Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 119:130 "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." - NIV
Psalms 119:130 "The explanation of your teachings gives light  and brings wisdom to the ignorant." - GNB

To some people, the Bible is a difficult outdated book out of touch with present realities. This is far from the truth. The word of God is living and relevant across all ages. All other sources of knowledge will require updating to merge the times. But God’s word is relevant and speaks to all times, all situations and all generations.

The psalmist in the longest chapter in the Bible, focused on the benefits of the word of God and his own commitment to it. In the verse above, he gives the secret to making the most of God’s word: revelation. It is through understanding that comes from revelation of God’s word that we gain enlightenment and wisdom for living.

Whenever we read it, let our prayer always be that the Holy Spirit unfolds the wisdom from God’s word and enable us understand and build our faith, and to know God better. Paul prayed so for the Ephesians. Short of this, the Bible will be very boring and seemingly a waste of time to read it. And yet to those who read with revelation, it is a treasure beyond measure!

Ephesians 1:16-18 "… I remember you in my prayers and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people…"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 8:25 “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.” - NIV

The disciples had been with Jesus for sometime. They heard His powerful teachings and saw the miracles. While in a boat, a fierce storm struck and they were in great danger as assessed by the experienced fishermen. Jesus was sleeping when they woke Him up to rescue them. He rebuked and calmed the storm. Amazed, they wondered what kind of man this was! His asked, “where is your faith?” He still asks it today.

Everyone has faith in someone or something. Human beings are faith creatures. They may doubt one thing, because they have faith in another. Our faith is either in God or something else. Faith in things and people have limitations. Experience, skill, connections, wealth, position and power that people trust, have their place, but limited. At some point, they fail. But faith in God with whom nothing is impossible, never fails.

Trials and crises reveal where one’s faith is. Many claim to trust God, but their true trust is in other things not entirely on God. Jesus taught that the foundation and object of faith should be in God alone. Elsewhere is sinking sand. The psalmist said some trust chariots and horses to win battles, but they are defeated. Despite your usual confessions, where truly is your faith?

Psalm 20:7-8 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall,  but we rise up and stand firm."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Proverbs 31:8-9 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." - NIV

This was part the advice to king Lamuel from his mother. Kings and all those trusted with power and authority, and make decisions that affect many others should heed this call. There are many vulnerable in society who are marginalised, cannot speak for themselves, destitute, poor and needy. They are powerless and need others to defend and speak for them.

In His justice and righteousness, God is so concerned about such people. They include widows, orphans, children, poor, disabled, strangers, homeless, aged, etc. One of the key indicators of a just society is the care given to those categories of people. God rebuked the leaders and priests in Israel for, among other things, failing to care for the powerless. It’s unfortunate that some leaders and privileged take advantage of such in our world today to enrich themselves by oppressing the powerless!

We all find ourselves in one way or another, in position to help someone else in need, poor, voiceless or marginalised. Feeling for them, and being ready to help, is part of God’s heart of compassion and love for His people. Commit yourself to defend the powerless against the arrogant mighty who want to crush them.

Proverbs 29:7 "The righteous care about justice for the poor,  but the wicked have no such concern."

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Acts 5:41-42 "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah." - NIV

The apostles were persecuted and expressly warned not to preach the name of Jesus. They were beaten and let go. Instead of crying, they rejoiced that they were partaking of the sufferings of their Lord. They never stopped preaching that Jesus was the Messiah, Saviour and Lord. Earlier they had boldly told them that they could not help, but speak of what they had seen and heard (Acts 4:19-21).

What made these unschooled men so bold to defy the experienced priests and teachers of the law? They had been with Jesus. The transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit was so thorough. What they had believed in was so revolutionary that nothing and no one would change it. They were totally convinced about what they believed. Neither could threats of death stop it. To date, the same gospel continues.

Until you are totally convinced of what believe, and it fills and consumes you, it won’t last. This is true for any endeavour of life. A vision and mission in life that has consumed you is powerful. Challenges will come. You will be tempted to give up on what is genuine. It is only if with your whole being you are sure, that you will continue despite the odds. And such a stand should be birthed and backed by God Who defends you all the way. His will stands forever.

Jeremiah 20:9 "But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in;  indeed, I cannot."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - NIV

Jesus in a long sermon on the mountain, compared what people had been taught under the law and what He came to do. In the law, it was tit for tat. Eye for eye,tooth for tooth. If one was your enemy, you hated them. But Jesus changed the narrative by teaching that you love your enemies and pray for those who mistreat you. This is the character of God Who does good to all, including those who hate Him.

By doing good in return for evil, we truly become children of the God we claim to belong. This is no easy task in our human understanding and abilities. The human natural tendency is to pay back evil for evil. If God was to do that, no wicked person would get His blessings. We can only truly do good for evil by God’s help.

The Holy Spirit was given to help us in our weaknesses, one of which is inability to do good in the face of evil done to us. Imagine blessing those who curse and hate you, praying for those who persecute and want to harm you! It takes God. Let’s corporate with the Holy Spirit to enable us be children like our Father. In so doing, we show that we are His children and bring Him much glory.

Romans 12:19-21 "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Acts 17:25- 28 "And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live… 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'" - NIV

Paul was in Athens. He noticed evidence of worship everywhere and sought to teach them true worship of God. He raised pertinent issues that all of us need to know about God and our existence: God gives all men life, breath and all else. To be alive is because of God. God determines and sets time and exact places each of us lives. In God we live, move and have our being. This leaves us with NOTHING we can claim to be our own without God.

Paul adds the purpose God did all these, that men would seek, reach out and find Him. The reason we have life, move and have our being, is to worship God. We don’t exist for ourselves. God made us for His purposes. To live for ones pleasures, desires, or will apart from God, is to completely miss the point of living, whatever you do or gain.

We can then consider ourselves successful in life, if we seek God, reach out for and find Him. A rich relationship and intimate knowledge and worship of God is key to our fulfillment in life. That gives purpose to life. Anything else is a gamble. I pray you live life on purpose in God in all your endeavours. Seek, reach out, and find God.

John 5:30 "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

2 Chronicles 33:9-10 "But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention."

Manasseh was king. Using his influence, he led the people astray into much evil against God. They even superseded the heathen nations around them who didn’t know God. So rebellious were they under Manasseh’s kingship that warnings from God were despised. It took God’s severe punishment for Manasseh to later repent and turn to God.

2 Chronicles 34:33 "Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors."

Josiah was king Manasseh’s son. He became king at a tender age of eight. Using his position, he led the nation to God. He had all present in the nation of Israel under his jurisdiction influenced to serve God.

This comparison shows the power of leadership. It influences people under the leader’s control to do good or evil, towards God or away from Him for generations. This influence affects everything done under the person’s leadership. At your leadership level and period, in what direction are you influencing others? I pray you lead them to what is good, just, righteous and progressive.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 28:20 "… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus was physically leaving earth. He had empowered and commissioned His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations in the ends of the earth.There were fears in the disciples how they would do it. He now assures them of His continued presence upto the end of this present age.

We learn from His words that there will be an end to present age. There is work to be done, bringing people to God. There are enemy forces to be resisted. But all these are covered by the presence of the One Who commissioned us to His service. His presence means protection, provision of all needs in His service and guidance. With Him, we can progress despite the odds.

The promise of His presence covers us to date. He is surely present to make us safe and secure, enable us serve His purposes, meet our needs, allay all our fears and guide us in the path of life. This is the blessed assurance we can hold on to in the journey of life, through mountain and valleys. He who promised is faithful. He will do it. Walk with your head high. Praise God!

Hebrews 13:5-6 "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?”

1 Thessalonians 5:24 "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Mark 8:35-37 "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" - NIV

In all we do, gains are expected materially, socially, financially, spiritually or otherwise. No one does anything for nothing. Investments are made with returns in mind. This encourages sacrifice, risks and patience. It was the same principle Jesus taught as He challenged His disciples to put their lives on the line for His sake. He said, ‘whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.’

Some risks are not certain to yield good results. Gaining all the glory of this world, and paying no attention the eternal state of your soul is a big gamble. It’s an eternal lose! Giving ones life to Christ and committing to serve Him, is a sure deal in the kingdom of God and for eternity. There will be a reward. As we count the cost of where our faith and hope is for now and more so into eternity, Jesus is the solid rock we can rely on.

The disciples asked Jesus what they could expect since they had left everything to follow Him. Jesus took this as a valid concern and told them they would recieve a hundred fold what they forsook, eternal life together with persecutions. Friends, investing your life and resources in God and His kingdom is no gamble. In Him, you can put all your eggs in the same basket, and be sure they are safe. It is worthwhile.

Matthew 19:27-29 "Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."

Shalom children of God.