Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Nehemiah 1:3-4 “They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven…” – NIV

Nehemiah was one of the exiles privileged to serve the king as the cup bearer. But when his brother Hananiah came from Israel and informed him about the terrible state of affairs in Jerusalem; the broken walls and suffering people, he broke down and wept. He lost peace despite a comfortable position and life he held. He fasted and prayed for several days seeking God how to remedy the situation back home. The king eventually noticed and asked him what he would do to help him go back home and help his people.

Thus began Nehemiah’s journey to restoring the walls of Jerusalem and reorganizing his people. An intense burden to make right what is going wrong is one indicator of a call in one’s life. While everyone else sees it and life goes on, the one called to rectify it can’t rest until a solution is found. They are willing to lay down their lives to see something done. To Moses, God expressed the burden in His heart to rescue His people from Egyptian bondage.

Anyone who has greatly been used by God to achieve much is driven by a burden. A burden is one indicator of purpose, God showing you what He wants you to do to rectify what is going wrong. Paul stated how he had unquenchable burden to preach the gospel and to see churches established at all costs. Others are driven by burdens to liberate the oppressed, alleviate suffering and see people become their best. What burdens can’t you get out of your mind? That could be a pointer to God’s purpose for you. Pursue it.

Romans 9:1-4 “I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel…”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

How we grow (26/6/2021)

Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” – NIV

There are no shortcuts to growth. Growth is both the effect of personal commitment of each one of us, as much as the result of the inputs into our lives. We often admire the early church and their great accomplishments for God. But few want to ask what they did to grow so strong in the Lord and to attain what they achieved. The scripture above gives us the secret: daily devotion. Nothing replaces a personal intimate walk with God towards quality spiritual growth.

Four major avenues of growth are mentioned: devotion to teachings of the apostles, fellowship among themselves, breaking of bread and prayer. The word was the centre of teaching. Their fellowship with one another was sincere. They broke bread in communion with one another and with the Lord. They prayed daily. Such was their lifestyle. And they grew so much to be like their Lord that they were nicknamed Christians (Acts 11:26). We cannot do less and expect to be like them or better.

Growth is first and foremost individual. And this means devotion to the teachings of the word through personal study, fellowship with others, communion with the Lord and prayer at individual level. What manifests publicly is developed and shaped in the secret chambers. The church is only as strong as its individual members. The extent of our growth is determined by the quality of our personal devotional lives with God.

Acts 2:46-47 “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

John 4:31-34 “Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” – NIV

Jesus was going to Galilee from Judea and had to pass through Samaria. He was now hungry and thirsty. While at the well, a Samaritan woman comes and He asked her for water to drink. When the disciples came back from buying food, they urged Him to eat but He couldn’t, atleast at that time. Something was burdening Him more than ordinary food; the need to preach to people the woman had rushed to call.

The will of His Father, the souls who would be ministered to, so filled His heart that food had to wait. That’s passion. It made Him do what He was doing wholeheartedly without reservation and out of a willing heart. Although not all zeal and passion is indication of ones purpose, when one is operating in the things they were created for, it flows seamlessly and is done with passion. The combination of a burden and passion are sure to push a person to excellence and perseverance despite the odds to fulfill their purpose.

A natural love and drive to do something without coercion and persistently is an indicator of purpose and calling in that area. Such passion is inspired by the Holy Spirit to enable one serve their purpose. Think of anyone truly fulfilling their purpose in life. They certainly enjoy and are fully immersed into what they do. The passion has consumed them and their lives resonate with it. They are even willing to forsake anything that stands in the way, including laying down their lives. Find out what you are so naturally passionate about. It could point to your purpose. Hear Paul express his passion in preaching;

Acts 20:23-24 “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

To fully release your potential (27/6/2020)

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” – NIV

Paul was in the middle of discussing spiritual gifts. He brought in the importance of love without which all gifting is worthless. And adds how growth from childhood to manhood changes many things. As earlier noted, we outgrow some habits as we mature. Among them is pettiness of reasoning, thought and action. We see things from a more strategic and broader view.

So much potential been deposited in us by our Creator. He gifted us to serve and help others become the best they were made to be. It is until we outgrow childish mentality and mature that we can be able to realise and fully release our potential in the world. There are things God can’t show or do through a person who has not matured to some level. There is a level of ministry that one can operate in only if they are grown up. And this happens for several other areas in life.

It’s my humble prayer and urge to all that we seek to be the best God made us to be. If not, the world will miss our gifting. Some are preoccupied with things they were never made to do. Others have settled for so little and yet much more is in them to bless the world. Let it not be that when we get to the other side of eternity we realise how much we could have achieved for the glory of God and the blessing of humanity — and yet we didn’t because we didn’t grow into our full potential and gifting. That will be an eternal regret!

Hebrews 5:11-12 “There is much we have to say about this matter, but it is hard to explain to you, because you are so slow to understand. There has been enough time for you to be teachers — yet you still need someone to teach you the first lessons of God’s message. Instead of eating solid food, you still have to drink milk.”

Shalom children of God. Blessed Sunday

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.