Category: Daily Devotionals

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

It had been a long sermon on the mountain. Having heard all He told the crowd, Jesus nailed it with what would create the difference between the wise and foolish, those who will stand and those who wouldn’t. The word of God comes to all who hear it. But what the hearers do with His word, determines the outcome and state of their lives in the storm. The house is our faith, the rock or sand represents the foundations of our faith.

Jesus here taught that everyone has faith in someone or something, and the challenges of life come to all, those in Him and not in Him. Jesus is the Rock. Anyone who puts his trust in Him lays the foundation of his faith in the rock. The challenges will never make him fall. Anything and anyone else we trust in apart from Jesus Christ is a foundation of sand which can’t stand the trials that come.

However beautiful the external appearance of your house, the true test of the strength of the foundation is in the time of the storm. The storms will surely come. The shaking is coming. Will yours stand? Many claim to trust God. But challenges reveal a different story. Make the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ, the foundation of your faith in word and deed. You will not be disappointed.

Psalm 125:1 "Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Daniel 3:15 "Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” - NIV

King Nebuchadnezzar was leading the greatest human kingdom that ever existed in the world. He was very proud of his achievements. Thinking he was above everyone including God, he ridiculed the three Hebrew men for trusting God to rescue them if they refused to worship his enormous golden statue. He was greatly mistaken as he saw God rescue these men from the furnace heated seven times in a manner he had never known.

Pharaoh of Egypt wielded so much power and was worshiped as a god. He thought the God Moses and Aaron told him about was like one of the other gods. And God proofed Himself as God above all. King Herod, in pride, did not give glory to God when people thought he spoke like a god. He was struck dead. Nebuchadnezzar learnt the very hard way when he was made to live and eat grass like an animal for seven years. Then He acknowledged the God of heaven, and that power belonged to Him.

Such is the deception of power in one’s hand. It makes the possessor think they are above all or can do anything by virtue of their positions. Let it be known to all that whatever power we hold was entrusted from the God Who is over and above all. But when men think they can use power to insult God Who gave it to them, they will be in for a rude shock. God has humbled such arrogance in the past, and will do it again.
Therefore, let all who hold it now, at whatever level, fear and honor God. All power belongs to Him ultimately.

Psalms 62:11-12 "More than once I have heard God say  that power belongs to him and that his love is constant. You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to his deeds."

Matthew 28:18 "Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Exodus 32:19-20 "When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain…" - NIV

Moses had been in the mountain forty days with Joshua. When people saw that he delayed, they asked Aaron to make for them gods of gold shaped like a calf which they worshipped. Moses, with the heart of God, couldn’t stand seeing the idolatry. He was angry and zealously set out to destroy the idol and those who promoted it.

When our hearts are ablaze with true love for God, we cannot stand what He hates. We shall love what He loves and hate what He hates. To love, enjoy and promote what God hates and claim to know and live for Him, is hypocrisy. Elijah was zealous for God, and fought idolatry in Israel. Jesus was consumed with zeal for God’s house of worship, and aggressively drove out those who had turned it to trading centre and den of thieves.

Zeal is a driving force into what we are consumed with. It enables whole hearted action, gives perseverance in battle, and is the secret to any significant achievements. Without zeal in service, people easily give up, compromise, play double standards, backslide and become easy targets to enemy forces. We are called to be zealous in whatever we do in God. If you have lost it, service isn’t enjoyable. Ask God to restore it, or else you soon fade out!

Romans 12:11 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Isaiah 41:13-14 "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, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." - NIV

As little children, whenever you are with dad or mum, you feel completely safe and protected as they hold your little arm and lead you. They are everything to you. They are the strongest people in the world, whom nothing can defeat and have everything you ever need. As you grow up, you realise this isn’t entirely true of them after all. They are limited.

God spoke to Israel through Prophet Isaiah to give assurance beyond reasonable doubt, that He is the Most High, the Almighty with Whom nothing is impossible. He would protect, preserve, provide and be with them. He Himself would take them by their little feeble hands. In life, there will be overwhelming situations that scare us. God knows we are limited in ability to solve all our problems. And He gave this emphatic assurance to Israel His people, and by extension, to us in the current dispensation.

In desperate and dire situations where our human power, might, knowledge and wisdom fall short, every ear would love to hear such assurances of a more powerful helping hand to carry them through. This could only come authoritatively from a God Who transcends all, knows all, owns all, in charge of all, and yet very much willing to help WHOEVER calls upon Him in faith. The promise is clear; those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Will you?

Jeremiah 32:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

John 12:26 "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

As Jesus moved about in His ministry, the first call He would make to His would be disciples was to follow Him. Following is a mark of discipleship. John records how Jesus made it a condition for whoever wanted to serve Him to first be willing to follow. In following, you express the willingness to go wherever He goes. A service offered to God from a point of submission honors God through and through.

When Jesus calls us to follow Him, he knows where he is taking us. He is not guessing. In Him is direction, purpose, protection and provision for life. Following requires humility, a willingness to let go your own ways and embrace what He tells you, even if it may not be pleasant all the time. After all, He is our Creator and knows it all. This does negate the rightful use of our God given intellect and abilities, but channeling them to His glory.

So many are in His service, but are not willing to follow His way. They want to serve their own way, fulfilling their desires alongside God’s. But God, Whom we serve, has prescribed how we do it. Ours is to obediently respond and follow, knowing that He never misleads, knows it all, and always has our best interests in mind. His footsteps are clear and straight. They lead to absolute fulfilment and to life eternal. To this path, He calls us all. Will you follow?

John 10:27-28 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Ephesians 5:4 "…Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane, or vulgar. Rather you should give thanks to God." - GNB

Paul was giving instruction on the conduct and manner of life befitting the Christian as they are transformed into Christ likeness. Among these is discouragement from use of a language that doesn’t reflect the nature of God, and therefore shouldn’t characterize His children. Obscenity, profanity, cursing, or vulgar language are not for the believer in Christ.

Language is one key sign of the character of a person. It brings out who they really are, and what manner of spirit is in them. It is a reflection of the spiritual kingdom one belongs to, of God or the devil. When God transforms a person, their behaviour and language as well changes. Even under provocation, the Holy Spirit gives self control to avoid ungodly speech.

Instead, the believer’s speech is to be graceful, thankful and seasoned with salt. It brings love, peace, hope and life to its hearers. Listen to a person’s speech, and you can tell what is in them, and who controls them. May you be so full of good inside that it overflows through your mouth. Then you become a blessing to others.

Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Numbers 6:24-26 "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." - NIV

This priestly mode of blessing God instructed Aaron to use while blessing Israel reveals God’s heart towards His people. He desires to bless and keep us. This speaks of having sufficiency and protection from all harm and alarm. He desires to make His face shine upon us. He wants us to reflect His glory and nature as His light shines in and through us.

He is gracious to us, bearing our weaknesses, restoring us to Himself. When His face is turned towards us, we obtain and walk in favour and things fall into place for us. And He wants to give us peace, first with Himself and then for us to be channels of His peace to our world.

Because God wanted this to happen for His people all the time, He instructed Aaron to bless them that way. He added,  “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Vs. 27). As Aaron would pronounce this blessings, indeed the people would be blessed.

I pray this blessing be true to you and your loved ones, and in your various endeavors today and always.

The LORD bless you.

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Proverbs 19:2 " It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way."

The wise man underscored the importance of not just having zeal, but balanced with knowledge. There are people so committed and sold out to what they do. But for lack of proper knowledge, wisdom, guidance and timing, they hit dead ends, get so frustrated and lose heart on an otherwise good cause.

Life is not a straight line. Just like driving a car, there are straight parts of the road. There are also corners, rough, slippery and bumpy portions which require one to slow down, seek guidance and be very cultulative. It’s the first and slow, and sometimes brief stops that ensure you eventually get to your destination safe. Speed at a time you need to be slow or stop, may kill. The scripture above says it is neither good to be hasty and miss the way. Some in their zeal even run ahead of God’s timing and miss the way.

Zeal should always be guided by faith, knowledge and wisdom so as to achieve its objectives. We don’t know it all. We should not be wise in our own eyes and ignore the warning signs along the way. Some have gone ahead of us and their counsel is important for stability and longevity in life. Above all, God, Who knows the end from the begining, is willing to lead and guide us in the right paths for our safety and peace. Trust and allow Him lead.

Proverbs 3:5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."

Psalm 23:3 "…He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."

Shalom children of God

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

1 Kings 21:27-29 "When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” - NIV

King Ahab was on record for giving himself over to evil and sinning against God like no other, spurred on by Jezebel his wife. God’s judgement was imminent. When he learnt about it, Ahab humbled himself before God and put on sack cloth, a sign of humility. God saw it and told prophet Elijah. He postponed the judgment He had purposed to bring to Ahab’s family.

God quickly accepted Ahab for his humility, although he went back to his idolatry. This gives a picture of God’s heart towards the humble and brokenhearted. One condition He gives for our prayers to be acceptable before Him is humility. Before God brings any judgement to any people, He always warns them, and gives them time to repent, acknowledge their shortcomings and recognise Him alone as God. By the time any judgement falls, it is clear the people didn’t respond in humility and repentance.

So much disaster could be avoided if people learnt to be humble before their God. David came to be called a man after God’s heart because of his humility despite the scandals. Jesus taught and demonstrated humility. He calls His followers to the same path of humility. Humility is recognition of our true position in God, and the acknowledgment that without God’s help, we cannot be what He created as to be. We thus obediently and willingly submit to Him. The humble will always touch God’s heart.

Psalm 51:17 "My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Shalom children of God.

By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo

Philippians 2:3-5 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…" - NIV

In following in the footsteps of Jesus our Lord and Savior, developing the same mindset He had is key. Apostle Paul advices that this attitude should manifest in our relationships with others. Attitude is the reason we see, interprete, say or do things the way we do them. It is the underlying motive beyond the superficial cover ups and hypocritic pretenses. And it is what God looks at, because it is the true reflection of the heart. Attitude determines everything else, good or bad.

Anyone can claim to be godly or good. This may be covered up for a while. But the true character of a person can’t be hidden. It soon somehow somewhere shows up especially in times of adversity. But when the attitude of Christ reigns in those called by His name, they will manifest it at all times. The fruit of their lives never lies, in all seasons and times. People’s mindsets are influenced by several factors; cultural backgrounds, education, religious systems, values, etc. Best of all should be a mindset the God, Who created us, intended for for us. That’s what we should pursue.

We should thus see people and things from His perspective. Developing this attitude is enhanced by the Holy Spirit working in each of our lives. None of us in our own human abilities can do so, given the influence of the sinful nature. It was the reason the Holy Spirit came, to help us become Christ-like including in our attitudes towards others. But the Holy Spirit requires our obedient corporation. Will you allow Him transform your attitude?

Colossians 3:9-10 "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

Shalom children of God.