Leadership and Generosity

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Tuesday February 21, 2017     

Topic: Leadership and Generosity

Text: 1 Chronicles 16:1 – 3

David had a great regard and love for God, no wonder he was termed a man after God’s heart. He brought the Ark of God into Jerusalem and wanted to build a house for it but God restrained him from doing it. Some of our leaders today are not perturbed by dilapidated church building in their environment. Unfortunately, it is not so with the Muslims. They always want to build place of worship. Christians who are leaders should always use their position to build places of worship of God Almighty.

When David brought the Ark into the city, he praised God and made offering to the Lord. David was very pleased that the Ark was now in Jerusalem after the previous attempt failed. In his joy he offered burnt and peace offerings to the Lord. He blessed his people and gave them gifts as a mark of his generosity. David’s act of generosity is commendable and should be emulated by all in leadership positions.

As God was generous to David and he demonstrated same, those of us He has been generous to, should do the same to the less privileged and the poor people under us. When Herod was happy, he didn’t remember God. Rather he called for friends to a party and at the peak of his merriment; he made a promise which resulted to the death of John the Baptist.

Those of us in leadership positions should give special considerations to people we lead. They should make laws that will be favourable to their subjects and avoid owing their workers’ wages because the bible condemns it (See Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15). As at the time of writing today’s devotion, some states in Nigeria owed their workers up to 8 months’ salary arrears. Unfortunately, some of these Governors are Christians who never stopped their own salaries and allowances. Christian leaders should be generous to their subjects as David was.

Food for Thought: Deuteronomy 24:14 – 15

Memory verse: 1 Chronicles 16 verse 3 - And distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Prayer: Almighty God, grant to all those in leadership positions especially in our country, a benevolent heart for their subjects in Jesus name. Amen. 

JUST REWARD FOR SIN: Devotion for Tuesday March 29, 2016

JUST REWARD FOR SIN: Devotion for Tuesday March 29, 2016

Text: Romans 6:12 – 23              Memory verse: v 23

After the admonition to walk in newness of life by Paul as we read yesterday, he went further to speak about the just reward for sin. He started by saying, “Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts” (6:12). That was a conclusion of his exhortation in 6:1–11. He gave this charge because of the consequences and reward for sin. Most people play with sin as if it has no consequence. If we are dead to sin, how can sin still control us? Christians died to sin at repentance, but as long as they live in their mortal bodies, they will have the compulsion to sin. But only because we have died to sin do we have the power to no longer let it control us. Worthy of note is the question in 6:15. “To refuse obedience to the law, under pretence of Christian liberty; to sin because we are not under the law, but under grace; is a turning the grace of God into wantonness, and to use our Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh” according to William Burkett’s Note.

This result of sin is not just physical death; everyone dies physically, believers and nonbelievers alike. This refers to eternal separation from God. This is the wage that a person receives for his or her rebellion against God. But instead of wages, those who believe receive a free gift from God; the eternal life. Just as the labourer is worthy of his hire and feels it to be his due, so death is the due for sin, the wages the sinner has formed for himself. The good news is that God has offered us eternal life as a gift. Have you received yours?

Food for Thought: Are you working for wage or gift?

Prayer: God, your gift for me is eternal life. Grant that I will not miss out in Jesus name.