Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 103:1 “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
My soul, my spirit, my very life, it’s your duty to praise the Lord your Maker. His holy name deserves our praise. True praise arises from within, from a thankful heart, manifesting on the outside.

Psalm 103:2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
As my soul praises the Lord, it will remember and not forget what He has done. Forgetfulness lessens praise and increases complaints and disgrutlement. Praise keeps the great things Godhas done in constant view and focus.

Psalm 103:3 who forgives all your sins  and heals all your diseases,
The Lord forgives all our sins and frees us from guilt and condemnation before Him. He has committed to heal all our diseases. For these promises, we can lay claim as our portion from Him.

Psalm 103:4 who redeems your life from the pit  and crowns you with love and compassion,
Without God, we are dead in sin. But God redeems us to Himself from death to life. This He does out of His deep love and compassion. I am loved and redeemed of the Lord. His I am! What a joy to know this!

Psalm 103:5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. I have desires and longings. Some may not glorify His name. God is committed to fulfill my desires, but only with good things. When my desires are satisfied with good, my health is renewed like the eagle’s.

For these and many others, praise the Lord o my soul! He has done, and will continue to do great things. He deserves all the praise.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 25:21 ‘"Well done, you good and faithful servant!’ said his master. ‘You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!’" - GNB

Jesus gave a parable of the stewards who were entrusted by their master with talents. To the faithful ones, the master was happy and rewarded them with more, as they shared in his glory at the end. This parable teaches us about the outcome of faithfully following the Lord in whatever He entrusted us with, to the end.

The journey of faith as we follow God has many mountains and valleys, smooth and tough times, some of which tempt us to give up. But if we remain true and faithful to God, enduring the challenges, serving His purposes to the end, the blessed assurance is that we shall share in His eternal glory as well. The master recieved the faithful servants into His joy. He will wipe away our tears and give us the crown of life.

Let this encourage us to remain faithful. Let our eyes be fixed on Jesus who equally endured so much ridicule but was motivated to continue by the joy that lay ahead. There is so much joy that awaits the faithful servant walking in the footsteps of the Master. Cheer up and hang in there. It will be glorious! Those who suffer for Him will also share in His glory. Paul looked forward to it, and should we.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

John 4:49-50,53 "The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed… Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed."

A royal official’s son was sick and he came to ask Jesus to go and heal him before he dies. Instead of going with him as He did for others, Jesus told him to go back home, and that his son would live. Taking Jesus at His word, he started his journey back home, arriving the next day. The very time Jesus told him to go, was the time his son got healed. Once He has said, He will do it.

When God gives His word to us concerning whatever we ask of Him, it is a done deal. But our faith is a key factor in bringing about its fulfilment. The man believed Jesus’ word, and his son was healed the same hour. God’s word is not limited by distance and space. Where Hus word is, He is. James warns that those whose who ask God for wisdom (and indeed anything else) should have faith. Otherwise they can’t expect to recieve their requests without believing what God has said.

We pray often over many things. But one of the biggest undoings of our prayers is doubt which makes our minds waver. When you ask for anything in prayer, believe that it is done and it will be given to you, Jesus said. God is able and willing to do more than we ask or dream about. He requires faith on our part. Let’s build our faith strongly against demonic forces of unbelief, and on the God Who never fails.

Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

James 1:6-7 "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 21:34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap." - NIV

Jesus was concluding the teaching on the signs of the end. He had mentioned many things that would characterize the end. These include increase in deception, false christs, wars and revolutions, earthquakes, pestilences, famines, fearful signs in the heavens, increase of evil, moral degeneration, persecutions among others. Anyone following world events can testify that these are present day realities around the world. It means we are in those last days.

In the scripture above, Jesus warned His disciples (including us) about the things that could make them miss out on the day of His return. These are; dissipation/carousing (too much fun, wasteful spending for pleasure), drunkenness (out of alcohol or improper behaviour out of excitement or anger over things) and the cares of life (fear or nervousness out of what might happen). These things dull one’s sensitivity, alertness and readiness to the coming of the Lord. That’s why Jesus warned us to be careful not to let them weigh our hearts down, or else the day of the Lord will catch us unexpectedly.

Friends, Jesus is coming soon. Every sign is pointing to it. As we do what is required of us by the demands of life, let’s look beyond to the imminent return of Christ. Be alert, do not allow fear, pleasure, anxieties of life weigh you down and dull your sensitivity to the times we are in. Watch the signs and expectantly look up for His coming. It will be well in the Lord.

Luke 12:40,46 "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."… The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Luke 10:19-20 "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” - NIV

The disciples had just returned from the mission Jesus sent them. When exercising the power and authority Jesus gave them to heal the sick, cast out devils and preach the gospel, what excited them most was that demons could obey them in Jesus name. That had never happened to them. But Jesus told them that there was something far greater to rejoice about; that their names are written in heaven.

Many get excited, as did the disciples, when they see God’s power at work to heal the sick, cast out demons, perform miracles or do some supernatural things. Unfortunately, it stops there as they bask in the fame and titles they carry around. But beyond those things God’s power and authority does in and through us, should be the question of whether our names are in the Lamb’s book of life or not. That makes eternal difference! For many who even performed the miracles, preached in His name and cast out devils, will be cast away!

Whose names are written in the book of life? Those who have trusted their lives to Christ as Lord and Savior, and living for Him. Some use His name to gain what they wish, but not living for Him. And they will be cast away on the day they stand before God in judgement. At the end, if all that we pursue and glory in in this life does not lead to eternal life and entering God’s kingdom, it is an eternal lose however powerful you were in this present life! That your name is written in heaven is reason to rejoice more than receiving worldwide fame.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"

Shalom children of God.

Trivializing the eternally important!

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Genesis 25:31-34 "Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright."

Esau was a hunter for survival. That day he failed to make a kill. Hungry, he asked his brother Jacob for food. Jacob asked him to first sale his birthright. Esau said his birthright wasn’t of any use to him since he was about to die. He despised and sold it for a meal, ate and went his way. What was to earn him eternal blessings for all generations to come, was exchanged for a meal. Esau despised his birthright, and lost it, forever!

One of Satan’s schemes is to make salvation through Christ and the eternally significant things of God appear trivial in comparison to the immediate joys and pleasures of this world. ‘Indulge yourself, feel free to do what your heart desires, why bother with what you don’t even know whether they exist or not,’ he tells his victims. And so people despise God’s ways and principles and engage in things they delight in: make wealth, have pleasure, ignore God. They eat and drink and enjoy life outside God as it was in the days of Noah until the door was shut!

Dear friend, do not trivialize the call to repentance and living for God. Do not be blinded by the devil, to follow after fleeting pleasures of sin and the world which leave you empty and lost, even if one gained the whole world. In God are true riches into eternity. Seriously consider the state of your relationship with your Creator God. Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling. Will you heed His call, to live for Him? You will rejoice for eternity!

Mark 8:36-37 "Do people gain anything if they win the whole world but lose their life? Of course not! There is nothing they can give to regain their life."GNB

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Psalm 103:1 "Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

My soul, my spirit, my very life, it’s your duty to praise the Lord your Maker. His holy name deserves our praise. True praise arises from within, from a thankful heart, manifesting on the outside.

Psalm 103:2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

As my soul praises the Lord, it will remember and not forget what He has done. Forgetfulness lessens praise and increases complaints and disgrutlement. Praise keeps the great things Godhas done in constant view and focus.

Psalm 103:3 who forgives all your sins  and heals all your diseases,

The Lord forgives all our sins and frees us from guilt and condemnation before Him. He has committed to heal all our diseases. For these promises, we can lay claim as our portion from Him.

Psalm 103:4 who redeems your life from the pit  and crowns you with love and compassion,

Without God, we are dead in sin. But God redeems us to Himself from death to life. This He does out of His deep love and compassion. I am loved and redeemed of the Lord. His I am! What a joy to know this!

Psalm 103:5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

I have desires and longings. Some may not glorify His name. God is committed to fulfill my desires, but only with good things. When my desires are satisfied with good, my health is renewed like the eagle’s.

For these and many others, praise the Lord o my soul! He has done, and will continue to do great things. He deserves all the praise.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

John 4:27 "Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking to a woman. But no one asked, " What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" - NIV

Cultures strongly influence people. Jesus was going from Judea to Galilee and had to pass Samaria. Jews and Samaritans had nothing in common. They wouldn’t even talk. The disciples returned and were shocked to find Him talking to a woman, and a Samaritan at that. This was culturally very wrong. But Jesus was demonstrating that He came to break ethnic barriers that separated Jews from gentiles, men and women to show that all people are His. He came to reconcile all humanity to God.

So much of this happens today. Different ethnicities of people have strong animosity against others, sometimes describing them very harshly. This unfortunately happens in churches as well where we are to see and treat people as Jesus did. All people of all races and tribal groups belong to God. All are sinners and all need salvation in Jesus.

In Christ, all people are equal and the same. Jesus broke those barriers so that those in Him can overcome them too. In him, we belong to one body, have the same Savior, all members of His kingdom and will have the same inheritance into eternity. Cultural ethnic divisions have been used by the devil to cause much harm world over. Instead, we should celebrate our God given differences and use them to enjoy God’s blessings.

Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Samuel 1:14-16 "… and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief." - NIV

The woman Hannah had had no children. Her cowife Penninah, took advantage and tormented her every year. Even the consolation of her husband Elkana could not help. After yet another bout of provocation by Penninah while in Shiloh, she couldn’t bear it any more. In bitterness and heaviness of heart, she went to the temple to pour out her heart to God. The priest Eli, seated at the temple watched this woman silently pray with only her lips moving and no words coming out. He mistook her to be drunk.

In life we meet and see people who, according to us, behave weird, appear uncultured and many times quickly pass judgment over them. Yet if we took time to understand why they behave so, we would be seeking to help them instead. There are many troubled wounded hearts around us, pushed to the extremes of life by the circumstances they face. Many are rejected, wounded, hopeless and challenged in ways we could provide a listening ear, prayer or material support or give godly counsel. Even the priest Eli was too quick and mistaken to judge a troubled Hannah, thinking she was drunk. But on listening and understanding her, he blessed her.

We misjudge others many times because we dont seek to first understand why they behave the way they do. It’s appropriate to first understand before we conclude. It’s until we put ourselves in their shoes that we respond appropriately, to coreect, rebuke or to be compassionate and helpful to them.

Galatians 6:2 "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Shalom children of God.