Manifesting In the Flesh: Devotion for Monday June 22, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Monday June 22, 2020

Topic: Manifesting In the Flesh                            

Text: Galatians 5:19 – 21                             

We all have evil desires, and we can’t ignore them. Pretences can’t help. We must deal with them or else they will manifest and distort our relationship with God. In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we must deal with them decisively by crucifying them (Galatians 5:24).

These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and demonic activities. They also include less obvious sins, such as hostility, jealousy, and selfish ambition. Those who ignore such sins or refuse to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life. Are you one of the people that ignore these sins when they manifest in your life?  

Our fallen human nature (called “flesh”) betrays itself in the work which a man does. These demonstrate that such person is not living under the influence of the Holy Spirit. In our text, Paul enumerated seventeen sins, while he listed only nine fruits of the Spirit as we shall see on Tuesday. Neither list is exhaustive, but both are representative.

The Galatian Christians had come out of a pagan background where sensual sins were not only tolerated but encouraged by the pagan priests and rituals. Thus Paul had to deal with this issue in this way so that they will understand the requirements of true Christianity. Beloved, if you are still living in the flesh, it will betray and disgrace you. Therefore, beware! Mortify that flesh now.

Food for Thought: Living in the flesh is a way of betraying your Christian faith.

Memory verse: Galatians 519, 20 

Prayer: Help me my Lord and my God to crucify flesh so that your Spirit will take full control of my life in Jesus name.

Give No Room for the Flesh: Devotion for Sunday June 21, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday June 21, 2020

Topic: Give No Room for the Flesh                      

Text: Galatians 5:16 – 18                                  

To prevent the aforementioned evils in Galatians 5:15, Paul exhorted the Galatians to walk in the Spirit, that is, according to the guidance, direction, and influence of the Holy Spirit. He acknowledges the great weakness of the Godly, because they are but in part regenerated. His exhortation was a reminder that they are endued with the Spirit of God, who has delivered them from the slavery of sin, and so from the Law, inasmuch as it is the power of sin, so that they should not give themselves to lusts any more.

Being led by the Holy Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God’s Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and His promptings. Paul’s emphasis was that they should live each day controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit. Only then will the word of Christ be in their minds, the love of Christ will be behind their actions, and the power of Christ will help them control your selfish desires.

Beloved, what Paul is saying here is that we the present day readers should no longer give room to the fleshly desires and lust but rather we should be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Giving room for the flesh emanates from emptiness and having wrong desires.

Walking in our text means living. When we live in the Holy Spirit, we won’t be doing what our sinful nature craves. When we become Christians, our sinful nature still exists. But God asks us to place our sinful nature under the control of the Holy Spirit so that He can transform it. Are you still under the influence of the flesh? Prayerfully place them under the control of the Holy Spirit and He will transform you.

Food for Thought: Romans 13:14

Memory verse: Galatians 5:16

Prayer: Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit, crucify the power of flesh and lust in me.

Walk in the Spirit: Devotion for Friday January 31, 2020

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Friday January 31, 2020

Topic: Walk in the Spirit                       

Text: Galatians 5:16 – 18

Paul acknowledged the great weakness of the godly, because they are partly regenerated and exhorts them to remember that they are endued with the Spirit of God. He also exhorts them to walk in that Spirit they have been endued with so as not to give room for the flesh.

The more we obey the new nature, and follow the leading of the Spirit of grace, the more the power of indwelling sin and inbred corruption in us will be mortified and kept under check. Obedience to the Spirit enables us to walk in the Spirit because old nature and new nature cannot dwell together. They “are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” – Galatians 5:7b

Walking in the Spirit is one of the best ways we can live the life that is pleasing to God. By pleasing God, we attract His blessings upon our lives. In this case it is best for us to walk in the Spirit. We can do this well by knowing what God wants us to do through the study of His words.

When the word of God is rooted in us, we will no longer be ignorant about what God expects from us.

Are you walking in the flesh or in the Spirit?

Food for Thought: Walking in the Spirit makes us more like Christ

Memory verse: Romans 8:6

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to walk in the Spirit so as to mortify the indwelling sin and corruption of the flesh in Jesus name.

The God Of All Flesh

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Thursday June 15, 2017

Topic: The God Of All Flesh

Text: Jeremiah 32:26 – 27         

There is nothing impossible with God (Genesis 18:14; 2 Kings 19:15; & Luke 1:37). God is the Almighty (Genesis 17:1). What God actually meant was that He is able to do all things if and only Abraham will believe and trust Him. God has ways of dealing with His people when they sin against Him.

The Israelites felt that they were God’s special people and therefore God could not do as Jeremiah had prophesied. However, God categorically said that they should know that He is God of all flesh; He governs and guides them as it pleases Him. He reiterated that as the God of all flesh, He is the author of their captivity for their sins and will also out of His mercies be their Redeemer to restore them again to liberty. Our God is full of love and mercy.

Today, many of us undermine warnings from God about sin and its consequences. We feel that it is impossible for God to destroy the population of the world that throng to churches these days. If God spared only Lot’s family when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He can still do it (Genesis 19:1ff. See Genesis 7:1ff). On the other hand, there is nothing too hard for God to do in terms of protecting, providing, guiding and saving us. He can command all flesh and other creatures to work in your favour. What are the things you believe God to provide for you? Just know that he is the God of all flesh and can cause someone to arise on your behalf. Just keep trusting and obeying God.

Food for thought: Is there anything God cannot do for us?

Memory verse: Jeremiah 32 verse 27

Prayer: God, work out your will in my life to glorify your name in Jesus name.

No More Debtors To The Flesh

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday May 7, 2017

Topic: No More Debtors To The Flesh

Text: Romans 8:10 – 15        

Debtor is noun form of debt. Debt is an obligation, duty, responsibility or commitment. Living in the flesh has never conferred upon us any real good, but always injury. Paul tells us that we are no longer under obligation to the flesh. The flesh or carnal nature in Christians died at repentance and thus we are no longer under obligation to obey its dictates (Rom. 6:11 – 12). His emphasis is that we are to refuse the drives and desires of our crucified sinful nature, to say no to worldly passions and ungodliness. The old, sinful nature may present its demands, based on our past, but we have no obligation to obey.

There are great privileges for us as Christians if only we will obey the dictates of the Spirit. As many as will walk according to the dictates of the spirit, will always see the great manifestation of God. Being debtors to the flesh encompasses depending on your strength, trusting humans and refusing to acknowledge God as indispensable and one you can’t do without. It will actually be suicidal to live in the flesh in this age where everything points to the end time. Always apply the words of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 32: 8. Know that the enemies who may come to you are with arm of flesh and will all fail but our God can never fail us.

Food for Thought: Romans 8: 6

Memory verse: Romans 8 verse 12

Prayer: Lord, help me to never to live in the flesh or obey its desires. 

SOW INTO THE SPIRIT

DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016

Topic: SOW INTO THE SPIRIT       

Text: Galatians 6:5 – 8                        

Sowing and reaping is part of our life; physically and spiritually. We sow through the words of our mouth (our speech/utterance), through what we give and through what we plant. For us to actually benefit from our world and be useful to one another, we need to sow. Sowing is a way of maximizing our gifts and talents. It holds therefore, that we sow seeds, directly and indirectly. Again, it is also a natural law that whatever one sows, he reaps (Galatians 6:7).

Another interesting fact about the consequences of sowing is that we are known by the fruit we bear (Matthew 7:16 & 20). What you sow as seed is what you will definitely get in returns. The life we live is like seed sowing. Some people sow to the flesh, the devil and the world while some others sow to the Spirit. Jesus taught us that where our treasure is there would our heart be also (Matthew 6:21).

Apostle Paul says in our text that flesh yields nothing but corruption. When you sow into the flesh, you will end up reaping greed, selfishness, etc. Its end effect would be destruction because such person can’t please God. His message here is very important for us in this present generation filled with greed and covetousness. How can someone sow to the flesh? See 1 Corinthians 10:6; compare Numbers 11:4 & 34. The flesh, lusts after material/worldly things (Genesis 3:6 & 1 John 2:16). Are these things manifesting in your life? Repent, before it will be too late. Remember what happened to people like Esau, Samson, Judas, etc.

We can sow to the spirit through self-denial (Matthew 10:24) and commitment to the advancement of God’s kingdom with the wealth God has bestowed on us. Can you mention other ways we can sow to the Spirit? Those who want to acquire heaven and earth without investing their wealth for the well-being of others are sowing to the flesh. There are benefits in pleasing God; obeying God and not our flesh. When we please God with our deeds, we are sowing seeds that we will certainly reap in righteousness.

Food for Thought: Sowing in the flesh is carnal indulgence that will end in moral ruin.

Memory verse: Galatians 6 verse 8

Prayer: God, grant me the enabling grace to sow in the spirit and not in the flesh so I will harvest eternal life in Jesus name. Amen.

SANCTIFICATION AND ITS EFFECT: Devotion for Thursday August 11, 2016

SANCTIFICATION AND ITS EFFECT: Devotion for Thursday August 11, 2016

Text: Ezekiel 36: 25 - 38                 

Memory verse: Ezekiel 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

God promised to restore Israel not only physically but spiritually as we have in our scriptural reading for today. To accomplish this, He would give them a new heart for following Him and put His Spirit within them (Ezekiel 11:19–20 and Psalm 51:7–11) aimed at transforming them and empowering them to do His will. Doing the will of God would become the effect of sanctification of God’s people. God said His people should be ashamed of their sins (Ezekiel 36:31) because the heart transformation (a heart of flesh) will result to owning up to their faults by being more sensitive to sins.

The people had become so callous that they had lost all sensitivity to sin. First they had to “remember” their sins, be ashamed of them, and finally repent of them (see James 4:8–9). If we examine our lives, we may find that we, too, have lost our sensitivity to certain sins. To regain our sensitivity to sin we must recognize our sin for what it is, be sorry for displeasing God, and ask His forgiveness without which we will lose our salvation. This many finally result in eternal condemnation. It is my prayer that this will not be our portion in Jesus name. Amen.   

You may have been living in sin and highly polluted, thinking that there is no more way out of it. God offers you a fresh start today. He wants to change your heart that had been depraved. You can have your sins washed away, receive a new heart for God, and have His Spirit within you, if you accept His promise. This will be the beginning of a life of righteousness; a life that hearkens to God's law, trembling at His threats, and moulded to comply with His whole will. Why try to patch up your old life when you can have a new one?

Food for Thought: Is your heart right with God? Have you received a heart of flesh that is pleasing with God?

Prayer: God, grant me the heart that obeys your law and comply with your will in Jesus name.

MANIFESTING IN THE FLESH: Devotion for Sunday June 12, 2016

MANIFESTING IN THE FLESH: Devotion for Sunday June 12, 2016

Text: Galatians 5:19 – 21    Memory verse: v 19, 20

We all have evil desires, and we can’t ignore them. Pretences can’t help. In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we must deal with them decisively by crucifying them (5:24). These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and demonic activities. They also include less obvious sins, such as hostility, jealousy, and selfish ambition. Those who ignore such sins or refuse to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life. Are you one of the people that ignore these sins when they manifest in your life?  

Our fallen human nature (called flesh) betrays itself by the works which a man does. These demonstrate that he is not living under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul enumerated seventeen sins, while he listed only nine fruits of the Spirit. Neither list is exhaustive, but both are representative. The Galatia Christians had come out of a pagan background where sensual sins were not only tolerated but encouraged by the pagan priests and rituals. Thus Paul had to deal with this issue in this way so that they will understand the requirements of true Christianity. A life in the flesh will betray and disgrace you. Therefore, beware! Mortify that flesh now.

Food for Thought: Living in the flesh is a way of betraying your Christian faith. 

Prayer: Help me, my Lord and my God, to crucify flesh so that your Spirit will take full control of my life in Jesus name.

GIVE NO ROOM FOR THE FLESH: Devotion for Saturday June 11, 2016

GIVE NO ROOM FOR THE FLESH: Devotion for Saturday June 11, 2016

Text: Galatians 5:16 – 18     Memory verse: v 16

To prevent the afore-mentioned evils in 5:15, Paul exhorted the Galatians to walk in the Spirit, that is, according to the guidance, direction, and influence of the Holy Spirit. He acknowledges the great weakness of the Godly, because they are but in part regenerated. His exhortation was a reminder that they are endued with the Spirit of God, who has delivered them from the slavery of sin, and so from the Law, so that they should not give themselves to lusts any more. Being led by the Holy Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God’s Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and His promptings. Paul’s emphasis was that they should live each day controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit who will help them control their selfish desires.

Beloved, what Paul is says here is that we should no longer give room to the fleshly desires and lust but rather we should be filled with the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Giving room for the flesh emanates from emptiness and having wrong desires. Walking in our text means living. When we live in the Holy Spirit, we won’t be doing what our sinful nature craves. When we become Christians, our sinful nature still exists. But God asks us to place our sinful nature under the control of the Holy Spirit so that He can transform it. Are you still under the influence of the flesh? Prayerfully place them under the control of the Holy Spirit and He will transform you.

Food for Thought: Romans 13:14

Prayer: God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, crucify the power of flesh and lust in me in Jesus name.

GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED: Devotion for Wednesday October 21, 2015

GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED       Wednesday October 21, 2015

Text: Galatians 6:1 – 10                            Memory verse: v 7

In Luke 16:19 – 31, is the story of an unnamed rich man and Lazarus who had sores all over his body. Lazarus wanted only crumbs from the rich man’s table but the rich man mocked Lazarus as his dog also came and licked his sores till he died. Both received their rewards. The rich man by his action against Lazarus mocked God his creator (Proverbs 14:31; 17:5). Paul warns us in this epistle that we cannot mock God. Mock is to treat something or somebody with scorn or to mimic somebody. He compares charity and Christian bounty to seed sown, and assures us, that the crop we reap shall be answerable, both in quality and kind, and also in measure and degree, to the seed we sow.

We sow seeds through our words and deeds. In this seed-time, we should be mindful of where we sow our seeds. If you sow in the flesh – beauty, sexual satisfaction, worldly affairs, etc, which are ways of mocking God; we will reap same at the end (Galatians 6:8). Beloved, do not mock God by taking his words lightly. Many who tried it are regretting now. Remember Herod, Goliath, Belshazzar, etc. The worst undoing of your life would be to mock God by compromising his word. Beware

Food for Thought: Job 13:9.

Prayer: God, grant that I may sow in the spirit so I can reap eternal life.'