reward you at the end.

Food for Thought: God permits tribulations to come upon us which He turns to our advantage and to the glory of His name.

Memory verse: Deuteronomy 8 verse 3 - And He humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Prayer: God, turn tribulations I am facing to my advantage and to your praise, and glory in Jesus name. Amen.

SATAN IS NEVER SATISFIED: Devotion for Thursday September 22, 2016

SATAN IS NEVER SATISFIED: Devotion for Thursday September 22, 2016

Text: Job 2:7 – 8                   Memory verse: Job 2 verse 7

The story in Job chapters 1 and 2 shows that Satan is never satisfied with tempting us especially when we remain resolute and unyielding to his trials and temptations. He afflicted Job and then tempted to make a bad use of his affliction but God restrained him. Satan can only tempt a child of God but can never bring him to a total ruin. The affliction on Job was so severe that Satan thought Job will curse God as he used his wife to say so. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t know that severity of affliction cannot change the views and understanding of a true Christian about God.

Satan’s aim in all these trials, temptations and affliction is to make Job never to worship God again. This is usually the primary aim of Satan in tempting us. He attacks us so we can discredit God. But a true Christian cannot do that just as Job didn’t succumb to Satan’s attack. In all that Job went through, he humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, and brought His mind to his condition. This is an example and challenge for us. We should not be so troubled by the problems and afflictions of life that we forget God.

Beloved, the words of Christ in John 15:19–21 and John 16:33 about temptations and trials are true. As long as we remain in this world, Satan will always attack us. We can’t be immune from his attacks and temptations. No wonder the words in Rev. 12:12. He has now increased the tempo of his attacks because time is short for him. According to Family Bible Notes, “His (Job) disease is generally regarded to have been a malignant and painful species of leprosy.” This was to make people steer clear of him but despite all these, Job was not moved. This is a big challenge for us. We should not be moved by the intensity of trials because there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Food for Thought: The aim of Satan’s attack on us is for us to discredit God. Therefore, do not give in to his attacks.  

Prayer: As I have resolved to serve you, O Lord my God, make me resolute in that resolution no matter the temptations of the enemies in Jesus name.

AN EXCUSE TO ATTACK: Devotion for Wednesday September 21, 2016

AN EXCUSE TO ATTACK: Devotion for Wednesday September 21, 2016

Text: Job 2:1 – 6                Memory verse: Job 2 verse 4

Despite the calamities that befell Job in Job chapter one, he still persevered in yielding unreserved and faithful obedience to God. That is what sincere Christianity is all about. A true is never disheartened and discouraged by trials and temptations. Rather he uses the opportunity to draw closer to God and to draw from Him more grace and mercies.

True Christianity has been proved a thousand times to be genuine among so many Christians, yet Satan and his agents still insist that it is all hypocrisy and selfishness. This was how they also accused us in my village of playing hypocrisy and falsehood in our Evangelical Fellowship in Anglican Communion (EFAC). They claimed that we wanted to secede and to build a church for ourselves.

To show and prove that these are all but falsehood, God sometimes allows Satan to attack us with calamities, while He sustains us with His grace. The essence of this is to silence the objections of Satan and foolish men who take joy in ridiculing Christianity and our faith. Have you been challenged once? How did God confront them to silence them? Share your testimony if you are studying as a group.  

Here, Satan here renews his accusation of selfishness against Job. He submitted that health was of greater importance to man than wealth and thus when Job’s health is at stake, he will deny God. .  It is true he has lost his property and his children, but his person yet remains unharmed. For this reason, Satan came again insisting that should God touch his skin and health, he will renounce his allegiance to God, and blaspheme his name. Unfortunately he was also proven wrong.

Satan has one excuse/accusation or another why he attacks a child of God. These excuses are purely God’s blessings and talents in us. It may be your money/wealth, knowledge, beauty, position in office, your children, your health, etc. We should understand that when the blessings of God are upon us, it will always attract temptations and trials from Satan and his agents. We should not be deterred by the temptations of the devil to the extent that we curse God and deny Him. These trials and temptations are for some time. They will soon end. We should be resolute in our Christianity and faith when trials come our ways (James 1:12).

Food for Thought: Matthew 10:22

Prayer: God, as Satan and men envy your blessings upon my life and thus plan evil against me, may I not yield to their trials to turn against you.

YET, I WILL TRUST HIM: Devotion for Tuesday September 20, 2016

YET, I WILL TRUST HIM: Devotion for Tuesday September 20, 2016

Text: Job 13:13 – 23      Memory verse: Job 1 verse 15

Only those who are fools blame God for their woes and eventually turn their backs against Him. Luke 20:18, says "Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." This verse is true of what will be our portion if we break out of our relationship with God. He will crush us with His anger if we try to strive with Him (see Isaiah 49:5).

If we run from Him, we are in trouble. If He hides His face, we are also in trouble. Therefore, no matter the situation in life we should keep following and trusting Him for that is the best thing for us. Contending with your maker will only amount to more troubles and problems of life. This is the mind of Job here. Job and his friends thought that his problem was from God as an affliction for his sins. But Job resolved to cleave to the testimony his own conscience gave of his uprightness and also steadfastly trust God for salvation despite all he was going through. He relied on God for justification as he had been accused by his friends and salvation because it was only God who could deliver him from the problems facing him.

When we show great confidence in God in times of trials, temptations, troubles and problems we pass through, it will certainly turn out as our greatest safeguard in those times of trials, troubles, temptations and problems of life. Job sees God as his source of salvation (Job 13:16). He didn’t say there is no more God because of the problems of life he was passing through even when the wife pressured him into doing such. This is a great lesson for us. No matter the problems of life we may be going through, it shouldn’t lead us into turning our backs against God or else we will worsen our situations. We should keep on trusting Him. Job did and was rewarded at the end. If you do, you will certainly be rewarded.

Food for Thought: Psalm 23:4

Prayer: Grant me the grace, my Lord and my God, to trust and depend on you no matter the problems of life I may be passing through in Jesus name. Amen.

WHY GOD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS: Devotion for Friday November 6, 2015

WHY GOD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS 

Text: Psalm 11:4 – 7      Memory verse: v 5

David here declares the great source of his unflinching courage. God does not hate us, but He only tries us to know our obedience and faithfulness. As Christians we are precious to Him, and therefore He refines us with trials in a bid to bless us when we pass through them faithfully. Christians may not hope to escape from trial, nor, indeed, in our right minds, would any of us desire to do so, for trial is the channel of many blessings. However, He hates the wicked and will punish them (v 6). Psalm 11:7 affords an overwhelming reason why we should be steadfast, immovable, and not carried away with fear, or led to adopt carnal expedients in order to avoid trial.

Beloved, trials are channels of blessings. Remember so many cases like that of Abraham. This is the reason why God tries us. If you desire blessings, you should not run away from trials because that will be an open door for your blessings to come. It will afford you opportunities to discover the potentials in you. If trials didn’t come to Daniel, we wouldn’t have known that God can deliver someone from Lion’s den. The stories of Joseph, David, Daniel, etc are clear examples for us.

Food for Thought: Trial is an experiment or search made upon a man, by some affliction, to prove the value and strength of his faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me never to fail any trial of my faith.