Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Corinthians 12:4 -7 “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” – NIV

Paul dedicated this chapter and others to spiritual gifts. Notice the different kinds of gifts, service and working, but by the same Spirit, Lord and God. All these giftings manifest differently but serve the common good to those being ministered to. The beneficiaries are members of the church and community. The giver is the Holy Spirit, to enable us to serve God and fulfill our purposes in His work.

As these gifts manifest through the believer, and as others partake of it and enjoy the service, it will come out clearly what one’s gift is. And this is when others become witnesses and attest to the work going on in you through your gifting. Such witness helps those still in doubt to confirm and concretise what they have been called to do. It was what people saw Jesus do that they called Him teacher, prophet… He didn’t announce it to them.

Some of what we passionately engage in eventually turns out it was our gifting. As it becomes clear, every endeavor should be made to grow in it and to make your calling and election sure. Everyone has a gift and talent from God through which we serve God and others. The mistake is to be like others and yet your gift is different as Paul noted. Graciously accept being different as you serve others by the Spirit for the common good. That’s the ultimate purpose of God in every person: the common good.

1 Peter 4:10-11 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Exodus 3:10-11 “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”” – NIV

Sometimes we have no idea what our purpose in life is. Some keep trying one thing after another, copy others or are just going about their ordinary lives as Moses did. He had settled down as a shepherd of the sheep of his father in law as a career. But God had to speak to him in a dramatic way to show him that there was more He had for Moses to do. God speaks to make plain His purpose which could easily be overshadowed by other life commitments. It’s easy to miss this with so much around us.

To Moses, the call was clear to go and rescue Israel. Saul who became Paul was very settled in what he was doing. But Jesus appeared to show him what He had called and purposed him to do (Acts 9:15-16). That was a turning point for Saul. Even with a driving burden, a passion for what one is doing, and others attesting to what they see in us, God still speaks to clarify purpose. He speaks to say ‘this is what I created you to do.’ After all, we exist for Him, and all we do is to glorify His name.

God speaks through various people, ways and circumstances to everyone. And yet not everything people say they heard is from God. Some have covered up hidden motives and evil demonic ways in the name of God having spoken! Whatever God speaks about your purpose must be in line with His word which acts as the basis of testing to eliminate counterfeit. And when you are sure God has truly spoken, showing your purpose in life, be obedient and do just that. Follow Him.

Matthew 9:9 “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 5:27-28 “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” – NIV

These words were very common from Jesus to whoever He first encountered in His ministry. They were not just calls to join the crowd as they moved along. It was a call to commitment, service and willingness to go all the way with Him. To Levi (Matthew) who was a tax collector, the call meant abandoning his job and going after Jesus for another responsibility. The same happened to the other disciples who left what they were doing to follow Jesus.

We are called to follow. This means accepting His leading, following His example, footsteps and mentorship, and going wherever He goes, facing the challenges He faces, enjoying the things He enjoys. In following Him is safety and life. We trust that He is not misleading us. He asks us to learn from Him. This can only happen with keen following.

One is called to first consider what it takes to follow; denying oneself, taking up the cross and a daily walk (Luke 9:23). But the promise is clear, that He will be with us all the way through the valley of the shadows of death, and the mountain top experience of joy, peace, provision and comfort. His voice still comes to each one of us saying, ‘Follow me.’ And when you decide to follow, do not look back. He has no pleasure in those who turn back.

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

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

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.” – NIV

A little child attempting to hide his mischievous act before an adult, is so convinced in himself that he concealed it. But to the adult, it’s plainly open. This is what human nature tries to do before God. They hide sin in the cover of darkness, secret chambers, lies, artificial smiles, excuses, acted innocence, acted holiness and righteousness, etc. This may temporary succeed sometimes before men whom one may easily deceive.

But to God, what is whispered and hatched in secrecy, between two people, is as open as what’s done in broad day light in public. God knows our thoughts even before we think them, and our words before they are spoken. He knows unspoken secrets in mens hearts. No place can hide us from His all seeing eye and omnipresence. Many unfortunately live their lives in hiding from God. They say and convince themselves as they plan and execute evil against others, ‘Does God know or see?’(Psalm 73:11).

It’s to this God, Who created and knows all things, before Whom NOTHING in all His creation is hidden, and to Wom we shall give account. As He searches our motives and intentions, whatever He tells us to do, let’s do it. It was not that He didn’t know where Adam was hiding when He called out, but He was giving him chance to repentantly acknowledge his mistake in response. But Adam, in futility, hid from God! Lets heed the wise man’s counsel,“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”(Proverbs 28:13).

Psalms 139:11-12 “If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Romans 1:18-20 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – NIV

Does God get angry? Yes. Paul in the portion stated and following gives the reasons why. Some know God only as so good and loving even to hurt anyone or send people to hell in eternal torment. Others only know the angry part of God waiting to whip whoever doesn’t do right. They live in constant fear. These two extremes need to be balanced by a holistic biblical teaching on God’s character. God placed all the anger and punishment we deserved for sin on Jesus. Accepting Jesus releases us from God’s wrath.

God’s anger is directed against the godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. This is not in ignorance, but deliberately since whatever may be known about God has been revealed, through the preaching of the gospel and through nature which teaches about God. The magnificence of creation itself teaches even the dullest person about the nature of a great God who made these things. But men reject God despite knowing all these!

And Paul says men are without excuse for continuing in their rejection of God, practicing godlessness and all sorts of evil he mentions later. They even promote evil and legislate it! Whoever incurs God’s wrath has done it deliberately, by choosing wickedness even with the full knowledge of God and His character. Suck knowledge of God is meant to draw us to put our faith in Christ, and be saved from our sins and God’s wrath. And there is still opportunity to mend our ways with God.

John 3:17-18 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

John 10:3-5 “The watchman 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. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” – NIV

Jesus the good Shepherd demonstrates the love, care and intimacy with us by speaking and calling us His own by name. Then He leads the sheep out to the pastures and in safety by going ahead. Such is the assurance to the sheep that all is well. In keenly recognizing and faithfully following the guiding voice of their Shepherd can the sheep be certain of peace and safety. The frantic voice of the stranger seeks to divert, mislead into danger, however sweet it sounds. Run away from it.

Calling us by name means He knows and cares for us individually. You are not just part of the crowd or part of the statistics in the world. To God, you are very important and valuable that you deserve His full attention. Jesus’ parable of the one lost sheep out of a hundred demonstrates this – one is too precious to be lost! (Luke 15:3-7). He looked for one! Jesus heard the voice of a blind beggar, Bartimeus, and stopped to attend to him among the multitudes (Mark 10:46-52). He hears you!

Some people feel God doesn’t know or even care about them amidst multitudes. Just because your church or group is too large and doesn’t give you attention, doesn’t mean God treats you similarly. Such people feel so lonely, rejected and worthless. They become susceptible to manipulators. Men may fail, but not God. He knows you by name, including every detail of your life and what you are going through, and attends to you personally. He truly cares!

Isaiah 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” – NIV

Through prophet Isaiah, God declared that His ways are not our ways, neither His thoughts our thoughts. The difference is as far as heaven is from earth. This is the reason we may not know God with our limited human understanding. It’s like explaining some complicated happenings to a little child just begining to understand things. It doesn’t mean God is illogical.

When we try to put human logic and conceptualization to the things of God, we get lost. This is because God’s knowledge and wisdom is so incomparably vast, that even the most intelligent human mind can’t catch up with the foolishness of God. Because of this, the human mind will take God’s incomprehensible ways as foolishness. And because they reject it, they perish. They can’t picture how Jesus’ shed blood and death on a cross saves someone thousands of years later.

But what is foolishness to those using human intellect to understand, is life to those who recieve this truth in simple child like faith and submit to the Lordship of Jesus. God reveals to them, by the Holy Spirit, the riches of His grace and mercy. It becomes so precious that it can’t be exchanged with any treasures of this life! Paul tasted both sides, and he had this to say after this truth was revealed to him;

Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 139:4,15-16 “Before a word is on my tongue   you, Lord, know it completely… My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book  before one of them came to be.” NIV

Psalm 139 is a wonderful meditation on the greatness of God and His omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. He fills the entire vast universe He created. There is no part of creation that He is not present. He knows us to the most minute detail, including our thoughts before we even think about them. He knows the words we are going to say before we say them! There is no where one can hide from Him.

He also knows every step when we were made and designed the way He designed us individually. We are all different because He Himself was involved in every detail of our making. Isn’t it a wonder that every human being that has ever existed since creation or will exist is never the same as another? Besides that, God already ordained specific days for each person to live even before we were conceived or born. The psalmist said such knowledge was too wonderful for him, and to us too.

God’s foreknowledge of us is an encouragement that our lives are not, and should not be a gamble. It’s only man’s rebellion that takes him away from a path already well planned by his Creator into all the messes we end up in. If only we seek after him, to know and walk in the ways He already set for us, our lives would be truly peaceful and enjoyable despite any upheavals. Whatever He does in and through us is in line with His good plans to bring us to an expected end for our joy and His glory. Submit to Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

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

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Judges 8:4-5 “Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. He said to the men of Sukkoth, “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.””

Gideon and his men were pursuing the Midianites. They had largely defeated them. But they needed to complete the victory by capturing the two Midianite kings who had escaped. It had been an intensive battle and they were physically exhausted. They needed food to replenish their strength. Despite the exhaustion, they kept pursuing to the end.

Such is a common occurrence in life. Some of the battles, plans and dreams we encounter and pursue in life leave us tired. The temptation to give up is so real. After spending all the abilities and energies we have, we will feel like giving it up. The body gives way, the mind stagnates and the will to go on fades. This is the point that separates those who reach their full potential and the partial achievers.

That God is behind what we do does not mean it will be a smooth ride all the way. Obstacles and resistances will be there. The enemy will attempt to use discouragement that comes with burn out and exhaustion to knock us us off the journey. Sometimes this happens when complete victory is just at the door. We are urged not to give up. God is committed to renew our strength and to keep us going till the end. Wait on Him. Keep going. Hold on to Him and His unfailing promises.

Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Shalom children of God.