Category: Daily Devotionals

How good is the soil of your heart? (R) (8/7/2023)

Luke 8:11,15 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God…But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."- NIV

Teaching about how people receive the word into their lives, Jesus gave the parable of the sower. As the seed was scattered, it fell in various places; the road, on shallow soil on a rock, among thorns and on good soil. These represent different hearts. The seed of God’s word is being preached to everyone, but the outcome is determined by the state of the individual hearts.

Any ground must be prepared before seed can be sown if a harvest is expected. Likewise, our hearts should be prepared to recieve the word of God if it must transform us and bear fruit. It’s incumbent upon each one, in humility, to consider the state of their hearts before God. The same word sown in different hearts, bears no fruit or plenty of it – depending on the heart preparation and reception.

God leaves us with the choice to allow the word to work or not. He doesn’t force His way into our lives. But once the heart is ready and receptive, the transformative power of the word will be evident and the fruit will be seen. And everyone will enjoy the fruit to their pleasure and God’s glory. Fruit doesn’t lie.

Matthew 12:35 "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him."

Shalom children of God.

Now we see and know in part (R) (26/7/2023)

1 Corinthians 13:9,10,12 "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears…Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." - NIV

One of the disturbing things in our relationship with God is thinking we have got something right, only for it to manifest very differently. For example, we know His will about healing, His various promises about provision, protection, or other aspects of life. But believe and act as we may, sometimes the exact opposite happens and we are left wondering, like Mary and Martha, Paul or Job, whether God failed us or something went wrong.

Paul was comparing the present and what is yet to be on the other side of eternity. We are still in the imperfect, where we see poorly, know and prophesy(speak forth) only in part as far as is revealed. What is revealed to us now is only a glimpse of the whole. Being in Christ and in the faith, but still living in this sin-laden and broken world, leaves us affected by the effects of the fall in many ways. But a day will come when imperfect will be replaced by the perfect, then we shall see clearly and fully understand why.

As this stands, there will be many things we will not know fully here in this life. We will still have questions without answers about them. God may remain silent and only supply sufficient grace to carry us through them. It doesn’t mean He enjoys seeing us suffer, or has failed, or that you sinned for certain strange things to happen to you. In His Sovereignty and wisdom beyond our own, He knows why. Let’s not give up.

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Shalom children of God.

The dangers of greed! (23/6/2023)

1 Timothy 6:9-10 "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." - NLT

Greed without self control drives people to seek wealth at all costs. Paul notes that such people fall into temptation, are trapped by foolish and harmful desires which eventually lead to their ruin and destruction. Their craving for money in evil ways makes them derail from the true faith and end up with many sorrows, some with eternal consequences. It leads to wrong doctrines and all sorts of scandals.

Because of the deception of wealth, people driven by greed are not fruitful in their relationship with God. They remain carnal and infants in the faith despite the years in salvation. About those influenced by wealth, Jesus said “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the love of wealth, so no fruit is produced.” (Matthew 13:22).

Greed destroys relationships when its victims cheat, oppress, fight, manipulate, covet and steal from others to make wealth. All they think of is how to enrich themselves, not caring how others are. They are arrogant, don’t give and never have enough. The more they get, the more they want. They become slaves of things and never live to enjoy. It’s a life of bondage to things. They live empty lives when they derive meaning and purpose to life from material things which never satisfy!

Paslm 62:10 "Don't make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don't make it the centre of your life."

Proverbs 23:4 "Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit."

Shalom children of God

Sin, sickness and faith (9/7/2023)

Matthew 9:2,6 "Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”… But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

The man was sick and paralyzed. Four men carried him. In expression of their faith, they broke through the roof and placed the sick man before Jesus. He saw their faith and pronounced forgiveness of sin first, then healed him. Jesus linked the three; faith, forgiveness of sin and healing.

Some of the sicknesses people suffer are effects of sin. Before they can be healed, sin has to be dealt with. Faith in Christ, the One who forgives sins, brings forgiveness of sin and then the healing. That’s what happened in this scenario. But the Pharisees didn’t understand this and accused him of blasphemy.

James emphasised the same when he linked faith, confession of sins and healing. When the Spirit leads that this order is followed for healing to happen, please do. When one only asks for healing and ignores the need to deal with sin which could be attached to the sickness, healing may delay or not happen.

Jesus told the paralyzed man He healed at the pool to sin no more lest a worse thing happens to him (John 5:14). It means his previous condition was linked to sin, which if he went back to, other worse things would happen to him.

James 5:15-16 "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Shalom children of God.

Develop the Berean spirit (R) (13/7/2023)

Acts:17.11 "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." - NIV

We live in a period of time characterized by much counterfeit and deception. It’s the time Jesus said evil will abound and the love of many will grow cold. People now call good evil, and evil good. Sin has been so trivialized, and holiness and righteousness, to many, is becoming a thing of the past.

Alternative religious beliefs which suit the interests of the time are fast taking shape, seeking to edge out God. It’s that time when many people’s ears itch to hear what they want, not what they need to hear. And many false teachers are riding on such to win followers to themselves. Amidst all these, serious seekers of God are given a way out to find truth for themselves.

The Bereans are commended in the scripture above for not only eagerly recieving the message, but taking time to examine the scriptures for themselves daily. They did this to prove whether what Paul said was true or not. Neither did Paul object to that. With the great teachings, eloquence of speech accompanied by the miracles performed, they still went back to confirm this truth. The Thessalonians took in whatever Paul said without question. The Bereans went an extra mile to confirm. And they were commended.

Friends, this is what we all ought to be doing daily to be safe from falsehoods so common in our day. Get to the word of God for yourself. Whatever we recieve from anyone, regardless of title, position or whatever credentials they hold, must be examined against the eternal truth of God’s word. Go beyond the miracles or other signs you see. Many have fallen and continue to fall victims of error because they don’t labour to examine what they hear with God’s word! Yet not everyone preaching is from God or teaching the whole truth. You must, of necessity, be a good student and rooted in the word.

2 Corinthians:11.14-15 "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

Shalom children of God.

So what is enough? ( 24/6/2023)Getting out of the trap of greedSo what is enough? ( 24/6/2023)

Getting out of the trap of greed

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners  except to feast their eyes on them?"

The wise man Solomon, who himself was richer than anyone in his time, made the statement in the scripture above. When people are driven by the love of money and wealth per se, there will never be enough. The more you have, the more you want for yourself. This is a paradox of life. It becomes a continuous trap of seeking for money and wealth just to have it. Is seeking for these things evil? Not at all.

Wealth and money should be guided by purpose. What do you want to achieve in your life or community through these things? If they help you meet basic needs of a comfortable life, make other people’s lives better, and make the world a better place to be as God intended, you experience true satisfaction as you generously share what you acquire. Greed only leads to accumulation of things.

So what’s enough, and how can one get out of the trap of greed? By first appreciating what you have, however little, as you seek for more in godly ways. Don’t kill yourself over what can’t afford now, nor compare yourself with others. We can never be the same, nor have everything we want in life. A grateful heart appreciates any addition. Godliness enables you to see the intangible blessings and to be moved to support others.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

Shalom children of God.

Keeping instep with the Spirit (10/7/2023)

Galatians 5:16-18 "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

The teaching in this chapter is about the works of the Spirit and the flesh. The two are opposing each other in a continuous battle going on within everyone. Those in Christ are, and should be led by the Holy Spirit. Those not in Christ are fully controlled by their bodily desires and lusts.

The life that pleases and glorifies God is one that is led by, and is in step with the Spirit. That is a life that has overcome the desires of the sinful nature. To keep in step with the Spirit is a continuous process throughout out our lives. This means learning to listen and obeying Him, seeking to know what the Spirit desires, and choosing to reject what He rejects.

To this life of sonship we are called in Christ. In Christ, we are Sons of God. And Paul declares that it is those who are led by the Spirit of God who are truly sons of God. So sonship is defined by living in continuous flow with the Spirit. Therein lies the glorious life the Father has for His own that those outside have mo idea about!

Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

Shalom children of God.

When God gives up on men! (28/7/2023)

Romans 1:18-32 "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…"

Which kind of people does God give up on? Those who knowingly choose to ignore Him, worship idols, as they think of themselves being wiser than their Creator in whatever they do. They celebrate utter foolishness as they sneer at God. They suppress the truth by their wickedness (v.18), know the truth about God and His righteous decrees (19), but refuse to thank or glorify Him (21), as they exchange God’s glory with idolatry(22). Against these intentional sins, the wrath of God is directed.

As a result, God gives them over to sexual perversion like LGBTQI. They believe and live a lie, with depraved minds doing the unthinkable, inventing all forms of evil imaginable. They justify perversion and those who do them. Such can only expect a fearful judgment of God. We live in such a world today were unprecedented levels of wickedness is the norm. And it is not only being celebrated, but some powerful people are forcing others to follow suit.

But God in His unprecedented patience has given men time and chance to repent, turn from their evil, forsake sin and be saved. Many have taken this to be a weakness on God’s part. But make no mistake! His love and patience will run out and He will arise against evil. Flee the wrath to come while there’s still time!

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 "For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness."

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

Why things don’t satisfy (R) (25/6/2023)

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." - KJV

Jesus was teaching about the worries of life; what to eat, drink, cloths to put on, and all the needs and wants of life that drive people crazy. He said there are things everyone needs for a normal life. And God is fully aware about that, and has made provision for them. He theregore asks us not to worry and change our priorities in life to focus on things. Unfortunately, this is exactly what people do.

We were all created for fellowship with God. The things we seek are meant to enable us serve and worship God. The fall of man shifted his attention from the worship of God and His service (which brings true satisfaction), to things which never fulfil. Things are a means to an end, not the end themselves.

When the order of priorities changes, and we seek first these things other than God, we shall never find true satisfaction as it should. This is why people make and accumulate wealth, seek fame, and get the desires of their hearts, but are never satisfied or contented.

In every human soul is a gap that nothing in the world can fill, except God. When you are in right standing and peace with God, whatever of these things you have, little or much, will truly satisfy. Short of that, you may gain the fame, wealth and attention of the whole world, and still feel empty, miserable and lost. Only a living relationship with God makes us complete. All other things are additional.

Proverbs 10:22  "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."

Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments,  for this is the duty of all mankind."

Shalom children of God

We are spirit beings! (12/7/2023)

Genesis 2:7 "Then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live." - GNB

Man was made from soil from the ground. God breathed into his lifeless body and he began to live, as a living soul. That breath was God’s Spirit. What actually makes us alive is the spirit. When the spirit part of man is taken away, what remains is a lifeless body. Without the Spirit, we are dead. Sin brought spiritual death when it separated man from God.

The essential part of our lives is the spirit. That is inherent in every human being. The fall of man from glory shifted focus from the spirit world to the flesh and physical things. Being in step with the Spirit means increasing our sensitivity in the spirit more than the physical environment around us. The spiritual world controls the physical.

The coming of the Holy Spirit was to take us back to where we belonged and operated from the begining. The secularist world view that emphasises materialism is an attempt by the enemy to cut man off from what he truly is to being carnally minded. That brings death, but to be spiritually minded is life. We can best reconnect back to our spirituality by the Holy Spirit. Anything else takes men to the demonic world.

John 6:63 "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life."

Romans 8:6 "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."

Shalom children of God.