Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Numbers 9:17-19 “Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order and did not set out.” – NIV

The Israelites were in the desert of Sinai. The tent of meeting and worship had been set up. And the sign of God’s presence in it was the cloud which settled above the tent. At night, it was like a fire. The cloud was their guide to move or remain. When it moved, it meant God was telling them to move. When it settled, they were to settle. The cloud represented God’s command.

God operates in seasons and times. There is a time to settle, and a time to move on towards what He has destined for us. This happens through change. The Israelites needed to watch the clouds to notice what God wanted them to do. If they continued to settle yet they were expected to move, they would miss out on what God had. Likewise, if they moved ahead when God wanted them settled, they would miss out. It was important to keep in step with God’s move for maximum benefit and blessings.

God now speaks and leads us in various ways, not the physical cloud. But the principle is the same; be sensitive and discerning enough to move when God expects you to move, and settle when He expects you to settle. What do you feel God leading you to do this season? Respond and move with Him. Whenever and wherever He leads, let’s obediently and faithfully follow. He means well and has our best interests in heart. Trust Him.

John 10:3-4 “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke:19.41-44  “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (NIV)

It was Jesus’ last visit to Jerusalem. He had been around for three years, doing all the great things He did to demonstrate He was the expected Messiah. But the majority of His own people didn’t recognise Him as the Messiah sent from God to save them. God was in their midst. He had visited them in His mercy, to save and reconcile them to Himself, but they failed to discern God’s visitation to them. Their leaders ourightly rejected Him and mobilised the people to do the same. This was despite the fact that they were waiting for His coming! As a result, judgment was the only alternative.

God visits individuals, families,  groups, communities or even whole nations of people in two ways. First, to show mercy, intervene and save His people. If they fail to recognise it over time, or take lightly, abuse and squander the opportunity of favour and mercy of God, He returns in visitation of judgement. And that’s dreadful! Various people are at different levels of the mercy – judgment trajectory. I pray each discerns where they fall and respond to God accordingly. And while there is still time to benefit from His great mercies and love in this dispensation of grace, please receive it.

Hebrews 2:2-4 “For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 27:64 “So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”_ – NIV The Pharisees and teachers of the law had successfully killed Jesus and now wanted to secure their victory. Pilate allowed them to post security guards and they put a seal on the tomb of Jesus. They wanted to prevent Him from resurrecting as He had indicated earlier. With the best human guards available and a seal on the tombstone, they were convinced Jesus would not rise up. They were greatly mistaken!This was an attempt of man to resist God’s plan and to prevent what He had purposed to do. It was laughable. Later, when the angel in God’s glory came to role away the stone, along with the lightening and earthquake, the guards fell down as though dead (Matt 28:4). It was like a mosquito attempting to fight an elephant. When men conspire and try to fight their Creator, God looks down and laughs (Psalm 2:1-5). And yet this is what people do many times. They resist God, sneer and fight to have their way in futility.The best of human pride, strength and ammunition directed against God is nothing. When they seem to succeed, God in His mercy is simply giving them time to reconsider their ways. Those who take refuge in God can be assured of unfailing protection from God under Whose wings they are totally safe. The Lord protects His own. Those who trust in Him will not be put to shame. The schemes of the wicked against the Lord and His righteous ones will not succeed except for what God allows to fulfill His bigger purposes._Psalms 127:1 “If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the Lord does not protect the city,  it is useless for the sentries to stand guard.”_- GNB Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – NIV

God is the creator of time and He has put in place a time for everything that needs to be done in this world. Peter was addressing the elders and the youth, urging them all to be submissive to one another in humility. The youth may be tempted to run ahead of their God appointed time for lifting. The elders may be a hindrance to the rising of the youth. He then advises that we cast our cares upon God because He cares.

These are some of the things that make people run ahead of God’s time. Ambition is good, but can drive one to go ahead of God’s timing. Anxiety over things not working out as we would expect, God delaying or seeming to fail to answer our prayers drives people to take matters in their own hands to find solutions. Yet there is a due time for whatever God purposed to happen. Discerning that due time is key. And when it comes, things will flow. He makes everything beautiful in it’s time.

Its God’s mighty hand that lifts us up. Nothing and none can stand against it. Our part is to humble ourselves under that hand. It may not be easy or comfortable as this hand does its work to mold and shape us into what God desires us to be. The lifting comes only after the hand has done its work satisfactorily. Will you corporate with God’s hand working on you?

Ecclesiastes 3:1,11 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Revelation 20:12-13,15 “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done…. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” – NIV

There is coming a day after this life, when we shall all appear before God’s judgement seat. Every human being who ever lived from creation to that time, and their different statuses, great and small alike, will be there. All the dead will rise up to face judgment, regardless of where they died – land or sea. None will miss, whether they believed in God or not. Life does not end on earth at the point of death.

We also note that there are books on which everyone’s life record of the things done in the present life is contained. Everything we do while here on earth;  why we  do it, how we do it, in secret or in the open, counts and is captured in the books except what was repented of and forgiven. To us, they may pass as simple insignificant episodes of life. But God takes it seriously. Those records form the basis of judgement on that day and we cannot deny them, because they will be a true reflection of our life’s journey on earth, whether to the glory of our Creator or not. 

Then the bible talks of a book of life. And whoever was not found in that book was cast into hell, the lake of fire. It should be everyone’s concern to seek to be included in that book. And this happens when we individually make conscious decisions to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. It’s only while in Jesus, the Mediator between man and God, and abiding in Him, that we have the blessed assurance of our names being in that book. Don’t wait until it’s too late! You can make that decision NOW by accepting Him as Lord and Savior.

Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 36:2 “For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.” – KJV
Psalm 78:36-37 “But then they would flatter him with their mouths,  lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.” – NIV
Proverbs 29:5 “Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.” – NIV

To flatter is to give excessive, insincere praise to someone usually to impress them win some favour. Flattery is deception. It portrays a nice picture from the words they speak and facial expressions, but inwardly they are selfish and deadly. Those who believe these flatteries get very disappointed when reality comes out at the end and they discover they were deceived. It hurts deeply.

The above scriptures show that people can flatter themselves, God and others. Self flattery is praise of oneself out of pride of status or achievement. Flattering God is lying to Him with praise in your lips yet your heart is far away and not loyal to Him. Flattering others is insincere exaggerated praise of others even when in your heart you know the truth. We are urged to speak the truth in love, not cover up and flatter.

Either of all that is deception. God looks into the heart, beyond what people speak with their mouth and act out. He calls us to live in sincerity of heart, word and deed. Be yourself, speak the truth in love and respect. Seek favour from God. By flattering, you lie. Flattery is destructive and betrays friendships and relationship with God. It’s not sustainable.

Ephesians 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 30:18 “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” NIV

This statement comes amidst a sharp rebuke by God on His people seeking human help rather than divine help in their troubles. Israel planned to flee on horses and hide in Egypt from their enemies. He told them their confidence in Egypt was worthless. He was angry at them for only thinking of human solutions before consulting Him, being their God. Even in their stubbornness, God’s heart longed to show them grace, compassion and justice.

The fallen human nature tends towards independence from God and will first think about what they can do to remedy their challenges and find solutions. Most people will think about God as the last resort when all else has failed. When everything is fine, little attention is given to Him. When challenges come, they first think of their possessions, abilities and connections to bail them out. This is not bad per se, but becomes a problem when they alienate people from God.

God’s heart longs to be gracious to us. His compassion and justice is experienced by those who wait on Him, having placed their faith in Him. Blessed are those who trust in Him. Even though it doesn’t apparently appear that all is running well with them, the sure foundation of faith in God will truly sustain them through life and its challenges. In the end, they will be happy. God never fails those who look to Him.

Psalm 145:8 “The LORD [is] gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.”

Shalom children of God