Category: Daily Devotionals

The power of faith! (26/6/2023)

Mark 9:23-24 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

The boy was epileptic. His father brought him to the disciples to heal him. But they failed. Jesus had stepped aside to pray. When Jesus returned, the boy’s father desperately begged Him to heal his son. But Jesus turned it back to him, saying, all things are possible to him who believes. Just to be sure he doesn’t miss out, the man declared that he believes, but asks Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief. His son was delivered.

Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus attached so much importance to the faith of those who came to Him for help. He only responded to their faith and did nothing without it. Throughout history, the people who achieved great and would be impossible things, were driven by the power of faith that they could do it. Those who gave up and believed that they could do nothing failed. And still do.

There is such great power in faith. In the spirit world, everything revolves around it. Nothing happens without it. Satan’s aim is to make people doubt God and instead shift it so that they believe his lies. He establishes strongholds in their minds. And that’s what gets fulfilled. Jesus said everything is possible for the one who believes, whatever it is they believe. It is fundamental that you are sure of what you believe.

Galatians 5:6 "For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love."

Shalom children of God

Romans 8:5-8 "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God."

Paul contrasts the two kinds of life everyone lives: life in the flesh and in the Spirit. Everyone is either controlled by the Spirit or the flesh, driven by bodily desires or Spirit led desires. Each of these have consequences: leading to life or death, pleasing to God or not. Because the two are contrary to each other, the choice of which side to yield to, lies in us.

The life in the flesh cannot please God because it will always lead to things that are hostile to God and don’t honour Him. Those who truly desire to please God will have to keep in step with the Spirit of God Who, in His guidance of the believer, always glorifies God. But one has to cooperate with Him. He enables us overcome the evil desires of the body.

Not only don’t they please God, but those driven by their uncontrolled bodily desires will not inherit God’s kingdom. They are under the direction of Satan, the enemy of God and all unrighteousness. Living by the Spirit guidance is a choice we all have to make continually if we want bring glory and honour to God all our lives.

Galatians 5:19,21 "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; … and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Shalom children of God

The Resurection and the Life lives in us! (30/7/2023)

John 11:23-26 "Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Lazarus was dead and buried for four days. Jesus arrived in the home and Martha said if He had come earlier, their brother wouldn’t have died. Jesus was too late to save the situation according to them. They limited Jesus’ miraculous powers to heal only the person still alive. But they were talking to the originator of life Who is not limited by death, space,distance and time like we humans are. Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life!

Friends, many are those situations in life that we limit what God can do. We think God is like us, limited in many ways. Whatever the situation, however dead it is, if it is in the will and timing of God to restore it, He can do it. He is the resurrection and the life. Martha knew Lazarus would be raised in the last day. But Jesus had purposed to do it immediately.

It takes faith to walk in this kind of life. Jesus asked Martha if she believed such things. To those who do not believe, it is nonsense. But to those in Jesus, it is assurance of victory over all sorts of situations we go through in life, however dead. The resurrection and the life lives in us. And we have His life in us. Despite the trials, we shall overcome. This is wonderful news! Arise and walk in your victory. Glory be to God.

2 Peter 1:3-4 "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

Shalom children of God

Everyone has faith, but where? (27/6/2023)

Luke 8:23-25 "… The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

In the midst of a storm that threatened their lives, Jesus woke up and rebuked it. When it was all calm, He asked His disciples a fundamental question: “Where is your faith?” Didn’t they have faith? They did, but may be not on Jesus to save them from the storm. It was a new experience for them that Jesus could control nature.

Everyone has faith in someone or something at any one time. These objects of faith is what we rely on to save, protect, provide or uphold us in our time of need. This may include our skills, knowledge, resources, close people, connections, abilities, etc. These are fine in various timing and situations of life. But the kind of faith God calls us to have is in Him.

The same question could be asked us today: Where is your faith? Each object of faith that people trust has a limitation. The disciples trust in their expertise in water failed at the storm. They cried out to Jesus for help. Faith in Christ the solid rock assures us that we shall remain steadfast in all life challenges. All else we trust in fails at some point. All other grounds are sinking sand. Only on the solid rock are we truly safe and secure.

So where and in what have you placed your faith?

Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered."

Psalm 125:1 "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."

Shalom children of God

Learning to listen (14/7/2023)

Revelation 2:29 "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

This was Jesus’ conclusion in all the messages to the seven churches. To each church was a particular message. These included instructions, warnings, encouragements, rebukes, and guidance for right living. The Spirit continues to speak today for similar reasons. He has messages for all, individuals and groups. But are the people in the churches listening?

We cannot be in step with the Spirit unless we are tuned to hear Him. It is those with spiritually open ears who can hear Him. This takes sensitivity and discernment in the spirit. And He is willing to enable all those who want to hear Him, to hear. This is not for selected few. Most people fail to hear because they are more focused on the physical environment than the spiritual.

God is always speaking. The Spirit speaks from the mind of God. Over time, and with commitment, we can train our spiritual ears to hear the Lord speak and distinguish His voice from others. We can reach levels where we are guided by Him in every step of our lives, in the small and big matters of life. That’s a beautiful life, full of peace as He guides us. He speaks peace. You too can hear Him.

John 10:4-5 "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.”

Shalom children of God.

How faith works (28/6/2023)

Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

Here Paul explains how faith towards salvation in Christ is developed and works. It begins with what one hears and accepts in their heart. Once the heart (spirit part of man) believes, the mouth speaks out to confirm it. Salvation then is recieved. This process of faith goes for anything else one believes.

Faith then begins from the spirit realm. Once the heart and mouth agree, they tune the soul and body to think and act. What you believe, you speak about and act on it. All your body systems are tuned to adjust and respond accordingly. Similarly, the spiritual world accordingly responds to your faith. It is man’s faith that gives permission for the spirit world (of God or Satan) to act and manifest physically on earth. This explains the importance of priesthood which connects the spiritual to the physical.

This is the reason we need to watch what we hear and what goes on around us. They contribute to our faith or cause doubt. Also watch what we say. The devil instils fear, which causes people to confess negatively inline with their fears and that gives room to the devil to effect what people have confessed. Confessions inline with God’s word allows God to act according to His declared word. Faith is the key factor between defeat or victory in the spirit.

Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,  my God, in whom I trust.”

Shalom children of God

You can grow your faith! (29/6/2023)

Romans 10:14,17 "But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed?…So then, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through preaching Christ."

Paul continued his discourse on faith. He notes that faith comes from what we hear, and specifically the word of God. The word has to be proclaimed. Those who hear believe it. Those who believe respond by calling on God for help. For faith be born and grow, the right message is an important trigger. The more of the right message we hear and take in, the more our faith will grow from small faith to big faith.

Jesus commended some people for their great faith (Matt 8:10), and challenged others for their little faith (Matt 8:26). This shows categories and levels of faith. All those who came to Him for healing and other help, did so after hearing what He taught and seeing what He did to others. Their initial skepticism and doubt, turned to faith and they too got their victories.

How are you nourishing your faith? There is so much this world bombards our minds with. We need to sieve it. Some is trash. Reject what doesn’t grow your faith and focus on what increases it. Deliberately spend much time on, and consume alot of what increases your faith: that is, the word of God. Faith comes and grows by the word. The disciples once asked Jesus to increase their faith. Are you intent on growing yours?

Luke 17:5 "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith."

2 Corinthians 10:15 "Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand…"

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

The fellowship of the Holy Spirit (16/7/2023)

2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

Paul’s prayer for the Corinthian church. We often recite this, but probably know little of the depth of this statement. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is communion with Him. It is more than exchange of words. It is a connection of our spirits with the Spirit of God and sharing deep things that only those in an intimate relationship know. The Holy Spirit takes us into secrets in the heart of God.

We were created for communion with God. The Holy Spirit enables this between us and Father God. He bears witness with us that we are children of God and enables us relate with Him as sons. In the process, we get to know what He wants us to know, deepen our love and worship of God and enjoy His presence more than the treasures of this life.

Such fellowship is deliberately built over time. The believer who doesn’t give attention to quality time with the Holy Spirit has a shallow and superficial relationship with God. Prayer becomes boring. Meditation and worship is heavy duty. Service and study of the word ceases to be priority. Delight in God stops. Worldliness takes over, showing in the fruit of their lives. May God help us restore and maintain this fellowship alive!

Psalm 73:25-26 "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 12:19-20 "And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy;  eat,  drink and be merry." But God said to him, you fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" - NIV.

Jesus was responding to a man who wanted Him to use His influence to force his brother to share family wealth. Genuine issue it was, but Jesus looked at the real matter in his heart and taught powerful truths using the parable of the rich fool. One of these truths being comparison between the temporary and eternal. There are things which last temporarily only in this life, and there are those that last beyond the present life into eternity.

Many of the things we crave for, struggle for and fight to get, last but for a while. Soon or later they are gone or we are gone and leave them as the rich fool was strongly reminded! And yet they are the things which occupy most of our lives. They include seeking material welfare, power and authority, fame, etc. But things of etetnal significance elude many people most times. This is comprised in a living relationship with God as Jesus concluded in that parable. At the end of this life, that’s what will matter more than anything else.

If we understood that there is an eternity, and that this life is but a preparation for it, we would live our lives and do things differently with that in mind. Even if one lived to be 100 years, that’s nothing compared to eternity. By the end of those few years, the things we craved for have either faded off and gone or cease to mean much anymore. These things come and go. They are temporary. Let’s live this temporary life with the eternal in mind.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"

Shalom children of God.