Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 29:13 "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:"- KJV

Worship is adoration, an expression of love, loyalty, submission, allegiance… The battle in heaven that saw Lucifer(now Satan, the devil) and a third of the angels(now demons) rebel and thrown out, centred on the worship. He wanted to take God’s place in worship. He made man fall from glory with God as he sought to shift man’s allegiance from God to himself. Upto now that is what Satan fights for.

God expects us to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). As we worship, He expects us to do it with all that we are; body, soul and spirit. Short of this, it will be divided loyalty, which is hypocrisy. That’s what Israel had failed in. They had redefined how to worship God, and did it halfheartedly. God detested it. Their mouth spoke and sung what sounded like expressions of worship to God. But their hearts (which God considers most) were not loyal to Him any more. He rebuked them for hypocrisy. If it’s not from the heart, it falls short!

Worship with our whole being will involve the use of our strength, emotions, minds, resources, words and postures like kneeling, bowing, prostration, standing in awe, silence, shouts, laughter, tears – all to express our loyalty, admiration and love. Man made rules of worship may take some these as strange. You can tell how deeply people love and adore someone or something by their expressions. And so it is with our worship of God.

Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1Samuel 17:37 "David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee."- KJV

David, the shephered boy was young and inexperienced in battle. He was sent to take some supplies for His brothers in the war front line and to take back report to his father on the progress of, so far, a 40 day war. He witnessed how giant Goliath scared the israelites who fled in fear with no one bold enough to face him. As he offered to go and fight him, word reached king Saul who summoned the boy. He doubted his stature and wondered if David could fight such a war experienced giant.

Then David narrated an experience he had with a lion and a bear which came to eat the sheep. He killed them with bare hands. That first-hand  testimony of how God delivered him from those dangerous animals, convinced David beyond doubt that the same God would deliver the Philistine to his hand. It also convinced king Saul to allow David fight Goliath. And the rest is history.

God does things and gives us an experience  everyday one way or another. Lifes’ victories and progress builds on the little things of every day life. These help to build our faith, endurance, courage and boldness as we face other bigger life fearful challenges. Many can remember and testify of something past that you are totally convinced was the working of God.

Like David, let that strengthen your faith and resolve to face current and future life challenges and not run away from them. The God who did it for you in the past is still the same God who can do it again. He doesn’t change. Do not be intimidated by the huge Goliaths of situations. Face it. Bounce back and pursue. Big or small, He does it. Have faith in God.

2 Chronicles 20:15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Deuteronomy 30:15,19-20 "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction… This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him…" - NIV

These were Moses’ last instructions to Israel before he died. They were about to enter the land of promise, Canaan. He envisaged a time when the people would settle in the land, enjoy themselves and forget the God who rescued them. The last instruction was about the call to obedience and its benefits, disobedience and its consequences. Whatever would happen to them resulted from this.

The choice to obey or disobey was at their disposal. The choice between life and death, success and failure, blessings and curses, was determined by their obedience or disobedience. That remains God’s principle. He calls us to decide to go by His ways or disobey and go our own ways. Moses said death and life was before Israel. But they had to choose. He urged them to choose life. Much later, they disobeyed and faced dire consequences.

Whatever God wants His people to have is available and accessible through obedience. The Holy Spirit is present to help us live in obedience. But He requires our deliberate humility, submission and commitment to His leading. Whaterver and wherever we shall be for all eternity is determined by our decisions. The choice is in our hands!

Isaiah 1:19-20 "If you are willing and obedient,  you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalms103:1-5 "Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." - NIV

Life is not a straight clear line where  everything is certain,  predictable and working as expeted. It moves in waves. One time it is up, another time it’s down. At some point everything is working out well, at another things seem to fall apart. To David it was the same. He had some of the worst experiences in life under king Saul. He also had high pleasant moments of victory upon victory. But he sums it by praising the Lord.

 A key to praising the Lord at all times, regardless of the state of situations, is to remember what He has done for you. When one considers what great things He has done or He can do, all the ‘little’ present challenges cannot stand in comparison. It’s why Paul called his trials light, compared to the glory that lay ahead. Jesus too, in looking at the joy ahead, endured the extreme trials He underwent in the hands of His tormentors. It’s the devil’s intention to make us focus only on the intensity of the present, forgetting the many great things God has done before.

Remembering and thanking God for what he has done, counting your blessings and naming them, will surprise you what God has done before. It will encourage you to know He can do it again. The God Who forgave all your sins, heals all your diseases, redeemed your life, has compassion on you and renews you,  will surely do anything else. Such understanding makes you face and climb any mountain praising God, knowing the challenge will not last.

Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 25:1-4 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps…" - NIV

Jesus had given a lengthy talk on the signs of the end, and the need to be ready. He now relates the state of those waiting for His return to ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom. All were virgins pure enough to meet the groom, they were aware of His coming but didn’t know the time, they all slept as they waited. At midnight, an unexpected hour, the bridegroom came and took in only the ready ones.

The Lord’s coming was expected since His ascension. When it seems to have delayed and the mockers doubt it, His pure ones keep waiting. The only sustenance and assurance for those waiting to be found ready to go in with the bridegroom, is the oil keeping the lamp burning. The oil made the difference between the wise and the foolish, those who were ready and went in, and those who were left out!

To the believer, having both the lamp (the word of God) and the oil (the Holy Spirit) as we wait for the Lord’s coming is fundamentally key. The Holy Spirit will keep us on truck, and our lamps burning bright till He comes however long it takes. Some believers will not be found ready just because they lost communion with, not walking instep with, or have grieved away the Holy Spirit from their lives.

We are to be filled with the Spirit always and the lamps of our testimony ever burning. This requires our willing submission and obedience to the Spirit, not living self styled Christian lives our way, puffed up by knowledge in the word and self confidence in our works. Be filled with the Spirit, not the many things of this life.

Luke 12:35-36 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him."

Galatians 5:16 "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."

Paul was addressing the divisions in the Corinthian church and brings out the importance of right foundations in the faith. Just as foundations are critically important in the strength and sustainability of any building, so it is in our journey of faith. Weak and faulty foundations risk susceptebility to deception and fall. And vice versa.

Paul says no other foundation for salvation can be laid except Jesus Christ. Deception seeks to add or subtract from Christ. The claim is that if one is to truly be saved and to be in right standing with God, they need to do more. When you are taught that Christ alone is not enough for salvation, that’s deception. In that case, attention is given to personalities, churches, denominations, acts of service, rituals, etc with the promise of qualifying a person more for acceptance by God.

Jesus’ blood and death on the cross was forever sufficient price for our salvation. Our part is to recieve it by faith. From then on, we grow into the faith by building on the foundation, and not relaying it. To contend for the faith, is a call to keep the foundation of Christ alone intact. Once it is affected, you become susceptible to all sorts of falsehoods, some of them coming in Jesus name. If you previously had wrong foundations, you can relay it in Christ Jesus, the solid Rock on Whom we stand.

Colossians 1:19-20 "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 41:10, 13-14 "So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand… For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." - NIV

To Israel, God showed Himself as God Almighty, their protector. Through Isaiah, He repeatedly gave this assurance. Every time we hear words, we want to know who spoke them; the credibility and authority of the speaker. It’s then that we can rely on them if the speaker holds power and authority. If weak and powerless, whatever they say, however sounding, doesn’t mean much.

The strong words in the scriptures above were spoken by none other than God Almighty, above Whom is no other, the Alpha and Omega, Creator of all things, Whose word is final and sustains all things. His word then was to Israel, and to those who believe in Him today, and going through fear and uncertainty. He takes us by the hand, and says, ‘Fear not, I myself will strengthen and help you.’ Wow!

How refreshing are His words! Whatever brings us fear is subject to the God who helps us. No one will override His word. He has the final say. And you to whom He directs His word, is His beloved child, the apple of His eye, the delight of His heart. Your safety and protection is His responsibility. No wonder, David was so confident in God’s protection that he said God sets a celebration for him in the presence of his enemies. That’s our portion too! Walk with your head high, for God Almighty is with you!

Psalms 23:5 "You prepare a banquet for me, where all my enemies can see me; you welcome me as an honoured guest     and fill my cup to the brim." - GNB

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Jonah 1:1-3 "One day the Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai. He said, “Go to Nineveh, that great city, and speak out against it; I am aware how wicked its people are.” Jonah, however, set out in the opposite direction in order to get away from the Lord. He went to Joppa, where he found a ship about to go to Spain. He paid his fare and went aboard with the crew to sail to Spain, where he would be away from the Lord." - GNB

Jonah’s story is interesting. He heard God clearly tell him to go to Nineveh and proclaim His message of repentance. But he deliberately went the opposite direction, to run away from God’s assignment. Alot happened in the ship until he was thrown out, swallowed by a huge fish, and three days later vomited out on the shore. A miracle indeed! The next time God called him and he went to Nineveh.

We cannot run away from God. Neither can even hide where God is not present in the entire universe. In the futility of his very limited human understanding, Jonah thought (as many today think) he would escape. Adam and Eve too tried to run and hide from God, but it was pointless to run from God Who is Omnipresent and all seeing. Such is the deception the devil has put in the human mind.

Many are running away from God’s call, and His known will. Nice sounding excuses may be given for disobeying God’s known will and ways. Whatever is done in disobedience may appear very normal outwardly. But deep within, you and God know that you are living in disobedience as Jonah did. Come back in repentance and do the things He called you to do. You cannot succeed to run away from God. It is a matter of time and you will know He alone is God and cannot be mocked. Jonah learnt the hard way.

Galatians 6:7-8 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Romans 5:1-2 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." - NIV

We are called to be at peace, with God and with others. Peace with God comes about when the guilt of our sins has been taken away. Jesus took our sins in His body on the cross and shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. He fully paid the price for sin and freely offered us the gift of salvation by faith. Our part is to willingly recieve this gift and so be at peace with God.

We receive it by placing our faith in Jesus Christ the Savior. We cease to rely on our good works, but trust Him to save us. When we do so, God justifies us. He no longer counts us guilty of sin, but righteous in His sight. That is peace with God; a blessed assurance of right standing with God. It removes any barriers between us and God, gives unlimited access to Him, and assures us of a glorious hope of being with Him now and for eternity. Hallelujah!

Friend, are you at peace with God? All other ways we may try to please God without trusting in the Savior Jesus are futile. He willingly and longingly offers anyone who believes in Him salvation and peace. His grace is sufficiently available to anyone, however vile, who simply comes to Him by faith. You too can be at peace with God, while in this world and into eternity.

ERomans 8:1-2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Titus 2:11-13 "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…"

The grace of God is the sustaining power as we wait for the glorious coming of Jesus. It teaches us to say “No” to anything ungodly that defiles and makes us not ready for His coming. Do not fall short and meddle with the affairs of the corrupted system of the world. It is possible to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age by God’s grace.

The Lord’s second coming is a blessed hope that we can look forward to with great joy and anticipation. Those who rejected Him will greatly mourn as the reality of the reign of the Great King in all His glory hits them. “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30).

This is the joy and encouragement of the believer waiting for that hope. And that hope will not disappoint. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Shalom children of God