Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Hebrews 3:12-13 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

The context of these verses is about entering God’s rest, with a warning against unbelief which can hinder entry to this rest. Its God’s will that we rest in total trust and reliance on Him. Whatever labour ensues as a result, should be as God instructs for His service to His glory, and not to impress and win His favor. Many labour to attain what God has already provided for us and can be achieved by faith.

To this effect, the brothers were encouraged to ensure that none of them had a sinful unbelieving heart which manifests in turning away from God through unbelief. They were to achieve this by encouraging one another daily. The more one continues in sin and unbelief, the more their hearts are hardened to the truth of God. Over time, they are no longer responsive to the truth.

Decietfulness of sin comes over time through unbelief. Sin is deceptive. It promises pleasure, happiness and peace, but gives misery, trouble and restlessness. As a person continues in it, they get entangled, bound and hard hearted towards God. In that state of sin’s misery, you can never know God’s rest, because there is no peace to the wicked. Don’t be deceived by the temporary pleasures of sin. Its end is painful. Learn from Moses;

"He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time." (Heb 11:25)

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Ephesians 4:22-24 "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." - NIV

Attitude is the way we see, think, perceive and decide about people, situations and things. This is going on every minute within every person about every situation and people, consciously or not. Eventually, it influences the quality of our lives and destinies because as a man thinks so is he (Proverbs 27:3). Training helps to reorient and channel attitudes in a particular way. That’s what Paul is saying in our opening scripture.

Before one is in Christ, there are customs and norms that shape attitudes in their way of life as they were taught. When we come to God’s kingdom, our pattern of thinking changes to be like God in righteousness and holiness. Everything is new, the old nature and its patterns have gone. Henceforth, our attitude is to be like that of Jesus Himself (Phil 2:5-9). This transformation and renewal process is done by the Holy Spirit, resident in the believer.

Whatever we are, how we see, hear, think, decide, relate and respond to people, situations and things is a reflection of our attitudes. Victory or defeat, love or hate, success or failure are in attitudes. Let your life be so immersed in God and His word, that whatever attitude follows and manifests out of you is godly. Philippians 2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…“

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

John 4:9, 27 "The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)… Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

Jesus picked a conversation with a Samaritan woman as He preached to her. But a deeply seated attitude between the two peoples, Jews and Samaritans pops up. They had nothing to do with other. The woman brought it out in no uncertain terms. Another cultural hitch comes in as observed by the surprised disciples: Jesus is talking with a woman, moreover a Samaritan? But Jesus intended to break a culture and tradition that had held many captive for long.

We all belong to families, societies and communities which have certain traditions and beliefs about other people from certain families, clans, tribes or races. What we are told biases our minds against them. These affects our attitudes and relationships with them. Some are carried forward to matters of the gospel. Jesus in the quoted scenario deliberately broke such man made traditions that created barriers between people.

In Christ, such attitudes based on ethnicity, cultures, gender and others don’t hold. We are one under our Creator. These differences are fueled by the enemy so as to propagate divisions in which he thrives to fight God’s purposes for humanity. Let our cultural and traditional view of others be influenced by what God’s word teaches. He is God of diversity. All people are His.

Galatians 3:26-28 "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Mark 7:8-9 "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

James 3:14-16 "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."

James was comparing godly and earthly wisdom, their qualities and characteristics. Among the signs of evil wisdom is strife envy, selfish ambition, confusion and every other evil practices. These give room to the devil to promote all kinds of evil. Some practice these things and pride in thinking it is wisdom as they enjoy tearing others down as they go into unhealthy competition.

Jealousy and envy are very poisonous to any attitude. They never allow their victims to see things objectively. Every time you feel hurt about the successes of others, and think it should have been yours, envy, jealousy, strife and all sorts of evil attitudes follow. You will only see the negatives. Destructive criticism follows with intention to pull the other down. Such attitude makes you desire and celebrate the down fall of others.

If we are to maintain a clear attitude towards others, let’s purposefully resist envy and jealousy. Deliberately celebrate those doing better while you may be struggling. Thank God for them as you believe God for your own victories. God’s seasons and times are different for different people. Yours will come, in it’s own way and time. There is enough for each one in God’s kingdom. Don’t be envious. Love others genuinely.

Galatians 5:26 "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Romans 13:13 "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus." - GNB

The encouragement to be joyful always, pray at all times, and be thankful in all circumstances doesn’t mean everything is alright all the time. It is a recognition that even in the worst of situations, God is greater and has good plans that transcend the evil and tough situations. He turns them around for good. No circumstance, however horrible, should kill our spirit.

The attitude with which we approach life’s challenges makes the whole difference. A thankful heart will make us see the good out of the worst, enabling us bounce back, and use the situation as a step to greater things. A negative attitude will sink us further down, destroying even the little left of devastating occurrences. We have to choose how to respond to all life’s circumstances. It will determine how we move on thereafter, whether we are destroyed or rise up again and move with our heads high and a smile on our faces.

Paul suffered greatly. He wrote from experience. By rejoicing in severe trials, he looked beyond the present pain into the glory ahead, to a God Who works all things for good. If we faced life with this attitude, no mountain would be to high to climb, nor any valley too low to cross. Our minds would be set on victory whatever the present situation. This is the winning attitude. Choose it today with God’s help as Paul wrote from prison to the church at Philipi:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

What would you say of this story?

 “I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly– my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well– the delights of the heart of man.

I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:3-11(NIV)

He had got it all – wealth, wisdom, women, fame, power, leasure – whatever any mortal human would desire to enjoy life to its maximum. But king Solomon concluded that life was meaningless, a chassing after the wind! How could this be? Without God at the centre of it all, whatever we do or acquire can never truly satisfy. Only God gives true meaning and purpose to our lives.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:3-6)

Jesus was despised and rejected, suffered intensely and with much sorrow, pierced and crushed, and afflicted with deep physical and emotional wounds!

He went through all these to carry our infirmities and sorrows, to bear our sins, pay for our peace and healing and to restore us back to God. He went all the way for you and me! What a love!

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

James 4:1-2 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God."

We live in a conflict filled world at all levels of human interaction. Because we are different in thought, perception, desires and decisions, no people are always thinking exactly the same way all the time. When such differences are not harmonised, it creates tension which may lead to quarrels and fights. But the Bible teaches, and its God’s will, that people live in harmony in their diversity, but upheld by God’s kingdom principles.

James attributes quarrels and fights among us to unmet desires battling within. When people fail to properly manage them and seek, on their own, to meet these needs and fail, they become angry, jealousy, covet, steal and attempt to grab from those who have. Then they quarrel and fight. They blame others for their predicaments.

The scripture says we do not have because we do not ask God. God is willing to meet our needs, but wants us to ask Him. And when we ask, we should use them according to His will, not according to our pleasures. Likewise, when we don’t have them yet, we should be thankful for what we have or expecting. This reduces the negative feelings which fuel quarrels and fights. Then we shall live peacefully and avoid conflicts.

Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

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

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.